The "schooling of the lord" in the life of the three hierarchs

Bishop of Ledra and Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Maheras at Cyprus.

Considering the time that the ^ree Hierarchs lived, the volume of the education they have received, is really admirable! Even more admirable, is their progress and the distinctions granted to them by their teachers. But, of course, the most admirable fact is their distinguished quali^cation in staying, perpetually, in the fore-stage of holiness and theology, their pastoral, psych pathogenic, interpretative and sociological works are their le^-over heritage.

So, the main issue that is going to preoccupy us during this paper, is the reason why our ^ree Hierarchs Basil the Great, Gregory the ^eologian and John Chrysostom have remained, perpetually, as the focal point of the spiritual ^rmament of the heavenly brigade. Because, if we look at the ecclesiastical writings and the synaxarion hagiology, a multitude of known and redeemed saints were in^uenced positively either by their writings (to which we refer) or by their life itself.

^e concurrence of the basic biographical elements of the ^ree Hierarchs is apparent. In parallel, the frame-work of all this, can be registered in simple lines: they were all born in a pious family and were brought-up “with correction and advice inspired by the Lord” (Eph. 6:4). ^e width, length, depth and height hidden behind these words is indescribable, and for this reason, we shall persist in scrutinizing them, because hidden behind them, lies the great secret of their perpetual gleam.

^ese lines describe only in part some of the mother’s or the father’s actions. ^e e^ectiveness of admonition and the power of deeds di^ers greatly from a simple reference to them! In any case, this reference of ours can be summed up in Saint Paul’s apostolic saying: “with correction and advice, inspired by the Lord” (they were nurtured). So, it is essential to make clear that our interpretation of “with correction and advice, inspired by the Lord” must be right, so that when we enter into the biography of the Saints, we shall be able to bring out the pearl of their perfection and sanctity.

Our Lord Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Redeemer and God, teaching about perfection and sanctity, says in the Gospel: “If you wish to be perfect, go and sell your possessions and give the money to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me” (Mat. 19:21) and elsewhere “Be holy, for I am holy” (1 Pet. 1:16 and Lev. 20:7). So, perfection and holiness is o^ered by God, by calling us to a^ain it and it’s up to our disposition and will to appropriate it.

It is signi^cant to know that the Lord says: “cut-o^ from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). ^at’s why he instructs us: “Ask and it will be given to you; search and you will ^nd; knock and the door will be opened to you” (Mt. 7:7). So, it is essential for us to wish, to yearn and look for it in faith and in time due the Lord will grant it. Because God knows in advance that we are His children and He asks us, when we wish to talk to Him, to address Him as “Our Father” (Mat. 6:14, 26; 23:9; Luke 11:2, 15:11–32. Rom. 8:15). It’s up to us, if we want, to be His children.

Apostle Paul, reminding us of this word, says that God addressing us as sons, says: “My son, do not scorn correction from the Lord, do not resent his training, for the Lord trains those he loves and chastises every son he accepts. Perseverance is part of your training; God is treating you as his sons. Has there ever been any son whose father did not train him? If you were not ge^ing this training, as all of you are, then you would be not sons but bastards. Besides, we have all had our human fathers who punished us and we respected them for it; all the more readily ought we to submit to the Father of the spirits and so earn life. Our human fathers were training us for a short life and according to their own lights; by the does it all for our own good, so that we may share His own holiness. Of course, any discipline is at the time a ma^er of grief, not joy; but later, in those who have undergone it, it bears fruit in peace and uprightness (Heb. 12:5–11); “And elsewhere the Lord says: I reprove and train those whom I love” (Rev. 3:19).

God censures those that He recognizes as His children, He examines them, evaluates and trains them, allowing them to encounter various “whippings”, so as to become perfect! We, instead, as a result of our “fallen state”, forsake God and slide-away to a sinful life. ^at’s why, God, pedagogically allows that we go through various tribulations. For our part, together with prophet Isaiah, we exclaim: In distress we had recourse to you” (Is. 26:16), and with prophet-king David, “though God punished me sternly, he has not abandoned me to death” (Ps. 117:18), and because “we must all experience many hardships before we enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). God, in a fatherly manner, by His grace, moulds the statue of our soul in a Christ-centered manner. ^at’s why, “God’s grace has been revealed to save the whole human race; it has taught us that we should give up every everything that is contrary to true religion and all our worldly passions; we must be self-restrained and live upright and religious lives in this present world” (Tit. 2:11–12). Our Christ appeared and in order to urge us on the WAY (He is the WAY), He took up our human nature (without sin), something that we ourselves ought to have done (in Eden). He personally became the WAY, calling us to follow Him. And His WAY is a way of martyrdom, a promise of cruci^xion and death so as to receive “forgiveness of their sins and a share in the inheritance of the sancti^ed” (Acts 26:18). All who accepted this share, enjoyed the Lord’s training.

