On the 1st day of January
From the «Lives of the Saints» of St. Demetrius (Dimitri) of Rostov
His Origins, His Studies, and His Turning to Divine Wisdom
Foremost among priests, most wise among teachers, and a great favourite of God among all the saints, Basil had Cappadocia for his homeland, a father also named Basil, and a mother named Emmelia. He was born in the years of Constantine the Great, towards the end of his reign. At seven years of age his parents gave him to book learning, and he made progress quickly because of the sharpness of his mind — in five years he mastered philosophy. Then he left his homeland and went to Athens, which was then the mother of all Greek wisdom, where he gave himself to one renowned teacher named Eubulus. He had other teachers there as well — Himerius and Proaeresius. Yet such a pupil was he that he equalled his teachers in wisdom, and even surpassed them. And the teachers marvelled at his mind and diligence, at the modesty and purity of his life. He had friends there who studied with him: Gregory, who was later bishop of Nazianzus and then patriarch of Constantinople, called the Theologian; and Julian, who later became emperor of Rome and Greece and an apostate from God; and Libanius the Sophist. Between Basil and Gregory there was a great and inseparable love: for each saw the other to be pious, obedient and chaste, and therefore they dwelt with one another in such love that it was as though there were one soul in two bodies. Basil took great thought to know the mysteries of divine wisdom. That wondrous man laid it upon his heart not to taste bread or wine until understanding of the incomprehensible should be given him by the providence of the Most High. And having spent some fifteen years in the schools, he went through all Greek wisdom to the end and learned the art of astrology. Yet he had not attained that true wisdom by which one comes to know perfectly the Maker, wiser than all, the true God. One night, when he did not sleep but pondered upon ultimate wisdom, there came suddenly a divine illumination in his heart, which kindled in him the desire to search out every writing of the faith. So he left Athens and his friend Gregory, who was then persuaded by the Athenians to study rhetoric, and went to Egypt. Coming to an archimandrite named Porphyrius, he asked him for the Holy Books, from which he might come to know the divine dogmas. He remained there a year, delighting in the instruction of the divine words, and feeding upon water and herbs. And having learned the Holy Scripture, he came to know the true faith. Then, having asked a blessing, he went to Jerusalem to see the holy places and the wonders that occur there. Having arrived there, he returned again to Athens, and there disputed about the faith with many philosophers and led the Greeks to God, showing them the way of salvation. He sought out his teacher Eubulus, that he might lead him also to the blameless faith — such a gift did he wish to offer him for his labour. And going round all the schools, he found him conversing in the suburb with other philosophers, asking one another about the love of wisdom, for it was their custom to say or to hear something new. And when Eubulus was contending with the philosophers over some proposition, Basil came, at once resolved the sophism, and refuted it. They asked one another, “Who is he who refuted the philosopher?” Eubulus answered, “Either God, or Basil.” And recognising Basil, Eubulus dismissed his friends and pupils, and sat down with Basil alone; and they remained three days in conversation with one another, not eating, but questioning one another about philosophy. Eubulus asked Basil, “What is the nature of the love of wisdom?” He answered, “The nature of the love of wisdom is the remembrance of death.” After that they spoke of the world — that although worldly words are sweet, yet the world is very bitter for him who cleaves to it with passion. And other is bodily glory, and other that of the incorporeal nature. And it is impossible for anyone to enjoy both glories together, for no man can serve two masters. But as the power of virtue commands, we crumble the bread of understanding for the hungry, and those who through their own wickedness have lost the covering of virtue we bring under the shelter of good works. For whom we see naked we clothe, and we do not despise our own flesh. Then he began to set before him in a parable the goodness and love of mankind of the Saviour towards those who repent, having first imagined three tablets in the forecourt of thoughts. One above the doors, bearing the inscriptions of the virtues: courage, wisdom, righteousness and chastity. A second on the left side, bearing the inscriptions of temptations on both its sides: incontinence, fornication, drunkenness, shamelessness, sloth, procuring, evil-speaking, flattery, and many other evils. On the right side he placed a tablet inscribed with repentance, which stood fair without trembling, smiling gently, forbidding its adversaries and comforting its own people. Near repentance were depicted continence, obedience, purity, modesty, fear, mercy, and the gathering of many virtues. And he says: “We have, O Eubulus, not images nor imaginings, but the very truth, which truly guides us to salvation. For we shall all rise again: some to eternal life, others to eternal torment and shame, and we shall stand before the judgement seat of Christ, as the loud-voiced prophets teach us — Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, David, and the divine Apostle Paul. After them the Lord Himself, the Giver and Rewarder of repentance, who sought the lost sheep and, embracing with love the prodigal son who returns with repentance, kisses him, adorns him with a shining garment and a ring, and makes him a feast. And He gives the same reward to those who came at the eleventh hour as to those who bore the burden of the day and the heat. To us who repent and are born of Water and Spirit He gives that which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has entered into the heart of man, which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
The Conversion of Eubulus and the Journey to Jerusalem
When Basil had said this, Eubulus cried out: “O Basil, manifest from heaven, through you I have believed in one God the Father, the Almighty, Maker of all things, and I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the age to come. Amen. This is the sign of my faith towards God. All that I have I give into your hands, and the rest of my life I will spend with you, and I desire to be born of Water and Spirit.” Basil said: “Blessed is our God from now and for ever, who has enlightened your mind with the light of truth, O Eubulus, and has led you out of great error into the knowledge of His mercy. And since you wish, as you say, to remain with me, I will tell you in what way we shall care for our salvation and escape the nets of this present life. Let us sell all the possessions we have and distribute them to the poor, and let us ourselves go to the holy city to see the wonders that are there, and there obtain boldness towards God.” And so, having spent all well upon those in need, and having bought white garments such as are given before holy baptism, they set out for Jerusalem, and by the way turned many to the true faith. When they came to Antioch they entered an inn. The innkeeper’s son, Philoxenus, sat before the door in great distress: he was a pupil of Libanius the sophist, and had taken from him certain verses of Homer which he could not render into rhetorical speech, and being at a loss he grieved exceedingly. Seeing him sorrowful, Basil asked, “Why are you downcast, young man?” Philoxenus said, “Even if I show you the cause of my grief, what profit shall I have from you in this?” But when Basil pressed him and promised that it would not be in vain if he disclosed it, the youth told of the sophist, and of the verses, and that this was the cause of his grief, because he did not know how to render those verses intelligibly. Basil took the verses and began to explain them, translating them into plain speech in three sentences. Taking this, the youth rejoiced and went early to Libanius his teacher, carrying him the translation of those verses. He, reading it, marvelled and said, “So it is by God’s providence that there is no one among the sages of today who could give such an explanation. Who wrote this for you, Philoxenus?” The youth said, “There is a certain traveller in my house who explained it quickly and easily.” Libanius at once hurried to the inn to see that traveller. Seeing Basil and Eubulus, he marvelled at their unexpected coming and rejoiced over them, and asked them to come and stay in his house. When they came, Libanius set before them a table of many dishes; but they, according to their custom, tasted a little bread only and water in measure, and gave thanks to God, the Giver of all good things. Then Libanius began to put sophistic questions to them, and they in turn set before him the word of faith. And Libanius, knowing the power of their words, said that the time for such a bargain had not yet come; but if God’s providence should will it, who could resist? “You will receive many gifts from me, O Basil, if you do not refuse to tell such things to my pupils for their profit.” Soon, when Libanius’ pupils were gathered, Basil began to teach them that they should have purity of soul, dispassion of body, an obedient gait, a moderate voice, a seemly word, measured food and drink. Before their elders — silence; before the wiser — attention; to superiors — submission; to their equals and to their juniors — love unfeigned. From the wicked, the passionate, and those who love the body, to keep apart; to speak little and ponder more; not to be rash in word, not to be excessive in conversation. Not to be bold in laughter, to be adorned with modesty, not to converse with unclean women, to keep the gaze downward and the soul upward. To flee from disputes, not to seek the rank of teacher, and to count the honour of this world as nothing. And when anyone does well something profitable for others, let him look for repayment from God and eternal reward from Christ Jesus our Lord. This Basil said to the pupils of Libanius, and they listened with no little wonder; and then he set out again on the road with Eubulus.
