Commemorated on January 1
Saint Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, "belongs
not to the Church of Caesarea alone, nor merely to his own time, nor
was he of benefit only to his own kinsmen, but rather to all lands and
cities worldwide, and to all people he brought and still brings benefit,
and for Christians he always was and will be a most salvific teacher."
Thus spoke St Basil's contemporary, St Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium.
St
Basil was born in the year 330 at Caesarea, the administrative center
of Cappadocia. He was of illustrious lineage, famed for its eminence and
wealth, and zealous for the Christian Faith. The saint's grandfather
and grandmother on his father's side had to hide in the forests of
Pontus for seven years during the persecution under Diocletian.
St
Basil'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 the Great; Gregory, afterwards Bishop of Nyssa (January 10);
Peter, Bishop of Sebaste (January 9); and Theosebia, a deaconess
(January 10).
St Basil spent the first years of his life on
an estate belonging to his parents at the River Iris, where he was
raised under the supervision of his mother Emilia and grandmother
Macrina. They were women of great refinement, who remembered an earlier
bishop of Cappadocia, St Gregory the Wonderworker (November 17). Basil
received his initial education under the supervision of his father, and
then he studied under the finest teachers in Caesarea of Cappadocia, and
it was here that he made the acquaintance of St Gregory the Theologian
(January 25 and January 30). Later, Basil transferred to a school at
Constantinople, where he listened to eminent orators and philosophers.
To complete his education St Basil went to Athens, the center of
classical enlightenment.
After a four or five year stay at
Athens, Basil had mastered all the available disciplines. "He studied
everything thoroughly, more than others are wont to study a single
subject. He studied each science in its very totality, as though he
would study nothing else." Philosopher, philologist, orator, jurist,
naturalist, possessing profound knowledge in astronomy, mathematics and
medicine, "he was a ship fully laden with learning, to the extent
permitted by human nature."
At Athens a close friendship
developed between Basil the Great and Gregory the Theologian
(Nazianzus), which continued throughout their life. In fact, they
regarded themselves as one soul in two bodies. Later on, in his eulogy
for Basil the Great, St Gregory the Theologian speaks with delight about
this period: "Various hopes guided us, and indeed inevitably, in
learning... Two paths opened up before us: the one to our sacred temples
and the teachers therein; the other towards preceptors of disciplines
beyond."
About the year 357, St Basil returned to Caesarea,
where for a while he devoted himself to rhetoric. But soon, refusing
offers from Caesarea's citizens who wanted to entrust him with the
education of their offspring, St Basil entered upon the path of ascetic
life.
After the death of her husband, Basil's mother, her
eldest daughter Macrina, and several female servants withdrew to the
family estate at Iris and there began to lead an ascetic life. Basil was
baptized by Dianios, the Bishop of Caesarea, and was tonsured a Reader
(On the Holy Spirit, 29). He first read the Holy Scriptures to the
people, then explained them.
Later on, "wishing to acquire a
guide to the knowledge of truth", the saint undertook a journey into
Egypt, Syria and Palestine, to meet the great Christian ascetics
dwelling there. On returning to Cappadocia, he decided to do as they
did. He distributed his wealth to the needy, then settled on the
opposite side of the river not far from his mother Emilia and sister
Macrina, gathering around him monks living a cenobitic life.
By
his letters, Basil drew his good friend Gregory the Theologian to the
monastery. Sts Basil and Gregory labored in strict abstinence in their
dwelling place, which had no roof or fireplace, and the food was very
humble. They themselves cleared away the stones, planted and watered the
trees, and carried heavy loads. Their hands were constantly calloused
from the hard work. For clothing Basil had only a tunic and monastic
mantle. He wore a hairshirt, but only at night, so that it would not be
obvious.
In their solitude, Sts Basil and Gregory occupied
themselves in an intense study of Holy Scripture. They were guided by
the writings of the Fathers and commentators of the past, especially the
good writings of Origen. From all these works they compiled an
anthology called Philokalia. Also at this time, at the request of the
monks, St Basil wrote down a collection of rules for virtuous life. By
his preaching and by his example St Basil assisted in the spiritual
perfection of Christians in Cappadocia and Pontus; and many indeed
turned to him. Monasteries were organized for men and for women, in
which places Basil sought to combine the cenobitic (koine bios, or
common) lifestyle with that of the solitary hermit.
