St Basil & St. Gregory of Nazianzus

St Basil & St. Gregory of Nazianzus

St. Basil of Caesarea,  

Also called Saint Basil the Great (329-379) was one of the towering giants of ancient Christianity, born in a Caesarea, Cappadocia, Turkey, into the wealthy Christian family of Basil the Elder, a famous rhetor, and Emelia. Elder Basil’s family was an old Christian family of wealth and distinction, with a remarkable religious history. It was a large household, consisting of ten children, the parents, and Basil's grandmother, Macrina the Elder. His parents were known for their piety, and his maternal grandfather was a Christian martyr, executed in the years prior to Constantine’s conversion. Four of Basil's siblings are known by name, and considered to be saints by various Christian traditions. His older sister Macrina the Younger was a well-known nun. His elder brother Peter served as bishop of Sebaste in Armenia, and wrote a few well-known theological treatises. His brother Naucratius was an anchorite, and inspired much of Basil's theological work. Perhaps the most influential of Basil's siblings was his younger brother Gregory. Gregory of Nyssa was appointed by Basil to be the bishop of Nyssa, and he produced a number of writings defending Nicene theology and describing the life of early Christian monastics. With his life-long friend, Gregory of Nazianzus and his brother Gregory of Nyssa, he makes up the trio known as ‘The Three Cappadocians Fathers’, far outclassing the other two in practical genius and actual achievement. St. Basil the Great was one of the most influential of the Greek Fathers of the Church during the ‘Golden Age of the Fathers’ (4th - 5th Centuries).Gregory of NazianzusFor some years, he followed the monastic way of life. He vigorously fought the Arian heresy. He became Archbishop of Caesarea in 370. Monks of the Eastern Church today still follow the monastic rules which he had laid down. He had a strong practical sympathy with the poor and downtrodden and was merciless towards the enormities of the wealthy. One of his greatest works had been the provision at Caesarea of an estate which included dwelling-houses, a church, a hospital for the sick, a hospice for travelers, a staff of doctors, nurses, and artisans, the whole on such a scale as to be called a new town, called as Basliead. He passed away in 379 AD, Jan 1.
Gregory of Nazianzus, one of the three Cappadocian Fathers (along with St. Basil and Gregory of Nyssa) is honored as one of the great doctors of the Church. St. Gregory (329-389) was born near Arianzus in Cappadocia. Gregory was born into a wealthy family near Nazianzus in southwest Cappadocia. His Father was the bishop of Nazianzus and his mother was Nonna. Like Basil, he received the best education, in Caesarea of Cappadocia and Caesarea of Palestine. He studied further in Alexandria. On the way to Athens the ship was nearly lost, in a violent sea storm putting in peril not only his life but also his salvation. With tears and fervor, he besought God to spare him, vowing to dedicate his whole self to Him, and the tempest gave way to calm and the thought of sudden death moved him to dedicate the rest of his life to God. He spent the next eight years at Athens, studying rhetoric under pagan teachers.St. Gregory of Nazianzus, the close friend and contemporary of St. Basil the Great, is also known as St. Gregory the Theologian. The second of the three Cappadocian Fathers, St. Gregory’s life is also very closely tied with a vehement defense of the First Ecumenical Council, held in Nicea in 325, and its definition of the Son as being of the same substance as the Father. Like St. Basil, Gregory was too young to have dealt with Arius and was an influential 4th century Christian theologian and monastic. He received lots of slander, insults and even personal violence. He was a great Father and Teacher of the Church. He is commemorated on Jan 1.

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