Saint Basil the Great
~+~
DIVINELY-WISE TEACHER
OF THE UNIVERSE
Saint Basil is a fiery pillar of the Church, one of the three supporting pillars of the Church’s teachings, together with Saints Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom. He is the bearer of the Cappadocian school, which establishes the basic dogmas of the Holy Trinity, of God, on which all Pneumatology and Christology in the Orthodox Church will later be built, in defense against heresies.
It is enough just to say – Saint Basil the Great, and to get a clear idea of a holy man, a man of God, a righteous man, a living icon of Christ. Bishop, zealot and unwavering fighter for the Orthodox Church. Full of grace theologian and seer of God, teacher of the universe, guardian of dogmas and light of the Orthodox faith. Inspired through the breath of God, organiser of the Holy Liturgy and church worship, apostolic editor of the canonical order in the Church and the conciliar organisation.
Venerable ascetic and perfect monk, founder of monasticism, editor of monastic rules and father of monks. Tolerant (understanding) pastor, who converts the deluded, comforter of the weak and protector of the poor, and, orphans.
Few people receive the title “Great” in the Church, and Saint Basil is one of those few who received this epithet because of his holy and praised life. How Saint Basil was Great is shown by the fact that he received that title while he was still alive.
Ancestry and origin
He was born in Caesarea, in 330, to pious and wealthy parents, Basil and Emmelia. And, as it is written in the Holy Scriptures, that from a good tree good fruits are born, so his parents, his father Basil (+349), who before the end of his life became a priest, and his mother Emilia (+375), were holy. God granted them ten children, five boys and five girls.
The eldest daughter was named Macrina (330 – 379), named after her grandmother Macrina (260 – 340), who was widowed at a young age and dedicated her whole life to serving God (her memory is celebrated on June 12). The other daughters married, and one of the sons died young. The rest of the brothers of Saint Basil devoted themselves to the service of the Church of God. Gregory (334 – 394) became the Bishop of Nyssa, Peter (345/7 – 392) became the Bishop of Sebaste, and Naukratius (332 – 358), became a monk. Saint Theosevia (335 – 385), on the other hand, was the wife of Saint Gregory of Nyssa, who later became a deaconess in the Church. All were declared saints.
University of the Desert
Saint Basil spent his earliest childhood in the countryside, with his grandmother Macrina, who is also the progenitor of piety in their family. Her spiritual father was Saint Gregory the Wonderworker. Saint Basil possessed an extremely clear mind, so he was sent to school from an early age. He studied in Neocaesarea under the guidance of his father, who was a professor of rhetoric.
After the death of his father, he went to study in Caesarea, whereupon he met his friend Gregory and since then they were inseparable. Gregory would later become the Patriarch of Constantinople.
Having a great thirst for greater knowledge, Basil left Caesarea journeyed toConstantinople, where he became a student of the famous rhetorician Libanius, and later, around 352, he left for Athens, then the capital of philosophy and science. He chose the famous Evulus as his teacher. In addition to attending the school of Evulus, he also studied under the great rhetoricians Himerius and Proaeresius. Here he was again welcomed by Saint Gregory, and their friendship deepened even more. As Saint Gregory himself later said, they became “one soul in two bodies.”
After acquiring a thorough knowledge of grammar, rhetoric, astronomy, philosophy, physics, medicine, and aesthetics, he returned to Caesarea, where he became a teacher of rhetoric. But his soul yearned to know the Truth. He could not be satisfied with worldly knowledge alone, so he decided, on the advice of his older sister, the nun Macrina, and the ascetic Eustathius of Sebaste, to go to another kind of university – the university of the desert, where the teachers are those who, inspired by the Holy Spirit, saw the Truth and knew It personally.
He went to Egypt, the cradle of monasticism, where the spiritual influence of the famous fathers from the desert was still present – Saints Anthony, Macarius, Pambo and other strands of monasticism. He was personally taught by his contemporaries at the time, pillars of monasticism in Thebes: Saints Pachomius, Macarius the Elder and Macarius of Alexandria, Paphnutius, Paul and others. He chose Archimandrite Porphyrios as his teacher, who allowed him study the works of the Holy Fathers, teachers of the Church, introduced him to the mysteries of the Holy Scriptures and taught him the dogmas of the Holy Orthodox Christian doctrine. During all that time, Saint Basil lived a strict ascetic life involving dry food: he ate only dry bread and fruit.
