Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series 1, Vol. 8 (Augustine: Exposition on Psalms)

His invention of a fatal sickness, or exaggeration of a slight one, failed to secure even Gregory’s presence at Cæsarea. Gregory burst into tears upon receiving the news of his friend's grave illness and hastened to obey the summons to his side. But on the road, he fell in with bishops hurrying to Cæsarea for the election of a successor to Eusebius and detected the unreality of Basil’s plea. He at once returned to Nazianzus and wrote the often-quoted letter, 1. Gregory of Nazianzus, Letter 40 (21). upon the interpretation of which depends the estimate formed of Basil’s action at that important crisis.

Basil may or may not have taken Gregory’s advice not to put himself forward. But Gregory and his father, the bishop, from this time strained every nerve to secure the election of Basil. It was felt that the cause of true religion was at stake. "The Holy Ghost must win," 2. Oration 43. they believed. Opposition had to be encountered from bishops who were in open or secret sympathy with Basil’s theological opponents, from men of wealth and position to whom Basil was unpopular because of his practice and preaching of stern self-denial, and from all the "lewd fellows of the baser sort" in Cæsarea. 3. Oration 43, section 37. Letters were written in the name of Gregory the bishop with an eloquence and literary skill that have led them to be generally regarded as the composition of Gregory the younger. To the people of Cæsarea, Basil was represented as a man of saintly life and of unique capacity to stem the surging tide of heresy. 4. Letter 41. To the bishops of the province who had asked him to come to Cæsarea without saying why—perhaps in the hope that so strong a friend of Basil’s might be kept away from the election without being able to contest it later on the grounds that he had no summons to attend—he expresses an earnest hope that their choice is not a factious, foregone conclusion. Anticipating possible objections regarding Basil’s weak health, he reminds them that they have to elect not a gladiator, but a primate. 5. Letter 43. To Eusebius of Samosata, he sends the letter included among those of Basil 6. Letter 47. in which he urges him to cooperate in securing the appointment of a worthy man. Despite his age and physical infirmity, the elder Gregory was laid in his litter, as his son says, 7. Oration 42. "like a corpse in a grave," and borne to Cæsarea to rise there with fresh vigor and carry the election by his vote. 8. Oration 18, 43. All resistance was overborne, and Basil was seated on the throne of the great exarchate.

The success of the Catholics roused, as was inevitable, various feelings. Athanasius wrote from Alexandria 9. Athanasius, To Palladius, 953; To John and Antiochus, 951. to congratulate Cappadocia on her privilege in being ruled by so illustrious a primate. Valens prepared to carry out measures against the Catholic province, which had been interrupted by the revolt of Procopius. The bishops of the province who had been narrowly outvoted, and who had refused to take part in the consecration, abandoned communion with the new primate. 10. This is inferred from the latter part of Letter 48; compare Maran, Life of Basil, 13, 3. But even more distressing to the new archbishop than the disaffection of his subordinates was the refusal of his friend Gregory to come in person to support him on his throne. Gregory pleaded that it was better for Basil’s own sake that there should be no suspicion of favoritism toward personal friends, and begged to be excused for staying at Nazianzus. 11. Gregory of Nazianzus, Letter 45. Basil complained that his wishes and interests were disregarded, 12. Id., Letter 46. and was hurt at Gregory’s refusing to accept high responsibilities—possibly the coadjutor-bishopric—at Cæsarea. 13. "The honor of this chair," Gregory of Nazianzus, Oration 43. A yet further cause of sorrow and annoyance was the blundering attempt of Gregory of Nyssa to effect a reconciliation between his uncle Gregory, who was in sympathy with the disaffected bishops, and his brother Basil. He even went so far as to send more than one forged letter in his uncle’s name. The clumsy counterfeit was naturally found out, and the widened breach was not bridged without difficulty. 14. Letters 58, 59, 60. The episcopate thus began with troubles, both public and personal. Basil confidently confronted them. His magnanimity and capacity secured the support of his immediate neighbors and subordinates, 15. Gregory of Nazianzus, Oration 43, section 40. and soon his energies took a wider range. He directed the theological campaign all over the East and was ready alike to meet opponents in hand-to-hand encounters and to aim the arrows of his epistolary eloquence far and wide. 16. Id., section 43. He invoked the illustrious pope of Alexandria to join him in winning the support of the West for the orthodox cause, 17. Letter 69. he was keenly interested in the unfortunate controversy that distracted the Church of Antioch, 18. Letter 69. and he made an earnest appeal to Damasus for the customary sympathy of the Church at Rome. 19. Letter 70. At the same time, his industry in his see was indefatigable.