Saturday, January 01, 2011

St Emilia, the Mother of St Basil the Great

Commemorated on January 1

St Basil the Great's mother St Emilia was the daughter of a martyr. On the Greek calendar, she is commemorated on May 30. St Basil's father was also named Basil. He was a lawyer and renowned rhetorician, and lived at Caesarea.

Ten children were born to the elder Basil and Emilia: five sons and five daughters. Five of them were later numbered among the saints: Basil the Great; Macrina (July 19) was an exemplar of ascetic life, and exerted strong influence on the life and character of St Basil; Gregory, afterwards Bishop of Nyssa (January 10); Peter, Bishop of Sebaste (January 9); and Theosebia, a deaconess (January 10).


SOURCE:

SAINT OR FEAST POSTED THIS DATE 2010(with 2009's link here also and further, 2008's):

2 comments:

ioannis said...

I am wishing a nice new year dear Sophocles for you and your family with health and love.

Sophocles said...

I was just thinking about you last week. May all the goodness of God be with you and your family as well my friend Ioannis.

Hopefully I will find time to begin posting more theological material again so that you can visit and chat.