• Saint Who?

Saint Who?

Saints Who Were Instruments of Healing

Saint Caesarius of Nazianzus

Layman († 369) Feast: February 25

Caesarius did not come from a typical Catholic family. His mother, Nonna, was a devout Catholic who ­converted her husband to the faith. Caesarius’ father became the bishop of their city, Nazianzus (modern Turkey). Caesarius’ sister, Gorgonia, was a widely respected, virtuous wife and mother. His brother Gregory was a brilliant theologian and bishop. They and Caesarius are all now honored as saints.

As a young man, Caesarius was educated in Alexandria, Egypt, where he studied oratory and philosophy. But he excelled in the field of medicine. Caesarius ­completed his medical studies in Constantinople, where he ­became a prominent doctor. He was asked to serve as the private physician to multiple emperors, even Julian the Apostate. Although Julian hated Christians and the Church, he wanted the best medical care for himself. Julian exempted Caesarius from the severe penalties he imposed on other Christians while continuing to pressure Caesarius to give up his faith.

But Caesarius had a good reason to serve the anti-Christian emperor. Julian had apostatized because he had seen his own Christian family members ruthlessly kill one another to gain power. Caesarius, who had a very different experience of Catholic family life, hoped to heal both Julian’s body and his soul by bringing him back to the Church. Though Caesarius succeeded in the former, he was unsuccessful in the latter.

Holy Trinity, may all Catholic families become
loving examples of Trinitarian unity.