Among the earliest Christian reflections on the six days of creation stands the Hexaemeron of St. Basil, composed in the fourth century. As bishop of Caesarea and one of the most influential theologians of the early Church, St. Basil offers in these nine homilies a work that combines cosmology, moral instruction, and theological argument. Addressed not to scholars but to ordinary Christians, he walks through the text of Genesis line by line, inviting his listeners–and readers–to examine their own lives in light of unchanging spiritual truths.

This new translation by Anthony K. Irvine preserves the structure and gravity of the original text while rendering it in language suited to the modern reader. With careful attention to the historical and theological context, it offers an accessible yet faithful presentation of St. Basil's work—an enduring resource for those seeking to understand the perspectives of the early Church Fathers.