Basil the Confessor was an 8th-century monk from the Byzantine Empire who is recognized as a saint in the Eastern Orthodox tradition. During the period of iconoclasm, he and his mentor, Procopius of Decapolis, faced imprisonment under the rule of Emperor Leo III. They remained in captivity until the emperor's death in 741, after which they were permitted to return to their monastic life. He passed away in 750 and is commemorated on February 28.