Peter of Sebaste

The Holy Hierarch Peter of Sebaste was bishop of Sebaste in Lesser Armenia, the youngest brother of Saint Basil the Great, Saint Gregory of Nyssa, the jurist Naucratius and Saint Macrina the Younger. He was born about 340 and fell asleep in 391 (in other sources, 392). His feast is on 9 January.

Family

His parents were Basil the Elder and Emmelia of Caesarea in Cappadocia, who were banished for their faith in the reign of the emperor Galerius Maximian and fled into the deserts of Pontus. His grandmother was Macrina the Elder, a disciple of Gregory Thaumaturgus. He was the youngest of ten children; his brothers were Basil the Great, Gregory of Nyssa, Naucratius and Macrina the Younger. According to some sources, when his father died Peter was not yet born, and he was brought up by his mother Emmelia and especially by his sister Macrina, who exercised great influence over his religious training, instructing him and directing him toward the spiritual and ascetic life. He renounced the study of secular sciences and devoted himself to meditation on the Bible and the religious life. He appears to have been no less gifted than the other, better known members of his family, but his genius "seems to have been rather practical than literary."

The community on the Iris

He helped his sister and mother establish their monastic community on the family estate in Pontus, after his father's death, and took part in the gradual transformation of his mother's household from a community of virgins into a cenobitic community of both women and men. For a time Basil was his neighbour on the other side of the river Iris, where he had established a monastery for male ascetics, and Peter succeeded him in its presidency when, in 365, Basil was finally recalled to Caesarea by Bishop Eusebius (in another source, 362). Peter headed the male community and Macrina the female. Basil used his brother as a confidential agent in some matters. Later he withdrew from affairs and resumed the life of a solitary ascetic.

When the provinces of Pontus and Cappadocia were visited by a severe famine, he gave a remarkable proof of charity, giving away all that belonged to his monastery and all he could raise to feed the numerous crowds who came daily to him in that time of distress. Shortly after Basil became bishop of Caesarea, in 370, Peter received priestly ordination from him. He remained in the monastery until after the death of Basil and Macrina, in 378 or 379.

Bishop of Sebaste

About 380 he was raised to the see of Sebaste in Armenia and took his stand beside his brothers Basil and Gregory in the fight against Arianism; at his advice Gregory of Nyssa wrote the great work Against Eunomius, in defense of Basil's book of the same name; at his desire he also wrote the Treatise on the Work of the Six Days, to defend and complete Basil's similar treatise, and another work, On the Endowment of Man, was written at his suggestion and sent to him with an appropriate preface as an Easter gift. In his life and episcopal administration he displayed the same characteristics as Basil. No detailed information is available about his activity as a bishop, except that he was present at the Second Ecumenical Council at Constantinople in 381. The deaconess Olympias, friend of Saint John Chrysostom, entrusted large funds to him for distribution to the poor. It is said that only one letter of his has survived, to his brother Gregory, asking him to send his treatise Against Eunomius. He fell asleep in 391 and was venerated as a saint. His commemoration was placed on 9 January in the Martyrology of Baronius; in the second edition of the Roman Martyrology (2004) he is listed under 26 March.