Venerable Nicholas Cabasilas
The Venerable (Ὅσιος) Nicholas Cabasilas was born in Thessaloniki in 1322, and was the nephew of Neilos Cabasilas, who was the Archbishop of Thessaloniki. His father's surname was Khamaetos, but he preferred to use his uncle's name - Cabasilas.
Saint Nicholas received an excellent education, both at Thessaloniki and Constantinople, studying rhetoric, theology, philosophy, etc. For a time, he served as an advisor to Emperor John VI Cantacuzenos (reigned 1347-1354), who entrusted him with several important missions in this time of civil war (1341–1347) and religious strife. In the last year of his life, the Emperor abdicated and was tonsured as a monk with the name Joasaph. He remained in the renowned Manganon Monastery (Μονή των Μαγγάνων) until his death. Saint Nicholas seems to have become a monk at Manganon at the same time, and it is possible that he was ordained as a Hieromonk.
He was a disciple of Saint Gregory of Sinai (August 8), and a supporter of Saint Gregory Palamas (November 14), both of whom were proponents of hesychasm (stillness), involving the unceasing prayer of the heart, which can lead to a vision of the Uncreated Light of Tabor. Saint Nicholas took part in the Hesychast controversies of his time, which ended when the Council of 1351 proclaimed the teachings of Saint Gregory Palamas as Orthodox.
The fame of Saint Nicholas rests mainly on his two books: Explanation of the Divine Liturgy (Ἑρμηνεία τῆς θείας Λειτουργίας), and Concerning the Life in Christ (Περί της εν Χριστώ ζωής), which describes the Church's Holy Mysteries, divine grace, and perfection in the divine virtues.
In his writings Saint Nicholas expounds the hesychastic (and Patristic) teaching that the life in Christ, which begins in this life, is perfected in the Kingdom. Sanctification comes only from Christ, but sanctity is achieved when our wills are in harmony with Christ's will.
Book 6 of Concerning the Life in Christ contains some very instructive comments on the Beatitudes. Saint Nicholas points out that those who study and meditate on these sayings of Christ shall become truly happy. He compares the Beatitudes to "a ladder by which we may ascend to (the life of blessedness)."
Some of his sermons have survived: on the Ascension, on the Annunciation, etc. There are also encomia in honor of Saint Demetrios, Saint Theodora, Saint Nicholas, and the Three Hierarchs.
The date of Saint Nicholas's blessed repose is uncertain, but it probably occurred before 1391. If that is true, then he must have been aware of the fall of Thessaloniki to the Turks in 1387.
Saint Nicholas Cabasilas was glorified as a saint on July 19,1983. The Troparion composed in his honor describes him as "a divine teacher, a wise interpreter of the dogmas of faith, and of the divine virtues."