Author: GREGORY, of Nazianzus
Biography:
GREGORY of Nanzianzus (c. 329-389: OCD)
Hugh Stuart Boyd’s (q.v.) translation of poems by Synesius (q.v) and Gregory built on the success of his prose translations of Select Passages, of the Writings of St. Chrysostom, St. Gregory Nazianzen, and St. Basil (1806, 2nd edn. 1810). One of the Greek Fathers of the Church, Gregory was the son of the bishop of Nazianzen in Cappadocia, whose name was also Gregory. He studied in Palestine, Caesaria, and Alexandria before going on to Athens, where he met his lifelong friend Basil of Caesarea. The young men shared a dedication to the ascetic life of retirement and prayer, but Gregory was called back to Cappadocia to assist his aging father and reluctantly became bishop of Sasima himself in 372. An eloquent theologian and author of influential discourses, he was called to Constantinople to combat Arianism within the Church and was installed as bishop there in 381 but withdrew upon encountering opposition. In retirement in Cappadocia he was able to enjoy the solace of poetry, which he composed in many genres—meditations, descriptions, elegies, epigrams, and acrostics among them. He died at Nazianzus in 389. (OCD 25 Feb. 2025; NBG 21, cols. 837-46) HJ
Other Names:
- Gregory Nazianzen