A physician and Roman official, brother of Saint Gregory of Nazianzus, remembered for a devout Christian life amid public service.

Saint Caesarius of Nazianzus (died 369) was a layman, physician, and government official in the Roman Empire, brother of Saint Gregory of Nazianzus and Saint Gorgonia, and son of Saint Gregory the Elder and Saint Nonna. He died at approximately thirty-eight years of age, remembered as a devout Christian layman within one of the most celebrated Christian families of the fourth century.

Quick Facts

• Died: 369
• Age at death: approximately 38
• Occupation: Physician and politician
• Family: brother of Saint Gregory of Nazianzus and Saint Gorgonia
• Venerated as: Lay Catholic witness

Who Was Saint Caesarius of Nazianzus?

Caesarius trained as a physician and rose to hold public office within the Roman imperial administration, all while remaining part of one of the fourth century’s most notable Christian families. He was the brother of Gregory of Nazianzus, one of the great Cappadocian Fathers, and of Gorgonia, also venerated as a saint, and the son of Gregory the Elder and Nonna, both likewise honored by the Church.

Historical Setting

Fourth-century Cappadocia produced an unusual concentration of Christian intellectual and spiritual leadership, and the family of Gregory of Nazianzus is one of the best-documented examples of a household in which parents, siblings, and children were together recognized for their holiness, set against the theological ferment of the post-Nicene Church.

Why the Church Remembers Saint Caesarius of Nazianzus

He is remembered as a layman who combined a demanding public career in medicine and government with sincere Christian devotion, a witness that holiness was expected of the family’s members in every walk of life, not only its ordained and monastic figures.

Canonization and Feast Day

No formal canonization process for Caesarius of Nazianzus is recorded. His veneration rests on ancient cult connected to his celebrated family, received into the Church’s memory largely through the writings of his brother Gregory.

What Catholics Can Learn Today

Caesarius’s life as a physician and official within a family of renowned holiness suggests that professional ambition and public service are fully compatible with serious Christian commitment, a lesson relevant to any layperson balancing career and faith.

A Prayer to Saint Caesarius of Nazianzus

Saint Caesarius of Nazianzus, physician and faithful layman, intercede for those who seek to live their faith fully within demanding professional lives. Amen.

Sources

• Gregory of Nazianzus, Funeral Oration for Caesarius
• New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia