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The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity


from its origins to circa AD 700, across the entire Christian world


Name

Basil, bishop of Caesarea, ob. 379

Saint ID

S00780

Reported Death Not Before

379

Reported Death Not After

379

Gender
Male
Type of Saint
Bishops , Ascetics/monks/nuns, Writers
Related Evidence Records
IDTitle
E01177Gregory of Nazianzus in his Oration 43 of 382, On Basil of Caesarea, describes expressions of passionate grief and veneration during the funeral of *Basil (bishop of Caesarea, ob. 379, S00780), and invokes Basil’s intercession for Gregory’s own health. Composed in Greek, for a memorial ceremony held at Kaisareia/Caesarea of Cappadocia central Asia Minor).
E01286The Syriac Ecclesiastical History of Barḥadbešabbā ‘Arbāyā ascribes a particular importance to such ecclesiastical leaders of the past as *Athanasios (bishop of Alexandria, ob. 373, S00294), *Gregory the Miracle-Worker (bishop and missionary in Pontus, ob. c. 270, S00687), *Basil (bishop of Caesarea, ob. 379, S00780), *Flavianos (bishop of Antioch, ob. 404, S00781), *Diodoros (bishop of Tarsus, ob. c. 390, S00782), *John Chrysostom (bishop of Constantinople, ob. 407, S00784), *Theodoros (bishop of Mopsuestia, ob. 428, S00783) and *Nestorios (bishop of Constantinople, ob. 450, S00778). Written in Nisibis (northern Mesopotamia) in the late 6th/early 7th c.
E01334The Epic Histories (4.7), traditionally attributed to P'awstos, recounts the miraculous ordination of the Armenian Katholikos *Nersēs (katholikos of Greater Armenia, ob. 373, S00254) and of *Basil (bishop of Caesarea, ob. 379, S00780), followed by the vision of Basil before his defence of Orthodoxy against the Arians, at the disputation summoned by the emperor Valens. Written in Armenian in the second half of the 5th c.
E01737A Coptic list of holy books belonging to the monastery of Apa *Elijah/Elias (probably the Old Testament prophet, S00217) 'on the mountain', presumably at Aphroditopolis/Atfih (Middle Egypt), lists a papyrus manuscript containing 'an encomion by Apa Gregorios on Basileios', presumably the Oration on *Basil of Caesarea (S00780) by Gregory of Nyssa. List datable to the 7th/8th century.
E01808Gregory of Nyssa composes his Encomium on *Basil (bishop of Caesarea, ob. 379, S00780), which he delivers during the saint’s festival on 1 January. Basil’s memory is added to a series of major feasts, namely Christmas, *Stephen (the First Martyr, S00030), and the Apostles *Peter (S00036), *James (S00108),*John (S00042), and *Paul (S00008). The author argues that Basil deserves to be honoured after these figures. He mentions miracles during Basil’s life. Written in Greek in Cappadocia (central Asia Minor), in the 380s.
E02775John Malalas, in his Chronographia (13.25), records the story that *Merkourios (soldier and martyr of Caesarea, S01293) was sent by Christ to kill the emperor Julian the Apostate, and that this was revealed in a vision to *Basil of Caesarea (bishop of Caesarea, ob. 379, S00780). Written in Greek at Antioch or Constantinople, in the mid-6th c.
E02797Greek inscription on a fragment of a bread stamp, probably referring to three saints whose name are lost, differently identified by modern editors. Found at Mount Zion in Jerusalem (Roman province of Palaestina I). Probably late antique.
E02879The early seventh-century Georgian version of the Lectionary of Jerusalem commemorates on 1 January *Basil (bishop of Caesarea, ob. 379, S00780).
E02988Gildas, in his treatise On the Destruction of Britain, refers to *Basil (bishop of Caesarea, ob. 379, S00780), and quotes him. Written in Latin in Britain, c. 480/c. 550.
E03282The early seventh-century Georgian version of the Lectionary of Jerusalem commemorates on 22 July *Basil (bishop of Caesarea, ob. 379, S00780) and *Gregory the Theologian (of Nazianzos, ob. 390, S00837).
E03359The early seventh-century Georgian version of the Lectionary of Jerusalem commemorates on 23 August *Athanasios (bishop of Alexandria, ob. 373, S00294), *Basil (bishop of Caesarea, ob. 379, S00780), *Gregory (bishop of Nyssa, ob. 394, S01357), *Gregory (the Theologian, of Nazianzos, ob. 390, S00837), *John Chrysostom (bishop of Constantinople, ob. 407, S00779) and *Epiphanios (bishop of Salamis, ob. 403, S00215).
E03841The Church Calendar of Ioane Zosime, compiled in Georgian in the 10th c., based however on 5th-7th c. prototypes from Palestine, commemorates on 23 August *Athanasios (bishop of Alexandria, S00294), *Basil (bishop of Caesarea, S00780), *Gregory (bishop of Nyssa, S01357), *Gregory (the Theologian, of Nazianzos, S00837), *John Chrysostom (bishop of Constantinople, S00779), *Epiphanios (bishop of Salamis, S00215), *Kyrillos (bishop of Jerusalem, ob. 386, S01569), *Lucius (martyr in Cyrene under Diocletian, S01792), probably *Sarmiane (katholikos of Georgia, 6th c., S01793), *Gerasimos (anchorite, founder of a monastery in the Judean desert, ob. 475., S01507), and *Athanasios (bishop and martyr of Tarsus, S01794).
E03929The Church Calendar of Ioane Zosime, compiled in Georgian in the 10th c., based however on 5th-7th c. prototypes from Palestine, commemorates on 17 November *Zakchaios and Alpheios (martyrs of Caesarea of Palestine, S00119), and *Romanos of Caesarea (deacon of Caesarea, martyred at Antioch, S00120), *Basil (bishop and martyr of Hama, S01135), *Gregory (the Miracle-Worker, bishop and missionary of Pontus, S00687), and *Basil (bishop of Caesarea, ob. 379, S00780).
E06556Aldhelm, in his prose On Virginity, names *Basil (bishop of Caesarea, ob. 379, S00837) as an exemplary virgin. Written in Latin in southern Britain, for the nuns at the monastery at Barking (south-east Britain), c. 675/686.
E06659Aldhelm's verse On Virginity lists a range of saints as exemplary virgins, with some variations to the list found in the earlier prose version of the same treatise. Written in Latin in southern Britain, for the nuns at the monastery at Barking (south-east Britain), c. 675/710. Overview entry
E0831535 relic labels at Sens (northern Gaul), datable by their script to the 7th or 8th c., for relics of a great diversity of saints. Written in Latin, perhaps at Sens, or at an earlier stage in their transmission.