The Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great: Orthodox Service Books - Number 2

That St. Basil composed a Liturgy, or rather reformed an existing Liturgy, is beyond doubt, since besides the constant tradition of the Byzantine Church there are many testimonies in ancient writings to establish the fact. In a treatise on the tradition of the Divine liturgy attributed to St. Proclus, it is stated that when St. Basil noticed the slothfulness and degeneracy of men, how they were wearied by the length of the liturgy, he shortened it in order to cure their sloth. It is not known precisely just what the nature of Basil's reform was. According to the tradition of the Orthodox Church, their Liturgy is practically the work of St. Basil. This is older than either of the other two Byzantine Liturgies (Chrysostom and the Presanctified), and is mentioned under the name of St. Basil in ancient times as if it were then the normal Liturgy. Since the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom has become the normal liturgy of the Byzantine Church, that of St. Basil is now used only ten times a year.