THE HOLY AND BLESSED BASIL

August 2

From the Prologue

Basil's father was named Jacob and his mother Anna. At age sixteen, he dedicated himself to a life of asceticism as a "Fool for Christ" and in this difficult mortification persevered for seventy-two years. Altogether, he lived to be eighty-eight years old. He traveled barefooted, bareheaded and in rags. He did not have any permanent dwelling place. He admonished sinners, reprimanded the noblemen, prophesied the truth and had visions of distant places. Having suffered greatly from hunger, frost and from the insults of men, Blessed Basil presented his holy soul to God. Tsar Ivan, with the Metropolitan, attended his funeral. He is buried in Moscow in the Church of the Most-holy Birth-giver of God, later named after him.

HYMN OF PRAISE

GAMALIEL

In the middle of the dark night, Gamaliel appeared,

To Lucian the wondrous mystery revealed;

Gamaliel appeared, elder dignified,

A hidden smile on his radiant face,

A long gray beard and gray are his hairs,

His garment white, with a red cross adorned.

And Gamaliel, four hives placed

In a cave, along side four graves.

Three were of gold, the fourth of silver,

Each one, with beautiful flowers, was filled.

The first was full of red flowers,

The remaining three with white [flowers] from the Spring of Paradise.

That golden hive, Gamaliel said,

With flowers red, from which a fragrance flows,

Before the grave of Saint Stephen, that one stands,

Who, for the Living Christ, shed his blood.

And the other two golden ones, with flowers all white

With holy Nicodemus, I, Gamaliel share

Here, his body and here, my body

And the fourth one pure white silver

And with flowers white, here, Abibus rests,

My only son, whom alive, I see.

His hive is white and his flowers are white.

For a pure soul and body, had he,

Baptized and young he died, as an early bloom,

My son I buried, along side Saint Stephen

For the saint, my son Abibus, to help

As he helps every Christian.