Discourse on the Virgin Mary

The Discourse in Honour of Saint Mary, the Perpetual Virgin, the God-Bearer in Very Truth, attributed to St. Cyril of Alexandria, is a rich theological and devotional oration that elevates the Theotokos to the highest levels of Christian veneration. It exemplifies a specifically Egyptian Marian theology that integrates Alexandrian Christology, ascetic ideals, and a highly affective, almost liturgical style of rhetoric. This homily reflects not only Cyril's Christological commitments-particularly the hypostatic union-but also the spiritual ethos and devotional currents that shaped Egyptian Christianity in the fourth and fifth centuries. It must be read in light of other Egyptian patristic voices, especially those of Athanasius of Alexandria, Shenoute of Atripe, and the monastic tradition of the desert fathers.