Basil

On this day we celebrate the memory of Basil, fellow-athlete of Procopios of Decapolis.

Basil lived during the reign of king Leo Isaurus the iconoclast in 740. When he was still young, he became a monk and led an extremely ascetic life. First he fought well and then he courageously resisted the iconoclasts on the issue of the honour and veneration of the holy icons. This is why he was arrested by them and severely punished. However, he did not cease resisting but kept preaching the truth of orthodoxy until death, having Procopios of Decapolis as his fellow-fighter.

Basil was thrown to prison; however, when Isausus died, he was released from prison and again led an ascetic life. He moved many sinners to virtue by his words and example. Moreover, he also made many heretics return to the orthodox faith.