^is training introduces and secures us in repentance. And repentance is a change of our being, a transformation of our mind and heart, a shi^ing from the worldly to an evangelical state of life, from an earthly meanness to a heavenly handling. It is a shi^ing of the central weight of our life — from human-centered to Christ-centered.

^is training is not e^ected on “illegitimate children,” to those that He does not recognize as His children. Besides, all fathers, in many ways, train their children so as to install them as perfect human beings. But the same father does not train his neighbour’s children at all and much more, he does not behave towards them as he behaves towards his own children.

But, in reality, God recognizes everyone as His own child. He is not partial; He does not abhor anyone. ^at’s why He o^ers His training to every soul. ^e psalmist ascertains this by saying “many are the tribulations of the rightful” (Ps. 33:20) and elsewhere “countless troubles are in store for the wicked” (Ps. 31:10). ^e Lord o^ers His training to everyone, without exception, to both the just as well as the wicked. ^e di^erence lies in its acceptance — by us. ^e rightful, a^er the Lord’s training (like a fertile ^eld), grow and bear fruit one hundred fold in virtue and are rendered righteous-thanking God for it. But the others, also being trained by the Lord (like a sly ^eld), add-up to their vileness, rendering themselves sinners, grudging against God.

^e training o^ered by a father to his children is (for this present deceitful age) given according to his own perception, his capability, his personality, his experience in life. No one can be certain of the outcome (or the way until this outcome) and perhaps it remains partly or plentifully, within the human proportions, and an earthly barometric atmosphere, i.e. “he can become a good person”. ^ese are the lessons o^ered to him, by the father himself, or by the close environment of the father, or by some teacher in order to “live well”. In contrast, God’s training that is also connected with a multitude of lessons (of a di^erent nature), aims at a great and signi^cant pro^t for people, much greater than a “good life”. It aims at rendering someone capable of communing with, and adopting the sanctity of God1. Surely, when individuals are under trial they are sad, a^icted, he su^ers, but being patient — “perseverance must complete its work so that you will become fully developed, complete, not de^cient in any way” (Jas. 1:4), — he is led to peace. Peace is then followed by the justice of faith and justice is the crop of the Holy Spirit in its fulness; “On the other hand, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Gal. 5:22–23).

Being humans and as human beings we are liable to falls “because their heart contrives evil from their infancy” (Gen. 8:21), and because God has dressed us up with Christ through Baptism and He has anointed and sealed us with the Holy Spirit, thus granting us His adoption, and because He does not want our eternal perdition (and thus split-up from Him), and because we do not judge ourselves so as to be reformed, God judges us; “but when we are judged by the Lord, we are corrected by the Lord to save us from being condemned along with the world” (1 Cor. 11:32). “Dying, and yet here we are, alive” (2 Cor. 6:9), we carry on with our everyday life “keeping our eyes ^xed on Jesus who leads us in our faith and brings it to perfection” (Heb. 12:2), sancti^ed day by day, trained by the Lord. Our target is, “so that we should be forced to trust not ourselves but in God, who raises the dead” (2 Cor. 1:9).

Trust in God opens up our communion with Him and this is followed by the seal of adoption, “until Christ is formed in you” (Gal. 4:19). ^e education of Christ in us is the most important event. ^rough the outburst of his heart, Apostle Paul, strongly outlines: “I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me” (Gal. 2:20). And elsewhere he exhortingly declares: “Take me as your pa^ern, just as I take Christ for mine” (1 Cor. 11:1). ^e assimilation takes place in the heart. Our heart has to (according to our spiritual standard), be like the heart of Christ. And our heart’s necessity was revealed by our Lord Himself: “learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart” (Mat. 11:29). So, our own heart must become gentle and humble.

^e Lord’s training seeks a^er the culture, of the “deep heart”. ^e heart is the centre, the control tower of the whole psychosomatic being. ^e individual’s behavior is relevant to the thought that the heart can accept. ^is mathematical axiom of spiritual life is dogma and temper2. It is the “dogmatic conscience” of people, according to the venerable elder Sophrony of Essex3. In this formation of the dogmatic conscience “all scripture is inspired by God and useful for refuting error, for guiding people’s lives and teaching them to be upright” (2 Tim. 3:16). ^e study of the Holy Bible and the writings of the Holy Fathers (who recorded their divine experience — of the Holy Spirit), nourishes the mind and the mind in its turn, nourishes the heart. So, man can select (and he can, if he wishes to select the good instead of the evil), always with the grace of Christ. Having being transformed (our heart) like the heart of the Lord Jesus, it acquires the seal of adoption — in authority. “But those who did accept Him He gave power to become children of God, to those who believed in His name” (John 1:12). “All who are guided by the Spirit of God are sons of God; for what you received was not the spirit of slavery to bring back into fear; you received the spirit of adoption, enabling us to cry out, “Abba, Father!”. ^e Spirit Himself joins with our spirit to bear witness that we are children of God” (Rom. 8:14–16).

