Basil

Other days it is celebrated

Saints named Basil

• Saint Basil the GreatJanuary 1Great hierarch and theologian of Cappadocia, author of a Divine Liturgy and of monastic rules.
• Fool-for-Christ Basil the BlessedAugust 2Fool for Christ of Moscow in the sixteenth century, whose name the cathedral on Red Square bears.
• Hieromartyr Basil of AncyraMarch 22Presbyter of Ancyra in Galatia in the fourth century, who died a martyr.
• Saint Basil of OstrogApril 29Serbian bishop of Zahumlje, whose relics rest at Ostrog Monastery; he died in 1671.
• Saint Basil of RyazanJune 10Bishop of Ryazan and Murom, by tradition tonsured a monk at Murom.
• Hieromartyr Basil of AmaseaApril 26Bishop of Amasea in Pontus, martyred under Licinius according to Eusebius's Chronicle in Jerome's version.
• Saint Basil KalikaJuly 3Archbishop of Novgorod and Pskov from 1330 to 1352, who strengthened the office after the Mongol invasion.
• Venerable Basil the YoungerMarch 26Byzantine holy man and visionary of the 10th century, whose life was written by his pupil Gregory.
• Hieromartyr Basil BogoyavlenskyAugust 14Archbishop of Chernigov from 1916, retired in 1917; killed in 1918 in the Okhansk district of Perm province.
• Venerable Basil the ConfessorFebruary 28Byzantine monk venerated as a confessor of the faith, who died around the year 750.
• Saint Basil BogdashevskyFebruary 26Archbishop of Kaniv, vicar of the Kyiv diocese and rector of the Kyiv Theological Academy; died in 1933.
• Martyr Basil of AncyraJanuary 1Priest of Galatia martyred in 362 under Julian the Apostate; distinct from the hieromartyr of the same name.

Questions

I.When is the name day of Basil?

The name day of Basil is January 1, the feast of Saint Basil the Great. It is also kept on August 2, March 22, April 29, June 10, April 26, July 3, March 26, August 14.

II.Which saints bore the name Basil?

The Sinaxarion archive holds 12 saints named Basil, with their lives and icons.

III.Is Basil a good baptismal name?

Yes. Basil is the name of a saint of the Orthodox Church, so the child will have Saint Basil the Great as patron.