Archbishop of Caesarea, one of the Three Holy Hierarchs.
St. Basil the Great was born in Caesarea of Cappadocia in the fourth century, to a family of saints. Educated in Athens alongside his friend St. Gregory the Theologian, he set aside a brilliant secular career for the monastic life, and later served as Archbishop of Caesarea. He defended the divinity of Christ against Arianism, gave the Church the Divine Liturgy that bears his name, and organized one of the first great centers of Christian charity for the poor and the sick.
One of the Three Holy Hierarchs, he is honored as a father of monasticism and of Christian philanthropy. The Church commemorates him on January 1, a day beloved in Greek tradition, when the vasilopita is cut in his honor.
Feast day
On the New Calendar, Basil the Great is commemorated on January 1. Churches on the Old (Julian) Calendar keep the feast on January 14 of the civil calendar.
Who celebrates a name day
People with these names keep their name day on this feast:
Vasilis, Vasileios, Vassilis, Vasile, Basil, Bill, Vasilios, Vassilios, Vasos, Vasily, Vasil, Billy, Vasiliki, Vassiliki, Vasilia, Vaso, Vasso, Vasia
Also commemorated on January 1
Circumcision of the Lord
Great Feast, Περιτομή του Κυρίου
Feast of the Circumcision of our Lord Jesus Christ on the eighth day after His Nativity.
Gregory of Nazianzus the Elder
Hierarch, Γρηγόριος Ναζιανζού
Bishop of Nazianzus, father of St. Gregory the Theologian.
Peter the Peloponnesian
Martyr, Πέτρος ο Πελοποννήσιος
New Martyr Peter of the Peloponnese, martyred for Christ in the eighteenth century.
Telemachos the Monk-Martyr
Martyr, Τηλέμαχος
Monk who gave his life to end the gladiatorial games in Rome.
Name days: Telemachos, Tilemachos, Telemachus
Icon: public domain image from Wikimedia Commons.
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