In conclusion, the Lord’s culture is the Cross of the Lord, about whom Saint Paul is boasting: “But as for me, it is out of the question that I should boast at all, except of the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the world has been cruci^ed to me and I to the world” (Gal. 6:14). ^e Cross of the Lord is nothing else but deep humility and high love, “through a dive our elevation towards God is achieved” (Gal. 6:14).

^at’s why, the children of God go through various di^cult tribulations, so as to be able to say “so as to be perfect in unity with God through Jesus Christ” (Praises of Holy ^eophany holiday, 4th idiomelon), ful^lling the ^rst and main commandment; you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind”. ^is is the greatest and the ^rst commandment. ^e second resembles it: “You must love your neighbour as yourself” (John 17:23).

God does not stay silent but answers back: “I shall ^x my home among them and live among them; I will be their God and they will be my people. Get away from them, purify yourselves, says the Lord. Do not to uch anything unclean and then I shall welcome you.

I shall be father to you and you will be sons and daughters to me, says the Almighty Lord. Since these promises have been made to us, my dear friends, we should wash ourselves clean of everything that pollutes either body or spirit, bringing our sancti^cation to completion in the fear of God” (2 Cor. 6:16, 7:1).

^en people, vividly realizes that everything that God had allowed to happen to him “ended up in good” (Rom. 8:18), that in the ocean of His ine^able and unfathomable love, the Lord schooling him, pulled him out of the darkness and the shadow of death, driving him to the never-failing light of the ^ree-Sun glory, because He so much loves him, that His love is immeasurable, indescribable and inexpressible in words.

^is spherical education cultivates people totally in devoutness; “But the usefulness of religion is unlimited, since it holds-out a promise both for life here, and now, and for the life to come” (1 Tim. 4:8); in contrast “to do with godless myths and old wives” tales” (1 Tim. 4:7), are actions that are contrary to culture and from them, apostle Paul urges us to abstain (1 Tim. 4:7). Because “the external” culture … sends away her pupils with empty hands … but the grace of the Spirit is not like that, but on the contrary, He endows plentifully through short verbs to all that are a^entive His philosophy” [St. John Chrysostom, 1979b, 568]. And elsewhere Saint Chrysostom continues: “You must train someone, not only in words, but also by deeds” [St. John Chrysostom, 1979a, 554], and “the training by the heavenly dogmas makes the soul large and high” [St. John Chrysostom, 1979a, 456].

^e “outside” education has a duty: to help in the puri^cation of the heart. ^e ministration of the “outside” education must be a mean to the knowledge of God. ^e knowledge of God is our target. ^e “outside” education must be the maid servant to the knowledge of God. If the “outside” education becomes isolated and autonomous, then it is probable that it can destroy people, completely, both in soul and body. Numerous people had the same or similar or even longer than the “general” education of the ^ree Hierarchs. Furthermore, numerous people had been gi^ed by God with the same merits as the ^ree Hierarchs; sharp mind, memory, the analytical as well as the synthetical thought, oratory, eloquence, programming, systematization (in life), devoutness (by their family) and many other virtues. But, unhappily for them, these virtues were either forgo^en by them, as time passed, or they were lost in the chaos of the heretical distortions of the faith and they were eventually damned.

What was in the possession of the ^ree Hierarchs that the above-mentioned unfortunate people lacked? Culture and admonition by the Lord. But it was not only this. Together with this, something else is necessary. ^e second ingredient that is necessary is a simple heart. ^e seeds of the Lord’s culture need a good and virtuous earth-heart4, that will accept them and give back one hundredfold produce.

^at’s why we see in the life of Saint Basil the Great5, that the ^rst Lord’s schooling he had was from his grandmother and his mother, at the model od apostle Timothy. His grandmother was a pupil of Saint Gregory of Neocaesaria, a devout and virtuous o^-spring nurtured with the milk of the knowledge of God and trained in the divine Word and the Holy Scriptures by a great saint. Along with her, in the bringing up of Basil was his mother, who was herself, a holy o^-spring. Bur, we should not omit the fact that his grandfather, the husband of his mother’s mother, was one of the martyrs of Christ. So, this was the root and the source that granted a holy o^-spring to the Church, who was irrigated from the divine spring — Basil the Great, as he himself acknowledges6. In parallel with the above, his father, also called Basil, had provided him with his ^rst all-round education and because of the economic comfort that they possessed took care for his higher all-round education, sending him to famous schools, with distinguished teachers, even as far as Athens, the centre of civilization and knowledge of those days.

