Caesarius of Nazianzus
physician and saint
Feast: 25 February (not on the universal Roman calendar; kept in the Roman Martyrology or local calendars)
Who they were
Caesarius, only brother of St Gregory of Nazianzus, was raised by their holy mother Nonna. He studied at Alexandria and surpassed all in medicine, becoming a famous physician at Constantinople.
He served at the court of Julian the Apostate, who failed to win him to paganism; valuing his faith above imperial favour, he left the court. He later became quaestor of Bithynia, and died at the end of 368 or early 369.
The miracles
The Catholic Encyclopedia does not describe how he came to be honoured as a saint.
Why that counted as sanctity
A physician who chose his faith over the favour of an apostate emperor.
Connected on this site
- Gorgonia Saint Brother or sister
- Gregory of Nazianzus Saint Brother or sister“He is best known as the younger brother of Gregory of Nazianzus.” — Wikipedia
- Gregory of Nazianzus the Elder Saint Father, Parent
- Nonna of Nazianzus Saint Mother, Parent
- Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), via New Advent - St. Caesarius of Nazianzus
- Wikidata Q256212 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — Caesarius of Nazianzus (CC BY-SA)
Checked against the sources listed on 21 September 2026. Corrections welcome.