Biography
Basil the Confessor of Decapolis
About Basil the Confessor of Decapolis
Basil was a monk remembered with Procopius of Decapolis during the eighth-century dispute over icons. Their church account places their suffering under Emperor Leo the Isaurian, who ruled from 717 to 741.
According to this received account, Basil and Procopius were tortured and imprisoned for supporting the veneration of icons. They remained in confinement until the emperor died. After their release, they resumed monastic life and instructed others in their faith. The Orthodox Church in America dates Basil’s peaceful death to 750. Its short notice does not identify his birthplace or supply a detailed history before his imprisonment.
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