Baptism in the Jordan
When they came to Jerusalem, they went round all the holy places with faith and love, and worshipped upon them God who is above all. They opened themselves to the bishop of that city, named Maximinus, and asked him to baptize them in the Jordan. The bishop, seeing them full of faith, did as they asked. Taking his clergy, he went with Basil and Eubulus to the Jordan. And it was so: when they stood upon the bank, Basil fell to the ground and prayed to God with tears and groaning, that there might be some sign of his faith. Then, trembling, he rose, cast off his garments, and with them laid aside the old man, and entered the water praying. And when the hierarch drew near to baptize him, a fiery lightning came down upon them, and a Dove, coming forth from that lightning, descended into the Jordan, and troubling the water, flew up to heaven. Those who stood upon the bank saw this, trembled, and glorified God. When Basil had been baptized and came out of the water, the bishop, marvelling at his love for God, clothed him in the garment of Christ’s Resurrection and prayed. He baptized Eubulus also. And he anointed them with chrism and gave them the Divine Gifts. When they returned to the holy city they remained in it a year. Afterwards they went to Antioch, where Meletius the archbishop ordained Basil deacon, and there he expounded the parables of the word. Not long after, he departed with Eubulus to his homeland of Cappadocia; and as he drew near to the city of Caesarea, their coming was revealed in a night vision to Leontius, the archbishop of Caesarea, together with the fact that Basil should in due time be archbishop of that city. In the morning the archbishop summoned his archdeacon and certain of the honourable clergy, and sent them to the eastern gates of the city, commanding them to meet two travellers and bring them to him with honour. When they went and met Basil and Eubulus entering the city, they brought them to the archbishop. He, seeing them, marvelled — for such he had seen in the vision — and glorified God. The archbishop asked them whence they came and what they were called, and learning their names, commanded that they be brought to table and entertained. Then, gathering his clergy and the more notable men of the city, he told them all that had been announced to him concerning Basil in the vision from God. The clergy cried with one voice: “Since God has shown you, for your life full of virtue, the heir of your throne, do with him as you will. For that man is truly worthy whom the sign of God reveals.” The archbishop called Basil and Eubulus and began to contend with them from the Scripture, wishing to learn their understanding; and having learned it, he marvelled at the depth of their wisdom. And keeping them with him, he honoured them worthily.
The Ascetic Life with St. Gregory, and His Elevation to the Throne
While Basil dwelt in Caesarea he led such a life as he had before seen in many holy men when he travelled through Egypt, Palestine, Syria and Mesopotamia, observing in those lands the ascetic Fathers. And he imitated them in manner and in life, living well as a monk, and was ordained presbyter by Hermogenes, archbishop of Caesarea after Leontius, and was the instructor of the monks in Caesarea. When Hermogenes the archbishop also reposed, they sought the holy Basil for the throne as one worthy and foreordained by God; but he, fleeing from honour, hid himself. And Eusebius was raised to the archbishopric, a man truly of good habits, but little learned and inexperienced in bookish wisdom. He saw that all greatly honoured and praised Basil as a most wise philosopher and as a man of holy life, and envy began to overcome him, as a weak man, and he was ill-disposed towards Basil. Understanding this, the holy Basil, not wishing to be a cause of envy, withdrew into the desert, into Pontus, whither he also called his friend, the holy Gregory of Nazianzus, with loving letters. There many monks gathered with him, and they wrote the rules of monastic life, taught by the Holy Spirit, and led an angelic life upon earth. The blessed Emmelia, Basil’s mother, also helped them in this life, dwelling not far from them on the other side of the river in a village and providing their food; she was a widow and had all her care to please God. When the time called, both Basil and Gregory were brought out of the desert, compelled by the need of the holy Church, which heretics then troubled. For Gregory, to help the pious, his father Gregory took to himself in the city of Nazianzus, since he himself was old and could no longer struggle strongly with the wolves. But Basil was persuaded by Eusebius, archbishop of Caesarea, who was reconciled to him by letter, to return to him and help the Church, overcome by the Arians. Seeing such need of the holy Church, and preferring the common need and profit to desert life, the blessed Basil left his solitude and came to Caesarea, where he laboured greatly, cleansing Orthodoxy from heresy both by words and by writings. Then Archbishop Eusebius reposed, giving up his spirit to God in Basil’s arms; and after him, by the working of the Holy Spirit, Basil the Great was raised to the throne, though unwilling, and was consecrated by many bishops, among whom was the old Gregory, father of the Nazianzenes. He, though infirm and wearied by age, commanded that he be brought to Caesarea, to persuade Basil to accept the archbishopric, lest the Arians raise someone of their own to that throne. And Basil governed the Church of Christ well. He ordained his own brother Peter presbyter, to help him in church affairs, and afterwards made him bishop of Sebaste. At the same time their mother, the blessed Emmelia, departed to the Lord, having lived more than ninety years; she had also a second son, Gregory, bishop of Nyssa, and him whom we mentioned, Peter, and a daughter Macrina, the first-born maiden, and other children raised in great virtue.
The Gift of the Liturgy and the Heavenly Light over the Altar
After some time the blessed Basil asked of God that the grace of wisdom and understanding be given him, that he might offer the Bloodless Sacrifice in his own words, and that the Holy Spirit come down upon him. After six days he became as one beside himself; on the seventh day the Holy Spirit came down upon him, and he began to celebrate the Liturgy and offered the Bloodless Sacrifices daily. When some time had passed, with great faith and prayer he began to write with his own hand the holy services of the mystery. On that night the Lord appeared to him in a vision with the apostles, making the offering of the bread and the chalice upon the holy altar. And encouraging Basil, He said to him: “At your petition, let your mouth be filled with praise, that you may offer the Bloodless Sacrifice in your own words.” He stood trembling, unable to look with his eyes upon the most bright appearing of the Lord. After that vision he went into the sanctuary, and approaching the holy altar, began both to speak and to write in Greek upon parchment: “Let my mouth be filled with praise, that I may sing Your glory, O Lord our God, who created us and brought us into this life.” And the other prayers of the Holy Liturgy. After the prayer he lifted up the bread, praying fervently and saying: “Hear, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, from Your holy dwelling and from the throne of the glory of Your Kingdom, and come to sanctify us, You who sit on high with the Father and here abide invisibly with us. Deign by Your mighty Hand to give to us, and through us to all people, the Holy of Holies.” And as the hierarch celebrated this, Eubulus with the foremost clergy saw a heavenly Light illuminating the altar and the hierarch, and certain most radiant men in white garments surrounding that great archpriest. Seeing this, they were greatly afraid and fell upon their faces, shedding tears and glorifying God.
