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.