He is the fourth son of Saints Basil the Elder and Saint Emilia, and the brother of Saints Basil the Great, Saint Macrina, and Bishop Peter of Sebaste. He was younger than his brother Basilius by a few years. Therefore, it was said that he was born approximately in the year 331 AD, and it was also said that in the year 335 AD. Gregory grew up in a Christian family known for piety and holiness, which prepared him from an early age for clerical life. He was ordained a reader in the church while he was still a boy. However, he turned to the period of his calling and preferred to teach public speaking, then he married a girl with a distinguished religious culture, whom he loved very much. But under the influence of his brother Basil and his friend Gregory the Theologian, he left the pulpit of education, and was convinced that everything in this world is false, so he joined them in the isolation of the monastery that his family founded on the banks of the Iris River in Cappadocia. He remained in this quiet monastic atmosphere for ten years, until his brother extracted him from the monastery, where he had a good life, to impose on him the bishopric of the city of Nyssa.
We do not know anything about the fate of his marriage and his wife, but there is a statement that indicates that his relationship with his wife became only spiritual and perhaps she died before he was ordained a bishop. However, he did not accept this mission that Basil imposed on him except under compulsion.
His personality was not free from his brother's influence and he could not oppose his will. But we feel that this pastoral work did not suit his nature, as he did not have sufficient qualifications for administrative work. In his letters, Basil complained of his brother's naivety and his complete lack of experience in matters of church administration.
Saint Gregory grew up in Caesarea, Cappadocia. He studied under his father Basilius and devoted himself to his library. He studied philosophy with passion and intent. His attendance at school was sporadic. His mother's inclinations and passion for Christianity did not appeal to him. Nevertheless, he was a handsome reader and a regular visitor to church. In his youth, he was tired of long prayers and psalm recitations that lasted all night.
In his youth, Gregory learned the science of rhetoric and became a brilliant teacher, until he made him forget that he was a reader in the church. This is what prompted his friend Saint Gregory the Theologian to write to him asking him not to strive to be called an eloquent, but rather a Christian.
At the instruction of Basil the Great, brother of Saint Gregory, the latter wrote a book about virginity. The book is closer to philosophical reflections than to living. In it, Gregory highlighted that the example for him lies in theoria, in the soul’s contemplation of God after it has been stripped of worries except the love of God. He considered that marriage and engaging in worldly concerns as a result constituted a threat to the purity of the soul. He did not defend celibacy as celibacy, but rather talked about the suffering and worries that accompany marriage, and concluded that the hidden aspect of marriage is sufficient reason to turn away from it.
His bishopric:
Gregory was forcibly ordained bishop of Nysus, which is ten kilometers from Caesarea of Cappadocia to the east, by his brother Basil the Great. As a result of the conflict that took place between him and Emperor Valens, who split the Diocese of Caesarea into two parts and appointed one of his Arian followers named Anthimos in Tiana.
Therefore, the appointment of Saint Gregory came in order not to weaken the authority of Saint Basil, even though Gregory did not know anything regarding the episcopate.
Gregory had no knowledge of human behavior. He lacked tact in dealing with people, and he had no idea about financial issues and how to address them. Therefore, his enemies from the Ayusians soon brought charges against him related to using his bishopric funds and diverting them to his benefit. He was convicted and the Imperial Guard put handcuffs on his hands. But he managed to escape and hid with some of his friends. In the meantime, he was overthrown by a council that included a number of Arian bishops, and he remained in hiding for two years until the death of Emperor Valens.
Still, something about the porcupine appealed to him. The people there became very attached to him and he loved his little house there very much. He showed zeal for his people and loyalty. He would perform his duties and spend his days in prayer with his Lord, in prayer and thanksgiving.
His love for prayer:
كان القديس غريغوريوس يعلِّق على حياة الصلاة أهميَّة قصوى. من أقوالِهِ فيها:” الصلاة هي بهجة الفرحين, وتعزية المضنوكين, وتاج العروس, والعيد في أعياد الميلاد, والكفن الذي يلفُّنا في مثوانا الأخير”.
The ruling emperor, Valens, was inclined toward the Arian heresy, so he supported them in holding a local council in the year 376 that dismissed Gregory. He was forced to abandon his diocese for a period of time. However, after the death of the ruler, Gregory returned to the city of Nyssa victorious, was received warmly, and continued his pastoral work in peace.