The Golden Dove Above the Holy Table
At that time Basil the Great, calling a goldsmith, commanded that a dove be made of pure gold after the likeness of that dove which appeared over the Jordan, for the keeping of the Holy Gifts, and he set it above the holy table.
The Conversion of a Jew from the Holy Mysteries
Once, when the saint was celebrating the Divine Liturgy, a certain Jew, wishing to learn about the Holy Mysteries, joined the faithful instead of a Christian and entered the church. And he saw the holy Basil holding an infant in his hands and breaking it. When the faithful received communion from the saint’s hands, the Jew came also, and the hierarch gave him a portion of the Holy Gifts as to the other Christians. When the Jew took it in his hand he saw that it was true flesh. Afterwards, approaching the chalice, he saw that true blood was in it. He kept the remnants of the Holy Communion and, coming home, showed them to his wife and told her all that he had seen with his eyes, and believed that the Christian mystery is truly fearful and most glorious. In the morning he went to the blessed Basil, asking him to grant him holy baptism. Basil, giving thanks to God, baptized the Jew with all his household without delay.
Intercession for the Poor Widow
Once the saint was going somewhere, and a certain poor woman who had been wronged by a prince fell at the blessed one’s feet upon the road, asking him to write for her to the prince, since he had great influence with him. The saint took the parchment and wrote to the prince thus: “This poor woman has come to me, saying that my writing has great power with you. If it is so, show me this in deed and do mercy to this woman.” Having written this, the saint gave the parchment to that poor woman. She took it, brought it, and gave it to the prince. He, reading it, wrote back to the saint: “At your writing, holy Father, I would wish to do mercy to this poor woman, but I cannot, for she is liable to the public tax.” The saint wrote back to him again: “If you wished but could not, that is well. But if you could and did not wish, then let God reckon you among the needy, that when you wish you may not be able.” And this came to pass not long after. The king was angered at that prince, for he heard that he committed many oppressions, and gave him over to imprisonment, to make restitution to those he had wronged. The prince sent a petition from prison to the holy Basil, that he pardon him and appease the king by his intercession. Basil took pains, entreated the king for him, and after six days the order came releasing the prince from condemnation. Seeing the saint’s mercy towards himself, the prince ran to him giving thanks, and repaid that poor woman twofold from his own estate.
Prayer Against Julian the Apostate
In the time of this favourite of God, Basil the Great, who in Caesarea of Cappadocia defended valiantly the honour of the Heavenly King, the Emperor Julian the Apostate, a blasphemer and great persecutor, went out against the Persians and boasted that he would destroy the Christians. The saint prayed before the icon of the All-Holy Theotokos in the church, beside which was also the image of the holy Great Martyr Mercurius with a spear, as a warrior. He prayed that that impious king, destroyer of Christians, might not return alive from the war. And he saw that the image of the holy Mercurius, which stood beside the All-Pure Theotokos, changed, and that the martyric depiction became invisible for a time. After a short while it appeared again with a bloodied spear. For at that very moment Julian was slain in the war by the holy martyr Mercurius, whom the All-Pure Theotokos had sent for the execution of the enemy of God.
The Sign of the Holy Spirit and a Church Ordinance
The holy Basil the Great had also this grace: that when he lifted up the Holy Gifts in celebrating the Liturgy, he knew the descent of the grace of the Holy Spirit by this sign. The golden dove which hangs above the divine table with the Divine Gifts, moved by the power of God, quivered three times. Once the blessed one was celebrating and lifted up the Holy Gifts, and there was no customary sign in the dove, which by its threefold quivering signified the descent of the Holy Spirit. Basil considered what this might be, and saw one of those who held the ripidia, a deacon, gazing upon a woman standing before the altar. He commanded that deacon to withdraw from the holy table, and gave him an epitimia for seven days, to fast and pray, to pass whole nights without sleep in prayer, and to give alms to beggars from the goods he had. From that time the holy Basil commanded that there be curtains and screens in the church before the altar — because of the women, that none should dare to peer into the altar during the Divine Liturgy. And whoever dares, let her be driven from the church and excluded from Holy Communion.
The Emperor Valens and the Confession of Faith Before Modestus
At that time the Emperor Valens troubled the Church of Christ, blinded by the Arian heresy: he drove many Orthodox bishops from their thrones and raised his own Arians in their place, and wished to compel others, faint-hearted and fearful, to the heresy. And he was angered and gnashed inwardly, seeing the holy Basil remaining fearlessly upon his throne, standing in his faith like an immovable pillar and strengthening and exhorting others to despise Arianism as a God-hated abomination. Going round his own land and wronging the Orthodox greatly everywhere, the emperor came, on his way to Antioch, also to Caesarea of Cappadocia, and took diligent thought how he might bring Basil over to the Arian mind. He persuaded his princes, his boyars and his counsellors to press Basil to his will by entreaties, promises and threats. And the emperor’s partisans wearied the saint in this greatly. Moreover, noble women who had favour with the emperor sent their eunuchs to the saint, advising and persuading him to join the imperial party. But they achieved nothing, for they came not upon a faint-hearted man but upon a strong one. Afterwards Modestus the prefect attacked him with greater oppression. He summoned him and, being unable to win him by favour to the emperor’s faith, threatened him fiercely. The saint answered his threats boldly: “Will you take my possessions? You will not enrich yourself, nor make me poor. I think you have no need of these my old garments and of the few books which are my wealth. Exile I do not fear, for all the earth is mine — or rather God’s — upon which I dwell. For torments I am not anxious, for they will bring me to the end I desire, and by them you will do me good, sending me the sooner to my God.” Modestus said: “No one has ever spoken so boldly to me.” The saint answered: “Because you have never chanced upon a bishop. We show humility and obedience in other things, but when someone wishes to take away from us God and His righteousness, we regard no one.” At last Modestus said: “I shall consider until morning how to give you over to ruin.” He answered: “And I shall be the same in the morning; and I wish that you too be unchanging in your words.” All these bold words of the holy Basil Modestus reported to the emperor, who commanded that he be troubled no more. Then the feast of the Theophany of the Lord drew near. The emperor, as though wishing to please Basil, entered his church, and looking upon the beauty and order of the church, and listening to the singing and prayers of the faithful, marvelled, for he had never seen such order and beauty in his Arian churches. There, coming up to converse with the emperor, Basil spoke to him words divine and not human, which Gregory of Nazianzus, who happened to be there, heard and wrote about. From that time the emperor began to be better towards Basil; but going away to Antioch, he again turned to anger against Basil, persuaded by evil men.
Three Reeds and the Sentence of Exile
Yielding to their slanders, he condemned Basil to exile. And when he wished to sign that condemnation, the chair on which the emperor sat shook, and the reed with which he was to write broke. He took a second reed, but the same happened with it, and likewise with a third. Then his hand trembled and fear fell upon him; and knowing the power of God, he tore up the parchment. But again the enemies of piety, the Arians, pressed the emperor concerning Basil, to slander him. And a certain official, Anastasius, was sent by the emperor to bring Basil to Antioch. When he reached the city of Caesarea and made known the emperor’s command to Basil, the saint answered: “I, child, learned a few days ago that the emperor yielded to the counsel of foolish men and broke three reeds, wishing to sign the sentence of my exile and to darken the truth. Lifeless reeds restrained his unrestrained desire, choosing rather to break than to obey his unrighteous judgement.” He was brought to Antioch and stood before the prefect’s judgement seat, and they asked him why he did not hold the emperor’s faith. He answered: “Let it never be that I turn aside from the true Christian faith and follow the impious teaching of the Arians; for I have received to hold and glorify one faith from the fathers.” The judge threatened him with death, and he answered: “Let me suffer for the truth and be released from bodily bonds, for this I have long desired, if you do not change your promises.” The prefect reported this to the emperor, telling him that the man was above threats, his mind unchanging, his heart unshaken and unbending. The emperor was filled with anger and thought how he might destroy Basil.
