Great teachers of the Church whose feasts fall right after Christmas.
Their writings defend the divinity of Christ.
Here is a clear, short explanation of the feast of
St. Basil the Great & St. Gregory Nazianzen – January 2, along with brief biographies of each.
St. Basil the Great & St. Gregory Nazianzen
Known for: Defending the Trinity, strengthening the early Church, and shaping Christian theology.
St. Basil the Great — Short Biography
- Born: 329 in Caesarea, Cappadocia (modern Turkey)
- Died: 379
- Role: Bishop of Caesarea
- Why he is important:
- One of the greatest early Christian theologians.
- Defended the Church against Arianism (heresy denying Christ’s divinity).
- Wrote the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil, still used in the Eastern Churches.
- Founded monasteries and wrote the Rule of St. Basil, shaping Eastern monasticism.
- Known for extraordinary charity—built hospitals, shelters, and “Basiliadas” for the poor.
Patron of: hospital administrators, monks, theologians.
St. Gregory Nazianzen — Short Biography
- Born: 329 in Arianzus, Cappadocia
- Died: 390
- Role: Archbishop of Constantinople
- Why he is important:
- Known as “Gregory the Theologian.”
- One of the greatest writers and thinkers of the early Church.
- Defended the full divinity of the Holy Spirit and helped complete the Nicene Creed.
- His sermons on the Trinity are among the most foundational in Christian theology.
- Emphasized holiness, humility, and the primacy of love.
Patron of: theologians, orators.
Why They Are Celebrated Together
- They were close friends, classmates, and partners in defending the faith.
- Together with St. Gregory of Nyssa (Basil’s brother), they are called the Cappadocian Fathers.
- They built the foundation of Christian orthodoxy on the Trinity.
PRAYERS
Prayer to St. Basil for Protection Saint Basil, o great follower of God, help all as well as me. Defender of orthodoxy, defend us too, that follow your faith and stand besides you. Great follower of God, pray to him for all your people, as well as for unworthy me. Strong knight and leader of Ostrog, save us from the seen and unseen. Raised by Serbian soil do be the light in front of God, be our light and light up our road and make darkness disappear. With prayer and tears you have warmed the cold cliffs of Ostrog, please warm our hearths with Gods spirit, so we can be saved. From all corners of the world to your grave come the weak and the ill, and you helped them, got rid of their demons as well as the devil, and healed their souls and bodies. Please continue to help, the baptized and the nonbaptized, everybody and me as well. You brought peace to fighting brothers, please continue to bring peace, help the devided, make the sad happy, calm the stubborn, heal the sick. Saint Basil, o miracle worker, father of our spirit, listen and hear your children’s spirits in the name of Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Prayer of Saint Basil the Great O Lord our God, we beseech you, to ask for the gift we need. Steer the ship of our life to yourself, the quiet harbor of all storm-stressed souls. Show us the course which we are to take. Renew in us the spirit of docility. Let your Spirit curb our fickleness; guide and strengthen us to perform what is for our own good, to keep your commandments and ever to rejoice in your glorious and vivifying presence. Yours is the glory and praise for all eternity.
Amen.
A Prayer of St. Basil the Great O God and Lord of the Powers, and Maker of all creation, Who, because of Thy clemency and incomparable mercy, didst send Thine Only-Begotten Son and our Lord Jesus Christ for the salvation of mankind, and with His venerable Cross didst tear asunder the record of our sins, and thereby didst conquer the rulers and powers of darkness; receive from us sinful people,
O merciful Master, these prayers of gratitude and supplication, and deliver us from every destructive and gloomy transgression, and from all visible and invisible enemies who seek to injure us. Nail down our flesh with fear of Thee, and let not our hearts be inclined to words or thoughts of evil, but pierce our souls with Thy love, that ever contemplating Thee, being enlightened by Thee, and discerning Thee, the unapproachable and everlasting Light, we may unceasingly render confession and gratitude to Thee: The eternal Father, with Thine Only-Begotten Son, and with Thine All-Holy, Gracious, and Life-Giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.
