The article discusses Christian education in the ancient times, in particular the problematic question of whether it was appropriate to use the literary legacy of pagans, often distant from the ideals of the Church, as a tool for education. Based on a treatise by Basil the Great the author strives to prove that reading pre-Christian writings can not only be good, but even necessary for Christians and their intellectual development. Without becoming rooted in the ancient pagan culture, the Christians would have never become rightful members of the society of that time
