Basil

Holy Martyr Basil is remembered among the clergy of Saint Stephen, pope of Rome, who were beheaded in the time of the emperor Valerian, in the year 257. His name is not included in the present calendar of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Stephen, who held the see of Rome from 253 to 257, fought zealously against the teaching of Novatus, according to which those who come from heresy should not be received. In time of persecution he hid and baptized many pagans, among them the military tribune Nemesius, after healing his daughter, Lucilla. Nemesius, ordained a deacon, and his daughter were put to the sword. The tribune Olympius, his wife Exuperia and their son Theodulus believed and were baptized after their servant Symphronius had melted a golden idol by prayer, and they were burned. Their remains were buried by Pope Stephen. Then were beheaded the twelve clergy of the pope: Bonus, Faustus, Maurus, Primitivus, Calumniosus, John, Exuperantius, Cyril, Theodore, Basil, Castellus, Honoratus and Tertullinus, who had been brought to the faith by Saint Stephen. Finally Stephen was brought before Valerian, who condemned him to be put to death in the temple of Mars, but through his prayers the temple collapsed in great part and the soldiers fled. The saint hid in the catacombs of Saint Lucina, where soldiers found him and killed him while he was teaching Christians. Basil is commemorated on 15 August, in the new style.