Scholarly Reflections
McDonnell, Kilian & Montague, George T. "Chapter Thirteen: Cyril of Jerusalem: The Geography and History of the Spirit." Christian Initiation and Baptism in the Holy Spirit: Evidence from the First Eight Centuries. Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 1991, 174-185.
Cyril's ecclesiology is centered on communion, the concept of doctrine and practice being held in common (McDonnell & Montague 1991, 174). In his writings, that communion is established by the work of the Holy Spriit as shown in resurrection. The seal of the communion is the giving of the Holy Spirit. This communion is to be maintained rigorously (McDonnell & Montague 1991, 175).
The gift of the Holy Spirit is understood to happen through the imposition of hands, presumably in the baptismal font (McDonnell & Montague 1991, 176). Cyril understands the baptismal act to be symbolic of Jesus' death and resurrection, with the resurrection being symbolic of birth, and the coming of the Holy Spirit as an enduement of authority (McDonnell & Montague 1991, 177).
The Christian's baptism then makes the Christian into an imitation of Jesus, and also a recipient of the Holy Spirit (McDonnell & Montague 1991, 177). The historical element of the presence of the Holy Spirit is important to Cyril, as he can trace the work of the Spirit from Moses to the present time. The continuity of the work of the Holy Spirit is a sign of God's unity (McDonnell & Montague 1991, 178). The rushing flow of the Holy Spirit in Acts chapter two and elsewhere then is not so well symbolized by wind as a new type of water (McDonnell & Montague 1991, 180). The water of the Holy Spirit is poured out on different believers in different gifts, but all from the same Spirit. McDonnell observes that Cyril also considers the work of the Holy Spirit to have a relationship to geography, with different gifts in operation at different locations (McDonnell & Montague 1991, 181).
Cyril understands baptism, then, as a time of reception of all the gifts of the Holy Spriit. The Holy Spirit premeates the Christian as fire permeates iron, resulting in a baptism in the Holy Spirit, a concept used in numerous early Christian authors (McDonnell & Montague 1991, 183). They don't see this as a second work of grace, but as the natural experience in baptism.