Lots of those who dedicated themselves to monastic life, said Benedict XVI, "were inspired" by St. Basil, or "they relied on his project in the drawing up or reformation of the programme for community life in monasteries". As bishop of the diocese of Caesarea of Cappadocia, Basil, explained the Pope, "took constant care of believers living in difficult material conditions; he firmly denounced evils; he committed himself in favour of the poorest and the outcast; he also addressed government leaders to relieve the suffering of the population, above all, in moments of calamity; he kept watch for the freedom of the Church, opposing also powerful people to defend the right to profess the real faith". Furthermore, he built "several hospices for the needy, almost a mercy town, whose name ‘Basiliad’ derived from him". It is "the origin of the modern institutions for hospitalizing and curing patients". Basil was also "a wise ‘liturgical reformer’". During his activity, he opposed the heretics and "committed himself also to eliminate divisions within the Church". In conclusion, said the Pope, "Basil abandoned himself to the faithful service of the Church in a total way", giving "the heralds the Word, yesterday as well as today, a programme which he himself tried to carry out with great generosity".
