Today also of the year 379 A .D ., the great St . Basil, Bishop of Caesarea, departed . His father'sname was "Isosorus" (Isidore), who was a priest and a holy man . He begot five children: St . Basilof Caesarea, St . Gregory of Nyssa, St . Kisarion (Cherion), St . Peter of Sebastia, and St .Machrina . They all lived in holiness all their lives .He was instructed in the art of rhetoric, at the hands of the philosopher Libianius of Antioch, andhe worked as an advocate . In 358 A .D ., he abandoned the world and all its vain glories . Hetravelled through the wilderness of Egypt, where he witnessed the ascetics and was influenced bythem . Upon his return, he withdrew to a wild and beautiful spot in Pontus and devoted himself toprayer and study . When the news of his holiness spread around, many came to him and they tookhim as a guide to lead them in the way of perfection .169In 362 A .D ., he was promoted to the priesthood . He continued to teach the believers, to defendthe faith, and to save those who had been lost .In 370 A .D ., he was ordained Bishop of Caesarea, Cappadocia . For his boldness in truth and forhis rebuke of the emperors who conducted themselves against the doctrine and those whobehaved immorally . Emperor Valens wanted to exile St . Basil, but he declined because of thedeath of his son . Another time, when the Emperor wanted to sign an order for his exile, the penbroke in his hand, he took another pen and that also broke, and the same thing happened to a thirdpen . Valens tore the paper and left the saint to shepherd his flock and manage his church in peace .St . Basil was filled with the Holy Spirit, and wrote the liturgy that is named after him . Godwrought by his hands many signs and miracles . Among them, some heretics gained control overone of the churches and decided to close it unless someone opened it by his prayers . By theprayers of this saint, the church was opened and the believers gained access to it once again .Another sign: Abba Ephraim saw a pillar of light between earth and heaven and heard a voicesaying, "This is Basil ." St . Ephraim came to the city of Caesarea and witnessed the virtues of St .Basil . St . Basil ordained him a deacon .Among his miracles was that a woman wrote all her sins on paper and gave it to St . Basil . Heprayed for her and her sins were forgiven, except one sin . He told her to go to Abba Ephraim topray for her . When she went to Abba Ephraim, he sent her back to St . Basil saying, "Hurry, goback to meet him before his death ." When she came back, she found that he had passed away . Shewept and she put the paper that she had written on his body and the written sins were blotted out .Also among his miracles was a Jewish physician, who was known for his professional accuracyand who told the saint that he would die after three days . The saint prayed to God, Whoprolonged his life, and he did not die on the day that the physician expected him to die . Thephysician believed and was baptized with all his household .Another example is that of a young man who wrote a covenant with the devil to deny hisChristianity and his baptism . Through the prayer of the Saint, the young man was saved from theservitude of the devil The account of the miracle is mentioned under the 13th day of the blessed month of Tute" .This saint had many virtues and performed many miracles besides the above mentioned ones . Hewrote many articles, homilies, and discourses . He put down canons which the believers follow tillnow . He also wrote commentaries on some of the Books of the Old and New Testaments .His prayers be with us, and Glory be to our God forever and ever . Amen