Saint Gregory of Nazianzus

Doctor of the Church, born at Arianzus, in Asia Minor, c. 325; died at the same

place, 389. He was son -- one of three children -- of Gregory, Bishop of

Nazianzus (329-374), in the south-west of Cappadocia, and of Nonna, a daughter

of Christian parents. The saint's father was originally a member of the heretical

sect of the Hypsistarii, or Hypsistiani, and was converted to Catholicity by the

influence of his pious wife. His two sons, who seem to have been born between

the dates of their father's priestly ordination and episcopal consecration, were

sent to a famous school at Caesarea, capital of Cappadocia, and educated by

Carterius, probably the same time who was afterwards tutor of St. John

Chrysostom. Here commenced the friendship between Basil and Gregory which

intimately affected both their lives, as well as the development of the theology of

their age. From Caesarea in Cappadocia Gregory proceeded to Caesarea in

Palestine, where he studied rhetoric under Thespesius; and thence to

Alexandria, of which Athanasius was then bishop, through at the time in exile.

Setting out by sea from Alexandria to Athens, Gregory was all but lost in a great

storm, and some of his biographers infer -- though the fact is not certain -- that

when in danger of death he and his companions received the rite of baptism. He

had certainly not been baptized in infancy, though dedicated to God by his pious

mother; but there is some authority for believing that he received the sacrament,

not on his voyage to Athens, but on his return to Nazianzus some years later. At

Athens Gregory and Basil, who had parted at Caesarea, met again, renewed

their youthful friendship, and studied rhetoric together under the famous teachers

Himerius and Proaeresius. Among their fellow students was Julian, afterwards

known as the Apostate, whose real character Gregory asserts that he had even

then discerned and thoroughly distrusted him. The saint's studies at Athens

(which Basil left before his friend) extended over some ten years; and when he

departed in 356 for his native province, visiting Constantinople on his way home,

he was about thirty years of age.

Arrived at Nazianzus, where his parents were now advanced in age, Gregory,

who had by this time firmly resolved to devote his life and talents to God,

anxiously considered the plan of his future career. To a young man of his high

attainments a distinguished secular career was open, either that of a lawyer or of

a professor of rhetoric; but his yearnings were for the monastic or ascetic life,

though this did not seem compatible either with the Scripture studies in which he

was deeply interested, or with his filial duties at home. As was natural, he

consulted his beloved friend Basil in his perplexity as to his future; and he has

left us in his own writings an extremely interesting narrative of their intercourse at

this time, and of their common resolve (based on somewhat different motives,

according to the decided differences in their characters) to quit the world for the

service of God alone. Basil retired to Pontus to lead the life of a hermit; but

finding that Gregory could not join him there, came and settled first at Tiberina

(near Gregory's own home), then at Neocaesarea, in Pontus, where he lived in

holy seclusion for some years, and gathered round him a brotherhood of

cenobites, among whom his friend Gregory was for a time included. After a

sojourn here for two or three years, during which Gregory edited, with Basil some

of the exegetical works of Origen, and also helped his friend in the compilation of

his famous rules, Gregory returned to Nazianzus, leaving with regret the peaceful

hermitage where he and Basil (as he recalled in their subsequent

correspondence) had spent such a pleasant time in the labour both of hands and

of heads. On his return home Gregory was instrumental in bringing back to

orthodoxy his father who, perhaps partly in ignorance, had subscribed the

heretical creed of Rimini; and the aged bishop, desiring his son's presence and

support, overruled his scrupulous shrinking from the priesthood, and forced him

to accept ordination (probably at Christmas, 361). Wounded and grieved at the

pressure put upon him, Gregory fled back to his solitude, and to the company of

St. Basil; but after some weeks' reflection returned to Nazianzus, where he

preached his first sermon on Easter Sunday, and afterward wrote the remarkable

apologetic oration, which is really a treatise on the priestly office, the foundation

of Chrysostom's "De Sacerdotio", of Gregory the Great's "Cura Pastoris", and of

countless subsequent writings on the same subject.

