Basil the Great Basil's memory is celebrated on January 1; he is
also remembered on January 30 with the Three Holy Hierarchs. In
Greek tradition, he is supposed to visit children and give
presents every January 1. This festival is also marked by the
baking of Saint Basil's bread (Gr. Vasilópita), a sweetbread
with a coin hidden inside. Basil was born about 330 at Caesarea
in Cappadocia. He came from a wealthy and pious family which
gave a number of saints, including his mother Saint Emily (also
styled Emilia or Emmelia), grandmother Saint Macrina the Elder,
sister Saint Macrina the Younger and brothers Saints Gregory of
Nyssa and Peter of Sebaste. It is also a widely held tradition
that Saint Theosebia was his youngest sister, who is also a
saint in the Church. While still a child, the family moved to
Pontus; but he soon returned to Cappadocia to live with his
mother's relations, and seems to have been brought up by his
grandmother Macrina. Eager to learn, he went to Constantinople
and spent four or five year