Back among his own
After a year of studying the divine secrets, he returned to Caesarea and wanted to convert his respected teacher Evulus to the faith of Christ. When he arrived in Cappadocia, he found his former philosophy teacher surrounded by students discussing a certain topic. Then Saint Basil approached from behind and answered the given dilemma, and the disciples asked loudly: “Who is this?” Evulus, without turning, said: “Either God, or Basil”, because no one else could give an answer to the question.
Afterwards, Basil spoke to Evulus about the meaning, strength, repentance and virtuous life in Christ and the Church, about God and eternal life, so that Evulus accepted the teaching preached by the great Basil and believed in Christ and the triune God, the Holy Trinity.
When he returned to his own country, in 356, he learned that his mother Emmelia and his sister Macrina had gone to a monastery, at Annesi, on the river Iris, and that his brothers were leading a monastic life in the immediate vicinity. All these changes, as well as the sudden death of his younger brother Naukratius, and above all, his complete devotion to the Gospel, contributed to him abandoning his promising career as an academic and educated lawyer in Caesarea. He gave away all his possessions and chose to devote himself completely to God, following the path of ascetic-hesychastic practice of the monastic life.
Firstly, he went together with Evulus to visit the shrines in Syria and Palestine, and to pray at the holy places in Jerusalem. When they were in Jerusalem, they wanted to be baptised, so they asked Patriarch Maximus III to baptise them. When they entered the water, Saint Basil prayed with tears and the Holy Spirit descended from the sky in the form of lightning, which descended on him. From out of the lightning came a dove, stirred the water and flew into the sky. They stayed in Jerusalem for a year, and then they went back to their homeland.
In the midst of Church events
During the reign of Constantius (337 – 361), the heretical teachings of Arius spread, and the Church called its holies in defence of the faith. In 360, Basil, together with Bishop Dianius, travelled to the Council in Constantinople. From then on, Saint Basil actively participated in the dogmatic disputes of the Church (he also prepared the victory of Orthodoxy at the Second Ecumenical Council – year 381, but died before the final victory was reached).
In 362, the last year of Dianius’ life, in Antioch, Bishop Meletius ordained him a deacon.
When Dianius died in 362, everyone wanted Basil to become the new archbishop, but he escaped and hid, so they chose Eusebius. Eusebius was pious, but theologically unlearned and inexperienced in the spiritual life. In 364 he ordained Saint Basil as a presbyter. However, after he saw that the people gathered more around Basil and considered him as their spiritual pastor, and had more honour and dignity than him, his heart was filled with envy, he felt threatened, so he wanted to remove him in some way by slander.
Therefore, Saint Basil withdrew to Pontus, in the region of Iris, where he was joined by his best friend Gregory, who until then remained in Athens as a professor of rhetoric. There together they founded a coenobitic men’s monastery. They organized their life in the monastery according to the experience that Saint Basil gained in Egypt, spending time in fasting, prayer, contemplation, handwork, reading the Holy Scriptures and studying the scripts of the Holy Fathers.
He was a great founder and organizer of monastic life, as evidenced by the overall heritage of Cappadocia for ten centuries. Although he himself organized a Sketian way of monasticism, he was nevertheless an advocate of the coenobitic ideal, because he saw in it the pure form of monasticism. For him, it is an image of life according to the Gospel, determined, first of all, by the need for renunciation, and not because of hatred towards the world, but for the sake of love for God, which cannot be appeased and satisfied in the vanity and bustle of the world. In the coenobitic way, the gifts given to one by the Holy Spirit are passed on to others – that ideal springs from the Church itself as the Body of Christ, because monasticism should be a small Church and also a body.
The communities (fraternities) of Saint Basil numbered about thirty-forty members. Daily liturgical prayer began with Matins at dawn, and the last prayer hour was Midnight office. The monastic community often gathered for sermons on certain parts of the Holy Scriptures, as well as for tutoring. Handwork was of particular importance for the community itself, and the purpose of the work was to help the neighbour in his needs. He especially valued agriculture, which contributes to the stability of the community, as well as to the needs of the brothers and the poor. The endeavour of Saint Basil was aimed at a struggle of humility, renunciation of the world, as well as a struggle of abstinence in the fight against passions.
