Saint Gregory Thaumaturgus, known as the Wonderworker, was born around A.D. 213 in Neocaesarea, in a pagan family. His original name was Theodore. At about the age of fourteen, he traveled with his brother Athenodorus to Caesarea in Palestine, accompanying their sister to join her husband, who had been appointed a government official there. From Caesarea, their intention was to proceed to Berytus to pursue higher studies in law.
However, while in Caesarea, they attended the lectures of Origen. Deeply inspired by his teaching, they remained there for seven years, studying philosophy and theology. Drawn to the Christian faith, Theodore received Baptism and took the name Gregory.
Returning to his native place, he was ordained Bishop of Neocaesarea at the age of forty. He served his flock faithfully for thirty years. When he became bishop, there were only seventeen Christians in Neocaesarea; but by the time of his death around A.D. 270, only seventeen pagans remained there. This remarkable transformation stands as the greatest miracle worked by God through him.
Amid the severe persecutions under Emperor Decius, he strengthened the faithful to courageously profess their faith. The feasts he organized in honor of the martyrs of persecution even attracted pagans to the Church. Gregory was truly a man of God. Many miracles occurred in his presence, and thus people began to call him in “Thaumaturgos,” Greek meaning “Wonderworker.”
Among his notable writings are a canonical letter that provides valuable insight into the discipline of the Church in the third century, and a panegyric delivered in praise of his teacher Origen after completing his studies at the School of Caesarea.