After the death of Saint Basil and Saint Macrina, the source and teacher of faith and the only support for their brother Gregory, the latter felt lonely and weak, but this loneliness and isolation placed Gregory in an unenviable position of misery and sadness. From the heart of misery and sadness, our saint made his way as a result of his feeling of the great responsibility that had fallen upon him. He worked to be greater than his affliction, and to be a true shepherd faithful to the Christian message with which he was entrusted. And it was like this until all the fathers of his time and subsequent times until today bore witness to him.
In the year 379 AD, Gregory participated in the Council of Antioch and was assigned to conduct a reconnaissance tour of the churches of Pontus. Also in the year 381 AD, he and his friend Gregory the Theologian participated in the Second Ecumenical Council in Constantinople. He delivered the inaugural sermon. The Emperor named him the guarantor of Orthodoxy in the Land of Pontus. His mission was to test the faith of its bishops, confirm the Niceneans and dismiss the Arians. Saint Gregory was assigned a number of tasks, including examining the situation of the Church in Arabia and Babylon.
His writings:
كتب القديس غريغوريوس كتباً عديدة منها:” في التعليم المسيحي”,”حياة موسى”,” في صلاة الأبانا”,” حياة مكرينا”,” في نشيد الأنشاد”,” في المؤسسات المسيحية”,” في التطويبات”.
His slumber:
Saint Gregory died in the year 395 AD after participating in the council held in the year 394 AD.
His titles according to what the church described:
” أعظم اللاهوتيين الروحيين في الكنيسة”,” عمود الأرثوذكسية”،”أبو الآباء”.
Our Orthodox Church celebrates him on the tenth of January
Troparia in the fourth tune
O God of our fathers, who always works with us according to your meekness, do not turn away your mercy from us, but through their supplications, provide for our lives in safety.
Qandaq with the second tune
The high priest of the divine pledge of allegiance, and the chosen path of venerable wisdom, the watchful mind Gregory, who is in awe of the angels and basked in the divine light, intercedes without hesitation for all of us.
في سنة 379 يبرز اسمه في المجمع المنعقد في مدينة أنطاكية الملتئم لإنهاء مشكلة الانشقاق فيها. تسلطت الأضواء عليه في هذا المجمع نظراً لموهبته الخطابية المميزة، فنال ثقة المجمع وأُرسل بمهمة إلى فلسطين والعربية. فيما بعد نلتقيه في مجمع القسطنطينية سنة 381 حيث حيّاه المجتمعون كـ “عمود الأرثوذكسية”. نلاحظ أن في هذه الفترة كان قد توفي باسيليوس ولذلك برزت شخصيته بقوة إلى حيّز الوجود. فمثّل دوراً هاماً أثناء انعقاد المجمع وشعر الجميع بأنه وريث فكر أخيه الذي اختارته العناية الإلهية لكي تنتصر الحقيقة بواسطته. يبدو أن فصاحته نالت فيما بعد إعجاب بلاط القسطنطينية، فنراه ما بين سنة 385 و386 يلقي عظة رائعة في تأبين الأميرة بولكاريا، ثم بعد ذلك استدعي لوفاة الأمبراطورة فلاسيللأ زوجة ثيودوسيوس، فاستذوقت كلمته التأبينية الطبقة الأرستقراطية وذاعت شهرته وازداد نفوذه. إلا أن هذا الأمر لم يؤثر على كبريائه بل بقي متواضعاً مبتعداً عن أمجاد الدنيا. بعدئذ يذكر اسمه سنة 394 في مجمع ثان عقد في القسطنطينية ثم يتوارى ذكره من صفحات التاريخ. توفي على الأرجح سنة 395.
يُطلَق عليه مع أخيه والنازينزي لقب الآباء الكَبادوكيّين لأنهم يتحدّرون من منطقة الكَبادوك في وسط تركيا. ألّف الكثير من المقالات والتفاسير الكتابية والكتابات الروحية والمواعظ. من أهم أعماله: خلْق الإنسان, شرح ستة أيام الخليقة, حياة موسى, شرح التطويبات (متى 5: 1-12) والصلاة الربية… توفي حوالي العام 395, وتعيد الكنيسة لذكراه في العاشر من كانون الثاني.
