Feast of St. Basil

St. Lawrence Lew, OP via Flickr, licensed cc

St. Basil was the born in Caesarea of Cappadocia in 330.  His parents were St. Basil the Elder and St. Emmelia.  The couple had 10 children, many of whom are honored as saints including St. Macrina, St. Peter of Sebaste, Gregory of Nyssa and Theosebia. 

As a young man, he became friends of St. Gregory of Nazianzen. Basil studied in Caesarea, Constantinople and Athens. He eventually returned to Caesarea to teach and practice law. 

But he was drawn to the monastic life and started a monastery on Pontus where he wrote his famous monastic rule. 

St. Basil was eventually ordained and made Bishop of Caesaria. He earned the title “Great” and was eventually called a Doctor of the Church. 

His two most notable accomplishments include victory of Nicene orthodoxy over Airanism in the Byazntine East and denunciation of Arianism at the Council of Constantinople. Basil was noted to be one of the great orators of Christianity.


Famous St. Basil Quote:

The bread you store up belongs to the hungry; the cloak that lies in your chest belongs to the naked; the gold that you have hidden in the ground belongs to the poor.




“A good deed is never lost; he who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love.” 




Things to Do:

• Make some Basil bread!   Here’s a quick recipe.  or try this paleo version.  Try Danielle Walker’s blender bread and try adding your own basil seasoning!
• Read and talk about the Nicene creed. 
• Some fun creed activities and crafts here. 

Father Lawrence Lew, OP via Flickr –  licensed cc

Today on this 9th Day of Christmas we reflect on the 9 fruits of the Holy Spirit!

• Charity  
• joy 
• peace 
• patience 
• kindness 
• goodness
• long suffering 
• mildness 
• faith 
• modesty 
• self-control 
• chastity.

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