Biographical Background
An older sister of Basil and Gregory of Nyssa, Makrina, became a nun and converted the family's estate into a monastic community. Abbess Makrina there fostered the education and development of the three Cappadocians by providing a peaceful shelter for study and meditation. Basil the Great was the second oldest of Makrina's brothers, the eldest being the famous Christian jurist Naucratius, and another brother, Peter, also became a bishop. The grandparents had been martyrs, and their mother was also recognized as a saint.
Read more about this topic: Cappadocian Fathers
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