Saint Basil the Great
St. Basil the Great, also called Basil of Caesarea, was the bishop of Caesarea Mazoca in Cappadocia. He was one of the most influential supporters of the Nicene Creed, position reflected by his theological works, and he also firmly fighted against Arianism. He is known as one of the first organizers of monastic life in the Middle East. Together with St. Gregory of Nazianz and St. John Chrysostom he is considered, by the Oriental Churches, as Great Hierarch.
According to the Byzantine and Post-Byzantine iconography, in most of the cases, St. Basil is viewed frontally, either full-length or half-length, clad in bishop liturgical vestments, but he is not wearing a mitre. He is depicted like a mature man, with a stern and emaciated face and hieratic gestures. His short hair and beard are still dark. He is either blessing with his right hand while holding a Gospel in his left hand, or he is holding in both hands an open parchment scroll on which quotations in favour of the Nicene Creed, selected from his works, are visible.
St. Basil the Great, also called Basil of Caesarea, was the bishop of Caesarea Mazoca in Cappadocia. He was one of the most influential supporters of the Nicene Creed, position reflected by his theological works, and he also firmly fighted against Arianism. He is known as one of the first organizers of monastic life in the Middle East. Together with St. Gregory of Nazianz and St. John Chrysostom he is considered, by the Oriental Churches, as Great Hierarch.
According to the Byzantine and Post-Byzantine iconography, in most of the cases, St. Basil is viewed frontally, either full-length or half-length, clad in bishop liturgical vestments, but he is not wearing a mitre. He is depicted like a mature man, with a stern and emaciated face and hieratic gestures. His short hair and beard are still dark. He is either blessing with his right hand while holding a Gospel in his left hand, or he is holding in both hands an open parchment scroll on which quotations in favour of the Nicene Creed, selected from his works, are visible.
