Today is the Feast of Ss. Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen. I posted once a great speech of Gregory – his farewell address at First Constantinople, after he abdicated from the patriarchal throne after a few weeks’ time… First Constantinople was one of the craziest ecumenical councils we’ve ever had (while Chalcedon is probably the craziest, the most dramatic, and even the most important). You can also read some of Gregory’s letters to Basil here…

Today, a different act of filial piety – I found some footage of Pius XI which I had never seen before. That’s unusual. I recently held some photographs in my hands that have not been published, and I am also now in possession of a copy of his handwritten notes on the (in)famous paragraphs in Quadragesimo Anno which almost provoked a civil war. I also discovered his seemingly unpublished diaries about his time as nuncio in Poland.

Speaking of Poland…

I return to Rome in a few days. Next week I begin work in the Jesuit archives, looking at things going on there during Pius XI’s papacy… He was very close to the Superior General (Polish!), whose family was enormously impressive – more on that later.

Saints Basil and Gregory, pray for us!