Saint Gregory Nazianzen the Elder

Memorial

• 1 January

Profile

Gregory spent the first 50 years of his life as a pagan, and worked as a government official most of his adult life. Married to Saint Nonna, who converted him to Christianity in 325. Father of Saint Gregory Nazianzen, Saint Caesarius of Nazianzen, and Saint Gorgonius. Bishop of Nazianos, Cappadocia, Asia Minor c.328. As bishop he became attached to an heretical Christian offshoot, but in 361 was brought back to the orthodox faith by his son Gregory. At age 94, he made younger Gregory his co-adjutor in Nazianos.

Born

• c.276 at Nazianzos, Cappadocia, Asia Minor

Died

• 374 of natural causes

Canonized

• Pre-Congregation

Additional Information

• Book of Saints, by the Monks of Ramsgate
• Heiligen 3s
• Our Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia of Saints

MLA Citation

• “Saint Gregory Nazianzen the Elder“. Saints.SQPN.com. 1 January 2013. Web. 22 May 2013. <>