Church Father
The Church Fathers are ancient and influential Christian theologians, some of whom were great teachers or bishops. Only early teachers of Christianity are seen as Fathers by the Western Church. However, the Orthodox Church honors many more recent saints as "Fathers".
- Western Church: Ambrose (340–397 AD), Jerome (347–420 AD), Augustine (354–430 AD) and Saint Gregory the Great (540–604 AD)
- Eastern Church: Athanasius (c. 296–373 AD), Basil the Great (c. 329–379 AD), Gregory of Nazianzus (329–c. 389 AD) and John Chrysostom (347–407 AD)
Church Father Media
The Church Fathers, an 11th-century Kievan Rus' miniature from Svyatoslav's miscellany
The Three Holy Hierarchs of the Eastern Church: Basil of Caesarea (left), John Chrysostom (center) and Gregory of Nazianzus (right).
St. Athanasius, depicted with a gospel book, an iconographic symbol used mostly for priests and bishops as preachers of the gospel
Print of Jerome in his study. Preserved in the Ghent University Library.
Coptic icon depicting Anthony the Great (left) and Paul of Thebes (right)
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