During the next few years Gregory's life at Nazianzus was saddened by the

deaths of his brother Caesarius and his sister Gorgonia, at whose funerals he

preached two of his most eloquent orations, which are still extant. About this

time Basil was made bishop of Caesarea and Metropolitan of Cappadocia, and

soon afterwards the Emperor Valens, who was jealous of Basil's influence,

divided Cappadocia into two provinces. Basil continued to claim ecclesiastical

jurisdiction, as before, over the whole province, but this was disputed by

Anthimus, Bishop of Tyana, the chief city of New Cappadocia. To strengthen his

position Basil founded a new see at Sasima, resolved to have Gregory as its first

bishop, and accordingly had him consecrated, though greatly against his will.

Gregory, however, was set against Sasima from the first; he thought himself

utterly unsuited to the place, and the place to him; and it was not long before he

abandoned his diocese and returned to Nazianzus as coadjutor to his father. This

episode in Gregory's life was unhappily the cause of an estrangement between

Basil and himself which was never altogether removed; and there is no extant

record of any correspondence between them subsequent to Gregory's leaving

Sasima. Meanwhile he occupied himself sedulously with his duties as coadjutor

to his aged father, who died early in 374, his wife Nonna soon following him to

the grave. Gregory, who was now left without family ties, devoted to the poor the

large fortune which he had inherited, keeping for himself only a small piece of

land at Arianzus. He continued to administer the diocese for about two years,

refusing, however, to become the bishop, and continually urging the appointment

of a successor to his father. At the end of 375 he withdrew to a monastery at

Seleuci, living there in solitude for some three years, and preparing (though he

knew it not) for what was to be the crowning work of his life. About the end of this

period Basil died. Gregory's own state of health prevented his being present

either at the death-bed or funeral; but he wrote a letter of condolence to Basil's

brother, Gregory of Nyssa, and composed twelve beautiful memorial poems or

epitaphs to his departed friend.

Three weeks after Basil's death, Theodosius was advanced by the Emperor

Gratian to the dignity of Emperor of the East. Constantinople, the seat of his

empire, had been for the space of about thirty years (since the death of the

saintly and martyred Bishop Paul) practically given over too Arianism, with an

Arian prelate, Demophilus, enthroned at St. Sophia's. The remnant of persecuted

Catholics, without either church or pastor, applied to Gregory to come and place

himself at their head and organize their scattered forces; and many bishops

supported the demand. After much hesitation he gave his consent, proceeded to

Constantinople early in the year 379, and began his mission in a private house

which he describes as "the new Shiloh where the Ark was fixed", and as "an

Anastasia, the scene of the resurrection of the faith". Not only the faithful

Catholics, but many heretics gathered in the humble chapel of the Anastasia,

attracted by Gregory's sanctity, learning and eloquence; and it was in this chapel

that he delivered the five wonderful discourses on the faith of Nicaea -- unfolding

the doctrine of the Trinity while safeguarding the Unity of the Godhead -- which

gained for him, alone of all Christian teachers except the Apostle St. John, the

special title of Theologus or the Divine. He also delivered at this time the

eloquent panegyrics on St. Cyprian, St. Athanasius, and the Machabees, which

are among his finest oratorical works. Meanwhile he found himself exposed to

persecution of every kind from without, and was actually attacked in his own

chapel, whilst baptizing his Easter neophytes, by a hostile mob of Arians from

St. Sophia's, among them being Arian monks and infuriated women. He was

saddened, too, by dissensions among his own little flock, some of whom openly

charged him with holding Tritheistic errors. St. Jerome became about this time

his pupil and disciple, and tells us in glowing language how much he owed to his

erudite and eloquent teacher. Gregory was consoled by the approval of Peter,

Patriarch of Constantinople (Duchesne's opinion, that the patriarch was from the

first jealous or suspicious of the Cappadocian bishop's influence in

Constantinople, does not seem sufficiently supported by evidence), and Peter

appears to have been desirous to see him appointed to the bishopric of the

capital of the East. Gregory, however, unfortunately allowed himself to be

imposed upon by a plausible adventurer called Hero, or Maximus, who came to

Constantinople from Alexandria in the guise (long hair, white robe, and staff) of a

