PETER, bishop of Sebaste, saint. — Brother of St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory of Nyssa, born before 349.
Educated by his sister Macrina in a strict Christian life, he entered, when grown, the monastery founded by Basil, where he became abbot and distinguished himself especially for his outstanding charity. In 370 he was ordained priest by St. Basil himself, who also sent him on various missions, and in 380 consecrated him bishop of Sebaste in Lesser Armenia; as such he took part in the Council of Constantinople in 381. His brother St. Gregory dedicated several writings to him. He died about 392. In the Hieronymian Martyrology he is commemorated on March 26, and in the Roman Martyrology on January 9.
BIBL.: Tillemont, IX, pp. 572–76, 737–39; Acta SS. Ianuarii, I, Paris 1863, pp. 588–90; Martyr. Hieronymianum, p. 163; Martyr. Romanum, p. 13. Agostino Amore