During
the reign of Constantius (337-361) the heretical teachings of Arius were
spreading, and the Church summoned both its saints into service. St
Basil returned to Caesarea. In the year 362 he was ordained deacon by
Bishop Meletius of Antioch. In 364 he was ordained to the holy
priesthood by Bishop Eusebius of Caesarea. "But seeing," as Gregory the
Theologian relates, "that everyone exceedingly praised and honored Basil
for his wisdom and reverence, Eusebius, through human weakness,
succumbed to jealousy of him, and began to show dislike for him." The
monks rose up in defense of St Basil. To avoid causing Church discord,
Basil withdrew to his own monastery and concerned himself with the
organization of monasteries.
With the coming to power of the
emperor Valens (364-378), who was a resolute adherent of Arianism, a
time of troubles began for Orthodoxy, the onset of a great struggle. St
Basil hastily returned to Caesarea at the request of Bishop Eusebius. In
the words of Gregory the Theologian, he was for Bishop Eusebius "a good
advisor, a righteous representative, an expounder of the Word of God, a
staff for the aged, a faithful support in internal matters, and an
activist in external matters."
From this time church
governance passed over to Basil, though he was subordinate to the
hierarch. He preached daily, and often twice, in the morning and in the
evening. During this time St Basil composed his Liturgy. He wrote a work
"On the Six Days of Creation" (Hexaemeron) and another on the Prophet
Isaiah in sixteen chapters, yet another on the Psalms, and also a second
compilation of monastic rules. St Basil wrote also three books "Against
Eunomius," an Arian teacher who, with the help of Aristotelian
concepts, had presented the Arian dogma in philosophic form, converting
Christian teaching into a logical scheme of rational concepts.
St
Gregory the Theologian, speaking about the activity of Basil the Great
during this period, points to "the caring for the destitute and the
taking in of strangers, the supervision of virgins, written and
unwritten monastic rules for monks, the arrangement of prayers
[Liturgy], the felicitous arrangement of altars and other things." Upon
the death of Eusebius, the Bishop of Caesarea, St Basil was chosen to
succed him in the year 370. As Bishop of Caesarea, St Basil the Great
was the newest of fifty bishops in eleven provinces. St Athanasius the
Great (May 2), with joy and with thanks to God welcomed the appointment
to Cappadocia of such a bishop as Basil, famed for his reverence, deep
knowledge of Holy Scripture, great learning, and his efforts for the
welfare of Church peace and unity.
Under Valens, the external
government belonged to the Arians, who held various opinions regarding
the divinity of the Son of God, and were divided into several factions.
These dogmatic disputes were concerned with questions about the Holy
Spirit. In his books Against Eunomios, St Basil the Great taught the
divinity of the Holy Spirit and His equality with the Father and the
Son. Subsequently, in order to provide a full explanation of Orthodox
teaching on this question, St Basil wrote his book On the Holy Spirit at
the request of St Amphilochius, the Bishop of Iconium.
St
Basil's difficulties were made worse by various circumstances:
Cappadocia was divided in two under the rearrangement of provincial
districts. Then at Antioch a schism occurred, occasioned by the
consecration of a second bishop. There was the negative and haughty
attitude of Western bishops to the attempts to draw them into the
struggle with the Arians. And there was also the departure of Eustathius
of Sebaste over to the Arian side. Basil had been connected to him by
ties of close friendship. Amidst the constant perils St Basil gave
encouragement to the Orthodox, confirmed them in the Faith, summoning
them to bravery and endurance. The holy bishop wrote numerous letters to
the churches, to bishops, to clergy and to individuals. Overcoming the
heretics "by the weapon of his mouth, and by the arrows of his letters,"
as an untiring champion of Orthodoxy, St Basil challenged the hostility
and intrigues of the Arian heretics all his life. He has been compared
to a bee, stinging the Church's enemies, yet nourishing his flock with
the sweet honey of his teaching.
The emperor Valens,
mercilessly sending into exile any bishop who displeased him, and having
implanted Arianism into other Asia Minor provinces, suddenly appeared
in Cappadocia for this same purpose. He sent the prefect Modestus to St
Basil. He began to threaten the saint with the confiscation of his
property, banishment, beatings, and even death.
St Basil said,
"If you take away my possessions, you will not enrich yourself, nor
will you make me a pauper. You have no need of my old worn-out clothing,
nor of my few books, of which the entirety of my wealth is comprised.
Exile means nothing to me, since I am bound to no particular place. This
place in which I now dwell is not mine, and any place you send me shall
be mine. Better to say: every place is God's. Where would I be neither a
stranger and sojourner (Ps. 38/39:13)? Who can torture me? I am so
weak, that the very first blow would render me insensible. Death would
be a kindness to me, for it will bring me all the sooner to God, for
Whom I live and labor, and to Whom I hasten."
