He is a Doctor of the Church, and was “the soul of the Council of Ephesus” in 431. This was an Ecumenical Council, the third one and it defended the Divine Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary against a diabolical heretic, a bishop named Nestorius. It was this Council, and largely due to Saint Cyril’s inspiration, which gave us the last half of the “Hail Mary”: “Holy Mary, Mother of God. pray for us sinners,” to which was later added, “now and at the hour of our death, Amen.”
Saint Cyril of Alexandria
