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He first studied at home with his uncle Saint Amphylokhios. Later he studied in Nazianzos (where his father Gregory was bishop), Caesarea Cappadocia, Alexandria, and Athens. While at Athens, he developed a close friendship with Saint Basil of CaesareaBasil (ca. 330 January 1, 379), also called Basil the Great was bishop of Caesarea, a leading churchman in the 4th century. The Eastern Orthodox Church considers him a saint and one of the Three Holy Hierarchs, together with Gregory Nazianzus and John Chr, and also made the acquaintance of Julian, the future Emperor who would become known as Julian the Apostate. Upon finishing his education, he also taught rhetoric in Athens for a short time.
In 361Events Emperor Ai succeeds Emperor Mu as emperor of China. Gregory Nazianzus becomes a priest in Nazianzus. Julian becomes Roman emperor. Births Deaths November 2 Constantius II, Roman emperor Emperor Mu, emperor of China., Gregory returned to Nazianzos and was ordained a presbyter (elder or priest). He spent some time in the wilderness with Basil practicing asceticism, but later returned to care for the Christian parishes in Nazianzos. Basil later made him Bishop of Sasima. In 378Events Mid-February: Lentienses cross frozen Rhine, invading Roman Empire. Later that year they are defeated by Gratianus. August 9 Battle of Adrianople: A large Roman army led by Emperor Valens is defeated by the Visigoths in present-day Turkey. Valens i, the Antioch Council asked Gregory to come to Constantinople as bishop, as the preceding bishop had recently died. With the consent of Basil, he agreed. At the time, there were many AriansThis article is about the theological doctrine of Arius. See Aryan, Aryan race for the ethnic concept. Arianism was a Christological view held by followers of Arius in the early Christian Church, claiming that Jesus Christ and God the Father were not of t and Apollinarians in the city, both of which heresies were soon to be denounced in 381Events First Council of Constantinople second Ecumenical council of the Christian Church: The Nicene creed is affirmed and extended, Apollinarism is declared a heresy. Council of Aquilea: under the guidance of Ambrose, the chief Arianist bishops Palladius at the second Ecumenical Council. But in 379, the night before Easter, a mob of armed heretics burst into Gregory's church during worship services, wounding Gregory and killing another bishop.
In his theology, Gregory advocated the doctrine of the Trinity, including the full divinity of both Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. He emphasized that Jesus did not cease to be God when he became a man, nor did he lose any of his divine attributes when he took on human nature. He also proclaimed the eternality of the Holy Spirit, saying that the Holy Spirit's actions were somewhat hidden in the Old Testament but much clearer since the ascension of Jesus into Heaven and the descent of the Holy Spirit at the feast of Pentecost. Gregory Nazianzus is given the title 'Gregory the Theologian' by Eastern Orthodoxy, a title he shares with John the Apostle, also known as John the Theologian. He is widely quoted by Eastern Orthodox theologians and highly regarded as a defender of the Christian faith.