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| Basil: He may break but he don't fold... |
As bishop, Basil was a courageous and heroic champion of the Catholic faith against the Arian heresy. In 372 Emperor Valens sent Modestus, the prefect, to Cappadocia to introduce Arianism as the state religion. Modestus approached the holy bishop, upbraided him for his teaching, and threatened despoliation, exile, martyrdom, and death.
To these words of the Byzantine despot, Basil replied with the peace of divine faith:
"Is that all? Nothing of what you mentioned touches me. We possess nothing, we can be robbed of nothing. Exile will be impossible, since everywhere on God's earth I am at home. Torments cannot afflict me, for I have no body. And death is welcome, for it will bring me more quickly to God. To a great extent I am already dead; for a long time I have been hastening to the grave."
Astonished, the prefect remarked: "Till today no one has ever spoken to me so courageously." "Perhaps," rejoined Basil, "you have never before met a bishop." Modestus hastened back to Valens. "Emperor," he said, "we are bested by this leader of the Church. He is too strong for threats, too firm for words, too clever for persuasion."
Basil, Caesarean Badass!
On the subject of Bishops, I see that tomorrow marks the 10th year since Bishop Latino was ordained as bishop of the Diocese. Even though he sent his retirement letter on his 75th anniversary, he still is functioning as the main sacramental minister of the diocese.
So far no word from the Arians....