Amen.
Prayer by Saint Basil I thank You, Christ and Master our God, King of the ages and Creator of all things, for all the good gifts You have given me, and especially for the participation in Your pure and life-giving mysteries. I pray to You, therefore, good and loving Lord, keep me under Your protection and under the shadow of Your wings. Grant that to my last breath I may with a pure conscience partake worthily of Your gifts for the forgiveness of sins and for eternal life. For You are the bread of life, the source of holiness, the giver of all good things, and to You we give glory, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages.
Amen.
A Prayer Of St. Basil The Great After Communion We give Thee thanks, O Lord our God, for the Communion of Thy holy, pure, deathless and heavenly Mysteries, which thou hast given for the good, the hallowing, and the healing of our souls and bodies. Do Thou, O Sovereign of the world, cause this Communion in the Holy Body and blood of Thy Christ to nourish us in unashamed faith, sincere charity, ripe wisdom, health of soul and body, separation from all ills, observance of Thy Law, and justification before His awful Judgment Seat. O Christ our God, the Mystery of Thy Providence has been accomplished according to our ability. We have been reminded of Thy Death and we have seen a figure of Thy Resurrection; we have been filled with Thine Infinite Life, and we have tasted Thine inexhaustible joy; and we pray Thee to make us worthy of these things in the life to come, through the grace of Thine Eternal Father and of Thy holy, good, and life-giving Spirit, now and forever, eternally:
Amen.
Morning Prayer by St. Basil the Great
As I rise from sleep, I thank Thee, O Holy Trinity, for through Thy great goodness and patience Thou hast not been angry with me, an idler and sinner, nor hast Thou destroyed me with mine iniquities, but hast shown Thy usual love for mankind; and when I was prostrate in despair,
Thou hast raised me up to keep the morning watch and glorify Thy power. And now enlighten my mind’s eye, and open my mouth that I may meditate on Thy words, and understand Thy commandments, and do Thy will, and hymn Thee in heartfelt confession, and sing praises to Thine all-holy name: of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.
Amen.
NOVENA TO ST. BASIL THE GREAT & ST. GREGORY NAZIANZEN
St. Basil the Great Novena – Day 1
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Basil the Great as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the love of You that marked his whole life, beginning from his childhood among his pious family members.
St. Basil, you began your path to sainthood in a pious family. You were a descendent of a martyr, and your siblings went on to live saintly lives as well.
Please bring my petitions before the throne of God!
You continued on the path to holiness that began in your childhood. You went on to become a monk, a priest, and a bishop. You made great contributions to the Church throughout the rest of your life.
Pray for me, that I may remain on the path to holiness throughout my life, as you did. Pray that I may be eager to give my life to serving God.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Basil the Great, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Basil the Great Novena – Day 2
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Basil the Great as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the love of You he showed throughout his work with St. Gregory in service of the Church.
St. Basil, you became acquainted with St. Gregory of Nazianzus during your school years in Caesarea. Your friendship with this saint would remain strong throughout your years of faithful service to God.
Please be faithful in bringing my petitions before God Whom you served!
Along with St. Gregory, you challenged Arian theologians to public debate, and the two of you bested these Arian heretics in debate. You continued to fight against this heresy for the good of the Church.
Pray for me, that I may always recognize the gift of holy friends You put into my life. Pray that I may also work for the holiness of those around me.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Basil the Great, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Basil the Great Novena – Day 3
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Basil the Great as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the devotion to You he showed in choosing to serve You as a monk, priest, and bishop.
St. Basil, you felt called to devote your life to God from the time you were a young man. You chose to leave behind your career in order to serve God in a more wholehearted way.
Please bring my petitions before God Whom you served so wholeheartedly!