Cynic, and professed to be a convert to Christianity, and an ardent admirer of

Gregory's sermons. Gregory entertained him hospitably, gave him his complete

confidence, and pronounced a public panegyric on him in his presence.

Maximus's intrigues to obtain the bishopric for himself found support in various

quarters, including Alexandria, which the patriarch Peter, for what reason

precisely it is not known, had turned against Gregory; and certain Egyptian

bishops deputed by Peter, suddenly, and at night, consecrated and enthroned

Maximus as Catholic Bishop of Constantinople, while Gregory was confined to

bed by illness. Gregory's friends, however, rallied round him, and Maximus had to

fly from Constantinople. The Emperor Theodosius, to whom he had recourse,

refused to recognize any bishop other than Gregory, and Maximus retired in

disgrace to Alexandria.

Theodosius received Christian baptism early in 380, at Thessalonica, and

immediately addressed an edict to his subjects at Constantinople, commanding

them to adhere to the faith taught by St. Peter, and professed by the Roman

pontiff, which alone deserved to be called Catholic. In November, the emperor

entered the city and called on Demophilus, the Arian bishop, to subscribe to the

Nicene creed: but he refused to do so, and was banished from Constantinople.

Theodosius determined that Gregory should be bishop of the new Catholic see,

and himself accompanied him to St. Sophia's, where he was enthroned in

presence of an immense crowd, who manifested their feelings by hand-clappings

and other signs of joy. Constantinople was now restored to Catholic unity; the

emperor, by a new edict, gave back all the churches to Catholic use; Arians and

other heretics were forbidden to hold public assemblies; and the name of

Catholic was restricted to adherents of the orthodox and Catholic faith.

Gregory had hardly settled down to the work of administration of the Diocese of

Constantinople, when Theodosius carried out his long-cherished purpose of

summoning thither a general council of the Eastern Church. One hundred and

fifty bishops met in council, in May, 381, the object of the assembly being, as

Socrates plainly states, to confirm the faith of Nicaea, and to appoint a bishop for

Constantinople (see CONSTANTINOPLE, THE FIRST COUNCIL OF). Among the

bishops present were thirty-six holding semi-Arian or Macedonian opinions; and

neither the arguments of the orthodox prelates nor the eloquence of Gregory, who

preached at Pentecost, in St. Sophia's, on the subject of the Holy Spirit, availed

to persuade them to sign the orthodox creed. As to the appointment of the

bishopric, the confirmation of Gregory to the see could only be a matter of form.

The orthodox bishops were all in favor , and the objection (urged by the Egyptian

and Macedonian prelates who joined the council later) that his translation from

one see to another was in opposition to a canon of the Nicene council was

obviously unfounded. The fact was well known that Gregory had never, after his

forced consecration at the instance of Basil, entered on possession of the See of

Sasima, and that he had later exercised his episcopal functions at Nazianzus,

not as bishop of that diocese, but merely as coadjutor of his father. Gregory

succeeded Meletius as president of the council, which found itself at once called

on to deal with the difficult question of appointing a successor to the deceased

bishop. There had been an understanding between the two orthodox parties at

Antioch, of which Meletius and Paulinus had been respectively bishops that the

survivor of either should succeed as sole bishop. Paulinus, however, was a

prelate of Western origin and creation, and the Eastern bishops assembled at

Constantinople declined to recognize him. In vain did Gregory urge, for the sake

of peace, the retention of Paulinus in the see for the remainder of his life, already

fare advanced; the Fathers of the council refused to listen to his advice, and

resolved that Meletius should be succeeded by an Oriental priest. "It was in the

East that Christ was born", was one of the arguments they put forward; and

Gregory's retort, "Yes, and it was in the East that he was put to death", did not

shake their decision. Flavian, a priest of Antioch, was elected to the vacant see;

and Gregory, who relates that the only result of his appeal was "a cry like that of

a flock of jackdaws" while the younger members of the council "attacked him like

a swarm of wasps", quitted the council, and left also his official residence, close

to the church of the Holy Apostles.

