Keywords: Saint Basil the Great, Basilead, philanthropy, homilies, Psalms, material wealth, spiritual wealth, social service
Abstract:
One of the best examples for the role of the Holy Fathers as organisers of the social service within the Church is that of the Three Holy Hierarchs, who were permanently preoccupied by the moral and material welfare of their flock. This social and philanthropical activity gains new meanings in the life of Saint Basil the Great. The philanthropy of Saint Basil the Great became manifest after he had completed his travels for study and spiritual formation and came back to his homeland of Cappadocia. After he was ordained as a bishop, Saint Basil the Great intensified his philanthropic actions by establishing permanent philanthropical institutions within the Church. His main work was the fast philanthropical complex known as the Basilead, which remains an important landmark in the history of the Byzantine Church. It is also a well-known fact that, aside from the establishment of the philanthropical complex known as the Basilead, Saint Basil the Great also has a rich theological work.
Pages: 197-206