Saint Basil the Great

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This great father and teacher of the Orthodox Church was born in 329 AD, according to others in 330 AD, in Neocaesarea of ​​Pontus in the village of Annissa and grew up in Caesarea of ​​Cappadocia. The encyclopedic dictionaries mention Caesarea of ​​Cappadocia as the homeland of Basil the Great. He had 8 brothers, 3 boys and five girls. Of the 4 boys, 3 boys became bishops (Vassilios of Caesarea, Gregory of Nyssa and Petros Sevastias) and one a monk (Naukratios). The first of his 5 sisters, and at the same time the eldest child of the family, Makrina, became a nun. His parents Basil (and he), who came from the Neo-Caesarea of ​​Pontus and Emmeleia, who came from Cappadocia, although worldly noble and rich, also had a very prosperous Christian mind.

Equipped with this Christian upbringing, Basil begins an amazing spiritual upward course. Having the gifts of ingenuity and memory, he conquers almost all the sciences of his time. And most importantly, he conquers the divine theory of the Gospel, which he immediately puts into practice with his strict ascetic life.

But let us briefly mention the course of his activities. After his first studies in Caesarea and then in Byzantium, he visited, still young, Athens, where he completed his studies for four years, studying philosophy, rhetoric, grammar, astronomy and medicine, with his classmates Gregory the Nazianzen (the Theologian). ) and Julian on Friday.

From Athens he returned to Caesarea and taught the art of rhetoric. However, he decided to follow the solitary life and that is why he went to the centers of asceticism, to teach the solitary state in Egypt, Palestine, Syria and Mesopotamia. When he returned, he retired to a Monastery of Pontus, after becoming a monk, and practiced there with all rigor for five years (357 - 362 AD). Already perfectly trained in the Orthodox Faith, he was ordained a deacon and an elder by Bishop Eusebius of Caesarea. The exemplary way of his spiritual work did not take long to raise him to the throne of the high priesthood, succeeding Eusebius in the diocese of Caesarea (370 AD). With steadfastness and a brave mind, as a high priest he made many struggles for the Orthodox Faith. For the orthodox reasons he wrote,

In his struggles against Arianism he did not emerge as a diamond, nor did the royal flattery of Valenda (364-378 AD), who personally went to Caesarea to convert him to Arianism, nor Modestus' threats could bend the orthodox mind. He bravely defended Orthodoxy, astonishing the king and the Martians. Still, he fought against moral decay and brought about wise reforms in monasticism.

The rest of his pastoral activity was unparalleled, building the famous "Vassiliada", a complex with auspicious Institutions, such as a poorhouse, orphanage, nursing home, hotel and hospital, etc., where they found food and care for thousands of patients and patients of all ages. .

Basil the Great has a rich and important literary work. His main works are the 9 speeches in the Six Days, speeches in the Psalms, many and various other speeches, ascetic works and letters. Apart from his other works, he also wrote a Divine Liturgy, which, after the predominance of this shorter one of St. John Chrysostom, is celebrated 10 times a year: on January 1 (where his memory is celebrated), the first five Sundays of Lent, the eve of Christmas and Epiphany, Thursday and Saturday.

At the age of fifty, Basil the Great, due to his weak wine and strict ascetic life (some sources say from severe diseases of the liver or kidneys), on January 1, 378 AD. or according to others in 379 to 380 AD, leaves this perishable and vain world, leaving a legacy and sacred heritage to mankind a huge spiritual work.

 It celebrates on the 1st of January of each year.