In Athens, the character of Basil was already known — his psychological make-up, forged with devoutness by his grandmother and his mother was pre-announced by Saint Gregory the theologian — who had already been in the famous city for two years and had prepared his welcome. His arrival and personal presence there, imposed him upon the world of the students, the professors and all the people, mainly on the literary people.

His stay in Athens brought about a tightening of his friendly ties with Gregory. In their case, the scripture writings were ful^lled: “How good, how delightful it is to live as brothers all together” (Ps. 132:1) and “a brother being helped by his brother is like a forti^ed and high city” (Prov. 18:19). ^ey had, in reality become one soul in two bodies according to the pa^ern of the Holy Trinity and the word of the Lord in His great liturgical prayer, “that they may be one as we are one” (John 17:22). As a result of being wary and wise, they were not following the habitual undergraduates” life, nor were they “infants in mind” (1 Cor. 14:20), but as old boys, children in body and age but grown-ups in mind, they knew only two ways, as best, two education ways. ^ey knew the Lord’s culture, that is, devoutness and the way of allround education and the world of learning.

Describing the above in detail and poetically, the sharp-writing pen of the hymnographer abbreviates their ideas in the following verses: “Having been ^lled-up with abundant culture, not only the low and common but mostly that of heaven” (Minaeon of January 1st; (Canon of Saint Basil, Ode 3)). ^is education was a^ained not only by Basil the Great but also by the other two Hierarchs, who constitute the trinity of the great, select and ecumenical teachers.

Despite the fact that they were not yet baptized — because at that time it was customary to do that around the age of thirty, in imitation of the Saviour Christ, yet they were living not only like the baptized and the pure from evil, not only as having being illuminated both in mind and heart, but as being sancti^ed, day by day, as earthy angels, as saints. Not a hint of a sin or malice was expressed neither in words nor in their mind. ^ey were progressing in virtue along with their education. ^ey were progressing in their studies along with knowledge. ^ey were progressing in the wisdom of God, along with the wisdom of the world. And they were wise in Christ as well as wise laymen, thus justifying God. Proving that, by the wisdom of the world they came to know about God. ^ey also proved that there exists a wisdom and a wisdom of the world and its distinctive di^erence lies in the heart of people. According to the substance of the heart, the wisdom of the world is percolated and it either produced chalices, icons, holy utensils, churches or it produces bullets, bombs, guns, knives, graves and by extension, it either promotes peace, love and sanctity or enmity, hatred and death (bodily or spiritual).

In the above-mentioned, the word of our holy father Saint John of Sinai — the writer of “^e Ladder”, who con^des it — out of his personal experience, that “in the hearts of the meek the Lord shall rest; but an unruly soul, is the devil’s residence” [St. John of Sinai, 1997, 259]. ^at’s why God made foolish the wisdom of the world by exhibiting the “foolishness of the Cross”. “While the Jews demand miracles and the Greeks look for wisdom, we are preaching a cruci^ed Christ: to the Jews an obstacle they cannot get over, to the gentiles foolishness, but to those who have been called, whether they are Jews or Greeks, a Christ who is both the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Cor. 1:22–24). ^is Christ was selected and chosen by Basil and Gregory. In all their life and a^er their death, they glori^ed Him by their speeches.

When Basil had ^nished his studies in Athens and returned to his paternal home in Cappadocia, bringing along with him the Athens” haughty egoistic spirit, his sister Makrina rebuked him. He did not resist to this nor did he behave insolently towards her, but bowing his neck, he accepted the rebuke. Bowing his neck he was humiliated and accepting the rebuke, he was extremely debased. ^e Spirit of God rests on humble people.

Later, he withdrew to the desert. Life in the desert is hardship; but in hardship, the Cross of the Lord is manifest. When people resume the Cross of the Lord insightly, either willingly or unwillingly, then they declare their love towards God. Because the Lord says: “Whoever holds to my commandments and keeps them is the one who loves me” (John 14:21). ^rough the Cross came the Resurrection and joy in the whole world and through hardship comes the apathy and the unity of the whole inner person. And isolation is a presentation of people before God, face to face. In the height of Cruci^xion, perfection resounds. Having being perfected, with the grace of God, Basil returned to the world and was elected hierarch. As such, he was not only perfected, but even more, he was adorned with the grace of the Holy Spirit. In the eyes of humans, not only those who revered him, but even more, of those who were pla^ing against him (his declared enemies), he appeared as Christ on earth. ^is was testi^ed by Modestus, the district prefect and by Valens the emperor.

