Sts. Basil & Gregory Nazianzen

"A tree is known by its fruit; a man by his deeds. A good deed is never lost; he who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love."
- St. Basil the Great (330 - 379)

St. Basil

St. Gregory 

Today is the feast day of Sts. Basil and Gregory Nazianzen. St. Basil was born in 329 or 330 in Caesarea Mazaca of Cappadocia, Asia Minor. St. Gregory was born in 325 in Nazianzus of Cappadocia, Asia Minor. St. Basil was a priest, who later on in his life became arcbishop of Caesarea. He also defended the Church against the heresy of Arianism, which denied the divinity of Christ. St. Basil founded one of the first monasteries in Asia Minor, and also a hospital. He preached twice a day to large crowds, worked hard to help his parishioners, and also fought against prostitution. St. Gregory and St. Basil were great friends. They had met in Athens where Gregory was studying at the time. When he was 30, he joined St. Basil in living a life similar to that of monasteries for a time. He went home to see his aging father (who had been the bishop of Nazianzus), and his father quickly ordained him a priest. Gregory was shocked by this action, and fled to St. Basil. However, he later went back to Nazianzus. Gregory later became the Archbishop of Constantinople, but later resigned due to opposition. He spent his last years in study, writing, and mortification. St. Basil died in 379, and St. Gregory died in 390. 

St. Basil and St. Gregory, pray for us!

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Pictures Of And Information About Sts. Basil and Gregory Are Taken From:

http://www.americancatholic.org/features/saintofday/

http://www.cin.org/saints/gregnaz.html

http://catholicfire.blogspot.com/2013/01/st-basil-great-and-st-gregory-nazianzen.html