لعب الآباء الكبادوكيون دورا كبيرا في توضيح لاهوت الثالوث الأقدس. فهم قد ميّزوا بين الأقنوم(أو الكائن) والجوهر(الطبيعة), وقالوا إن الآب والابن والروح القدس إله واحد وطبيعة واحدة. كما أنهم أكدوا على أن الأبوة هي ميزة الآب, والولادة من الآب هي ميزة الابن, والانبثاق من الآب هي ميزة الروح القدس. ويبيّن قديسنا النيصصيّ, في مقالة عنوانها “ليس هناك ثلاثة آلهة”, أن كل عمل في التاريخ يقوم به الآب أو الابن أو الروح القدس, إنما يقوم به بالاشتراك مع الاثنين الآخرين, فيقول: “في الطبيعة الإلهية لا يعمل الآب شيئا ما إلا مع الابن, وكذلك الابن لا يقوم بعمل ما منفصلا عن الروح القدس, بل كل عمل يمتد من الله إلى الخليقة, ويمكننا تمييزه وفق مفاهيمنا, إنما أصله في الآب, ويأتي من الابن, ويجد كماله في الروح القدس”. واضحةٌ إشارة غريغوريوس هنا إلى وحدة الطبيعة الإلهية, وإلى عدم تعدد الآلهة في المسيحية. كذلك فإن النص ذاته يشدد على وحدة العمل, وكأن الكاتب أراد بهذا القول الإشارة إلى الإرادة (أو المشيئة) الإلهية الواحدة التي تجمع الآب والابن والروح القدس.
واهتمّ الآباء الكبادوكيون, ومنهم القديس النيصصيّ, بتبيان ألوهة الروح القدس ضد مكدونيوس وإفنوميوس وأتباعهما. أما مكدونيوس فكان ينكر ألوهة الروح ويردد أن الروح هو “أحد الأرواح الخادمة, وأنه لا يختلف عن الملائكة لا بالرتبة”, لذلك دُعي أتباعه “محاربي الروح”. أما إفنوميوس فكان يجعل الروح القدس ثالثا في الكرامة والمرتبة والطبيعة بعد الآب والابن. تصدى النيصصيّ لهؤلاء المبتدعين ودحض ادّعاءاتهم انطلاقا من عمل الروح الذي لا ينفصل عن الآب والابن. فيتساءل إذا كانت النعمة الإلهية تأتينا من الآب والابن والروح, فكيف يمكن أن يكون الروح مخلوقا, وهو الذي يحيينا بالمعمودية؟ لا بد, إذا, أن يكون الروح أزليا. وفي الإطار ذاته, يصوّر غريغوريوس العلاقة بين الآب والابن والروح القدس, بشكل بديع, فيقول إن “الآب هو الماسح, والممسوح (أو المسيح) هو الابن, والمسحة نفسها أو زيت البهجة هو الروح القدس”.
يعرض أسقف نيصص في كتابه “خَلْق الإنسان” لمركز الإنسان في الخليقة وعلاقته مع الله خالقه. فيستخلص من روايتي الخلق في سفر التكوين درسا مفاده أن “آدم”, أي “الترابي”, يمثل الإنسانية كلها. وهذا يعني بالنسبة إلى الكاتب أن “آدم” هو تسمية جماعية لا تدل على شخص واحد بل على مجموعة. وفي هذا يلتقي النيصصي وأحدث التفاسير المعاصرة. وهو يعتقد أيضا أن الإنسانية مجتمعة هي صورة الله. أما الفرق بين الله والإنسان, الذي هو صورة الله, فهو أن الأول غير مخلوق والثاني مخلوق. الفرق الأساسي هو أن الأول كائن بذاته, أما الثاني فيستمد وجوده من الأول مخلوقا من العدم.
In the same book, Al-Nisi touches on the subject of evil, stressing that the freedom of man, which God placed in him, is what led man to commit sin and fall into evil. Freedom is a free gift from God that distinguishes Him from other irrational creatures. Man made a mistake in using this freedom, due to his ignorance, lack of discrimination, and lack of experience, so he deviated from following the path of holiness and chose to turn away from God. Gregory believes that lust is the root of all evil. Although he admitted that man was a victim of Satan and his machinations, he hesitated to place the responsibility for the spread of evil in the world on man.
يجعل القديس غريغوريوس النيصصيّ تماهيا بين الروح القدس والملكوت السماوي, إذ ينقل إلينا أن الآية “ليأتِ ملكوتك” في الصلاة الربية وردت في إحدى القراءات “ليأتِ الروح القدس علينا ويطهّرنا”. هذا التماهي استمر في الإيمان المسيحي والتقليد. ولأن الروح القدس حاضر دوما في حياة الكنيسة والمؤمنين, فالملكوت ليس شيئا مستقبليا ننتظره بل هو حاضر أيضا في حياة الجماعة المسيحية.