St. Basil the Great
329-379
📅 Feast Day: Jan 2
📖 Life Timeline
Unknown
Born in January 1, 329 AD, Caesarea, Cappadocia
379 AD
Died — January 1, 379 AD, Caesarea
Pre-
Canonized — Pre-Tridentine
✝ Biography
BASIL the GREAT (St) Bp. Dr.
R.M. June 14 (and Jan. 1) 329-379 (Jan. 1). Born at Caesarea in Cappadocia. His parents, his paternal
THE BOOK OF SAINTS
grandparents, his two brothers and one sister, are all honoured as saints. After his studies at Constantinople and Athens, Basil visited the monastic colonies of Egypt, Palestine and Syria, and founded one himself on the river Iris, in Pontus, for which he wrote his Rules, still the standard works of their kind in the East. In 370 he was made metropolitan of Caesarea, and at once entered upon his brave fight for orthodoxy against Arians and Mace- donians, who had the support of the im- perial authorities at Byzantium. Nothing daunted, Basil saved the whole of Cappa- docia for the Catholic faith. For this purpose he spent himself in preaching and writing doctrinal works, in both of which activities he excelled as much as in the administration of his diocese. His work on the Holy Ghost is still unsurpassed in Catholic theology. He edited also the Eucharistic Liturgy which bears his name. In the East Basil is the first of the three Holy Hierarchs, in the West one of the four Greek Doctors.
Cf. Att. — Baud.
BASIL (St) M. See Stephen, Basil, etc.
R.M. Nov. 28
BASILEUS (St) M. R.M. March 2 See Jovinus and Basileus. BASILEUS (St) Bp. M. R.M. Apr. 26
d. 319. Bishop of Amasea i
🛡 Patronage
Patron of: Bakers, grocers, the Coptic Orthodox Church, and environmentalists. Doctor of the Church.
💬 Words of the Saint
If you want to honor Christ, help the poor. It is in them that Christ is truly present.
📜 Key Facts
Born
January 1, 329 AD, Caesarea, Cappadocia
Died
January 1, 379 AD, Caesarea
Feast Day
Jan 2
Canonized
Pre-Tridentine
🕊 Legacy
Basil's monastic rule shaped Eastern monasticism. His Liturgy is the most widely used in the Orthodox Church. His social welfare programs were unprecedented in their scale. He is one of the three Cappadocian Fathers.
📜 Personal Writings
Read excerpts from the saint's own words — their personal letters, spiritual writings, and teachings.
📖 On the Holy Spirit
On the Divinity of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is God, co-equal with the Father and the Son. He is the Lord and Giver of Life, the Proceeding of the Father, the Spirit of Truth. He is the Sanctifier of the faithful, the Comforter of the afflicted, the Teacher of the Church.
— St. Basil the Great
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