List of Church Fathers

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The following is a list of Christian Church Fathers. Catholics generally regard the Patristic period to have closed with the death of John of Damascus, a Doctor of the Church, in 749. However, Eastern Orthodox Christians believe that the Patristic period is ongoing. Therefore, the list is split into two tables.

Until John of Damascus


Church Father Date of death Notes
Adrian the monk of Antioch   wrote a manual on the Antiochene method of Scriptural exegesis<ref name="OCE">http://www.bible.net.au</ref>
Alexander of Alexandria<ref name="AI">http://www.bible.net.au</ref> 326  
Alexander of Lycopolis 4th century  
Ambrose of Milan 397 one of the Four Great Doctors of the Western Church; strongly opposed Arianism
Amphilochius of Iconium<ref name="OCE" /><ref name="AI" /> before 403  
Ananias of Shirak<ref name="AI" /><ref name="PR">http://www.bible.net.au</ref> 7th century wrote a work on Christmas and one on Easter
Anastasius Sinaita<ref name="OCE" /><ref name="AI" /> 7th century  
Andrew of Caesarea<ref name="OCE" /> 6th century commented on the Apocalypse
Andrew of Crete<ref name="AI" /> 8th century author of the 250-strophe Great Canon
Anthony the Great<ref name="OCE" /> 356  
Aphraates 367 Mesopotamian bishop who authored 23 homilies<ref name="OCE" />
Apollinaris of Laodicea    
Apollonius of Ephesus 210  
Archelaus   wrote against Manichaeism
Aristides the Athenian<ref name="OCE" /><ref name="AI" /> 134  
Aristo of Pella<ref name="OCE" /> 2nd century  
Arnobius<ref name="OCE" /> 330 author of Against the Heathen
Arsenius the Great 445  
Aspringius of Beja   commented on the Apocalypse<ref name="ACCR">http://www.bible.net.au</ref>
Asterius of Amasea<ref name="AI" /> 405 wrote sermons on morality including topics like divorce and covetousness, and the parables of Jesus Christ
Athanasius 373 one of the Four Great Doctors of the Eastern Church
Athenagoras of Athens<ref name="OCE" /> 190 wrote in defense of the resurrection of the dead<ref name="AI" />
Atticus<ref name="OCE" /> 420s  
Augustine of Hippo 430 one of the Four Great Doctors of the Western Church (Doctor Gratiae)
Aurelius Prudentius<ref name="OCE" /><ref name="AI" /> early 5th century commented on the Psalms<ref name="PS5">http://www.bible.net.au</ref>
Ausonius 395  
Avitus of Vienne<ref name="OCE" /> 523 author of the five-book poem De spiritualis historiae gestis; converted King Sigismund; combated Arianism
Barnabas<ref name="AI" /> 61  
Basil the Great of Caesarea 379 one of the Four Great Doctors of the Eastern Church and one of the Three Holy Hierarchs; father of monachism
Bede<ref name="OCE" /> 735 Doctor of the Church and author of Ecclesiastical History of the English People
Benedict of Nursia<ref name="OCE" /><ref name="AI" /> 547 best known for the Rule of St Benedict
Boethius<ref name="AI" /> 520s author of Consolation of Philosophy
Braulio of Saragossa 651 commented on the Psalms<ref name="PS5" />
Caesarius of Arles<ref name="OCE" /> 542 commented on the Apocalypse
Caius 3rd century  
Cassiodorus<ref name="OCE" /><ref name="AI" /> 585  
Chromatius<ref name="AI" /> 407 wrote sermons on the Gospel of Matthew
Clement of Alexandria 210s  
Pope Clement I 101  
Coelius Sedulius<ref name="OCE" /> 5th century  
Columba of Iona<ref name="OCE" /><ref name="AI" /> 597  
Commodianus 3rd century  
Cyprian of Carthage<ref name="OCE" /> 258  
Cyril of Alexandria 444 Doctor of the Church (Doctor Incarnationis) combated the Nestorian heresy
Cyril of Jerusalem 386 Doctor of the Church who wrote thorough instructions to catechumens and baptized Christians<ref name="OCE" />
Pope Damasus I 384  
Didymus the Blind<ref name="OCE" /> 398 teacher of Jerome and Rufinus; follower of Origen; opponent of Arianism and the Macedonian heresy; works condemned at the Fifth Ecumenical Council and the Sixth Ecumenical Council
Diodore of Tarsus<ref name="OCE" /> 390  
Dionysius of Corinth<ref name="OCE" /> 2nd century  
Pope Dionysius of Rome<ref name="OCE" /> 268 combated Sabellianism
Dionysius the Areopagite    
Pope Dionysius the Great of Alexandria 265  
Ephrem the Syrian 373 Doctor of the Church
Epiphanius of Salamis 403 friend of Jerome who strongly opposed Origenism and wrote a history of heresies
