Saint Basil was a great champion and pillar of the Apostolic Faith and the Church. He dedicated his life to serving God and defending the Faith that was “once delivered to the saints”. He was the bishop of Caesarea in the 4th century. His life of overseeing the Church and serving God was marked by great compassion and charity for the less fortunate, the orphans, widows, sick, and poor.

During the dreadful famine which afflicted the city in 367, he was actively serving those who were suffering: he distributed the last of his goods, and by his eloquence persuaded the rich and miserly to distribute their hoarded grain. Sacrificing himself to the uttermost, he supervised the distribution of food and served the sick.

He loved children and always assisted the sick and the homeless. He was the first bishop to establish orphanages, hospitals and old age homes. He directed the attention of the Church toward those who had no one to care for them. With a concern for the poor that knew no bounds, he carried forward the construction, just outside Caesarea, of the 'city of charity' the ‘Basiliad’. This was a massive complex built to serve the needy. In it was a kitchen and food pantry to provide food for those who needed it. It provided assistance for widows and and a safe haven for the elderly and orphans. In it was a hospital for the ill and a hospice for the dying. It also had a safe place for travelers to stay.

The Saint used to go there whenever he could, and he would tend without hesitation those suffering from the most loathsome diseases, and embrace the lepers.

All this he did while holding firmly to, and defending the Apostolic faith of the Church, and while wisely guiding the souls of those in the Church, while enlightening those outside the Church.

Teacher of the universe, light of the Orthodox Faith, father of monks, cherisher of the poor, providence of all those who hope in God, Saint Basil was the flawless exemplar of bishops, the living image of Christ, Who, through him, made Himself all things to all men, speaking with his words, and through his actions dispersing the treasures of His love for mankind.

His body worn out by disease and austere ascesis, the Saint gave back his soul to God on January 1, 379

May we all learn from the example of our Holy Father Basil to serve God with our whole hearts and to love our neighbors as ourselves, not hesitating to sacrifice ourselves and our comfort for their sake.