^e same was the case with the other two hierarchs. Gregory7 was also an o^-spring of a holy mother, pious and virtuous. ^rough her prayers, by fasting and by other spiritual work (over a period of some decades), by the grace and the cooperation of the Almighty God, she managed to bring back her husband (also named Gregory), from the disillusion of the “Hypsistarian” sect, to the godly Orthodoxy. As he was a married and well-disposed man, with a good prospect, he was elected (a^er his accession in the bosom of the Church), to minister the people of Nazianzus. A^er his assumption of the bishop’s throne and the ^ery prayers of his wife Nonna, like a second prophetess Anna (and with her vow to God that, if she conceived a son he will be o^ered to Him), he a^ained his desire, having like a second Samuel his own son, Gregory.

Nursing him and implanting sound principles in him, “preaching her God-sent son”, Nonna had as her co-preacher her husband Gregory, who was teaching him a general education. As they were economically well-o^, they sent Gregory for further, higher study to various centres, famous for their education schools. Travelling about, he ended up in the “renowned city” Athens, being the centre of learning and philosophy of those days and was a^racting from everywhere the ^ourishing youth to its schools. Gregory could not escape from its magnetic a^raction. So, together with Basil, having being captivated at ^rst by its glamour, eventually they themselves captivated it through the brilliant beauty of their multi-dimensional virtue and success.

^e component elements of their success, as mentioned above (describing Basil the Great’s life), in combination with his personal character, his own psychological hypostasis, was that basic tool, the shepherd’s ^ute that the divine grace had used, so that Gregory would trumpet forth, all over the world, the divine-inspired words, the dogmas of the faith and the theology of the Church. With his gentle voice, he thundered ^e Word “the mighty, the living” (Ps. 41:3), thus shu^ing-up the mouths of the orators who were cha^ering their magniloquent but empty speeches, “the insigni^cant”. His delicate soul, “like the dew of Hermon” (Ps. 132:3), was receiving the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and his virtuous heart, possessing the seeds of the knowledge of God as an inheritance from his ancestors, was growing hundredfold. His clear mind having been sharpened through his general education urged him to write, very clearly, about the depth, the width, length and height of the divine concepts. ^at’s why, he is now known as “the ^eologian”.

Having ^nished his studies, and mainly because of his exceptional personality (as mentioned above), he was urged by the students” and teachers” world to stay in Athens, to assume a teaching post. Having succumbed temporarily, he did not stay there for long because, being “great”, he desired the great and the wonderful, “what no eye has seen and no ear has heard, what the mind of people cannot visualize; all that God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Cor. 2:9). For that reason, at his return home from Athens, he ^rst went to Pontus (a^er an inner impulsion) to the hermitage of Saint Basil, out of a desire to rest and of divine love. Nevertheless, his father called him home again to Nazianzus and, ful^lling the word of the Lord “the honor of thy father…”8, despite his refusal, he ordained him as a priest. Without his will, he obeyed to his father’s call, despite the fact that he preferred to be a hermit. Involuntary obedience is a sequel of a deep humility. ^at was followed by his second exit to the desert, with everything that followed, as mentioned above, in the life of Basil the Great.

We can mention now that, for a while they were co-ascetics, co-hermits, co-hesychasts. ^eir study was the word of God in all its aspects. Unceasingly praying or studying the Holy Bible, they were crying-out along with prophet-king David, “day to day discourses of it, night to night hands on the knowledge” (Ps. 18:3). ^is happened because having been enlightened by the uncreated holy light, they were deeply touched. Having been deeply touched, they were informed and having been informed, they taught the divine secrets. By the grace of the Holy Spirit they searches and they found and they were initiated into the sanctuary of the all-bright holy mysteries.

^at’s why, when the Church was in need, having being prejudged as worthy of prelacy, he was consecrated as a bishop by Basil the Great to undertake a di^cult task — to secure and protect Orthodoxy in a border district. In his case, the decoration of virtues by the AllHoly and ceremonial Spirit is repeated, and thus, the lamp is placed upon the lamp-stand of the Church. So, in one of the trials that had happened in his church-^ock and while he was preparing to go away from them, at the same time, qui^ing his throne (for the sake of peace in his church), he heard a voice coming from amidst the crowd saying: “You are leaving us father, but along with you, you are also taking the Holy Trinity”9. ^e person of God, having honoured God by his way of life as well as through his preaching, is honoured by God and people.

As for John10, being the only son in his family, a^er his father’s death he asked his mother for permission to go to the desert. She pleaded with him to stay with her until her death and a^er that, he could go wherever he wished. ^e narrative description of his mother’s words (that made him stay with her) is really soul-stirring. ^at’s why it is inserted now as follows:

From these words of his mother, one can see clearly the great virtue of his mother which were corroborated by the word of his teacher Lebanious (a fanatic idolater), who hearing from Saint John that his mother, who was then forty years old, had lived for twenty years as a widow, said astounded at present: “Oh! Oh! What women the Christians have!” [St. John Chrysostom, 1987, 18–19].