You established monasteries and wrote a monastic rule. Then, you were ordained a priest and eventually a bishop. You continually worked to serve God in the ways He put before you.
Pray for me, that I may be as eager to serve God in my life as you were. Pray that I may always be open to doing whatever He might call me to do.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Basil the Great, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Basil the Great Novena – Day 4
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Basil the Great as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the virtue he showed in his deep charity toward the poor.
St. Basil, you were eager to leave behind your life in the world, in order to follow God more devotedly. As you began pursuing your religious vocation, you gave away your belongings and your money to the poor, out of love for God.
Please bring my petitions before the throne of God!
When you became a bishop, you continued your charitable work toward the poor. You even built a complex devoted to care for the poor, and you were well-known for your charity by all.
Pray for me, that I may always be ready to care for the poor around me in my life. Pray that I may be eager to practice charity, for the love of God.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Basil the Great, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Basil the Great Novena – Day 5
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Basil the Great as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the love of You he showed in his practice of monastic life.
St. Basil, you left behind your worldly career in order to devote your life to serving God. You studied monasticism and established a monastic community, striving to serve God and answer His call faithfully.
Please bring my petitions before God with such faithfulness!
You wrote a monastic rule that contributed greatly to the formation of monastic life within the Church. You also established several other monasteries, so that others might be able to serve God in this way.
Pray for me, that I may be faithful to the path God calls me to follow in my life. Pray that I may always be open to serving Him in new and radical ways.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Basil the Great, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Basil the Great Novena – Day 6
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Basil the Great as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the devotion to You he showed in choosing to serve You in the priesthood.
St. Basil, you were ordained to the priesthood in a time when there were many enemies of the Church’s true doctrine. But you were ready and willing to do all you could to combat heresy and serve God by bringing souls back to Him.
Please continue to bring my petitions before God Whom you served!
Together with your friend, St. Gregory of Nazianzus, you worked to restore unity within the Church. You combated the Arian heresy in every way you could, for the love of God.
Pray for me, that I may always seek to serve God and His Church in my life. Pray that I may respond to His call to combat the evil around me.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Basil the Great, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Basil the Great Novena – Day 7
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Basil the Great as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the love of You he showed throughout his years of holy service as a bishop.
St. Basil, you became bishop of Caesarea after contributing a lot to the Church’s triumph over the Arian heresy. As a bishop, you continued serving the Church in every way you could.
Please continue to bring my petitions before God!
You worked to bring thieves and prostitutes to conversion, and you had no tolerance for evil or corruption among your flock. You encouraged your clergy to be holy, and you were tireless in your work for the poor among your people.
Pray for me, that I may carry out the duties of my state in life as faithfully as you did. Pray that I may always be eager to serve God in the ways He calls me to serve Him.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Basil the Great, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Basil the Great Novena – Day 8
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Basil the Great as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the devotion to You he showed in his great work of preaching.
St. Basil, you preached every morning and evening in your own church when you were a bishop. Despite many other duties and demands for your time, you persisted in the holy work of preaching to your flock.
Please persist in bringing my petitions before God!
You became known as one of the great orators of the early Church. Today, you are known as one of the Doctors of the Church because of the great work you did through your preaching and writings.
Pray for me, that I may always seek to preach the Gospel to others in my life. Pray that I may never tire of working to bring others to God.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Basil the Great, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Basil the Great Novena – Day 9
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Basil the Great as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the love of You he showed in his tireless service to Your Church.
St. Basil, you spent most of your life serving the Church as a monk, priest, and bishop. Your steadfastness in fighting heresy helped preserve Church unity and bring souls to God.
Please bring my petitions before God with such steadfastness!
As a bishop, you worked for reform in your diocese, and you encouraged your flock to strive for greater holiness. The many theological writings you contributed to the Church are still read even today.
Pray for me, that I may always be eager to serve the Church. Pray that I may never miss the opportunity to answer God’s call to service.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Basil the Great, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
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