Attracted by the grace of God, soon a multitude of disciples gathered around them, and several more men’s and women’s monasteries were founded. Saint Basil wrote here the famous “Monastic rules”, which are the first of their kind and which later became a general rule for coenobitic monasteries.
Saint Basil lived very strictly: he wore only one mantle, and at night he wore a Vlasyanitsa (sackcloth), wanting to hide his struggle. He ate only bread and water, seasoning the bread with salt and roots (spices). From the strict abstinence, he became very pale and dry, and sometimes he became extremely weak. He never took a bath, and in winter he never lit a fire.
At that time, the Church had embraced the infamous Arian heresy, and even the emperor became an arian, and many churches were given into their hands. Sensing the danger of this heresy, Caesarean Archbishop Eusebius saw that he had sinned against Saint Basil and that he could not mount a defence by himself alone, so he called Saint Basil to return and to make peace between themselves. For the sake of Christ and the Church, Saint Basil forgave and forgot all the antagonism between them, so he returned and immediately with his education and enlightenment stood in defence of the holy faith and the Church of God.
During that period, Saint Basil showed himself not only with a strong mind as a theologian, but also with a big heart, developing a great charitable activity. He was very compassionate to human weaknesses and helped everyone, without exception, and everyone respected and loved him. Later he founded the complex known as “Vasiliada”, which consisted of rooms for reception of guests, hospitals, leprosarium, school and other buildings, arranged around a church. In addition, he founded a large number of benevolent institutions: orphanages, nursing homes, hospitals and places for the care of foreigners.
Archbishop of Caesarea
In 370, Eusebius died in Saint Basil’s hands, and the council of bishops, despite the fact that Saint Basil did not want it, elected him as the new Archbishop of Caesarea. The decisive vote was that of Gregory Nazianzus the Senior, the father of his friend Gregory, who, despite his advanced age, came to Caesarea and voted for him. Saint Athanasius the Great did not hide his joy and enthusiasm for his election, because he saw in him a successor in the struggle to preserve the true faith and the Church.
Soon, his spiritual authority spread far beyond the borders of his diocese. He watched over all, he protected and interceded for churches in trouble. To be present in every place of his archdiocese, he had to travel a lot. He showed his pastoral care and organizational ability, introducing peace and order in the diocese. He fought against “simony”(buying or selling of something spiritual or closely connected with the spiritual) and the unworthy clergy, who, instead of taking care of the spiritual things and salvation of the souls in their flock, being overwhelmed by avariciousness took care only of the material values. Over time, his clergy reached such a good reputation that they became an example for the clergy of neighbouring dioceses.
In order to prevent the attempt to harm Orthodoxy and the Metropolitanate of Caesarea by heretics, Saint Basil increased the number of new bishops throughout Cappadocia, ordaining new bishops from among the ascetics and theologians of that time, and among them was Saint Gregory the Theologian, St. Gregory of Nyssa (his brother), and later Saint Amphilokhios of Iconium. Through his deeds and tireless work, pastoral and theological wisdom, all the Orthodox in the East were soon gathered together.
He gave the Church young clerics, bishops and theologians, who later continued his work. In this way he appointed Saint Peter, his youngest brother, as bishop in Sebastia. Through his disciples, Orthodoxy (true faith) also won at the Council in Constantinople in the year 381. Saint Gregory the Theologian in Constantinople freed the capital from Arianism, and later became the Patriarch of Constantinople. Saint Gregory of Nyssa (Nyssen) wrote twelve books against Eunomius and his heresy, and, in defence of Saint Basil and the Orthodox faith. He also finished the “Six Days” (The Hexaemeron) of Saint Basil with the interpretation of the creation of man.
Being dedicated to priestly service, Saint Basil prayed to God to enlighten him and give him the word to compose prayers and a canon for a general priestly Liturgy, according to which he would serve in his diocese. Then he composed the Holy Liturgy, today known by his name – Saint Basil’s Liturgy, which has been preserved to this day and is served on Sundays during Great Lent, on the day of his memory and on several other special occasions throughout the year.
