BASILI

(d. 886), Byzantine emperor, called ‘the Maced on i an,’ from birthplace; became sole emperor, 867; revived Byzantine power; extended his territory and codified the laws. emperor, called ‘Slayer of the Bulgar- ' fans’; his great-great-grandson oi Basil I. He and his bro. Const an tine succ. their ' f., 963, as joint-emperors; B. made himself real master of army, and annexed Armenia and Bulgaria. BASIL THE GREAT, ST. BASIL one of most eminent Gk. Fathers; involved in most of religious controversies of time, and resolute opponent of Arianism. B. founded a monastic order, since known as Basilian Monks, which brought about a great change in the ideal of the religious life. He was di atisfied with the eremitical life, and so established the cenobitical, believing that work and usefulne could be carried on in conjunction with saintline and austerity. Consequently the Rules of St. Basil provided for common daily prayers, common meals, and hard field work, while the austerities of this life were scarcely le than those practised by the Eremites. The Rules of St. Basil have been the inspiration of monasticism in the Gk. Church, and there can be no doubt that St. Benedict’s Rule owes much to them.