July 19
Saints of the Day
 

Saint Macrina the Younger, d. July 19, 379
Sister and teacher of St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory of Nyssa, 4 Saints in the family

    One of the most saintly families in Christian history was that of St. Basil the Elder of Caesarea in Cappadocia (now Turkey) and his wife St. Emmelia.  

    Macrina the Younger was one of their children, sister of St. Basil the Great, St. Gregory of Nyssa, and St. Peter of Sebastea. Granddaughter of Saint Macrina the Elder, and called the Younger to distinguish between the two.
    It was St. Macrina who first enkindled in St. Basil an interest in the monastic life, the founder of Eastern monasticism as St. Benedict was the founder of Western monasticism
    Basil, for instance, became "St. Basil the Great" only gradually.  When he returned home from college as a youth, he was pretty cocky.  His sister, therefore gave him a course in humility, and it totally changed his outlook.  Then when her baby brother Peter lost his father shortly after birth, Macrina had to be his "father, teacher, guide, mother, giver of good advice." He, too, turned out well, hailed as a saint by the flock he governed as archbishop of Sebaste.  His older brother, the brilliant St. Gregory of Nyssa, likewise proved a credit to his heritage.
    She was well educated, especially in scripture. She was engaged to be married when she was twelve, but when her fiancé died, she decided to dedicate her life to God. On the death of her father, she and her mother retired to the family estate in Pontus and lived a life of prayer and contemplation in a community they formed there. 
    Macrina became head of the group when her mother died and lived in Pontus until her death.
 

http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=714
http://www.stthomasirondequoit.com/SaintsAlive/id405.htm
http://satucket.com/lectionary/Macrina.htm
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09508c.htm
 

Saints of July 19:

http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/0719.htm