Basil of Caesarea
Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, founder of cenobitic monastic rules in the East, author of On the Holy Spirit. One of the three Cappadocian Fathers.
Why Basil matters
Basil organised the Christian East. He wrote the rule that every Eastern monastery still uses, founded a complex of hospitals and shelters that became the prototype for Christian welfare, and at the same time fought the Arian controversy down to its details. He's the reason Eastern monasticism stayed inside the city rather than fleeing to the desert — a more sustainable model than Antony's. He died young (49). His brother Gregory of Nyssa and his friend Gregory of Nazianzus carried the work to Constantinople 381 and Trinitarian orthodoxy as we have it.
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Common questions
- Who was Basil of Caesarea?
- Basil of Caesarea (330–379) — Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, founder of cenobitic monastic rules in the East, author of On the Holy Spirit. One of the three Cappadocian Fathers.
- Who taught Basil of Caesarea?
- Macrina the Younger.
- Who did Basil of Caesarea teach?
- Gregory of Nyssa and Evagrius Ponticus.
- Who did Basil of Caesarea correspond with?
- Gregory of Nazianzus, Amphilochius of Iconium, Ambrose of Milan, and Athanasius of Alexandria.
- Who did Basil of Caesarea meet?
- Gregory of Nazianzus and Ephrem the Syrian.
Works
- On the Holy Spiritc. 375
Foundational defense of the Spirit's divinity in the lead-up to Constantinople 381.
- Hexaemeron (Homilies on the Six Days of Creation)c. 378
Nine homilies on Genesis — a model for medieval natural theology.
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Sources for biography
- Basil, Epistulae primary
- Gregory of Nazianzus, Oratio 43 (Funeral oration on Basil) primary
- Jerome, De Viris Illustribus 116 primary
documented connections(11)
- taught by Macrina the YoungerMacrina spiritually shaped her younger brother Basil after his return from Athens.Gregory of Nyssa, Vita Macrinae 6
- taught by (incoming) Gregory of NyssaGregory describes Basil as his teacher and elder brother.Gregory of Nyssa, Contra Eunomium 1.1
- Basil and Gregory were close friends from their student days at Athens.Gregory of Nazianzus, Oratio 43.14-24
- corresponded (incoming) Gregory of NazianzusSurviving correspondence and the joint Philocalia of Origen.Gregory of Nazianzus, Epistulae 1-19, 40-58 · Basil, Epistulae 2, 14, 71
- cited Origen of AlexandriaBasil and Gregory of Nazianzus compiled the Philocalia, an anthology of Origen.Gregory of Nazianzus, Epistula 115
- corresponded (incoming) Amphilochius of IconiumBasil's De Spiritu Sancto is dedicated to Amphilochius.Basil, De Spiritu Sancto (preface) · Basil, Epistulae 161, 188, 199
- corresponded (incoming) Ambrose of MilanAmbrose's De Spiritu Sancto draws heavily on Basil; correspondence between Eastern and Western Nicenes.Ambrose, De Spiritu Sancto (passim) · Basil, Epistulae 197
- cited (incoming) Ambrose of MilanAmbrose's De Spiritu Sancto adapts Basil's work of the same title.Ambrose, De Spiritu Sancto
- corresponded Athanasius of AlexandriaBasil wrote to Athanasius seeking unity with Rome.Basil, Epistulae 66, 69, 80, 82
- taught by (incoming) Evagrius PonticusBasil ordained Evagrius lector at Caesarea.Palladius, Historia Lausiaca 38
- cited (incoming) John of DamascusJohn cites the Cappadocians (Basil, Gregory of Nazianzus, Gregory of Nyssa) throughout the Fount of Knowledge.John of Damascus, De Fide Orthodoxa, passim
tradition connections(1)
- met (incoming) Ephrem the SyrianLate tradition reports a visit between Ephrem and Basil at Caesarea.Sozomen, Hist. Eccl. 3.16