"An integral catechesis involving body, soul and spirit is emblematic also for the catechetic training of today’s Christians". In that way, in the middle of today’s general audience, the Pope synthesized the teaching of Cyrill of Jerusalem, born in 315 in Jerusalem, and ordained bishop in 348. On mentioning the 24 "famous catecheses" which Cyrill described as bishop towards 350, Benedict XVI called them "a global catechesis of the spirit", the outcome of a "doctrinal, moral and pedagogic" catechesis. The first five, recalled the Pope, "deal with the provisions before Baptism, conversion from pagan customs, the sacrament of Baptism, the ten dogmatic truths contained in the Creed or the Symbol of Faith, respectively". On the other hand, the following ones "make up a continuous catechesis on the Symbol of Jerusalem, from a non-Aryan viewpoint". As for the last five, called "mystagogic", the first two "develop a comment on the rites of Baptism, while the last three focus on chrism, the Body and the Blood of Christ and the Eucharistic liturgy". There is also "the explanation of Pater Noster", which "establishes a path of initiation to prayer, developing in line with the initiation to the three sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist" (to be continued).
