Свети Василије Велики – почетак аскетског живота
St Basil the Great – the Beginning of the Ascetic Life

Summary/Abstract: The goal of this study is to show the beginning of the ascetic life of Saint Basil the Great. Basil’s decision to pursue ascetic life was influenced by Eustathius of Sebaste, his teacher and one of the founders of monastic movement in Asia Minor, and his older sister Macrina. After ending his studies in Athens, Basil returned home and for a short period of time he taught rhetoric in Caesarea of Cappadocia. However, he decided not to follow in his father’s footsteps. He abandoned his career which has just started and traveled to East, where he met local ascetics. Upon his return, he received the Holy mystery of Baptism, abandoned the worldly way of life and found a place of his future spiritual struggle, near his family’s estate in Pontos. There, Basil was joined by some unknown brothers and soon also, by his friend Gregory from Athens. The brotherhood in Anissa led a structured way of life; they lived together in houses they had built themselves, cultivated land and gathered for prayer. From the very beginning, Basil was the leader of the community, wrote works for ascetics, but, at the same time, he had a constant correspondence with many people from the outside world and had prepared himself for the forthcoming important service in the Church.

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