reign of Valens, St. Basil was one of literally only a handful of faithful
eastern bishops who held on to their sees. This he did through a
combination of strength of character, courage and prudence.
Immediately after St. Basil’s death on January 1, 379, he was hailed as “the
Great.” The Church has had few other men so richly gifted and talented.
His intelligence, eloquence and character earned him the reputation of
being “a Roman among the Greeks.” Yet, his speech was always familiar
and simple. Difficulties and failures never stopped or disheartened him and
to the very end of his life he fought for truth and peace. It is understandable
why the Eastern Church ranks him, together with St. John Chrysostom, as
one of its great pillars and Doctors.
St. Basil’s greatest works include his anti-Arian Against Eunomius and his
anti-Macedonian On the Holy Spirit. He also composed numerous
discourses and homilies on the Hexameron (the work of the six days of
creation) and others aimed at edification, as well as hundreds of other
letters and writings on miscellaneous subjects. In his ascetical works we
find the first rule for monks in Asia Minor which later was to influence
monasticism in the West through St. Benedict. In addition, there still exists
a Liturgy bearing his name which, however, has been modified over the
centuries.
Extracts
Against Eunomius (Inter 363-365 AD):
3, 1
“All the angels, having but one appellation, have likewise among themselves the
same nature, even though some of them are set over nations, while others of them
are guardians to each one of the faithful.”
Rules Briefly Treated (Post 370 AD):
229
“Just as the diseases of the body are not divulged to all, nor haphazardly, but to
those who are skilled in curing them, so too our declaration of our sins should be
made to those empowered to cure them...”
288
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