The Healing of the Emperor’s Son Galates
Meanwhile the emperor’s son Galates fell suddenly ill and, the physicians having given up hope, was at the point of death. His mother came to the emperor and reproached him, saying: “Because you believe impiously in God and insult God’s hierarch, therefore the boy is dying.” Hearing this, Valens called Basil and said: “If the dogmas of your faith are pleasing to God, make my son well by your prayers.” The saint answered: “If you will join yourself, O emperor, to the Orthodox faith, and if you grant peace to the churches, then your son will live.” The emperor promised to fulfil this, and at once the holy Basil prayed to God for the life of the emperor’s son, made him well, and Basil was released with honour to his own throne. The Arians, hearing and seeing this, were enraged in their hearts with envy and malice, and said to the emperor: “We can do that too.” And again they seduced the emperor, so that he did not forbid them to baptize his son. But when the Arians took the emperor’s son to baptize him, he died at once in their hands. The aforementioned Anastasius saw this with his own eyes, and told it to the Emperor Valentinian, who reigned in the West, the brother of Valens, emperor of the East. He marvelled at such a wonder and glorified God. And he sent many estates to the holy Basil by the hands of Anastasius; accepting them, Basil built hospitals in his diocese in the cities, and gave rest to many poor and infirm. The blessed Gregory of Nazianzus recalls also that the holy Basil healed that same Modestus the prefect, who had been fierce towards the saint, when he fell gravely ill and humbly sought help from his holy prayers.
The Defence of the Widow Vestiana
After a considerable time there succeeded Modestus as prefect in that country one Eusebius, a kinsman of the emperor. In his days there was in Caesarea a certain young widow, rich and very fair, named Vestiana, daughter of Araxus, who had been a senator of the great council. This widow the prefect Eusebius wished to give by force in marriage to a certain man of rank. But she was chaste and wished to keep her widowhood unblemished for God, and would not marry. When she understood that they wished to seize her by force and compel her to marriage, she fled to the emperor, and hastened to God’s hierarch, the holy Basil. He took her under his protection and would not give her up out of the church to the men who came for her. Then he sent her secretly to a women’s monastery, to his sister, the venerable Macrina. The prefect was angered at the blessed Basil and sent his soldiers to take that widow by force from the church. When they did not find her there, he commanded that she be sought in the saint’s bedchamber, where angels dwelt; for that unclean prefect thought that Basil had kept her for sin and hidden her in his bedchamber. Finding her nowhere, he summoned Basil to himself and with great fury insulted him and wished to torment him, that he give up the widow. The holy Basil showed himself ready for all torments and said: “If you command that my body be torn with iron, you will heal my inward parts, for you see that I am ill.” Meanwhile the citizens learned what was happening and all rushed — not only the men but the women also — with weapons and clubs to the prefect’s court, wishing to kill the prefect for their holy father and pastor. And had the holy Basil not calmed the people, they would have killed the prefect; who, seeing such a great popular uproar, was greatly afraid and released the saint whole and free.
Proterius and His Daughter: The Devil’s Snare
Helladius, who was the servant of Basil the Great and an eyewitness of his wonders, and after him the successor of his throne, a good and holy man, related this true account. A certain Orthodox senator named Proterius, visiting the holy places, resolved to give his daughter to one of the monasteries for the service of God. But the devil, who from the beginning hates good, persuaded a certain servant of Proterius to desire his master’s daughter. The servant saw that it was no easy matter, and dared not even speak of it, knowing that he was unworthy. And he went to a certain sorcerer who lived in that city, and told him all his desire, promising to give much gold if by his sorcery he should make it possible for him to take his master’s daughter to wife. The sorcerer at first refused, then said: “If you wish, I will send you to my master the devil; he will help you in this, if you do his will.” That wretched servant said: “All that he commands me I promise to do.” The sorcerer said: “Will you renounce your Christ and give a written bond of it?” He said: “I am ready, only let me obtain what I want.” The sorcerer answered: “If you promise this, I shall be your helper.” Taking parchment, he wrote to the devil thus: “Since it behooves me to labour, my lord, that many, torn away from the Christian faith, be brought to your dominion for the increase of your portion, behold, I send to you today a youth burning with lust for a maiden, who will bring my letter. And I ask for him that you help him obtain what he wants, for in this I too shall be glorified and shall with greater zeal draw many who will be pleasing to you.” Having written such a letter to the devil, he gave it to the youth and sent him, saying: “Go at this hour of the night and stand upon a pagan tomb, and hold up the parchment in the air, and there will appear before you those who will lead you to the devil.” The wretch went swiftly, stood upon the tomb, and began to call upon the demons for help. And evil spirits rose before him and with joy led the seduced youth to their prince. He saw him sitting upon a high throne, surrounded by a multitude of evil spirits, and gave him the letter from the sorcerer. Taking it, the devil said to the youth: “Do you believe in me?” He answered: “I believe.” The devil said to him: “Do you renounce your Christ?” The wretch said: “I renounce him.” Satan said to him: “You Christians often deceive me when you need my help: you come to me, but when you have fulfilled your desire you turn away from me again and go to your Christ, and He, being good and loving mankind, receives you. But make me a handwriting that you renounce Christ and baptism of your own will and promise to be mine for ever, and that you will endure eternal torment with me on the day of judgement. And then I will fulfil your desire at once.” The youth took it and wrote as the devil wished. Then the soul-destroying serpent sent adulterous demons and inflamed the maiden with an insatiable love for the youth, so that, unable to bear the bodily passion, she fell to the ground and began to cry out to her father: “Have mercy on me, have mercy on your daughter, and give me as wife to this youth of ours, whom I have loved exceedingly. And if you will not do this for me, your only daughter, you will soon see me dead by a bitter death, and you will give account for me on the day of judgement.” Hearing this, the father was alarmed and wept, saying: “Woe to me a sinner! What has happened to my daughter? Who steals my treasure, who has bewitched my child, who has darkened the light of my eyes? You, my daughter, I wished to betroth to the Heavenly Bridegroom, that you might be a fellow-dweller with the angels and always glorify God in psalms and spiritual songs. And through you I hoped also to be saved; but you speak shamelessly of marriage. Do not bring me down with grief into Hades, child; do not disgrace your noble birth by marrying a slave.” But she paid no heed at all to her father’s words and said only: “If you do not do as I wish, I shall kill myself.” Her father, not knowing what to do, on the advice of his kinsmen and friends yielded to her will rather than see her perish by a deadly death. And he called his servant and gave him his daughter to wife with much property, and said to his daughter: “Go, wretched and passionate daughter, and marry; I think you will repent greatly afterwards, and it will not be for your good.”
