St. Gregory Thaumaturgus

St. Gregory Thaumaturgus was born around 213 at Neocaesarea in Pontus (in modern Turkey) into a pagan family, and died around 270. As a young man studying law he came under the influence of the great teacher Origen at Caesarea, who led him to embrace the Christian faith and formed him in Scripture and philosophy; Gregory later wrote a grateful panegyric to his master. Returning home, he was made bishop of Neocaesarea.

His surname 'Thaumaturgus' means 'the Wonderworker,' given for the many miracles attributed to him. A tireless evangelist, he is said to have found only a handful of Christians in his city when he began and to have left only a handful of pagans at his death. He also composed one of the earliest surviving statements of Trinitarian faith. He is venerated as a saint and a Father of the early Church.