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Saint Gregory the Theologian, on the right, beside Saint John Chrysostom, in the mosaics of Cefalù Cathedral, 1145

Saint Gregory of Nazianzus

Basil’s friend, honoured as the Theologian, who gave up the patriarchate for peace

Honoured as
Doctor of the Church, the Theologian
Western calendar
2 January, with Saint Basil the Great
Orthodox calendar
25 January (7 February on the old calendar)

Gregory, son of the bishop of Nazianzus in Cappadocia, studied at Athens with Basil the Great, and the two were such close friends that they seemed "one soul in two bodies". Called to Constantinople when heretics held the city, he preached in a small church named Anastasis, the Resurrection, and on the night of Pascha in 379 armed heretics burst in while he was baptising, stoned the faithful and wounded him. Chosen patriarch at the Council of 381, he resigned for the sake of peace, saying, "I was not happy when I ascended the throne, and gladly would I descend it," and the Orthodox honour him with the title Theologian.

Sources

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It is the day each year when the Church remembers a saint in its prayers, and for most saints it is the day they died and went home to God. Many saints here have two dates, because the Western and Orthodox Churches keep their own calendars, and some Orthodox churches still count by the old Julian calendar, which runs thirteen days behind ours.

What is a patron saint?

A patron saint is one we ask to pray for us in a particular place, work or need, as many ask Anthony of Padua for help when something is lost, and as Ireland looks to Patrick. A few patronages were declared by a pope, and most grew from long custom. A card says “Patron of” only where a source we checked names one.

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We began with the saints people search for most, by name, by need and by date, along with the apostles and the saints Orthodox Christians look for. Then we made sure every day of the year has at least one saint. That gives 378 so far, and we keep adding the saints readers ask for.

Every saint here, by feast day