The Handwriting Given to the Devil, and Repentance
When the unrighteous union was accomplished and the devil’s working fulfilled, after some time others observed and noted well that the youth did not enter the church and did not partake of the Holy Mysteries. And it was reported to that wretched wife of his: “Do you not know,” they said, “that your husband, whom you chose, is not a Christian but a stranger to the faith of Christ?” She, hearing this, was filled with grief, cast herself to the ground, and began to tear her face with her nails and beat her breast unceasingly, crying out: “No one was ever saved who did not obey his parents. Who will tell my father of my shame? Woe to me, wretched, into what ruin have I fallen today! Why was I born, and being born, why did I not perish?” As she lamented thus, her husband heard her and hastened to her, asking the cause of her weeping. Learning it, he began to comfort her, saying that what had been said of him was not true, and, hardening himself, he called himself a Christian. She was a little comforted by his words and said to him: “If you wish to tell me the truth and make my wretched soul free of sorrow, then tomorrow come with me to the church and before me partake of the All-Pure Mysteries. Then I shall believe you.” That wretched husband of hers, seeing that his deed could not be hidden, told her everything about himself, though unwilling — how he had given himself to the devil. But she, casting off feminine weakness and taking good counsel, ran to the holy Basil and cried out: “Have mercy on me, disciple of Christ, have mercy on her who did not obey her father and submitted to the counsel of demons.” And she told him in detail about her husband. The saint called her husband and asked whether it was as his wife told of him. He said with tears: “Yes, man of God, it is so; for if I keep silent, my deeds will cry out.” And he confessed everything in order, how he had given himself to the demons. The saint said: “Do you wish to turn again to our Lord Jesus Christ?” The youth answered: “Yes, I wish, but I cannot.” Basil said: “Why?” He answered: “Because by a written bond I renounced Christ and gave myself to the devil.” Basil said to him: “Do not grieve over this, for God is loving to mankind and receives those who repent.” The woman, falling at the saint’s feet, asked him: “Disciple of Christ, help us as you can.” The saint said to the youth: “Do you believe that you will be saved?” He said: “I believe, Lord; help my unbelief.” The saint took him by the hand, made upon him the sign of the Cross, and shut him in a place within the sacred precincts, commanding him to pray to God unceasingly. He himself remained three days in prayer, and afterwards visited him and asked: “How are you, child?” The youth answered: “I am in great distress, master; I cannot endure the crying of the demons, and their terrors, and their shooting, and their beating with stones. For they hold my written bond and reproach me, saying, ‘You came to us, and we did not come to you.’” The saint said: “Do not fear, child; only believe.” And giving him a little food, he signed him with the sign of the Cross and shut him in again. After some days he visited him again and said: “How are you, child?” The youth said: “From afar I hear their threats and their wailing, but I do not see them.” He gave him a little to eat, prayed for him, shut him in again, and departed. Afterwards, on the fourteenth day, he came to him and asked: “How are you, child?” He said: “Well now, holy father; for I saw you in a dream struggling for me and overcoming the devil.” The saint prayed, led him out of his confinement, and brought him into his own cell.
The Return of the Handwriting by Prayer
When morning came, the saint called all the church clergy, and the monks, and all who loved Christ, and said: “Let us glorify, brethren, God who loves mankind; for behold, the good Shepherd wishes to take upon His shoulder the lost sheep and bring it to the church. It behooves us also to pray this night to His Goodness, that He overcome and put to shame the enemy of our souls.” The people gathered in the church and offered all-night prayers for the repenting youth, singing, “Lord, have mercy.” When morning came, Basil, taking the youth by the hand, led him with all the people into the church, singing psalms and hymns. And behold, the devil came shamelessly with all his destructive power, invisibly, wishing to snatch the youth from the saint’s hands. The youth began to cry out: “Man of God, help me!” With such insolence and shamelessness did the devil set upon the youth that he even tugged at the holy Basil, dragging the youth towards himself. Turning, the blessed one said to the devil: “O most shameless destroyer of souls, prince of darkness and ruin, is your own destruction not enough for you, which you made for yourself and for those with you? Will you not cease to molest the creature of my God?” The devil cried out to him: “You have wronged me, Basil!” Many heard that voice of the devil. And the hierarch said: “The Lord rebuke you, devil.” The devil again said to him: “Basil, you wrong me; for it was not I who went to him, but he who came to me, and he renounced your Christ, giving me a written bond which I have in my hand and will bring before the common Judge on the day of judgement.” Basil said: “Blessed is the Lord my God, that the people will not let their hands fall in prayer until you give up the writing.” The saint turned to the people, saying: “Lift up your hands on high and cry, ‘Lord, have mercy.’” And the people, lifting their hands to heaven, cried “Lord, have mercy” with tears for a long time. And that writing of the youth, borne through the air, came — as all saw — and gave itself into the hands of the blessed Basil. The saint took that writing, rejoiced, and gave thanks to God. And before all he said to the youth: “Do you know this letter, brother?” The youth answered: “Yes, man of God; it is mine; I wrote it with my own hand.” Then Basil the Great at once tore it in pieces before all, and leading the youth into the church, gave him the Divine Mysteries, and gave communion also to many of the people. And having instructed the youth at length and given him the rule fitting for him, he gave him back to his wife, who with unceasing voice glorified God and gave Him thanks.
The Visit to the Presbyter Anastasius
The same eyewitness, the man Helladius, tells also this concerning the holy Basil the Great. On one of the days our venerable father Basil was illumined with divine grace, and said to his clergy: “Come, children, follow me; let us see the glory of God, and together glorify our Master.” And he went out of the city, and no one knew where he wished to go. A certain presbyter named Anastasius, who lived in a village, had a wife Theognia, with whom he lived forty years in virginity; and many thought that Theognia was barren, for no one knew of her virginity kept pure in secret. Anastasius also, through the holiness of his life, had the Spirit of God and was a man of clear sight. At that time he foresaw in the spirit that Basil wished to visit him, and said to his lady Theognia: “I am going to the field to till the earth; but you, my lady sister, set the house in order, and at the ninth hour of the day light the candles and go out to meet the holy Archbishop Basil, for he is coming to visit us sinners.” She marvelled at her lord’s words, and did as he commanded. When the holy Basil was not far from the house of Anastasius, Theognia met him and bowed to him. Basil said: “How are you, lady Theognia?” She, hearing him call her by name, was afraid and said: “Well, holy master.” The blessed one said: “Where is master Anastasius, your brother?” She answered: “He is not my brother but my husband, and he has gone to the field to till the earth.” Basil said: “He is in the house; do not trouble yourself.” Hearing these words, she was filled with great fear, for the saint had foreseen all their secret; and trembling, she fell at the saint’s feet and said: “Pray for me a sinner, man of God, for I see in you great and wondrous things.” As he entered the presbyter’s house, Anastasius himself also met him, kissed the saint’s feet, and said: “How is it given to me that the hierarch of my Lord has come to me?” The hierarch said: “It is well that I found you, disciple of Christ; let us go to the church and offer the Divine Liturgy.” That presbyter was accustomed to fast on all days except Saturday and Sunday, and to taste nothing but bread and water. When they came to the church, the holy Basil commanded Anastasius to celebrate the Liturgy. He excused himself, saying: “Know, master, what the Scripture says: ‘The lesser is blessed by the greater.’” Basil said to him: “With all your good works have also obedience.” And when Anastasius celebrated the Liturgy, at the time of the lifting up of the fearful Mysteries, the holy Basil and others who were worthy saw the All-Holy Spirit, who descended in a vision of fire and surrounded Anastasius.
