Was there anyone in history who was an example of the desire for Church unity?

St. Basil strove for the unity of the Church and what occupied his heart was his desire to restore unity to the churches that were torn apart by heresies. He says, “I think it suits those who serve the Lord in all honesty and sincerity, that the goal of their efforts should be the restoration of the unity of the divided churches.” Despite the sicknesses, hardships, and humiliations he had suffered, he was ready to go to any town, to speak and gather the bishops, and to take from them clear confessions of the Orthodox faith. He wrote to many bishops in the East and the West regarding the Arian heresy.

“For what could be more delightful than to behold all, who are separated by distances so vast, bound together by the union effected by love into one harmony of members in Christ's body? Nearly all the East (I include under this name all the regions from Illyricum to Egypt) is being agitated, right honorable father, by a terrible storm and tempest. The old heresy, sown by Arius the enemy of the truth, has now boldly and unblushingly reappeared. Like some sour root, it is producing its deadly fruit and is prevailing. The reason of this is, that in every district the champions of right doctrine have been exiled from their Churches by calumny and outrage … I have looked upon the visit of your mercifulness as the only possible solution of our difficulties. Ever in the past I have been consoled by your extraordinary

940 Origen, Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew 14.1 (ANF 10:495).

affection; and for a short time, my heart was cheered by the gratifying report that we shall be visited by you.”⁹⁴¹

“If, therefore, there is any consolation of love, any communion of the Spirit, if there are any feelings of pity, bestir yourselves to come to our relief. Employ zeal in the pursuit of piety, deliver us from this storm. And let that blessed dogma of the Fathers be spoken fearlessly among us, that dogma which confounds the hateful heresy of Arius and builds up the churches on the sound doctrine in which the Son is acknowledged to be consubstantial with the Father, and the Holy Spirit is numbered with Them and adored with equal honor, in order that that fearlessness in defense of the truth which the Lord gave to you, and that glory in the confession of the divine and saving Trinity.”⁹⁴²