So, in obedience to his mother, even without his will, in order to keep the word of the Lord “honour … your mother”, he retired to the desert, a few years later a^er her death. ^e cu^ing-o^ of one’s will constitutes an imitation of Christ, who did obedience to His Father “…even to accepting death, death on across” (Phil. 2:8). A fertile earth, as was that of his ancestors, following a^er their traces, it was not long before he bore fruit one hundredfold. Resuming the Cross of the Lord through the varied ascetic life and studying day and night the word of God, it was not long before he was placed as a lamp on the lamp-stand of the Church.

^e words and deeds of Arsenious the Great are characteristic. Possessing a very high measure of general education and being extremely charismatic, he was the educator of the sons of ^eodosius the Great, the princes Arcadius and Honorius. In the meantime, having abandoned temporal vanity of this world, he went to the desert of Nitria, humbly subjecting himself to illiterate monks, much more uneducated than himself. When one of his co-ascetics saw him asking an Egyptian elder about his thoughts, he said to him: “Abba Arsenious, you, fully possessing the Greek and Roman education, are asking this uncouth fellow about your thoughts?” To this he answered: “I have in my possession the Greek and Roman education but I haven’t yet learned the alphabet of this uncouth fellow” [Sayings,1978, 68]. By this, he meant the monastic life.

In this spirit of wisdom and humility, our three Hierarchs exchanged the university of the world with the university of the desert. Only the possession of one degree was not enough for them. ^at’s why they were successful. ^ey excelled in the one as well as the other. Of course, the university of the desert is not suitable for everyone. But what can the majority do then? ^ey can be educated in the university of the Church. ^rough the holy mysteries and by the direction of their spiritual fathers, everyone can excel and this excellence can be in thirty, sixty or one hundredfold, according to the measures of each one of us. Besides, the desert university is incorporated in the university of the Church. It simply happens to belong to another “school” (that of the monks), in parallel with the “school” of the married.

Having been placed on the lamp-stand of the Church, the sacred ^ree Hierarchs had to start a new education. ^e Lord’s culture in their family, ^rst, and then in the desert, showed them how the devil ^ghts people. Now, with their installation amidst the people and their ascending on the throne of their metropolis, they would be taught how the devil ^ghts the Church, how he ^ghts the work of God (for the salvation of humanity). All this education they had by the Lord in the desert, did not in the case of the ^ree Hierarchs remain stagnant or inoperative as their ensuing life discloses. But on the contrary, progressing in virtue, they bore a bigger cross; threats, slanders, exiles, persecutions and in the end death itself, as we shall see further down.

To start with, Basil the Great, observing in exactness his conscience, would not bear the slightest “economy” in the dogmas of faith. Even the slightest concession was unbearable to him. Being a non-partitionist and a non-disputatious individual, when the dispute was with Orthodox bishops, he would choose a quiet withdrawal from the location of ecclesiastical ma^ers. On the contrary, when he saw “^erce wolves” (Acts 20:29) approaching the folk of Christ and a^acking the ^ock, then he would be transformed to a “roaring lion” (1 Pet. 5:8) against the rivals and like a “good shepherd” (John 10:11), imitating his Lord, who using His rod strangled the bears and killed the lions and using his stick He supported all who stumbled, li^ing up those who were bowed down (Ps. 144:14).

Having adored the Lord, Basil was transmi^ing his love to the image of his Lord, his fellows. For the poor, he would be their wealth, for those starving the food, for the thirsty “the living water” (John 4:11), for the sick the doctor, for the widows the protector, for the orphans the father, for the divided the connecting bond, for the deluded the right way, for the orthodox the glory, for the bishops the model, for the faith the pillar, for the Church the saint. “I accommodated myself to people in all kinds of di^erent situations, so that by all possible means I must bring some to salvation” (1 Cor. 9:22), in imitation of apostle Paul and applying to himself his exhortation: “Take me as tour pa^ern, just as I take Christ for mine” (1 Cor. 11:1). And very nicely and the same time successfully, the hymn-writer’s lyre chants: “Father Basil, you have collected from all the saints their virtues — from Moses his calmness, from Elijah his zeal, from Peter his profession, from John his theology and like Paul you kept repeating in clamour, who is sick and I am not sick? who is scandalized and I am not set on ^re? ^ence complying with them, implore the Lord to save our souls” (Minaeon, January 1st, Apostiha of Vespers of Saint Basil, 2nd hymn).