The Secret of the Leper
After the Divine Liturgy the saint went into the house, and the presbyter invited him and his clergy to table. When they ate, the saint asked the presbyter: “Whence do you have your treasure, and what is your life? Tell me.” The presbyter answered: “I, hierarch of God, am a sinful man subject to the public tax. I have two pairs of oxen: with one I work myself, with the other my hired man; and of these one is for the rest of travellers, the other for the paying of the tax. My wife also labours with me, serving travellers and me.” Basil said to him: “Call her your sister, as she is, and tell me of your virtue.” Anastasius answered: “I have done nothing good on earth.” Then Basil said: “Let us rise and walk together.” Rising, they went into a certain room, and Basil said: “Open this door for me.” Anastasius said: “No, man of God; do not wish to enter, for there is nothing there but household things.” Basil said: “For the sake of these things I have come.” The presbyter would not open the door; the saint opened it by his word. And entering, he found there a certain man grievously leprous, most of whose bodily parts had rotted and fallen away. And no one knew of him except the presbyter himself and his lady. Basil said to the presbyter: “Why did you wish to hide this treasure from me?” The presbyter answered: “He is an angry and bitter man, master, and therefore I was afraid to show him, lest I sin by some word against your holiness.” Then Basil said: “You perform a good struggle; but leave me also to serve him this night, that I too may be a partaker of your reward.” So the blessed Basil remained alone with the leper and, shutting himself in, passed the whole night in prayer. And in the morning he brought him out whole and healthy. The presbyter with his sister and all who were there, seeing such a wonder, glorified God. And the holy Basil, after sweet converse with the presbyter and spiritual delight, returned to his own house.
The Meeting with St. Ephrem the Syrian
The venerable Ephrem the Syrian, who lived in the desert, heard of the holy Basil and prayed to God to show him what manner of man Basil was. And in a vision he saw a pillar of fire, whose head reached the heavens, and heard a voice from above saying: “Ephrem, Ephrem, as you see this pillar of fire, such is Basil.” At once the venerable Ephrem, taking an interpreter with him, for he did not know Greek, came to Caesarea for the feast of the Theophany of the Lord. And he watched secretly from afar, and saw the holy Basil going into the church with great glory, clothed in shining garments. And Ephrem turned to the interpreter who had come with him, saying: “I think, brother, that we have laboured in vain, for this man is in such order as I have not yet seen.” And Ephrem went into the church and stood in a corner in a hidden place, saying to himself and reasoning: “We, having borne the burden and heat of the days, have achieved nothing; and this man in such human glory and honour is a pillar of fire. I marvel.” As he reasoned thus, Basil the Great learned of him through the Holy Spirit and sent his archdeacon to him, saying: “Go to the western doors of the church and you will find there a monk standing in a corner of the church with another, beardless and small of stature, and say to him: ‘Come and enter the sanctuary, whither the archbishop calls you.’” The archdeacon, pushing through the people with great effort, came where the venerable Ephrem stood and said: “God bless; go and enter the sanctuary, the archbishop calls you.” Ephrem learned through the interpreter what the archdeacon said, and answered the one who called: “You are mistaken, brother; we are travellers and unknown to the archbishop.” And the archdeacon went away to tell Basil this. Meanwhile the holy Basil read the sacred books to the people. And the venerable Ephrem saw how a tongue of fire spoke through the mouth of Basil. Afterwards Basil again said to the archdeacon: “Go and say to that traveller monk: ‘Master Ephrem, come and enter the holy altar; the archbishop calls you.’” The archdeacon went and said as he had been commanded, and the venerable Ephrem marvelled at this and glorified God. Bowing down, he said: “Truly Basil is great, truly Basil is a pillar of fire, truly the Holy Spirit speaks through his mouth.” He entreated the archdeacon to answer the archbishop that after the celebration of the holy Liturgy he wished in a private place to bow to him and kiss him. When the Divine Liturgy was over, the holy Basil went into the vestry and called the venerable Ephrem, gave him the kiss in the Lord, and said: “You have come well, father, who have multiplied the disciples of Christ in the desert and driven the demons out of it by the power of Christ. For what cause did you take upon yourself such a labour, father, coming to see a sinful man? May the Lord give you repayment for your labour.” Ephrem, through the interpreter, answered Basil, speaking the words prepared in his heart, and received communion of the All-Pure Mysteries from the holy hands of Basil. Afterwards, as they dined, the venerable Ephrem said to the holy Basil: “Most holy father, I ask one grace of you, which deign to grant me.” Basil the Great said to him: “Say what you need; I am greatly obliged to you for your labour, since you undertook such a journey for my sake.” The honourable Ephrem said to him: “I know, father, that all you ask of God He gives you. I wish you to entreat His Goodness to grant me to speak Greek.” He answered: “The request is beyond my power; but since you ask with good hope, let us go, honourable father and instructor of the desert, into the temple of the Lord, and pray to the Lord, who is mighty to hear your request. For it is written: ‘He will perform the will of those who fear Him, and will hear their prayer and save them.’” The time was favourable; they made prayer in the church for a long while, and then Basil the Great said: “Why do you not receive, master Ephrem, the ordination to the presbyterate, of which you are worthy?”
The Ordination of St. Ephrem
Ephrem answered him through the interpreter: “Because I am a sinner, master.” Basil answered: “Would that I had your sins.” And he said to him: “Let us make prostrations.” When they lay upon the ground, the holy Basil laid his hand upon the head of the venerable Ephrem and said the prayer of diaconal ordination. Then he said to the venerable one: “Command that we rise from the earth.” And the tongue of Ephrem was loosed, and he said in the Greek tongue: “Save, have mercy, restore and keep us, O God, by Your grace.” And the Scripture was fulfilled: “Then shall the lame leap as a hart, and the tongue of the stammerers shall be made plain.” All glorified God, who loosed Ephrem’s tongue for Greek speech. The venerable Ephrem remained three days with the holy Basil, rejoicing spiritually; and Basil ordained Ephrem presbyter and his interpreter deacon, and sent them away in peace.