Eucherius of Lyon<ref name="OCE" /><ref name="AI" /> 449  
Eugippius<ref name="PR" /> 6th century  
Eusebius of Caesarea 339  
Eusebius of Emesa 360 commented on Genesis<ref name="ACCG">http://www.bible.net.au</ref>
Eusebius of Vercelli<ref name="OCE" /> 371  
Firmilian<ref name="OCE" /> 269  
Fulgentius of Ruspe 6th century  
Gaius Marius Victorinus 4th century combated Arianism<ref name="OCE" />
Gennadius of Massilia<ref name="OCE" /> 496  
Pope Gregory I the Great 604 one of the Four Great Doctors of the Western Church and author of Dialogues
Gregory of Nazianzus 389 one of the Four Great Doctors of the Eastern Church; one of three Orthodox saints honored with the title "The Theologian;" one of the Three Holy Hierarchs
Gregory of Nyssa 394  
Gregory of Tours<ref name="AI" /> 594  
Gregory Thaumaturgus 270  
Hegesippus of Palestine<ref name="OCE" /> 180 a Jewish convert who combated Gnosticism and Marcionism
Hermias<ref name="AI" /> 3rd century  
Hesychius of Jerusalem 5th century  
Hilary of Poitiers 367 Doctor of the Church
Hippolytus of Rome<ref name="OCE" /><ref name="AI" /> 235  
Ignatius of Antioch 107  
Irenaeus end of 2nd or beginning of 3rd century  
Isaac of Nineveh 700 ascetic author of many spiritual homilies who commented on the Psalms<ref name="PS5" /> and contributed significantly to Syrian piety; was not Christologically Nestorian<ref name="ION">http://www.bible.net.au</ref>
Isho’dad of Mery   commented on the Book of Job
Isidore of Pelusium 449 author of 2000 letters dealing primarily with allegorical exegesis<ref name="OCE" />
Isidore of Seville<ref name="OCE" /><ref name="AI" /> 636 Doctor of the Church
Jacob of Serugh<ref name="PR" /><ref name="PS5" /><ref name="JP">http://www.bible.net.au</ref> 521 a.k.a. Mar Jacob
Jerome 420 one of the Four Great Doctors of the Western Church
John Cassian<ref name="OCE" /><ref name="JP" /> 435  
John Chrysostom 407 one of the Four Great Doctors of the Eastern Church and one of the Three Holy Hierarchs
John Climacus<ref name="JP" /> 606  
John of Damascus 749 Doctor of the Church and author of An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith and ascetic and exegetical writings and hymns; Peter Lombard based his Four Books of Sentences on the works of John of Damascus and Thomas Aquinas based his Summa Theologica on Peter Lombard’s Sentences
Julianus Pomerius<ref name="OCE" />   author of De Vita Contemplativa concerning Christian sanctity
Julius Firmicus Maternus 4th century  
Justin Martyr 165  
Juvencus<ref name="OCE" /> 4th century  
Lactantius 320  
Pope Leo I the Great 461 Doctor of the Church
Leontius of Byzantium<ref name="OCE" /> 543  
Lucian of Antioch<ref name="OCE" /> 312  
Lucifer<ref name="OCE" /> 370 combated Arianism and defended Athanasius at the Council of Milan in 354
Macarius of Alexandria<ref name="JP" /> 395  
Macarius of Egypt<ref name="JP" /> 391  
Malchion   played key role in the deposition of Paul of Samosata
Marcus Minucius Felix<ref name="OCE" /><ref name="JP" />   author of Octavianus
Marius Mercator 451 made a compilation on Nestorianism and another on Pelagianism<ref name="OCE" />
Martin of Bruga 4th century commented on the Psalms<ref name="PS5" />
Martin of Tours<ref name="JP" /> 397  
Mathetes   author of an Epistle to Diognetus
Maximus of Turin<ref name="OCE" /> 465  
Maximus the Confessor<ref name="OCE" /><ref name="JP" /> 662  
Meletius of Antioch<ref name="JP" /> 381  
Melito of Sardis 180 author of an important sermon called On Pascha about the Resurrection of Jesus Christ
Methodius of Olympus<ref name="OCE" /><ref name="JP" /> 311 combated Origenism
Moses of Chorene 490 author of A History of Armenia
Nectarius of Constantinople<ref name="JP" /> 398  
Nicetas of Remesiana   the patron saint of Romania commented on the Psalms<ref name="PS5" />
Nilus of Sinai 430  
Nonnus 5th century  
Novatian<ref name="OCE" /> 258 commented on the Psalms<ref name="PS5" />
Oecumenius 6th century author of the first extant Greek commentary on the Apocalypse<ref name="ACCR" />
Optatus 4th century combated Donatism<ref name="OCE" />
Origen of Alexandria 254 posthumously anathematized at Fifth Ecumenical Council (533)
Orosius<ref name="OCE" /> 420  
Pachomius<ref name="OCE" /><ref name="JP" /> 348 Father of Christian cenobitic monasticism
