Meet Our Patron Saint

St. Gregory of Nazianzen

(c.330-390)

St. Gregory Nazianzen, called the Theologian and the Christian Demosthenes for his great eloquence, was an important Doctor of the Church who helped defend Orthodox doctrine in the fourth century.

Born at Arainzus in Cappadocia, Gregory was the son of the bishop of Nazianzus. After studying in Athens, he returned to Cappadocia and entered the monastic life, joining the community that had been established by St. Basil in Pontus. Ordained against his will in 362, he worked for the next several years assisting his father.

After his father’s death in 374, Gregory retired to a monastery in Seleucia until 379, when he was summoned to Constantinople, where he emerged through his preaching as the main leader of the Orthodox party in its struggle against Arianism. Through his oratorical skill, Gregory was able to revive resistance to the Arians, prompting the ultimate summoning of the Council of Constantinople in 381 and the triumph of the Nicene Creed. Named bishop of Constantinople during the council, he was quickly so appalled by the schemes of those around him that he resigned his see and retired to Nazianzus.

Gregory later went to his own land, where he spent his last years in prayer and contemplation. Ranked with Sts. Basil the Great and Gregory of Nyssa as one of the Cappadocian Fathers, Gregory played an important role in the final defeat of Arianism. While shy and retiring, he nevertheless accepted responsibility for using his oratorical skills on behalf of Christian orthodoxy. Among his writings are poems, letters, and treatises, such as the five Theological Orations and the Philocalia, which contained excerpts from Origen. His feast day is January 2.