Phone Blog Facebook Instagram

Three Holy Hierarchs

- Resources

The Feast of Saints Basil the Great (also known as Basil of Caesarea), Gregory the Theologian (also known as Gregory of Nazianzus), and John Chrysostom. These influential bishops shaped our theology and worship through their extensive writing and preaching. Each has a feast day in January. All three are remembered today as a result of intense debates that raged in 11^th century Constantinople as to who of these great Fathers was the greatest? Through a vision granted St. John Mouropos in which they appeared to him and said that they were all equal in God’s eyes, this feast was instituted in 1084. The Catholic Church also honors them as Doctors of the Church.

Basil and Chrysostom both had profound influences on our worship, through their Anaphoras (Eucharistic Prayers) which we use today. Basil served as a bishop of Caesarea-in-Cappadocia who defended the Trinity’s unity and Christ’s humanity and divinity against the Arians, as well as founding many institutions for the poor, sick, orphans, abandoned elderly, and schools. Chrysostom, which means “golden tongue” was a powerful preacher who was not afraid to challenge his listeners to deeper spiritual lives, while speaking against any form of oppression. He also advocated for physical and spiritual care of the poor. He was bishop of Antioch and then archbishop of Constantinople itself. He died in exile because of his condemnation of the empress’ scandalous lifestyle. Gregory, like the other two, led a personal life of penance and fasting. He was also an archbishop of Constantinople and he is surnamed “The Theologian” for his brilliant writings against the Arians, in defense of the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Trinity. His contemporaries considered that he surpassed the ancient Greek writers and that he was directly inspired by God.