When Saint Basil celebrated, that is lead, the Liturgy and when he prayed during the epiclesis, the Holy Spirit visibly showed His presence, and all the priests, and Evulus among them, who testifies to this, saw light and bright men in white garments circling around. Then they fell prostrate on the ground, shedding tears and glorifying God.
For Saint Basil, truth and love for the neighbour were everything. Fuelled by the fire of self-sacrificing love and holding fast to the truth, he would not refuse even to die for it. With steadfastness and fearlessness, he fought for his congregation, and especially for the secular government not to interfere in the structure and matters of the Church.
Two pillars of fire
An unusual meeting between the hermit Saint Ephrem the Syrian and Saint Basil the Great was recorded. That meeting was most vividly described by Ephrem himself in his eulogy (“word of praise.”) to Saint Basil.
Namely, the venerable hermit Ephraim the Syrian heard about the spiritual greatness of Saint Basil and wanted to see him personally and hear some instruction for his own spiritual perfection. He also received a message from God about who Basil was, hearing a voice that said to him: “Ephrem, Ephrem, as this pillar of fire is, so too is Basil,” so he definitely decided to go from Syria to Cappadocia to visit this holy man.
He arrived on the Feast of the Epiphany and then he saw Saint Basil, being dressed in magnificent white robes and surrounded by his priests, who were also solemnly dressed. Seeing this, the venerable stumbled (took offence) and said to his interpreter: “It seems to me, brother that we have put an effort in vain, for this man is of a very high rank, and I cannot reach him.”
Nonetheless, he decided to stay until the end of the service. While Saint Ephrem was struggling with his thoughts, the Holy Spirit informed the Archbishop that the great Ephrem of Syria was here. Basil told the deacon to go to the pillar where the venerable was standing, describe to him how he looked even though he had never seen him, and call him into the altar. When the deacon came and called him, Saint Ephrem was amazed and answered him: “You must be mistaken, brother, we are foreigners and the Archbishop does not know us.” But Saint Basil sent him a second time, this time naming him by name, whereupon Saint Ephrem was astound, made a prostrate (bowed) and said: “Truly Basil is great!” Indeed, Basil is a pillar of fire! Indeed, the Holy Spirit speaks from his mouth!”
After the end of the Holy Liturgy, Basil was the first to approach Saint Ephraim and in his humility asked him why he had travelled such a long way to see a sinful man. Ephraim bowed to the ground in front of the saint and confessed all his thoughts to him.
Later, a bountiful table (meal) was prepared in his honour, where the venerable Ephraim asked the Saint to lay his hand on him and read a prayer for him so that he would be given the gift of the Holy Spirit, so that he could read and speak Greek, because he believed that Saint Basil can intercede and be granted all of that from God. And so it happened, except that Saint Basil also read him the prayer for ordination as a deacon, and the next day he also ordained him as a priest.
Above death
This true servant of God, because of his love and humility, the all-merciful God fulfilled all his requests. There are many struggles (endeavours) and miracles that he performed in his short life on earth. We will mention this last miracle of his while he was alive.
In his town there was a very good doctor, a Jew by ancestry. His name was Joseph. Saint Basil was in fragile health even as a child, and later, due to his superhuman asceticism and deprivations, persecutions and injustices, his health deteriorated even more, so he often went to see the doctor. His personal physician was this good and honest Jew, with whom he was also a close friend. When Saint Basil turned forty-nine years old, he became very ill, and this Joseph had the ability to determine when someone was going to die from the heat of his veins. He told Saint Basil to prepare himself, because that day he would depart from this world. Saint Basil answered him:
– And what if I stay alive until tomorrow at noon, what will you do then?
– I will die.
– Yes, sin will die in you so that you can live in God.
Then the Jew told him that if indeed Saint Basil remained alive, he would renounce the Jewish faith and be baptized in Jesus Christ. The Saint prayed to God to prolong his life and God answered his prayer. The next day, when the Jew came and saw the Saint still alive, he fell at his feet and said:
– The Christian God is great and there is no other god but Him. Therefore, I renounce Judaism and enter the true Christian faith. Command, O Holy Bishop, that I and my whole household be baptised immediately.
