With today being the Feast of the Epiphany little will be mentioned of the first two saints of the New Year. January 2nd gives us the celebration of the lives of St. Basil the great and St. Gregory Nazianzen, both bishops and doctors of the church.
Basil was born of a Christian family at Caesarea in Cappadocia in 330. Conspicuous for his learning and virtue, for a time he led the life of a hermit but in 370 was made bishop of Caesarea. He fought against the Arians and wrote many admirable works, especially his monastic rule which many Eastern monks still follow. Saint Basil died on January 1, 379.
Gregory Nazianzen was also born in 330. Traveling as a youth in the pursuit of learning, he first joined his friend Basil as a hermit and was later ordained priest and bishop. In the year 381 he was elected bishop of Constantinople; however, because of factions divinding the Church, he returned to Nazianzen where he died on January 25, 389 or 390. He was called theologus because of his outstanding teaching and eloquence.
No comments:
Post a Comment