The Judgement Concerning the Church at Nicaea
Once, when the lawless Emperor Valens was in the city of Nicaea, the chiefs of the Arian heresy came to him, asking that he drive the Orthodox people out of the cathedral church in that city and give the church to their Arian assembly. The evil king did so, being himself a heretic. He took the church from the Orthodox by force, gave it to the Arians, and went to Constantinople. All the pious were in great grief. Thither came the common intercessor and advocate of the churches, the holy Basil the Great. All the Orthodox came to him and with groaning and weeping told him of their wrong at the emperor’s hands. The saint comforted them with his words, and at once went to the emperor in Constantinople, and standing before him said: “The king’s honour loves judgement. And Wisdom says: ‘The king’s righteousness is in judgement.’ Why, O emperor, have you judged an unrighteous judgement, driving the Orthodox out of the holy church and giving it to the evil-minded?” The king said to him: “Have you turned again to reproach, Basil? It is not fitting for you to be so.” Basil answered: “It is fitting for me even to die for the truth.” As they contended and disputed, there stood there the chief of the king’s cooks, named Demosthenes. He, wishing to help the Arians, said something rude, reproaching the saint. The saint said: “We see also Demosthenes the unlearned.” The cook was ashamed, but again answered something against him. The saint said: “It is yours to think of dishes, not to cook church dogmas.” And Demosthenes fell silent, disgraced. But the king, whether in anger or in shame, said to Basil: “Go and judge between them; yet so judge that it not appear that you help the people of your own faith.” The saint answered: “If I judge unrighteously, then send me also into exile, and drive out those of one faith with me, and give the church to the Arians.” The saint took a letter from the emperor, returned to Nicaea, and calling the Arians said to them: “Behold, the emperor has given me authority to judge between you and the Orthodox concerning the church which you seized by force.” They answered him: “Judge, then, but by the emperor’s judgement.” The saint said: “Come both you, Arians, and you, Orthodox, and shut the church. And having shut it, seal it with your seals and you with yours, and set a strong guard on both sides. And first do you, Arians, go and pray three days and three nights, and then approach the church. And if by your prayer the church doors open of themselves, let the church be yours for ever. But if not, we shall pray one night and go with a procession, singing, to the church; and if it opens to us, let us have it for ever. And if it does not open to us either, then again let the church be yours.” The Arians accepted this word. But the Orthodox grieved, saying against the saint that he had judged not according to the truth but for fear of the emperor. And there was great insistence on both sides; the holy church was guarded with all vigilance, locked with seals and secured. When the Arians had prayed three days and three nights and came to the church, there was no sign at all. And they prayed from morning until the sixth hour, standing and crying, “Lord, have mercy.” Yet the church doors did not open, and they went away with nothing, in shame. Then Basil the Great, gathering all the Orthodox with women and children, went out of the city to the church of the holy martyr Diomedes. There he kept an all-night vigil, and in the morning went with all the people to the sealed cathedral church, singing, “Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.” Standing before the church doors, he said to the people: “Lift up your hands to the height of heaven and cry out worthily, ‘Lord, have mercy.’” And when this was done, the saint commanded silence, and approaching the doors, signed them thrice with the sign of the Cross and said: “Blessed is the God of the Christians, always, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.” And when the people said “Amen,” at once there was a shaking — and the cords began to break, the locks fell away, the seals were loosed, and the gates opened as from a great wind and storm, and the doors struck against the walls. And the divine Basil began to sing: “Lift up your gates, O princes, lift up the everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall enter in.” Basil entered the church with all the Orthodox and celebrated the Divine Liturgy, and sent the people away with gladness. And an innumerable multitude of Arians, seeing that wonder, turned from their impiety and joined the Orthodox. The emperor also learned of this righteous judgement of Basil and of that most glorious wonder, and marvelled greatly, and mocked at the abomination of Arian impiety. Yet, blinded by malice, he did not turn to piety, and afterwards perished wretchedly by an evil death. For being defeated and wounded in the war in the Thracian regions, he fled and hid himself in straw. Those who pursued him went round and set the straw on fire, and there the king was burnt, and went into the unquenchable fire. That death of the emperor came after the repose of our holy father Basil, in the same year in which the saint reposed.
The Exposure of the Slander Against Bishop Peter
Someone slandered before the saint his brother Peter, bishop of Sebaste, saying that he lived with the wife he had left before the episcopate — for it is not fitting for a bishop to be with a wife. Basil, hearing it, said: “It is well that I was told of this; for behold, I am going with you and will expose him.” When the saint drew near to the city of Sebaste, Peter learned in the spirit of the blessed one’s coming, for Peter also was full of the Spirit of God, and lived with the woman called his wife not as with a wife but as with a sister, in purity. He went out of the city to meet Basil at a distance of eight stadia, and seeing the blessed one coming with many, he smiled and said: “You have come upon me as upon a robber, master brother.” Giving one another the kiss in Christ, they entered the city, prayed in the church of the Forty Holy Martyrs, and came to the bishop’s house. Basil saw his brother’s wife and said: “Rejoice, my good one — or rather the Lord’s bride — for whose sake I took pains to come.” She said to him: “Rejoice also, most honourable father, for I have long wished to kiss your honourable feet.” And Basil said to Peter: “I ask you, brother, to rest this night in the church with your lady.” Peter said: “All that you command me I will do.” When night came and Peter rested in the church with his lady, the holy Basil was there also with five righteous men, and said to them: “What do you see over my brother and over my brother’s wife?” They said: “We see angels of God hovering over them and anointing their undefiled bed with sweet spices.” Basil said: “Keep silence today and tell no one what you have seen.” In the morning Basil commanded the people to gather in the church, and before all commanded that an iron vessel be brought, full of very hot coals. And he said: “Spread out for me, honourable Bride, the hem of your garment.” When she spread it out, the saint said to those holding the coals: “Put the hot coals into her hem.” And they put them. And he said to her: “Hold those coals in your garment until I tell you.” And he commanded that other hot coals be brought, and said to his brother: “Spread out, master brother, your phelonion.” And he spread it out. And he said to the servants: “Pour the coals from the vessel into the phelonion.” And they poured them. And when they had held the hot coals in their garments a long time and remained unharmed, the people were afraid, looking upon it, and said: “The Lord has kept His saints and glorified them upon earth.” And when Peter and his lady cast the coals to the ground, there was no smell of fire’s smoke upon them, for their garments were not burnt. Then Basil commanded those five righteous men to tell before all what they had seen. And they told the people how they had seen angels of God in the church, flying in the air over the bed of the blessed Peter and his lady, and anointing their undefiled bed with sweet spices. And all glorified God, who cleansed His favourites from the unrighteous slanders of men.
