St. Gregory Nazianzen
The Theologian 329 - 389
St. Gregory Nazianzen became known as the Theologian in his time because of his great learning in the doctrinal sciences. He showed an interest in such matters from the time he was a young boy and was educated fiercely in the Catholic faith. Despite this, he was not baptized in infancy, but later as a youth after a close call with death at sea.
A Family of Saints
St. Gregory Nazianzen came from a family of saints. His father, St. Gregory Nazianzen the Elder was from Cappodocia and involved in governmental activities. Married, his wife Nonna converted him to Christianity. They had three children and all three of them became saints. There was St. Caesarius, St. Gorgonia and St. Gregory Nazianzen. His father became the bishop of Nazianzus in about 328 A.D. but fell into error. It wasn’t long before he was returned to his former faith and his son, St. Gregory Nazianzen, became a coadjutor with him in 372 A.D.
Layperson to Churchman
St. Gregory Nazianzen studied in many places before joining his father back in his hometown: Caesarea, Cappadocia, Palestine and Athens. He became a close friend of St. Basil during one of his stays in Athens, and shortly after returning to his hometown the first time, decided to leave again and join St. Basil in a river area to the live a solitary life. When his father was about 80 years old, he returned to Nazianzus to become his coadjutor until his fathers death. He remained in the position until a new bishop was chosen.
St. Hilary of Poitiers was an Eloquent Preacher
Going to a place called Seleucia, Isauria, he was known for his eloquent preaching which brought in a great deal of converts. But with the converts came again persecution from the remaining heretics of Arianism and Apollinus*. Someone tried to depose him while he was ill, but he prevailed and the new Emperor Theodosius sent out a decree of orthodoxy requiring all Arians to become Orthodox or leave the city.
In order to assure peace, he resigned his position and lived a private life until his death on January 25, 389 A.D. submit or leave.
St. Gregory of Nazianzen’s Written Works
De Vita Sua, 45 Orations, 400 Poems and 245 Letters
*Arianism believed that Jesus was only a man and not Divine. Apollinarists embraced a severely ascetic lifestyle with beliefs similar to that of Hindu Yogis
The Fourth Doctor of the Catholic Church
The Sixth Doctor of the Catholic Church
Sources: The 33 Doctors of the Church – By Fr. Christopher Rengers, A Catholic Dictionary – By William Addis, The Writings of the Early Church Fathers (Thirty Eight Volumes): Ante-Nicene, Nicene and Post Nicene – Hendrickson Publishers, Dictionary of Saints – By John J. Delaney, Encyclopedia of Heresies and Heretics – By Chas S. Clifton, A Scholastic Miscellany: Anselm to Ockham – Edited by Eugene R. Fairweather, A Short History of Christian Doctrine: From the First Century to the Present – By Bernhard Lohse
St. Gregory Nazianzen
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