Thursday, January 2, 2014

Sts. Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen

St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory Nazianzen, Bishops and Doctors of the Church

St. Basil the Great: Bishop of Caesarea, and one of the most distinguished Doctors of the Church. Born probably 329; died 1 January, 379. He ranks after Athanasius as a defender of the Oriental Church against the heresies of the fourth century. With his friend Gregory of Nazianzus and his brother Gregory of Nyssa, he makes up the trio known as "The Three Cappadocians".


"BASIL convinces us that since we are human beings, we must neither despise men nor offend Christ, the common Head of all, with our inhuman behaviour towards people; rather, we ourselves must benefit by learning from the misfortunes of others and must lend God our compassion, for we are in need of mercy"
~Gregory Nazianzus, Orationes 43, 63.

Resources:
St. Basil the Great, Catholic Ency. article
St. Basil by Rev. Alban Butler

Saint Basil (1) by Benedict XVI
Saint Basil (2) by Benedict XVI


St. Gregory of Nazianzus: Born into a noble family in about 330 A.D. and his mother consecrated him to God at birth. After his education at home, he attended the most famous schools of his time: he first went to Caesarea in Cappadocia, where he made friends with Basil, the future Bishop of that city, and went on to stay in other capitals of the ancient world, such as Alexandria, Egypt and in particular Athens, where once again he met Basil (cf. Orationes 43: 14-24).


"LET us seek to be like Christ, because Christ also became like us: to become gods through him since he himself, through us, became a man. He took the worst upon himself to make us a gift of the best." ~Gregory Nazianzus, Orationes 1, 5.

Resources:
St. Gregory of Nazianzus, Catholic Ency. article
St. Gregory Nazianzen by Alban Butler
Saint Gregory Nazianzus (1) by Benedict XVI
Saint Gregory Nazianzus (2) by Benedict XVI



Icon of St. Basil the Great
from the St. Sophia Cathedral of Kiev


 Icon of St. Gregory "the Theologian"
Fresco from Kariye Camii, Istanbul, Turkey

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