St. Gregory the Theologian

Gregory was the son of a bishop of Nazianzus and Basil’s closest friend. A quiet scholar and poet, he was called to Constantinople when the Arians held every church in the city, and in a small chapel called the Anastasia he preached his Five Theological Orations on the Holy Trinity. Crowds flocked to hear him, and he became archbishop and presided for a time over the Council of 381, before resigning for the sake of peace. He is one of only three saints the Church calls Theologian, with the Apostle John and Symeon the New Theologian.

• Feast: January 25 (New Calendar)
• Lived: c. 329–390
• Place: Nazianzus, Cappadocia
• Relics today: St. George’s Cathedral, Phanar