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St. Gregory of Nazianzus

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Distinctions:

St. Gregory of Nazianzus was a "golden-voiced" orator and one of the 8 great Doctors of the Church (Ambrose, Jerome, Augustine, Gregory the Great, Athanasius, John Chrysostom, Basil the Great, and Gregory of Nazianzus).

Occupation: Christian

Dates:

St. Gregory of Nazianzus was born c. 325 and died 389 near Nazianzus in Cappdocia. His parents were a Bishop Gregory of Nanzianus and Nonna.

Offices:

St. Gregory of Nazianzus was ordained Bishop of Constantinople in 380.

Controveries / Heresies:

Gregory of Nazianzus, who presided at the Council of Constantinople in 381, opposed the Arians and supported the Athanasian idea of the Trinity.

Sources:

Gregory left copious letters and an autobiographical poem.

Writings of Gregory Nazianzus:

Gregory is best known for his writing on the trinity known as Five Theological Orations. With Basil, he compiled the Philokalia of Origen. He wrote a funeral oration for Basil and much more.

Saint's Day:

2 January
Gregory and Basil studied together and their friendship influenced Christian theology. When the two studied together in Athens, the future emperor Julian, known as the Apostate was one of their fellow students. Basil and Gregory were close but had a falling out over Basil's expectations for Gregory.

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