Episode 62: St. Gregory of Nazianzus - Interview with Fr. Andrew Hofer OP

Five Books for Catholics

The books recommended in this episode are:

1. Gregory of Nazianzus by Brian E. Daley SJ
2. On God and Christ: The Five Theological Orations and Two Letters to Cledonius by St. Gregory Nazianzus
3. Festal Orations by St. Gregory Nazianzus
4. On God and Man: The Theological Poetry of St Gregory of Nazianzus by St. Gregory Nazianzus
5. Christ in the Life and Teaching of Gregory of Nazianzus by Andrew Hofer OP

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Read the interview at ⁠www.fivebooksforcatholics.com/st-gregory-nazianzus/

St. Gregory of Nazianzus (c. 329-c. 390) is a Father and Doctor of the Church. Along with St Basil the Great and St. Gregory of Nyssa, he is known as one of the Cappadocian Fathers and Three Holy Hierarchs. Born at Nazianzus (Nenizi, Turkey) into a wealthy family the same year that his father was made bishop of his hometown, Gregory was given a first-class education and in 350 he was sent to perfect his studies in Athens. There he befriended Basil of Caesarea. In 357, he was summoned back home and, in 361, his father ordained him to the priesthood. In preparation for his ordination, he studied with Basil at the latter’s estate in Pontus. There, they may have prepared an anthology of texts, the Philokalia, from the writings of Origen. Preferring a life of prayer and study to the demands of the priestly ministry, he fled Nazianus for a period. Basil became bishop of Caesarea in 370. To shore up his influence following an imperial redrawing of the boundaries of civil and ecclesiastical governance in Cappadocia, he ordained Gregory bishop of Sasima in 372. Threated by supporters of the neighbouring metropolitan, Gregory did not take up the post. Following his father’s death in 374, he withdrew to Seleucia to pursue a life of prayer and study. In 378, he transferred to Constantinople to support the Pro-Nicene Christians and set up the Church of the Anastasia. There he preached in defence of the orthodox view of the Trinity and the Incarnation. Theodosius made him Bishop of Constantinople and for a while he presided the Council of Constantinople (381). However, his opponents forced his resignation and retirement on a technicality. He was still bishop of Sasima and so, by holding another episcopal see, in breach of a decree of the Council of Nicaea. Gregory dedicated his final years to revising his writings. The author that the Byzantines cited most often after the Bible, he is known in the Easter Churches as St Gregory the Theologian on account of his teaching on the Trinity. During the middle ages his remains were transferred to Rome and are venerated in the Basilica of St. Peter.

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