One of Our Favorite Saintly Anecdotes
In 372, Valens' zealous Arian servant, Modestus (the “Count of the East”), came
to Caesarea and summoned Basil. Basil–emaciated from his asceticism but mentally
rigorous–came. Modestus shouted at him: “Basil, how dare you defy our great
power? How dare you stand alone? Everyone else has yielded, and