^e will of the Lord, permi^ing a last trial for him, so as to perfect him and add precious jewels to the crown of his exploits, He let him go through a ^nal tribulation so that he might gli^er “like gold in a furnace” (Wis. 3:6). We can let the pen of Basil the Great make an exact formulation as to how this, exactly took place. It is about the dialogue of the Saint with prefect Modestus, who tried to convince him to follow the Arian sect which was followed by emperor Valens:

Prefect Modestus (PM): “How did it pass through your mind, Basil, to dare oppose authority and to behave, all alone, with such audacity”?

Saint Basil (SB): Why are you asking me this? Which is my disobedience and my haughtiness? Because I have not yet understood what you mean”.

PM: Why don’t you follow the emperor’s faith while all the others have been submi^ed and defeated?

GB: But this does not please my own King. And I do not even tolerate to worship Christ as if He is a creation, as you, heretics are taking Him to be. Besides, I am a creation of God.

PM: And what do you think of us? ^at we are nothing, we who are ordering these? Tell me now. Don’t you consider it to be something great and honourable to enroll in our ranks and thus have us as friends and comrades?

GB: I accept and I do not refuse that you are prefects and distinguished people but you are not at all higher than God and I consider your friendship to be signi^cant and also equivalent to the friendship of the people who are believers. ^is is because Christianity is not authentic according to the importance of the people that belong to it but according to their faith”.

At this point the prefect was annoyed. He ^ared up in anger. He got up from his bench and retorted,

PM: “Why then don’t you fear my authority?

GB: What will happen to me? What misfortune can I expect?

PM: What’s going to happen to you? One of the many that are under my authority.

GB: Which are these? Let me know then.

PM: Con^scation, exile, torments, death.

GB: ^reaten me with something else, if you know, because none of what you have just mentioned can o^end or harm me.

PM: How is it possible for you to manage to overcome all these?

GB: Because con^scation of property cannot a^ect someone who owns nothing, except if you prefer to take these poor clothes, made of hairs, and a few books that constitute my whole property. As for exile, I don’t know because I am an inhabitant of nowhere, and even this city in which I am now living I do not consider to be mine. I shall consider as my country any place they are going to drop me in. And rather, every place belongs to God because here I am an alien. As for the torments, how can they harm an individual who does not have a body, except if you consider as a torment the ^rst wound a^er which this body will fall down. You are the master of only this one wound. And death will be a benefaction for me because it’s going to send me sooner to God, for Whom I am living and I am acqui^ing myself and towards Whom I am hastening to go for a long time now.

PM: Nobody up to now has talked to me, the Prefect, in such a away and so frankly.

GB: Perhaps you have never met a bishop, because if you had met a true hierarch, who is struggling for the true faith, he would have given you a similar answer. In all other ma^ers we are lenient and more humble than any other person, because we have such a prescription from the Lord. And not only towards such a great authority as yours, but not even to any person, do we li^ our eyes up. But in ma^ers that are connected with God and our faith is in danger, we have only Him in view. Fire and sword and wild beasts with claws that tear our ^esh are for us more a pleasure than a threatening and an amazement. So you can abuse, threaten or do whatever pleases you. Use your authority against us. Let the king also hear the answer of ours. You cannot subjugate me, nor can you force me to side with this heretical impiety, even if you threaten me with more ghastly punishments. Prefect Modestus, seeing the fearlessness and unbeatability of the pious undividual, ordered Basil to go, not this time with the same threats but with a certain constraint and compliance. In the meantime, the emperor had arrived with his suite. Drawing close to him the prefect said,

PM: We have been defeated, my king, by him that the Church projects as its leader. ^is person, stands above threats, he is ^rmer than our own words and stronger than the power of our persuasion [St. Gregory the ^eologian, 1980, 210–213].

“Spo^ed with bruises” (Canon of the Holy Saturday, 4th Ode) because of his ailing body, being depressed in mind due to the inter-church con^icts and troubles and due to what was going on in that form of government, due to the lack of funds, to help the poor (nor support his public welfare institution “Vasiliada”), but mainly, for the sake of the Lord of mercy Who was so impoverished that he looked like a slave, at the same time, Basil the Great was all-spirited in signs and miracles, in deeds and preaching, in place and way of the Lord Jesus Christ, as anointed by the Lord and having ful^lled in his human nature the ^nal decree of his Creator, leaving his sancti^ed and graceful body on the earth, his soul went up, joyfully, to its heavenly glory. Furthermore, he anticipated the rising and the glory of Orthodoxy, with the ascent of ^eodosius the Great on the throne of Constantinople, only just a few months before his death.

