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One of the most notable personalities of the Christian History. He was born at Caeserea ( modern Kayseri, Turkey ) into an old Christian family with strong and long tradition. His family members were too distinctive Christians of the religious history, his grand mother Macrina the elder, his father Basil the great, his mother Emmelia, his brothers Gregory of Nyssa, and Peter of Sebatea are all among the saints of early Christian history. He received his education at big metropolitan centers of Caeserea, Constantinople and Athens. During these years of his education, he met Gregory of Nazianus, and established a well relationship with him. He had a chance to visit the principal monastic centers in the Pontus area, and became a monk there. Actually, St. Basil didn't stay long with his own community. But his influence on the foundation of monastic centers of Cappadocia was vast, and making him as the founder of the Monastic life. Even today's monastic life of the Orthodox church is still based on the principles established by him. He was made bishop of Caeserea in 370.As a bishop, he had to deal with the emperor Valens the supporter of Arians a sect whom St. Basil rejected their beliefs, and only two years after his death the Arianism was over. He was a strong personality to say the emperor, " Perhaps, you have never before had to deal with a proper bishop ". His great contribution to his community was that a large complex he built in Cappadocia area, which included a church, hospice, hospital, rock dwellings where number of doctors, nurses, staff and artists were employed. We can understand that he was the beloved saint of Cappadocians, as a big crowd wept at his funeral. What is known about St. Basil comes from his own letters and sermons, and for sure accurate. After a s relatively short life, he died at his home city Caeserea in 379. Today, Cappadocia area has many churches that bear his name. His close connections with Gregory of Nazianus and his younger brother Gregory of Nyssa came to describe these three saints of Cappadocia as " Church Fathers ". |