Saint Basil said that he would get up from the bier and he would personally baptize him. And so he did. Saint Basil celebrated (performed) the Holy Liturgy and baptised him, gave him the name John, and at the end he gave him Holy Communion and taught him how important eternal life is, and gave everyone his last advice. He said goodbye to everyone, thanked God for the unspeakable mercy He had given him, and, at three o’clock in the afternoon, calmly surrendered his soul to Him with the words: “Into Your hands I surrender my spirit, O Lord!”
Then the Jew said: “Oh, Servant of God Basil, truly you wouldn’t have died even now, if you did not want to!”
He died on January 1/14, 379, in Caesarea of Cappadocia, and lived on earth for forty-nine years. The funeral of Saint Basil was a significant event and showed how much he was loved by the people. Not only Christians, but also Jews and gentiles came en masse to pay respect to the Saint. His inseparable friend, Saint Gregory the Theologian, also came to the funeral, and a multitude of bishops, priests and deacons participated, and with songs and hymns they farewelled this great Saint of God and of the Church.
Theologian of the Church
Saint Basil the Great is one of the greatest minds of the Orthodox Church, upon whose teachings many theological schools and directions were later added for the exposition of the holy Orthodox faith and defence against erroneous teachings. He is one of the bearers of the so-called Cappadocian school, together with Saint Gregory the Theologian and Saint Gregory of Nyssa, which, above all, deals with the truth of the Holy Trinity. All his teaching is based on the Holy Tradition.
He also made use of his rich philosophical knowledge. He used philosophy eclectically, creatively, transfiguring ancient terms, baptising them with the water of the living experience of the Church. As a theologian, he incorporated himself into the theology of the Church through his teaching about God. In fact, he very briefly and concisely formulated the doctrine of God the Holy Trinity: one nature (essence) – three Hypostases (μία φύσις, τρεις ύποδτάσεις). The Three Divine Hypostases (Persons) are the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. They are equal in divinity and Their divine nature, divine life and divine energies manifested in the world. The Persona of God the Father is the “beginning”, “cause” and “source” of the Deity of the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Saint Basil the Great is the author of numerous works, which can be mainly divided into dogmatic, exegetical, ascetic, liturgical, sermons and letters. His most significant work is “Against Eunomius”, in three books. This treatise has two more books, which belong to Didymus the Blind. His second work is “On the Holy Spirit”, in thirty chapters, which he wrote at the request of Saint Amphilochius of Iconium in 375.
Saint Basil is one of the most important writers of ascetic writings. He wrote: “Moral Rules”, a collection of eighty rules or short instructions for all Christians, as well as “Monastic Rules”, in two books: the first entitled “Longer Rules”, with fifty-five chapters, which deals with general rules about coenobitic monastic life, and the second – “Shorter rules”, numbering three hundred and thirteen. Then his teachings on the “Judgment of God”, “Words of Faith”, “On Baptism” (two books), “Ascetic Teachings or Advice”, “Ascetic Words”, “Address to Youth”, “On Fasting”, “On Prayer ” and others.
He compiled a text and a Canon for the Holy Liturgy, which bears his name. Among his exegetical works is one of his most famous works – “Homilies on the Six Days of Creation”, which was supplemented by his own brother, Saint Gregory of Nyssa, with the writing “On the Making of Man”.
Saint Basil was also a great orator. With his extraordinary intelligence and enlightened mind, he managed to transfigure the academic experience he acquired, into the word of the Church and transfer it to the people of God. Saint Photius said about him: “Whoever wants to become a perfect speaker does not need either Plato or Demosthenes, if he chooses Basil as a model and example.”
The contribution of Saint Basil the Great is seen not only in the theology of the Church, but also more widely, in all aspects of its existence. He established himself as an ascetic, and as the founder of monasticism, a pastor and preacher.
Immediately after the repose of Saint Basil, the Church began to celebrate his holy memory. His holy head, today, is to be found in the Great Lavra of Mount Athos, and part of his relics are in the Church of “Saints Methodius and Cyril” in Strumica.
Oh Beacon of love from Christ who shines, and the Church of Christ that you so beautifully adorn, pray to God for us!
Fr. Gavril Galev
Abbot of the monastery “St. Clement of Ohrid”,
Kinglake, Melbourne, Australia
