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In the ''[[Shepherd of Hermas]]'', a second-century Christian apocalypse, the author, Hermas, encourages the wealthy to help the poor in any way they can. He says, "Instead of fields, then, purchase souls that have been afflicted, in so far as you can, and take care of widows and orphans and do not neglect them; spend your wealth and all your furnishings for such fields and horses as you have received from God. For this is why the master made you rich, that you may carry out these ministries." (Shepherd of Hermas 50:8-9). In addition Hermas reminds us that helping the poor is a great joy and that as Christians we have a duty to God to carry out his work. In one of his parables, that of the elm tree and the vine, an important lesson is learned: the vine and elm tree are mutually beneficial. Hermas explained this by saying that these two trees symbolize the slaves of God. The vine is a tree that produces fruit, while the elm tree does not. The vine that bears fruit grows on the elm tree because if it did not, it would grow on the ground and thus bear rotten fruit. It is only when the vine grows on the elm tree that it bears fruit because of elm tree's support. In this best case scenario, both the elm and the vine bear fruit because of their cooperation with each other. This parable applies to the "slaves of God, the poor and the rich." The parable is explained further: the rich have money, but are poor towards the Lord because they are distracted by their wealth and their prayer before the Lord is weak. It is when the rich depend on the poor that the rich find favor with God. The poor who find their needs supplied for by the rich then thank God for providing them with the one who supported them in their time of need. Ultimately, God gives both the rich and the poor benefits, for everything that we are given on earth is given to us from above. This is but one illustration of Christian philanthropy that was taught in the early Church.
Saint [[Basil the Great|Basil]] is a classic example of a [[saint]] who cared about philanthropy and paid particular attention to the Gospel's message as recorded in Romans 13:9-10, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Love does your neighbor no harm, so love is the fulfillment of the law."{{ref|2}} This quote from Saint Paul's letter to the Romans is the true definition of what philanthropy is; this is also the second commandment of God, which is "love your neighbor as yourself." In the West, confusion between Saint Basil and Saint [[Nicholas of Myra|Nicholas]] has occurred in that the two accounts of their lives have intermingled. Attributes of Saint Basil in providing to the poor and giving gifts to children have instead been attributed to Saint Nicholas. Saint Basil lived in the fourth century a.d. and was the Bishop of [[Caesarea]], a city in Asia Minor. One of his many well-known virtues was his broad charitable activities and educating children. In his city he St Basil founded care facilities for the elderly and visited the sick and poor regularly. A lasting monument of his episcopal care for the poor was the Basiliad, a great institute he founded before the gates of Caesarea that functioned as a combination of poorhouse, hospital, and hostel for the homeless. Saint Basil also reminds Christians of Christ's philanthropy for man when he says, "Everytime Every time we kneel down and rise up we show by deed that because of our sin we fell down upon the earth, and that we were invited back to heaven through the ''philanthropia'' of our creator."
One important Orthodox tradition that honors Saint Basil and his philanthropy is also supposed to encourage the faithful to give to the poor. In this tradition, which occurs yearly on New Year's Day, vasilopita bread is made by selected people in the [[parish]]. (Vasilopita simply means the bread of Basil.) The bread is baked with a coin inside and taken to the church for a blessing; there it is auctioned off to the highest donation for the bread. The donation of the vasilopita is then put into a fund that goes to the poor. However, some people focus too much on the cutting of the bread in order to find the coin that is contained in the bread. The person who finds the coin is said to be lucky and will be blessed with good fortune for the upcoming new year. This emphasis of the finding of the coin could undervalue the importance of the act of almsgiving and the real honor of Saint Basil's philanthropy. This ritual is intended to emphasize philanthropy.
== References ==
*Bishop Maxim Vasiljevic. "All of Us Are Beggars: Theological Foundations of Philanthropy." Included in ''Theology as Surprise: Patristic and Pastoral Insights''. St Vladimir's Seminary Press. 2018.
*Constantelos, Demetrios J. Byzantine Philanthropy and Social Welfare. New Jersey: Rutgers University Press. 1968.
*Ehraman, Bart[https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15570274.2016. Lost Scriptures1145475 "Byzantine Philanthropic Institutions and Modern Humanitarianism"] by Timothy Miller*[https: Books that Did Not Make it Into the New Testament//www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15570274. 2016.1145479?src=recsys "Orthodox Christianity and Humanitarianism: An Introduction to Thought and Practice, Past and Present"The Shepherd of Hermas] by Elizabeth H." New YorkProdromou & Nathanael Symeonides*[https: Oxford University Press//static1. 1999squarespace.com/static/5e78f10494c7b26bc99e2fd2/t/5e8e23e22d66574920296d3c/1586373602527/48.ORPHANAGES_PHILANTH_IN_BYZANTIUM.pdf "Orphanages and Philanthropy in Byzantium"] in ''Road to Emmaus'' journal
*[http://www.stjohndc.org/Russian/saints/e_9601a.htm St. Basil the Great, archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia - Universal Teacher]
*[http://www.holytrinitysf.org/familian/jan2007/ The Vasilopita: A Catalyst for Meaningful Christian Philanthropy]
