Macrina the Elder Facts
Known for: teacher and grandmother of St. Basil the Great, Gregory of Nyssa, Macrina the Younger and their siblings; also the mother of St. Basil the Elder
Dates: probably born before 270, died about 340
Feast Day: January 14
Macrina the Elder Biography:
Macrina the Elder, a Byzantine Christian, lived in Neocaesaria. She was associated with Gregory Thaumaturgus, a follower of the church father Origen, who is credited with converting the city of Neocaesaria to Christianity.
She fled with her husband (whose name is not known) and lived in the forest during the persecution of Christians by the emperors Galerius and Diocletian. After the persecution ended, having lost their property, the family settled in Pontus on the Black Sea. Her son was Saint Basil the Elder.
She had a major role in the raising of her grandchildren, who included: Saint Basil the Great, Saint Gregory of Nyssa, Saint Peter of Sebastea (Basil and Gregory are known as the Cappadocian Fathers), Naucratios, Saint Macrina the Younger, and, possibly, Dios of Antioch
Saint Basil the Great credited her with having "formed and molded me" in doctrine, passing on to her grandchildren the teachings of Gregory Thaumaturgus.
Because she lived much of her life as a widow, she is known as the patron saint of widows.
We know of St. Macrina the Elder primarily through the writings of her two grandsons, Basil and Gregory, and also of Saint Gregory of Nazianzus.
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