Saints of the Early Christian Church

Ambrose is the patron saint of learning, also referred to as St. Ambrose, the Bishop of Milan. He opposed the Arian Heresy and was active in the court of Emperors Gratian and Theodosius. Ambrose used his personal fortune to ransom captives taken by the Goths.

St. Anthony, called the Father of Monasticism, was born about 251 A.D. in Egypt, and spent much of his adult life as a desert hermit (eremite).

Augustine was one of the eight great doctors of the Christian Church and possibly the most influential philosopher ever. He was born in North Africa at Tagaste in A.D. 354 and died in A.D. 430.

Basil wrote, "Longer Rules" and "Shorter Rules" for monastic life. Basil sold his family's holdings to buy food for the poor. Basil became Bishop of Caesarea in 370, at a time when an Arian emperor was ruling.

Gregory of Nazianzus was a "golden-voiced" orator and one of the 8 great Doctors of the Church (Ambrose, Jerome, Augustine, Gregory the Great, Athanasius, John Chrysostom, Basil the Great, and Gregory of Nazianzus).

Helena was the mother of Emperor Constantine, who, upon her conversion to Christianity, went to the Holy Land where she is credited by some with having discovered the True Cross. More »

Irenaeus was a second-century bishop in Gaul and Christian theologian whose importance lies in the area of helping establish the canonical New Testament and a picture of one of Christianity's offshoots, Gnosticism.

Isidore is considered the last of the Latin Church fathers. He helped to convert the Arian Visigoths to the orthodox Christianity. He was made archbishop in about 600.

Jerome is known as the scholar who translated the Bible into the language the people could read, Latin. He is considered the most learned of the Latin Church Fathers, being fluent in Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, with knowledge of Aramaic, Arabic, and Syriac. More »

John Chrysostom was known for his eloquence; hence, his name Chrysostom (golden mouth). John was born at Antioch, the second city of the Eastern half of the Roman Empire. John became a bishop in Constantinople, but his preaching against corruption led to his exile.

St. Macrina the Younger (c.330-380) was the sister of St. Gregory of Nyssa and St. Basil the Great. From Caesarea in Cappadocia, Macrina was betrothed, but when her fiance died, she refused to marry anyone else and became a nun. She and another of her brothers turned the family estate into a convent and monastery.

Patrick was born in the late fourth century (c. A.D. 390). Although the family lived in the village of Bannavem Taberniaei, in Roman Britain, Patrick would one day become the most successful Christian missionary in Ireland, its patron saint, and the subject of legends. More »