In the encampment of the Saracens they asked St. Cyril:"How could Christians wage war and at the same time keep the commandment of Christ about praying to God for their enemies?"
To that, St. Cyril replied:
"If two commandments were written in one law and given to men for fulfilling, which man will be a better follower of the law: the one who fulfills one commandment or the one who fulfills both?"
To that, the Saracens replied:
"Undoubtedly, he who fulfills both commandments."
St. Cyril continued:
"Christ our God commands us to pray to God for those who persecute us and even to do good to them; but, He also said to us: greater love cannot be shown in this world than if one lay down his life for his friends."
"Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" (St. John 15:13).
That is why we bear the insults which our enemies do to us individually and we pray to God for them; and, as a society, we defend one another and give up our lives, that you would not somehow enslave our brethren, would not enslave their souls with their bodies and would not kill them in body and soul.