The official was stunned by his answer. "No one has ever spoken so audaciously to me," he said.
"Perhaps,"
the saint remarked, " that is because you've never spoken to a bishop
before. In all else we are meek, the most humble of all. But when it
concerns God, and people rise up against Him, then we, counting
everything else as naught, look to Him alone. Then fire, sword, wild
beasts and iron rods that rend the body, serve to fill us with joy,
rather than fear."
Reporting to Valens that St Basil was not
to be intimidated, Modestus said, "Emperor, we stand defeated by a
leader of the Church." Basil the Great again showed firmness before the
emperor and his retinue and made such a strong impression on Valens that
the emperor dared not give in to the Arians demanding Basil's exile.
"On the day of Theophany, amidst an innumerable multitude of the people,
Valens entered the church and mixed in with the throng, in order to
give the appearance of being in unity with the Church. When the singing
of Psalms began in the church, it was like thunder to his hearing. The
emperor beheld a sea of people, and in the altar and all around was
splendor; in front of all was Basil, who acknowledged neither by gesture
nor by glance, that anything else was going on in church." Everything
was focused only on God and the altar-table, and the clergy serving
there in awe and reverence.
St Basil celebrated the church
services almost every day. He was particularly concerned about the
strict fulfilling of the Canons of the Church, and took care that only
worthy individuals should enter into the clergy. He incessantly made the
rounds of his own church, lest anywhere there be an infraction of
Church discipline, and setting aright any unseemliness. At Caesarea, St
Basil built two monasteries, a men's and a women's, with a church in
honor of the Forty Martyrs (March 9) whose relics were buried there.
Following the example of monks, the saint's clergy, even deacons and
priests, lived in remarkable poverty, to toil and lead chaste and
virtuous lives. For his clergy St Basil obtained an exemption from
taxation. He used all his personal wealth and the income from his church
for the benefit of the destitute; in every center of his diocese he
built a poor-house; and at Caesarea, a home for wanderers and the
homeless.
Sickly since youth, the toil of teaching, his life of
abstinence, and the concerns and sorrows of pastoral service took their
toll on him. St Basil died on January 1, 379 at age 49. Shortly before
his death, the saint blessed St Gregory the Theologian to accept the See
of Constantinople.
Upon the repose of St Basil, the Church
immediately began to celebrate his memory. St Amphilochius, Bishop of
Iconium (November 23), in his eulogy to St Basil the Great, said: "It is
neither without a reason nor by chance that holy Basil has taken leave
from the body and had repose from the world unto God on the day of the
Circumcision of Jesus, celebrated between the day of the Nativity and
the day of the Baptism of Christ. Therefore, this most blessed one,
preaching and praising the Nativity and Baptism of Christ, extolling
spiritual circumcision, himself forsaking the flesh, now ascends to
Christ on the sacred day of remembrance of the Circumcision of Christ.
Therefore, let it also be established on this present day annually to
honor the memory of Basil the Great festively and with solemnity."
St
Basil is also called "the revealer of heavenly mysteries"
(Ouranophantor), a "renowned and bright star," and "the glory and beauty
of the Church." His honorable head is in the Great Lavra on Mount
Athos.
In some countries it is customary to sing special carols
today in honor of St Basil. He is believed to visit the homes of the
faithful, and a place is set for him at the table. People visit the
homes of friends and relatives, and the mistress of the house gives a
small gift to the children. A special bread (Vasilopita) is blessed and
distributed after the Liturgy. A silver coin is baked into the bread,
and whoever receives the slice with the coin is said to receive the
blessing of St Basil for the coming year.
Troparion - Tone 1
Your proclamation has gone out into all the earthWhich was divinely
taught by hearing your voiceExpounding the nature of creatures,Ennobling
the manners of men.O holy father of a royal priesthood,Entreat Christ
God that our souls may be saved.
Kontakion - Tone 4
You were revealed as the sure foundation of the Church, granting all
mankind a lordship which cannot be taken away, sealing it with your
precepts, venerable Basil, revealer of heaven.
Kontakion - Tone 4
You were revealed as the sure foundation of the Church,Granting all men
a lordship which cannot be taken away,Sealing it with your precepts,O
Venerable and Heavenly Father Basil.
SOURCE:
SAINT OR FEAST POSTED THIS DATE 2014(with 2013's link here also and further:, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, and even 2008!):