THE 3 HOLY HIERARCHS: ST BASIL THE GREAT

The principal theological writings of Basil are his Treatise on the Holy Spirit (Lat. De Spiritu Sancto), a lucid and edifying appeal to Scripture and early Christian tradition to prove the divinity of the Holy Spirit, and his Refutation of the Apology of the Impious Eunomius, written in 363 or 364, three books against Eunomius of Cyzicus, the chief exponent of Anomoian Arianism. The first three books of the Refutation are his work; the fourth and fifth books that are usually included to do not belong to Basil, or to Apollinaris of Laodicea, but probably to Didymus The Blind.

Troparion (Tone 1)

Your proclamation has gone out into all the earth

Which was divinely taught by hearing your voice

Expounding the nature of creatures,

Ennobling the manners of men.

O holy father of a royal priesthood,

Entreat Christ God that our souls may be saved.

Kontakion (Tone 4)

You were revealed as the sure foundation of the Church,

Granting all men a lordship which cannot be taken away,

Sealing it with your precepts,

O Venerable and Heavenly Father Basil.

Notice that on every icon of St. Basil, it is always depicted his hand the manner in which Eastern Christian Priest and Bishop, both Catholic and Orthodox, gives their blessing; the Priest using the right hand while the Bishops bless using two hands in the same manner as St. Basil's hand is depicted