Popular Patristics 42 On the Holy Spirit: Saint Basil the Great

Popular Patristics Series Volume 42

In his funeral oration for St. Basil, St. Gregory of Nazianzus calls him a "standard of virtue," a "noble champion of the truth," and a "second Joseph" for feeding the hungry in a time of famine. The centuries-long dissemination and study of Basil's works has only confirmed Gregory's appraisal of Basil's great personal holiness, his profound insight into the eloquent defense of the Christian faith, his self-effacing generosity toward the poor and the needy, and his wise and expert guidance for those who sought a deeper union with the Lord through the ascetic life.

On the Holy Spirit is a classic expression of the Church's faith in the Spirit and a lasting testimony to St. Basil's Christian erudition. Again in the words of Gregory, Basil's treatise was "written by a pen borrowed from the Spirit's store."

About the Author:  Stephen M. Hildebrand is Assistant Professor of Theology at Franciscan University of Steubenville.