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Little is known of his life before he became [[bishop]]; the assignment of the year 315 for his birth rests on mere conjecture. He seems to have been [[ordination|ordained]] [[deacon]] by Bishop [[Makarios I of Jerusalem|Macarius of Jerusalem]] about 335, and [[priest]] some ten years later by [[Maximus III of Jerusalem|Maximus]]. Naturally inclined to peace and conciliation, he took at first a rather moderate position, distinctly averse from [[Arianism]], but (like not a few of his undoubtedly orthodox contemporaries) by no means eager to accept the uncompromising term ''[[homoousios]]''.
Separating from his [[metropolitan]], [[Acacius of Caesarea]], a partisan of [[Arius]], Cyril took the side of the Eusebians, the "right wing" of the post-[[First Ecumenical Council|Nicene]] conciliation party, and thus got into difficulties with his superior, which were increased by Acacius's jealousy of the importance assigned to Cyril's see by the [[First Ecumenical Council|First Council of NicaeaNicea]]. A council held under Acacius's influence in 358 deposed Cyril and forced him to retire to Tarsus. At that time he was officially charged with selling church property to help the poor, although the actual motivation appears to be that Cyril was teaching Nicene and not Arian doctrine in his catechism. On the other hand, the conciliatory Council of Seleucia in the following year, at which Cyril was present, deposed Acacias.
In 360 the process was reversed through the metropolitan's court influence, and Cyril suffered another year's exile from Jerusalem, until [[Julian the Apostate]]'s accession allowed him to return. The Arian emperor [[Valens]] banished him once more in 367, after which he remained undisturbed until his death, his [[jurisdiction]] being expressly confirmed by the [[Second Ecumenical Council|First Council of Constantinople]] (381), at which he was present. At that council, he voted for acceptance of the term ''homoousios'', having been finally convinced that there was no better alternative.