Fathers

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What the Fathers say

Joel 2:11

Eastern Fathers

Basil of Caesarea

If then the beginning of time is called "one day" rather than "the first day," it is because Scripture wishes to establish its relationship with eternity. It was, in reality, fit and natural to call "one" the day whose character is to be one wholly separated and isolated from all the others. If Scripture speaks to us of many ages, saying everywhere, "age of age, and ages of ages," we do not see it enumerate them as first, second, and third. …

Homilies on the Hexaemeron 2.8 ↗

Western Saints

Ambrose of Milan

He also very cleverly called one day not the first; for the following second, and third day, and thereafter the rest, he could have called the first: and this seemed to be an order, but he established a law, that only twenty-four hours of daylight and darkness should be defined by name for one day, so that if he were to say: "The measure of twenty-four hours is the time of one day." Just as the generation of men is computed, and the generation of women is also understood, because they are connected with the second and superior; so …

The Six Days of Creation 1.10.37 ↗