GREGORY THAU'MATUR'GUS (Gk. rpn 76ptos Oavaaravpy6s, Gregorios Thaumatourgos, Gregory the Miracle-Worker), SAINT (c.210-70). Bishop of Neocusarea in Pontus, his native city. Sprung from an illustrious and wealthy heathen family, he was educated as a rhetorician; but an acquaintance with Origen at Cnsarea, in Palestine, in 233, led him to give up the law, and apply himself under his new master to the study of the Holy Scriptures and Greek philosophy. When Maximin's persecutions forced Origen to leave Cusarea, Gregory went to Alexandria, and stayed there for a time. Gordian having suc ceeded Maximin, Origen returned to Cnsarea, and Gregory went thither to renew his studies under him. Most probably it was at that period also that he was baptized, and changed his name from Theodorus to Gregory. Recalled to his family (238), instead of striving for those posts of honor for which he had been destined, he retired into solitude; but was so often besought to return and labor for the Church that he allowed himself to be consecrated Bishop of Neocnsarea about 240. The city was wealthy and populous, but utterly unchristian. Gregory applied himself to his work with the utmost zeal. According to the stories, he wrought many miracles, thereby winning his epithet, the 'Miracle-Worker.' During the per secution of Decius, which broke out in 250, Greg ory fled, with a great part of his flock. In 251 the Emperor Decius died, and Gregory returned to .Neoccesarea. He now instituted a general festival for those Christians who had fallen dur ing the persecution, and permitted the faithful to celebrate it with banquets and sports like those which accompanied heathen festivals—a proceeding by which he intended to draw over the pagan multitude to Christianity, but which has been severely blamed. In 265, with his
brother Athenodorus, he was at the Council of Antioch, which had been convoked for the purpose of condemning the heresies of Paul, Bishop of Samosata. Whether Gregory also took part in the second council (270), necessitated by Paul's refusal to abdicate, is very uncertain. He died at Neocusarea, 270. The genuine works of Greg ory are a panegyric on Origen, delivered in public before his return to his native place; a creed said to have been revealed by the Virgin Mary; a paraphrase of Ecclesiastes, often and wrongly attributed to Gregory of Nazianzus; and a `Canonical Epistle,' setting forth the punishments and penances to be undergone by such Christians as had bought booty from pagan soldiers. The first collected edition of his works was published by Vossius (Mayence, 1604) ;' a more complete edition appeared in Paris (1622). They are in Migne, Patrol. Grceea, x.; English translation in The Ante-Nicene Fathers, vi. (Buffalo, 1886-96). Much of our knowledge of Gregory comes from Gregory of Nyssa's life of him (in Migne, Patrol. (7rceca, x.). For his life, consult Ryssel (Leip zig, 1880).