The Widow with the Roll of Her Sins
In the days of our venerable father Basil there was in Caesarea a certain noble and very rich widow, who lived in pleasures and the indulgence of the flesh, became the slave of sin, and wallowed in the filth of fornication for many years. But God, who seeks the repentance of all, touched her heart with His grace — and the woman came to herself. Being alone, she pondered upon the immeasurable number of her sins and began to lament, saying: “Woe to me, sinful and adulterous! How shall I answer the righteous Judge for such sins committed by me? I have ruined the bodily temple, I have defiled my soul. Woe to me more than to others, for to whom am I like in my sins — to the harlot, or to the publican? Yet no one has sinned as I have. And worst of all, after baptism I have done so much evil; whence shall I receive assurance that God will receive me with repentance?” As she lamented thus, all that she had done from youth to old age came to her mind, and sitting down she wrote it all upon parchment. After everything she wrote one more sin, the heaviest, and set a seal of lead upon the parchment. Watching for the time when the holy Basil was going to church, she ran to him and fell at his feet with the parchment, wailing, and said: “Have mercy on me, holy man of God, for I have sinned more than others.” The saint stopped and asked what she wanted of him. She, giving the sealed parchment into his hands, said: “Behold, master, I have written all my sins and iniquities upon this parchment and sealed it. Do not read it, man of God, nor break the seal, but only cleanse it by your prayer. For I believe that He who gave me this thought will hear you when you pray for me.” Basil took the parchment, looked up to heaven, and said: “Lord, this is Your work alone. For if You took upon Yourself the sins of the whole world, how much more can You cleanse the offences of this one soul. For all our sins are numbered with You, but Your mercy is unnumbered and incomprehensible.” So saying, he entered the church holding the parchment, and cast himself before the altar and remained the whole night, praying for that woman. In the morning he celebrated the Divine Liturgy, called the woman, and gave her the parchment, sealed as it had been, saying to her: “Have you heard, woman, that no one can forgive sins save God alone?” She said: “I have heard, honourable father, and therefore I moved you to prayer towards His compassion.” So saying, the woman unrolled her parchment and found all her sins blotted out, save only one — that heavy sin written last — unblotted. Seeing this, the woman was afraid, and beating her breast fell at the saint’s feet, crying: “Have mercy on me, servant of the Most High God; and as for all my iniquities you bestirred yourself and entreated God, so entreat also for this one, that it may somehow be cleansed.” The archbishop wept, compassionating her, and said: “Rise, woman, for I too am a sinful man, needing myself pardon and forgiveness. He who cleansed your sins as you wished has power also to cleanse that indelible sin of yours, if you keep yourself from sin and begin to walk in the way of the Lord. Then you will not only be forgiven, but will be counted worthy of heavenly glory. And I advise you: go into the desert and you will find a holy man named Ephrem; give him this parchment and ask him to make God who loves mankind merciful to you.” The woman, following the saint’s words, went into the desert, and having travelled a long way, found the cell of the blessed Ephrem, and knocking said: “Have mercy on me a sinner, venerable father.” Ephrem, knowing in the spirit the cause of her coming, answered her: “Depart from me, woman, for I am a sinful man and need the help of others myself.” She threw him the parchment, saying: “Archbishop Basil sent me to you, that praying to God you cleanse my sin which is written in this parchment; for he cleansed my other sins, and do not be loath to pray for one sin, for to you I am sent.” The venerable Ephrem said: “No, child; he who was able to entreat God for your many sins, how much more shall he be able for one. Go, go, and do not delay, to find him among the living sooner than he departs to the Lord.” She, bowing to the venerable one, returned to Caesarea. And entering the city, she came upon the funeral of the holy Basil, for he had already reposed and they were carrying his holy body to the grave. Meeting this, the woman began to wail with great lamentation, casting herself to the ground and to the saint as to one living, saying: “O woe to me, man of God, woe to me, wretched! Was it for this that you sent me into the desert, that you might depart from the body without my troubling you? And behold, I have returned with nothing, having taken such desert labour in vain. Let God see and judge between me and you, for being able yourself to give me help, you sent me to another.” Crying this, she threw the parchment upon the saint’s bier, telling all the people of her labour. One of the clergy, wishing to see what was written in the parchment, took it and, opening it, found nothing written upon it — the whole parchment was clean — and said to the woman: “There is nothing written here, and why do you labour, not knowing what has been done for you out of the ineffable love of God for mankind?” And all the people, seeing this wonder, glorified God, who gave such power to His servants even after their repose.
The Conversion of Joseph the Physician, and His Blessed Repose
A certain Jew named Joseph, who lived in Caesarea, was so experienced a physician that he could tell from the veins, three or five days before, that a man was about to die, and would announce to him the hour of his death. The God-bearing father Basil, foreseeing in the spirit his conversion to Christ, loved him greatly and often called him to converse, teaching him to leave the Jewish law and receive holy baptism. But Joseph refused, saying: “In whatever faith I was born, in that I wish to die.” The saint said to him: “Believe me, that neither I nor you shall die until you are born of Water and Spirit. Without this grace it is impossible to enter the Kingdom of God. Were not your fathers also baptized in the cloud and in the sea, and drank of the rock which was the type of the spiritual rock — Christ, who for our salvation was born of the Virgin, whom your fathers crucified, and who was buried, rose on the third day, ascended into Heaven, sat at the right hand of the Father, and from thence will come to judge the living and the dead?” The saint said many other profitable words to him, but the Jew remained in his unbelief. When the time of the saint’s departure to God drew near, the saint fell ill and called the Jew, as though needing medical help from him, and said to him: “What do you think of me, Joseph?” He, examining the saint’s veins, said to the attendants: “Prepare everything for burial, for he will die at once.” Basil said to him: “You do not know what you say.” The Jew said: “Believe me, master, that the sun will not set today before you die.” Basil said to him: “And if I live until tomorrow until the sixth hour, what will you do?” Joseph answered: “Let me die.” The saint said: “May you die to sin, that you may live to God.” The Jew said to him: “I know what you say, master; behold, I swear to you that if you are alive tomorrow, I will do your will.” The divine father Basil prayed to God that He prolong his life until tomorrow for the salvation of the Jew, and received what he asked. The next day he sent to call him, but Joseph did not believe the servant who called him, as though Basil were alive; yet he went, wishing to see the dead man. Seeing that he was alive, he was as one beside himself. Then, falling at the saint’s feet, he said with a true heart: “Great is the God of the Christians, and there is no other God besides Him. I renounce the God-hated Judaism and draw near to the true Christian faith. Command, holy father, that holy baptism be given me without delay, and to my whole house.” The holy Basil said to him: “I myself shall baptize you with my own hands.” Approaching, the Jew touched the saint’s right hand and said: “Your strength is spent, master, and your nature is wholly weakened; you cannot baptize me yourself.” Basil answered: “I have a Maker who strengthens us.” And rising, he went to the church and before all baptized the Jew and his whole house. He named him John, and gave him the Divine Mysteries, celebrating the Liturgy himself that day; and having sufficiently instructed the newly baptized concerning eternal life, and made a word of exhortation to all his spiritual sheep, he remained until the ninth hour. Then, giving all the last kiss and forgiveness, he sent thanks to God for all the ineffable graces given him. And thanksgiving was still in his mouth when he gave up his soul into the hands of God, and the hierarch of hierarchs and the great Thunder of the word was joined to the preachers — on the 1st day of January, in the fifteenth and now last year of the reign of Valens, and in the fourth year of the reign of Gratian, who reigned after his father Valentinian. The holy Basil the Great fed the Church of God eight years, six months, and sixteen days. He lived in all forty-five years from his birth. The newly baptized Jew, seeing that the saint had reposed, fell upon his face and said with tears: “Truly, servant of God Basil, you would not have died even today had you not yourself willed it.” The holy Gregory of Nazianzus also arrived for the funeral of the saint and wept much over him. And other hierarchs gathered and sang the burial psalms, and buried the honourable relics of the great favourite of God Basil in the church of the holy martyr Eutychius, praising God, one in Trinity, to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
Concerning the Ancient Custom of Communion
The Jew received into his hand from the holy Basil a portion of the All-Pure Body of Christ. This may astonish Christians of today — how could that Jew receive a portion of the Holy Mysteries into his hand, since communion of the Holy Mysteries is given with a spoon, and is placed not into the hand but into the mouth? But if anyone wishes to learn of this and to know the ancient custom in the holy Church, let him look at the 9th day of the month of November. There, after the Life of the venerable Theoktista of Lesbos, enough is written about this.
On the Same Day: The Holy Martyr Basil of Ancyra
On the same day, the holy martyr Basil of Ancyra, who suffered in the reign of Julian and under the governor Saturninus. He was first brought to Constantinople and tormented in every way: hanged, torn, stretched, beaten, cut, pierced with red-hot spits, and thrown into a fiery furnace, from which he came out unharmed. Then, being bound, he was led to Caesarea and there condemned to be devoured by beasts. He prayed to God that he might die by the teeth of beasts — and, devoured by a lioness, he ended his martyric struggle. Let it be known that there are two holy martyrs named Basil of Ancyra: one a presbyter, honoured on the 22nd of March, and the other this one, who was of the unconsecrated; yet both at one time, though not in one place, suffered from the Emperor Julian and the governor Saturninus.