Gregory of Nazianzus was born about 329 in Nazianzus, Cappadocia. The saint was one of the foremost fathers of the Eastern Church who lived in the fourth century. After his primary education in Cappadocia, he went to Palestine to study law and then moved to Athens.
Gregorios completed his law studies and returned to Nazianzus at the age of thirty. It was during this time that his best friend Basil, who had been meditating alone in the Iris River basin in Annesoi, invited Gregory to meditate with him. He accepted the invitation and lived there for two years. He has later ordained bishop of Nazianzus. He was ordained a priest by Gregorios.
It was a time when the Church was experiencing a crisis of the heretical doctrine of Aryanism. At this point, Gregory’s presence and leadership brought much comfort to the congregation. His eloquent speeches prevented, at least to some extent, the influx of misconceptions.
In 370, Basil, a close friend of Gregory’s, was appointed Metropolitan of Caesarea. Basil wanted to have a church leader who could stop these attempts. Basil, realizing that Gregory himself was best suited for it, anointed him bishop of Nazianzus.
In 381 Gregory was elected Patriarch of Constantinople. As a result of his zealous work, he was able to control Aryan heresy to some extent. Envious of this, his enemies tried to kill him. But he was escaped miraculously. Gregory later returned to Nazianzus, where he ruled for a few years before returning home. The latter period was spent in meditation, prayer, and literary pursuits. He died in 389.