Basil or Basilius, chief of the Bogomiles of the twelfth centur}-. This sect took its rise in Bulgaria. Though it is likely that their enemies laid false charges against them, it is clear that the}- held many corrupt I ideas and practices. From their habit of incessant praying they derived the name of Bogomili, which in the Sclavonic language means "God have mercy upon us." In their notions they resembled the Manichseans and Paulicians, which last sect arose about the same time. They denied the Trinity ; held that the body of Jesus was a phantom, and that Michael the archangel was incarnate. They opposed the worship of the Vir- gin, of the saints, and of images. They affected an appearance of extreme sanctity, and wore the monkish
BASIL
684
BASILIAN MANUSCRIPT
dress. Basilius was a physician, and had twelve prin- | cipal followers, whom he designated his apostles, and also some women, who went about spreading the poison of his doctrine everywhere. When before the council called by the patriarch John IX in 1118 to examine Into the matter, Basilius refused to deny his doctrine, and declared that he was willing to endure any tor- ment, and death itself. One peculiar notion of this sect was that no torment could affect them, and that the angels would deliver them even from the fire._ Ba- silius himself was condemned in the above-mentioned council, and burnt in this year. Several of his follow- ers, when seized, retracted ; others, among whom were some of those whom he called his apostles, were kept in prison, and died there. Several councils were held upon this subject. See Neander, Ch. Hist, iv, 555 sq. ; Landon, Eccl. Diet, ii, 67. See Bogomiles.
Basil (St.), Liturgy of, one of the three litur- gies used in the Greek Church, the other two being those of St. Gregory and St. Chrysostom. They are read at distinct seasons of the year ; that of Basil be- ing read on the five Sundays of the Great Lent, on the Thursdays and Saturdays of the Holy Week, on the eves of Christmas and the Epiphany, and on the first day of the year.— Palmer, Orig. Liturg. i, 46 sq. See Basil; Liturgies.
Basilean Manuscript (Codex Basilensis), the name of two important MSS. of the Greek Test, now in the public library of Basle. See Manuscripts (Biblical).
1. An uncial cop}' of the Four Gospels, with a few hiatus (Luke iii, 4-15 ; xxiv, 47-53, being wanting ; while Luke i, 60— ii, 4 ; xii, 58-xiii, 12 ; xv, 5-20, are by a later hand), usually designated as E of the Gos- pels (technically K, iv, 35; formerly B, vi, 21). It is written in round full letters, with accents and breath- ings, one column only on the page, with the Ammoni- an sections ; but, instead of the Eusebian canons, there is a kind of harmony of the Gospels noted at the foot of each page by a reference to the parallel sections in the other evangelists. This MS. appears to belong to the eighth century, and the additions of a subsequent hand seem to indicate that they were made in the ninth cen- tury. It appears that it Was formerly used as a church MS. at Constantinople, and it may be considered to be one of the best specimens of what has been called the Constantinopolitan class of texts. It was presented to a monastery in Basle by Cardinal de Ragusio in the fifteenth century. Wetstein collated this MS., and this was also done (independently) by Tischen- dorf, Miiller of Basle, and Tregelles. It has never been published in full.— Tregelles, in Home's Introd., new ed. iv, 200 ; Scrivener, Introduction, p. 103 sq.
A
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Specimen of the uncial L'usle Manuscript (Luke xxii, 2, 3 : Kai t£i;Toi'v ol up;
Kuothpa*
2. A cursive MS. of the entire N. T. except the Apocalypse, numbered 1 of the Gospels, Acts, and Epistles (technically designated as K, iii, 3 ; formerly B, vi, 27). It was known to Erasmus, who, however, used it but little, although his associates thought high- ly of it. It was for a considerable time in the posses- sion of Reuchlin, who borrowed it from the Dominican monks at Basle : the latter received it from Cardinal de Ragusio. Wetstein was the first who thoroughly examined it ; he used it with great commendation at first, but afterward disparaged it. The reason for these discordant opinions is doubtless to be found in the character of the MS. itself, which differs greatly
Basilian Manuscript (Codex Basiliaxus), an uncial copy of the whole Apocalypse (of which it is usually designated as B), found among ancient hom- ilies of Basil and Gregory of Nyssa, and valuable from the scarcity of early MSS. of the Revelation. It de- rives its name from having formerly belonged to the Basilian monaster}' at Rome (then designated as No. 105), but it is now deposited in the Vatican library (where it is known as 2066). It was first known from a notice and fac-simile by Blanchini (Evangelariarum Quadruplex, 1748, ii, 525). Wetstein requested a col- lation of it from Cardinal Quirini, but the extracts sent came too late for publication in his N. T., and proved