Saint Basil is an important religious figure: he is venerated as a Saint, but he was also a bishop, confessor, Doctor of the Church and theologian. He was born in 329 in Cesarea, in Cappadocia (today's Turkey), in a religious family (also his mother, his grandmother and some of his brothers and sisters have been sanctified), and then moves to Constantinople and Athens to study (and it is in Athens that he probably begins to approach Christian principles). In 355 he comes back to Cesarea, where for a short period he teaches rhetoric.



However, his career as a teacher does not last for a long time, as Basil begins to long for a different lifestyle, for a life entirely devoted to God. As if it had woken up after a sound sleep, Basil decides to be converted and receives the sacrament of baptism, and then begins a spiritual journey to Palestine, Syria and Mesopotamia, where he gets to know anchorites and begins to lead an ascetic life (probably following his sister's suggestion). He then moves to the Iris river, where he writes the Greater Asketikon and the Lesser Asketikon, which are considered as the basis for monastic life. When he is elected Bishop of Cesarea, in 370, Basil has to face the danger of the Arian heresy, and devotes his life to protect orthodox religion, abandoning any other material and worldly interests: he gives away all his haves and begins to lead an ascetical and poor life. His moral fight against Arians and their heretical ideas (they also try to deny Christ's divine nature) is long and difficult: the Arian Emperors Valens tries hard to force Basil to abandon his creed and convert to the Arian ideas, but Basil succeeds in defending his ideas, being always led by a profound faith. For these reasons he is considered as a fundamental figure in religion, in particular in the orthodox religion, and on the 1st January, the day when Saint Basil died, in 379, his deeds and his greatness are celebrated.

The Feast of Saint Basil is, first of all, a religious feast, a day in which believers can take part in the liturgical celebrations devoted to him, but with the passing of time it is become also a folkloristic event: in Greece, indeed, Saint Basil replaces in some way Santa Claus, giving presents to children. This tradition probably originates from the fact that Saint Basil decided to give up his haves to give them to the poor, in particular to children. During this day Greek families are used to eat a special cake, the Vassilopita (literally the cake of Basil), where a coin is hidden that brings luck to the one who finds it. An evidence of the fact that this day is connected to fortune is also given by the habit that many Greek people have to gamble just on the 1st January.

Athens is one of the richest cities in history and culture in the world, and the feast of Saint Basil is one of the most important events for Greek believers. If you wish to know something more about the life of the Saint, or if you would like to discover a different Santa Claus, book now a cheap hotel in Athens.

Date: 1st January 2009

Location: Athens, Greece