Saint Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea

Life

Basil was born in the time of Emperor Constantine. While still unbaptized He spent fifteen years in Athens studying philosophy, rhetoric, astronomy and all the other worldly sciences of that time. His school companions were Gregory the Theologian and Julian, the later apostate emperor. In his mature years he was baptized in the Jordan River together with his former teacher Evulus. He was bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia for nearly ten years, and completed his earthly life having reached fifty years from his birth. A great champion of Orthodoxy, a great torch of moral purity and religious zeal, a great theological mind, a great builder and pillar of God's Church; Basil is deservedly called the Great. In church services He is called the bee of Christ's Church, which carries honey to the faithful and with its sting pricks heretics. Numerous works of this Father of the Church have been preserved: theological, apologetic, ascetic and canonical; likewise the service named after him. This service is celebrated ten times a year, namely: on January 1, on the eve of the Nativity, on the eve of Theophany, on all Sundays of Great Lent except Palm Sunday, on Holy Thursday and on Holy Saturday. Saint Basil reposed peacefully on January 1, 379 and passed into the Kingdom of Christ.