Gregory had now come to the conclusion that not only the opposition and

disappointment which he had met with in the council, but also his continued

state of ill-health, justified, and indeed necessitated, his resignation of the See of

Constantinople, which he had held for only a few months. He appeared again

before the council, intimated that he was ready to be another Jonas to pacify the

troubled waves, and that all he desired was rest from his labours, and leisure to

prepare for death. The Fathers made no protest against this announcement,

which some among them doubtless heard with secret satisfaction; and Gregory

at once sought and obtained from the emperor permission to resign his see. In

June, 381, he preached a farewell sermon before the council and in presence of

an overflowing congregation. The peroration of this discourse is of singular and

touching beauty, and unsurpassed even among his many eloquent orations. Very

soon after its delivery he left Constantinople (Nectarius, a native of Cilicia, being

chosen to succeed him in the bishopric), and retired to his old home at

Nazianzus. His two extant letters addressed to Nectarius at his time are note

worthy as affording evidence, by their spirit and tone, that he was actuated by no

other feelings than those of interested goodwill towards the diocese of which he

was resigning the care, and towards his successor in the episcopal charge. On

his return to Nazianzus, Gregory found the Church there in a miserable condition,

being overrun with the erroneous teaching of Apollinaris the Younger, who had

seceded from the Catholic communion a few years previously, and died shortly

after Gregory himself. Gregory's anxiety was now to find a learned and zealous

bishop who would be able to stem the flood of heresy which was threatening to

overwhelm the Christian Church in that place. All his efforts were at first

unsuccessful, and he consented at length with much reluctance to take over the

administration of the diocese himself. He combated for a time, with his usual

eloquence and as much energy as remained to him, the false teaching of the

adversaries of the Church; but he felt himself too broken in health to continue the

active work of the episcopate, and wrote to the Archbishop of Tyana urgently

appealing to him to provide for the appointment of another bishop. His request

was granted, and his cousin Eulalius, a priest of holy life to whom he was much

attached, was duly appointed to the See of Nazianzus. this was toward the end

of the year 383, and Gregory, happy in seeing the care of the diocese entrusted

to a man after his own heart, immediately withdrew to Arianzus, the scene of his

birth and his childhood, where he spent the remaining years of his life in

retirement, and in the literary labours, which were so much more congenial to his

character than the harassing work of ecclesiastical administration in those

stormy and troubled times.

Looking back on Gregory's career, it is difficult not to feel that from the day when

he was compelled to accept priestly orders, until that which saw him return from

Constantinople to Nazianzus to end his life in retirement and obscurity, he

seemed constantly to be placed, through no initiative of his own, in positions

apparently unsuited to his disposition and temperament, and not really

calculated to call for the exercise of the most remarkable and attractive qualities

of his mind and heart. Affectionate and tender by nature, of highly sensitive

temperament, simple and humble, lively and cheerful by disposition, yet liable to

despondency and irritability, constitutionally timid, and somewhat deficient, as it

seemed, both in decision of character and in self-control, he was very human,

very lovable, very gifted -- yet not, one might be inclined to think, naturally

adapted to play the remarkable part which he did during the period preceding and

following the opening of the Council of Constantinople. He entered on his difficult

and arduous work in that city within a few months of the death of Basil, the

beloved friend of his youth; and Newman, in his appreciation of Gregory's

character and career, suggests the striking thought that it was his friend's lofty

