Macrina
The eldest child of a Christian family of Pontus. She remained unmarried, formed an ascetic community on the family estate with her mother and their former servants, and turned her brother Basil to the monastic life. Her brother Gregory wrote her Life.
Macrina is known from the Life written by her brother Gregory of Nyssa. He says that when she was about twelve her father chose a young man for her, who died before the marriage, and that she then resolved to stay with her mother and not to marry (Gregory of Nyssa, Life of Macrina pp. 23–26 (PG 46.964–966)). When Basil of Caesarea returned from his studies she drew him to what Gregory calls the philosophic life, and she persuaded her mother to give up her household state and live on equal terms with her maids (Gregory of Nyssa, Life of Macrina pp. 27–29 (PG 46.965–968)).
Gregory visited her after a synod at Antioch, some nine months after Basil’s death, and found her dying (Gregory of Nyssa, Life of Macrina pp. 41–42 (PG 46.976)). He presents her as the teacher of the family. See the Cappadocians and the Doctrine of the Trinity.
In the timeline
- about AD 370 to AD 381, estimated dateThe Cappadocians and the Doctrine of the Trinity
Basil of Caesarea, his friend Gregory of Nazianzus and his brother Gregory of Nyssa speak of one divine essence in three persons and defend the deity of the Holy Spirit. The creed of 381 uses kindred language. Basil and his sister Macrina foster monastic life.