# From the Sayings of St. Basil the Great on the Doctrine of Theosis (Deification)

> St. Basil the Great: just as bright, transparent bodies become radiant when rays of light fall on them, so souls that bear the Spirit become spiritual.

*2026-10-13T08:14:32Z*

![“Just as bright, transparent bodies, when rays of light fall on them, themselves become radiant and shed forth a fresh brightness from themselves, so Spirit-bearing souls, when they are illuminated by the Holy Spirit, themselves become wholly spiritual… likeness to God, and the highest of all desires: to become God!” — St. Basil the Great, On the Holy Spirit, 9 (23)](/uploads/sites/1274e232-e31c-46f4-a48b-27b854406479/media/evidence-71c967f3-8192-45f5-bc8f-c74ebec10b4e-en-square.png?w=1080&h=1080)

### St. Basil the Great says in “On the Holy Spirit 9 (23)”:

Just as bright, transparent bodies, when rays of light fall on them, themselves become radiant and shed forth a fresh brightness from themselves, so Spirit-bearing souls, when they are illuminated by the Holy Spirit, themselves become wholly spiritual, and send forth this grace to others also. Hence (from the Holy Spirit) comes the knowledge of things to come, the understanding of the Mysteries, the apprehension of hidden things, the distribution of gifts, the heavenly way of life, a place in the chorus of the angels, joy without end, abiding in God, likeness to God, and the highest of all desires: to become God!

### Who is St. Basil the Great?

Born 329 AD and reposed 379 AD. He was named after his father Basil, which in the Greek language means the Kingdom. Basil was the eldest of the sons in a family of ten children, five sons and five daughters, among them three bishops: Basil, bishop of Caesarea of Cappadocia; Gregory, bishop of Nyssa; and Peter, bishop of Sebaste. Basil was distinguished in eloquence, rhetoric, philosophy, astronomy, geometry and medicine, without abandoning the flame of faith, so he later became the best example of using human sciences in the service of the divine Word.

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Source: https://abba.fadymondy.com/en/blog/st-basil-the-great-on-theologya