Saint Caesarius of Nazianzus

Caesarius of Nazianzus (Greek: Καισάριος ό Ναζιανζήνος; c. 331 – 368) was a prominent physician and politician. He is best known as the younger brother of Gregory of Nazianzus. He is recognized as a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church. The younger son of Gregory the Elder, bishop of Nazianzus, and his wife, Nonna, Caesarius was born at the family villa of Arianzus, near Nazianzus. He probably studied at Caesarea Mazaca in Cappadocia in preparation for the elite schools of Alexandria in Egypt. His favourite studies there were geometry, astronomy and especially medicine. In the last-named science, he surpassed all his fellow students. About 355 he came to the imperial capital Constantinople, and had already acquired a great reputation for his medical skill, when his brother Gregory, homeward bound from Athens, appeared there about 358. Caesarius sacrificed a remunerative and honourable post to return home with Gregory. The capital soon proved to be too great an attraction for him, and he eventually became an eminent physician at the Byzantine court of Constantius II and, much to the regret of his family, at that of Julian the Apostate. Julian failed in his efforts to win him over to briefly restored Paganism. Caesarius, more appreciative of his faith than of imperial favour, ultimately left the court, but returned to Constantinople after Julian's death in 363. Under the Emperor Valens Caesarius became quaestor of Bithynia, a position which included treasury and tax collection responsibilities. After escaping from the earthquake which shook Nicaea (11 October, 368), his brother wrote to him, pleading for him to leave his political position and withdraw to a religious life. However, Caesarius was suddenly killed by the widespread plague which followed the earthquake, shortly after having received baptism, which he, like many others at the period, had deferred until late in life.