Basil the Great
c. 330–379 · Greek Church (Cappadocia: Caesarea) · Caesarea in Cappadocia
Basil (c. 330–379), bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia from 370, organised Eastern monasticism, championed the Nicene faith against Emperor Valens and founded a great charitable complex outside his city. The nine homilies of the Hexaemeron, preached during a single Lent on the six days of creation, were admired by Gregory of Nazianzus and Ambrose and remained the classic Christian treatment of the natural world.
11 sermons
- The Creation of the World
- Hexaemeron, Homily 1: In the Beginning God made the Heaven and the Earth
- Hexaemeron, Homily 2: “The Earth was Invisible and Unfinished.”
- Hexaemeron, Homily 3: On the Firmament
- Hexaemeron, Homily 4: Upon the gathering together of the waters
- Hexaemeron, Homily 5: The Germination of the Earth
- Hexaemeron, Homily 6: The creation of luminous bodies
- Hexaemeron, Homily 7: The creation of moving creatures
- Hexaemeron, Homily 8: The creation of fowl and water animals
- Hexaemeron, Homily 9: The creation of terrestrial animals
- Exhortation to Holy Baptism