Saint Gregory, though unwillingly, undertook to help his father in his pastoral ministration of Nazianzus. A^er tremendous e^orts he managed to make spiritually healthy his entrusted rational folk, in Christ. He managed to bring together the divided and connect them in love. He managed to clear the ^eld of the Lords from the weeds, to cultivate the hearts of his people and to strengthen the way of the Lord in the ears and hearts of the faithful. He then sowed the “good seed”, gi^ing the Word of God to his ^ock. What he himself possessed, he delivered to the people.

^at’s where the greatness of his heart lies! It was made manifest when, defamed and persecuted like a scapegoat for the sins of the people and the nation, he in silence, for the peace in the Church and his co-bishops (his slanderers and persecutors), le^ Constantinople. But he did not leave his spiritual bastion, the life of struggle, for the sake of Orthodoxy and the Church.

Despite the su^ering he had to endure (from his “false brothers”11 — mentally) (and from his sickness — bodily), wound-spo^ed, he retained a prudent mind and his “^xed-bayonet” writing, sharp and more slashing “than any two-edged sword” (Heb. 4:12), was all-powerful. Living in his much-desired rest, he died peacefully, a^er having decorated his crown, especially by his forbearance, his forgiveness, his precision on ma^ers of faith, his fullness of love of God and people and his sky-high theology.

Saint John Chrysostom emulating the fore-mentioned (but they were prior to him) holy Hierarchs, did not stay behind in the same struggles and pains and, naturally, he won the same glory as they did. A gold-mouth preacher, he also wrote golden volumes in the Holy Spirit. His indulgence in the study of the Holy Bible and his prayers in the quiet of his cell, and the peace of the desert, had as a produce later on, the fruits of his ^uent tongue and his charismatic oratory.

Nevertheless, jealousy “does not know how to give preference to its own bene^t” (Idiomelon of the “Praises” — Matins of Holy Wednesday). Slandered and persecuted by “false-brother” bishops, he forgives them on the one hand and on the other, he restrains his ^ock, teaching them how to forgive their enemies. He teaches the perfection of virtue — in love (with his speeches as well as the way of his life) to his close spiritual brothers. To those who are far from God, he organizes holy missions for their catechism and preparation to accept the faith, aiming in the end to ingra^ them by their baptizing in the all-merciful12 Church.

Being precise in God’s law, he did not hesitate to castigate the diverse misdeeds of the gentry, even those of the kings, like another prophet Elijah. Gi^ed with a ^ery divine zeal and a sharp and gleaming tongue, some of them he crushed down, on others he performed an operation and he reformed others using other means, in his desire for the salvation and the sanctity of each one of them.

Nevertheless, he was not content with only the spiritual therapy of his ^ock. With the help of his close collaborators, both men and women, he cared for their material well-being as well. He dressed up the naked, he fed the starving, he watered the thirsty, he cured the sick, he brought the wicked to their senses, he shared out the treasures of the wealthy, he enriched the poor, the disillusioned he led to the right way, he delighted the Orthodox, he brightened theology and decorated the Church with himself. Enriched with the gi^s of the Holy Spirit and adorned with virtues, he is now wearing the crown of glory which he had received from the Lord. It is adorned with the titles of honour which he had won as a monk and hermit, as a gold-mouthed preacher, as a martyr for Jesus Christ, as a comforter of the persecuted, as a defender of the unprivileged, as a great missionary, as a spiritual father and a worldwide teacher, as a worshipper of the Holy Trinity, as a friend of the Virgin Mary, as an earthly angel and as a great martyr a^er persecutions.

^e Holy ^ree Hierarchs having won the unfading crown of glory, were saying with Saint Paul: “I have run the race to the ^nish; I have kept the faith; all there is to come for me now is the crown of uprightness which the Lord will give me” (2 Tim. 4:7–8). ^is empirical seal of theirs is also imprinted in their writings, inspiring the faithful and urging them to endure the Lord’s correction, so that each one of them, at his own capability, can a^ain his spiritual perfection and to be gracefully sancti^ed, and to render himself worthy to accept, by the hand of the Lord, his personal crown of the glory of God.

So, the “Lord’s correction” is indispensable and we should thank God for o^ering it to us. Nevertheless, a “good and simple earth” is necessary, that is, the disposition of our heart must be ^rmly and unshakably devoted to the acceptance of virtue and the rejection of evil. It’s up to us to deliver ourselves to the Lord’s correction. Good and holy, is a general education. But isolated and cut-o^ and independent, it could come out harmful, or even devastating to the soul. ^at’s why apostle Paul says, “knowledge pu^s you up” (1 Cor. 8:2). But cultivated together with the Lord’s culture13 (the spiritual therapy of the deep heart of people), it can produce, even in our days, new Great Basils, new Gregory ^eologians, new John Chrysostoms — something that I wish to be achieved by you, as well as by everyone upon the earth personally.