Pacian of Barcelona<ref name="JP" /> 391 combated Novatianism
Palladius of Helenopolis<ref name="OCE" /><ref name="JP" /> 5th century  
Pamphilus of Caesarea 309  
Pantamus 214 first to make the Catechetical school of Alexandria famous<ref name="OCE" />
Papias<ref name="JP" /> 155 disciple of John the Evangelist and Ariston<ref name="OCE" />
Patrick<ref name="JP" /> 5th century  
Paulinus of Nola<ref name="JP" /> 431  
Peter Chrysologus 450 Doctor of the Church
Pope Peter of Alexandria 311  
Philip the priest   commented on the Book of Job
Philoxenus of Hierapolis<ref name="PR" /> 6th century author of 13 ascetic discourses who combated Nestorianism, Manichaeism, and Marcionism
Poemen   commented on the Psalms<ref name="PS5" />
Polycarp 155  
Proclus of Constantinople 440s  
Prohaeresius<ref name="OCE" /> 367  
Prosper of Aquitaine<ref name="OCE" /> 455  
Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite   author of The Divine Names, The Mystical Theology, The Celestial Hierarchy, The Ecclesiastical Hierarchy, and the non-extant Theological Outlines; quoted extensively in the Summa Theologica of Thomas Aquinas
Quadratus of Athens<ref name="OCE" /> 2nd century wrote a non-extant apology to Emperor Hadrian
Rabbula<ref name="PR" /><ref name="QZ">http://www.bible.net.au</ref> 435 ascetic and energetic bishop of Edessa and ally of Cyril of Alexandria who opposed the heretical teachings of Nestorius
Romanos the Melodist<ref name="QZ" /> 556
Sahdona   commented on the Psalms<ref name="PS5" />
Salvian<ref name="OCE" /><ref name="QZ" /> 490s Gallic author of On the government of God
Severian of Gabala 408 commented on Genesis<ref name="ACCG" /> and the First and Second Epistle to the Corinthians
Severus of Antioch<ref name="PR" /><ref name="QZ" /> 6th century  
Sextus Julius Africanus<ref name="OCE" /><ref name="JP" /> 3rd century  
Sidonius Apollinaris<ref name="OCE" /><ref name="QZ" />    
Socrates of Constantinople 5th century  
Sophronius<ref name="QZ" /> 638  
Sozomen 450  
Sulpicius Severus<ref name="QZ" /> 420 disciple and biographer of Martin of Tours and author of an Ecclesiastical History<ref name="OCE" />
Synesius of Syrene<ref name="OCE" /><ref name="QZ" /> 414  
Tatian 185  
Tertullian 222 died a Montanist
Theodore of Mopsuestia<ref name="OCE" /> 428 commented on Acts of the Apostles and the First and Second Epistle to the Corinthians
Theodoret of Cyrus 457 continuator of Eusebius of Caesarea<ref name="OCE" />
Theodotus of Ancyra 4th century  
Theophilus of Antioch<ref name="OCE" /> 180s first writer known to have used the term Trinity to describe the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit
Theotimos 407  
Tichonius 390 commented on the Apocalypse; his seven principles of interpretation from his Book of Rules inspired Augustine of Hippo <ref name="ACCR" />
Tyrannius Rufinus 410 friend of Jerome and continuator of Eusebius of Caesarea<ref name="OCE" /> who commented on the Psalms<ref name="PS5" />
Valerian of Cimiez   commented on the Psalms<ref name="PS5" />
Venantius Fortunatus 600s wrote a poem on Easter
Victor of Antioch   commented on the Gospel of Mark<ref name="OCE" />
Victorinus of Pettau 303 author of On the Creation of the World and a Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John
Vincent of Lérins 450  
Zeno of Verona 371  
Pope Zephyrinus 217 commented on the Psalms

After John of Damascus


Church Father Date of death Notes
Athanasius the Athonite<ref name="AI" /> 1000  
Gregory Palamas<ref name="AZK">http://www.bible.net.au</ref> 1359 Pillar of Orthodoxy and defender of Hesychasm
Innocent of Alaska 1879 his The Way Into the Kingdom of Heaven is often used as an Orthodox catechism<ref name="AI" />
Mark of Ephesus<ref name="JP" /> 1444 Pillar of Orthodoxy
Nicholas Cabasilas<ref name="JP" /> 1391  
Photius the Great<ref name="JP" /><ref name="AZK" /> 893 Pillar of Orthodoxy and author of Bibliotheca
Symeon Metaphrastes<ref name="QZ"/> 10th century  
Symeon the New Theologian<ref name="AZK" /> 1022 one of three Orthodox saints honored with the title "The Theologian"
Theodore the Studite 826  
Theophan the Recluse<ref name="QZ" /> 1894  

Notes and References

See also

Template:Christian History

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