and heroic spirit which had entered into him, and inspired him to take the active

and important part which fell to his lot in the work of re-establishing the orthodox

and Catholic faith in the eastern capital of the empire. It did, in truth, seem to be

rather with the firmness and intrepidity, the high resolve and unflinching

perseverance, characteristic of Basil, than in his own proper character, that of a

gentle, fastidious, retiring, timorous, peace-loving saint and scholar, that he

sounded the war-trumpet during those anxious and turbulent months, in the very

stronghold and headquarters of militant heresy, utterly regardless to the actual

and pressing danger to his safety, and even his life which never ceased to

menace him. "May we together receive", he said at the conclusion of the

wonderful discourse which he pronounced on his departed friend, on his return to

Asia from Constantinople, "the reward of the warfare which we have waged, which

we have endured." It is impossible to doubt, reading the intimate details which he

has himself given us of his long friendship with, and deep admiration of, Basil,

that the spirit of his early and well-loved friend had to a great extent moulded and

informed his own sensitive and impressionable personality and that it was this,

under God, which nerved and inspired him, after a life of what seemed, externally,

one almost of failure, to co-operate in the mighty task of overthrowing the

monstrous heresy which had so long devastated the greater part of Christendom,

and bringing about at length the pacification of the Eastern Church.

During the six years of life which remained to him after his final retirement to his

birth-place, Gregory composed, in all probability, the greater part of the copious

poetical works which have come down to us. These include a valuable

autobiographical poem of nearly 2000 lines, which forms, of course, one of the

most important sources of information for the facts of his life; about a hundred

other shorter poems relating to his past career; and a large number of epitaphs,

epigrams, and epistles to well-known people of the day. Many of his later

personal poems refer to the continuous illness and severe sufferings, both

physical and spiritual, which assailed him during his last years, and doubtless

assisted to perfect him in those saintly qualities which had never been wanting to

him, rudely shaken though he had been by the trails and buffetings of his life. In

the tiny plot of ground at Arianzus, all (as has already been said) that remained

to him of his rich inheritance, he wrote and meditated, as he tells, by a fountain

near which there was a shady walk, his favourite resort. Here, too, he received

occasional visits from intimate friends, as well as sometimes from strangers

attracted to his retreat by his reputation for sanctity and learning; and here he

peacefully breathed his last. The exact date of his death is unknown, but from a

passage in Jerome (De Script. Eccl.) it may be assigned, with tolerable

certainty, to the year 389 or 390.

Some account must now be given of Gregory's voluminous writings, and of his

reputation as an orator and a theologian, on which, more than on anything else,

rests his fame as one of the greatest lights of the Eastern Church. His works

naturally fall under three heads, namely his poems, his epistles, and his

orations. Much, though by no means all, of what he wrote has been preserved,

and has been frequently published, the editio princeps of the poems being the

Aldine (1504), while the first edition of his collected works appeared in Paris in

1609-11. The Bodleian catalogue contains more than thirty folio pages

enumerating various editions of Gregory's works, of which the best and most

complete are the Benedictine edition (two folio volumes, begun in 1778, finished

in 1840), and the edition of Migne (four volumes XXXV - XXXVIII, in P.G., Paris,

1857 - 1862).

Poetical Compositions

These, as already stated, comprise autobiographical verses, epigrams, epitaphs

and epistles. The epigrams have been translated by Thomas Drant (London,

1568), the epitaphs by Boyd (London, 1826), while other poems have been

gracefully and charmingly paraphrased by Newman in his "Church of the

Fathers". Jerome and Suidas say that Gregory wrote more than 30,000 verses; if

this is not an exaggeration, fully two-thirds of them have been lost. Very different

estimates have been formed of the value of his poetry, the greater part of which

was written in advanced years, and perhaps rather as a relaxation from the cares

and troubles of life than as a serious pursuit. Delicate, graphic, and flowing as

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