Basil (disambiguation)

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The name Basil, has origins from the male Greek name Βασίλειος ("Basileios"). It is derived from Gr. βασιλεύς a word of pre-Hellenic origin meaning kingly or royal from "basileus" which means king. The female version is Bασιλική ("Vasiliki").

In Arabic, the name means "brave" and the name has been derived in different languages to include: Basile in French; Basilius in German; Basilio in Italian and Spanish and Vasil in Albanian.

Basil has many variant forms: Basile, Basilic, Basilides, Basileios, Basilie, Basilio, Basilius, Bazeel, Bazeelius, Bazil, Bazyli, Vasil, Vasile, Vasileos, Vasilije, Vasilios, Vasilios, Vasilius, Vasilus, Vassilis, Vasili, Vassili, Vasily, Vassilij, Vassily and Wassily.

There are several saints named Basil, including the following:

January

February

March

April

May

No commemorations

June

July

August

September

No commemorations

October

November

December

No commemoration Date

  • Basil of the 300 Alamanous Cyprian martyrs and Bishop No commemoration

Historical Byzantine emperors

  • Basil I the Macedonian, Byzantine E. (811-886, ruled from 867)
  • Basil II Bulgaroktonus, Byzantine E. (958-1025, ruled from 976)

Religious Leaders

Basil (Ocimum basilicum)

The naming of this plant comes from the Greek basileus, meaning "king", as it is believed to have grown above the spot where St. Helen discovered the Holy Cross. This plant is used within Orthodox worship, particulary in the Service of the blessing of the waters.