One of my favourite quotes from St. Basil the Great ~ A tree is known by its fruit; a man by his deeds. A good deed is never lost; he who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love.
May we all plant a Perennial Crop of Kindness and Share the Harvest from the Garden of God’s Love!
Sharing our parish choir’s (a cappella) 2014 recording of the Christmastide Carol – We Wish You Good Evening. We sing of the coming 3 feasts! Holy Nativity, St. Basil the Great’s Day, and Holy Theophany.
St. Basil the Great’s Monastery Church, carved into soft, volcanic, Cappadocian rock. Goreme, Turkey – 2004
Love of God is not something that can be taught. We did not learn from someone else how to rejoice in light or want to live, or to love our parents or guardians. It is the same – perhaps even more so – with our love for God: it does not come by another’s teaching. ~ St. Basil the Great
Preserve gratitude like a precious deposit within your soul, and from it you will receive a double portion of delight. Remember the apostolic word, “Give thanks in all circumstances.” ~ St. Basil the Great
The radiance of divine beauty is altogether beyond the power of words to describe. ~ St. Basil the Great
Born in 329 AD, his Heavenly Birthday is January 14/1 in the year 379 AD.
…the time for prayer is one’s whole life. ~ St. Basil the Great
St. Basil the Great’s 4th century monastic vision inspired the building of numerous church communities throughout the ancient region over the next five and a half centuries. The rock churches provided the bonus of cool respite amid the surrounding hot, dry, landscape.
Below is a festive Vasilopita – a St. Basil’s Day Cake, which commemorates a certain miracle of St. Basil the Great. My husband baked the celebratory cake using this traditional recipe.
The caramelized sugar and chopped almonds topping the festive cake are reminiscent of the sandy, rocky, Cappadocian countryside landscape.
Cutting the Cake: At home, after the Divine Liturgy, the cake is loosely covered with a napkin, and the sign of the cross is made. The undercover cutting commences, so nobody can see where the secret coin might be. The slices are distributed in this order: First piece cut is in honour of Christ, the second is cut in honour of the Virgin Mary, and the third is cut for St. Basil. These three pieces are saved and given the same day to the elderly, or the poor. The next pieces are cut for the most senior member of the household down to the youngest member. Whoever finds the coin in their piece of cake puts it toward something special!
Preserve gratitude like a precious deposit within your soul, and from it you will receive a double portion of delight. Remember the apostolic word, “Give thanks in all circumstances.” ~ St. Basil the Great
Lovely St. Basil’s Day & New Year Greek Carol – Duet
Old sheet music of St. Basil’s Day & New Year Carol with the verses being sung above (but arranged in a different order on pdf).
The last day of an Afterfeast is called the Apodosis (Ancient Greek for leave-taking, literally giving-back) of the Feast. Although today is the Apodosis of Nativity, this period of Sviatki (light and holiness) continues its 12 days of Christmastide – preparing our hearts to celebrate Holy Theophany; the Baptism of the Lord – on January 19 /6.
Today is also the feast of St. Melania. Congratulations to a dear friend, blessed to have this patron saint. Happy Saint’s Day Melania! God grant you many years!
Tomorrow is St. Basil’s Feast Day (January 14/1). Celebrations for this special saint include many traditions… And there’s still time to bake a traditional, festive St. Basil’s Day Cake!
