In his funeral oration for St. Basil, St. Gregory of Nazianzus calls him a standard of virtue, a noble champion of the truth, and a second Joseph for feeding the hungry in a time of famine. The centuries-long dissemination and study of Basil's works has only confirmed Gregory's appraisal of Basil's great personal holiness, his profound insight into the eloquent defense of the Christian faith, his self-effacing generosity toward the poor and the needy, and his wise and expert guidance for those who sought along with him a deeper union with the Lord through the ascetic life.On the Holy Spirit is a classic expression of the Church's faith in the Spirit and a lasting testimony to Basil's Christian erudition. Again in the words of Gregory, Basil's treatise was written by a pen borrowed from the Spirit's store.