Description
Saint Gregorios, also referred to as Saint Gregory, Gregory the Theologian and Gregory the Younger, lived during the fourth century in Cappadocia. His father served as the Bishop of Nazianzus, and is sainted alongside Saint Gregorios’ mother, Nonna. Saint Gregorios is known to be a scholar and a teacher, having studied in Caesarea, Alexandra, and later in Athens.
According to tradition, during his travels to Athens from Alexandria a great storm surged on the seas, bringing Saint Gregorios near death. Saint Gregorios was not yet baptized, and thus, his salvation was also at risk. This brought Saint Gregorios to tears, prompting him to pray to God to spare his life, promising that if he were to be saved, he would dedicate himself to the Lord. Once he reached Athens, Saint Gregorios studied alongside Saint Basil the Great; together they taught Prince Julian. Prince Julian would later deny Chris and work to bring paganism back to the Roman Empire.
Later, Saint Gregorios was ordained by his father as the presbyter of the Church of Nazianzus. After this, he travelled to Constantinople where he served in a small chapel which was dedicated to Saint Anastasia. Here he preached the five sermons on the Trinity, also known as the Triadica. During his time in Constantinople, Saint Gregorios also played a role in condemning the Arians who were taking over many churches across the city and by the time he left Constantinople, the Arians no longer controlled any of the churches.
In 382 AD, Saint Gregorios made his famous speech – the Syntacterion – also known as his farewell speech. Saint Gregorios is known for his beautiful and eloquent writings, of both poetry and prose. The writings are inspired by God; thus, giving him the moniker of Gregory the Theologian. Icons of Saint Gregorios show him holding a book, referencing his writings. The Greek Orthodox Church commemorates Saint Gregorios on January 25, while the Catholic Church commemorates him on January 2.
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