This was one of the charges brought against Cyril
in the course of the disputes between himself and Acacius, which had
commenced soon after he had been installed in the Bishopric of
Jerusalem. As Bishop of Cæsarea, Acacius exercised
Metropolitan jurisdiction over the Bishops of Palestine. But
Cyril, as presiding over an Apostolic See, “the Mother of all the
Churches,” claimed exemption from the jurisdiction of
Cæsarea, and higher rank than its Bishop. It is not alleged,
nor is it in any way probable, that Cyril claimed also the jurisdiction
over other Bishops. The rights and privileges of his See had been
clearly defined many years before by the 7th Canon of the Council of
Nicæa: “As custom and ancient tradition shew that the
Bishop of Ælia ought to be honoured, let him have precedence in
honour, without prejudice to the proper dignity of the Metropolitical
See.” Eusebius Hist. Eccl. v.
23., in reference to a
Synod concerning the time of Easter, says: “There is still
extant a writing of those who were then assembled in Palestine (about
200 a.d.), over whom Theophilus, Bishop of
Cæsarea, and Narcissus, Bishop of Jerusalem,
presided.” If one Synod only is here meant, it would appear
that the Bishop of Cæsarea took precedence of the Bishop of
Jerusalem, which would be the natural order in a Synod held at
Cæsarea. Bishop Hefele, however, takes a different
view History of the
Christian Councils, Book I. Sec. ii. c.: “According to the
Synodicon, two Synods were held in Palestine on the
subject of the Easter
controversy: the one at Jerusalem presided over by Narcissus, and
composed of fourteen Bishops; and the other at Cæsarea, comprising
twelve Bishops, and presided over by Theophilus.” In
confirmation of this view we may observe that when next Eusebius
mentions Narcissus and Theophilus, he reverses the previous order, and
names the Bishop of Jerusalem first.