Feast Day: 2 January
“A good deed is never lost; he who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love.”
Saint Basil, (Latin Basilius), one of the most distinguished Doctors of the Church and Bishop of Caesarea in Asia Minor, refuted Arian errors, wrote treatises, homilies, and monastic rules, called “Father of Monasticism of the East”.
He was one of ten children of Saint Basil the Elder and Saint Emmelia. Among Saint Basil’s siblings, four are venerated as saints: Macrina the Younger, Naucratius, Peter of Sebaste and Gregory of Nyssa. Saint Basil’s early years were spent at Neocaesarea in Pontus, imbibing the principles of the Orthodox faith from his mother.
He came from a wealthy and pious family and defended the Roman Catholic Church against the heresies of the 4th century.
Saint Basil is the Father of Eastern monasticism—as Saint Benedict is for western monasticism. His rules for monasticism and his ascetic writings influenced Ukrainian monasticism and inspired the formation of the Basilian monastic Order, named in his honour. The Rule of St. Basil places great emphasis on love of God and of neighbour. He established the ‘new city’ of Basilieas to care for the elderly, sick and poor.
He is one of the three Cappadocian Fathers and the first of the three Holy Hierarchs of the Eastern Church.
Saint Basil the Great is the patron saint for both hospital administrators and reformers. He is also the patron saint of Cappadocia, Basillian Monks, education, exorcism and liturgists.
His book on the Holy Spirit, written to Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium, against the Pneumatomachi is one of his greatest works of writings.
No comments:
Post a Comment