Gregory of Nazianzus

Gregory of Nazianzus, whom the Eastern Orthodox Church knows as 'The Theologian,' was one of the three famous Cappadocian Fathers.  He lived from 329 to 390 and was extremely influential on orthodox Trinitarian theology.  During a time when the Church was being lead astray by the Arian and Apollinarian heresies he was a strong voice for the correct doctrine of the Trinity.  He held that the Trinity was one God, or substance, in three persons that are equal in value, authority, eternity, and divinity.  In 379 he delivered his famous five theological orations in Constantinople espousing this doctrine and was made bishop of the city in 380.  While he was only the bishop for less than two years he was there for an extremely important part of church history because he presided over part of the Second Ecumenical Council in 381 that condemned Arianism and Apollinarianism as heresies.

He is probably my favorite theologian and I have been able to see some cool things relating to him on this trip.

This is a famous fresco of Gregory the Theologian in a church in Chora in Turkey.

This is an icon of Gregory at the Patriarchal Cathedral of St. George outside of Istanbul.  Also at that church are his relics.  While it was quite odd to see the bones of my favorite saint in a box, there was something powerful about it.  I do not believe that venerating those remains would have helped me become more godly, but I think there is something to our duty to honor those who have gone before us and have made it possible for us to have the faith we now have.

(Sorry for the bad picture.  His bones are in the box.  You can see them through the holes.)

This is one of my favorite quotes from him:

"Let us become like Christ, since Christ became like us.  Let us become God’s for His sake, since He for ours became Man.  He assumed the worse that He might give us the better; He became poor that we through His poverty might be rich; He took upon Him the form of a servant that we might receive back our liberty; He came down that we might be exalted; He was tempted that we might conquer; He was dishonoured that He might glorify us; He died that He might save us; He ascended that He might draw to Himself us, who were lying low in the Fall of sin.  Let us give all, offer all, to Him Who gave Himself a Ransom and a Reconciliation for us.  But one can give nothing like oneself, understanding the Mystery, and becoming for His sake all that He became for ours." Oration I.V.