Three Hierarchs

Today's Feast on the Eastern Calendar (Byzantine Catholic/Eastern Orthodox) is an interesting one in light of Christian unity. The Synaxis of The Three Hierarchs: Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, & John Chrysostom was instituted a little before the year 1100 because of a dispute and strife that arose at the time. Some theologians in the East preferred Basil, while others preferred Gregory, and yet others preferred John Chrysostom. Each party, in order to distinguish itself from the others, assumed the name of its preferred Saint; Basilians, Gregorians, or Johannites. When the three saints appeared together to a bishop in Asia Minor they declared that they were equal in glory and honor. Argument over.