It has been shown that there were thousands of women who lived in the desert and played leadership roles among the Christians.  Some of the most important who have come down to us are Amma Sarah, Amma Syncletica and Amma Theodora.  The term “Amma”, in much the same way as “Abba”, designates the spiritual mother and father who were the counsels and wise teachers who were sought out for their words of wisdom.  In fact, the desert mothers and fathers can be considered the so-called “pioneers of the spiritual mother/father tradition.”

Selected quotes from the Desert Mothers:

Blessed Syncletica:

“If any fall, you say with humility: ‘Forgive me,’
then it will be forgiven you.”

Blessed Syncletica:

“May your mind always be in the Kingdom of Heaven,
and soon you will inherit it.”

Blessed Theodora:

“Psalmody and reading, fasting and night prayer in silence,
my child, all transform the soul to God.”

Blessed Theodora:

“If you think upon that which is good, you will be disposed to it.
Human thought is never hidden from God.   For this reason,
your thoughts must always be clean of all evil.”

Blessed Theodora:

“Staying awake to meditate cleanses the mind,
fasting humbles the body,
Prayer unites us to God.”

The above quotes are quoted from Matericon: Instructions of Abba Isaiah to the Honorable Nun Theodora.  Quoted in “A Glimpse into the Wisdom of the Desert Mothers: Bibliography and Prayer for Modern-Day Practitioners,” by V.K. McCarty.  PDF downloaded from Academia.edu, page 5.

Read more:
– The Desert Mothers -Who Are They
– Saying Of The Desert Mothers

Books:
– The Desert Mothers: Spiritual Practices from the Women of the Wilderness, Mary C. Earle, New York City: Morehouse Publishing, 2007.

– Wisdom of the Desert: Sayings from the Desert Fathers of the Fourth Century together with Selections from “The Protreptikos of Clement of Alexandria and The Spiritual Father in the Desert Tradition, Thomas Merton, London
ew York: Burns & Oates, 1997.  (Merton’s study incorporates sayings from the ammas as well.)

– Harlots of the Desert: A Study of Repentance in Early Monastic Sources, Benedicta Ward  Cistercian Publications, 1987.

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1. “We understand what shall be through the Gospels” – St Ambrose Of Milan

“Though Christ has not touched the bier, yet He has received the spirit commended to Him, and if He has not called the dead by the bodily voice, yet He has by the authority of His divine power delivered my brother’s soul from the pains of death and from the attacks of wicked spirits. And though he that was dead has not sat up on the bier, yet he has found rest in Christ; and if my brother has not spoken to us, yet he sees those things which are above us, and rejoices in that he now sees higher things than we. For by the things which we read in the Gospels we understand what shall be, and what we see at present is a sign of what is to be.”
St Ambrose of Milan, On the death of his brother Satyrus, Book I, 29

2. “Grieve, but not without hope” – St Augustine Of Hippo

“Of necessity we must be sorrowful when those whom we love leave us in death. Although we know that they have not left us behind forever but only gone ahead of us, still when death seizes our loved one, our loving hearts are saddened by death itself. Thus the apostle Paul does not tell us not to grieve but “not to grieve like those who are without hope. Let us grieve, therefore, over the necessity of losing our loved ones in death but with the hope of being reunited with them. If we are afflicted we still find consolation. Our weakness weights us down, but faith bears us up. We sorrow over the human condition, but find our healing in the divine promise.”
St Augustine of Hippo, Sermon 172

Thank you to Fr Jonathan Farrugia from Malta and Mike Aquilina from Canada for their support in compiling the Fathers Of The Church quotes.

Death and faith quotes

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1. “God has fallen asleep in search for our first parents, the lost sheep” – Anon 2nd cen

“Something strange is happening, there is a great silence on earth today, a great silence and stillness. The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and he has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began. God has died in the flesh and Hell trembles with fear. He has gone to search for our first parent, as for a lost sheep. Greatly desiring to visit those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, he has gone to free from sorrow the captives Adam and Eve, He who is both God and the Son of Eve.”
Anonymous 2nd century author, Homily for Holy Saturday

2. “On Easter God conquered hell and gained the stars” – St Venentius Fortunatus

“Behold, the favour of the reviving world bears witness that all gifts have returned together with its Lord. For in honour of Christ rising triumphant after His descent to the gloomy Tartarus, the grove on every side with its leaves expresses approval, the plants with their flowers express approval. The light, the heaven, the fields, and the sea duly praise the God ascending above the stars, having crushed the laws of hell. Behold, He who was crucified reigns as God over all things, and all created objects offer prayer to their Creator. Hail, festive day, to be reverenced throughout the world, on which God has conquered hell, and gains the stars!”
St Venentius Fortunatus, Poem on Easter

Thank you to Fr Jonathan Farrugia from Malta and Mike Aquilina from Canada for their support in compiling the Fathers Of The Church quotes.

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1. The birthday of Christ destroys the fear of mortality – St Leo the Great

“Our Saviour, dearly-beloved, was born today: let us be glad. For there is no proper place for sadness, when we keep the birthday of the Life, which destroys the fear of mortality and brings to us the joy of promised eternity. No one is kept from sharing in this happiness.
St Leo the Great

2. In front of our wickedness God bore with us and loved us – Epistle to Diogentus

“But when our wickedness had reached its height, and it had been clearly shown that its reward, punishment and death, was impending over us; and when the time had come which God had before appointed for manifesting His own kindness and power, how the one love of God, through exceeding regard for men, did not regard us with hatred, nor thrust us away, nor remember our iniquity against us, but showed great long-suffering, and bore with us, He Himself took on Him the burden of our iniquities, He gave His own Son as a ransom for us, the holy One for transgressors, the blameless One for the wicked, the righteous One for the unrighteous, the incorruptible One for the corruptible, the immortal One for those who are mortal.
Epistle to Diogentus, 9

Thank you to Fr Jonathan Farrugia from Malta and Mike Aquilina from Canada for their support in compiling the Fathers Of The Church quotes.

Read more:

– Death And Faith Quotes By The Fathers Of The Church
– Who Are The Fathers Of The Church

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1. Our heart only rests in God – St Augustine of Hippo

“You made us for Yourself, O Lord; and our heart is restless until it rests in you.”
“God is our helper: he made us and not we ourselves.”
“Nothing mutable is eternal: but our God is eternal.”
St Augustine of Hippo

2. God is the perfect father and master – Tertullian

“God both a perfect father and a perfect master: a father in His mercy, a master in His discipline; a father in the mildness of His power, a master in its severity; a father who must be loved with dutiful affection, a master who must needs be feared; be loved, because He prefers mercy to sacrifice; be feared because He dislikes sin; be loved, because He prefers the sinners repentance to his death; be feared, because He dislikes the sinners who do not repent. Accordingly, the divine law commands duties in respect of both these attributes: You shall love God, and, You shall fear God. It proposed one for the obedient man, the other for the transgressor.”
Tertullian

3. God is the creator – Mathetes

“God has loved mankind. He made the world on his account. He made all the things that are in it subject to him. He gave him reason and understanding. To mankind alone God imparted the privilege of looking upwards to himself [a reference to the fact that man alone walks upright, with face lifted toward heaven]. He formed him after his own image. He sent him His only-begotten Son, has promised him a kingdom in heaven, and will give it to those who have loved Him.”
Letter of Mathetes  to Diognetus, A.D. 80-200, ch. 10

4. God is one – Irenaeus

“God is one, who has created and completed all things.”
Irenaeus on the Scripture v. 7.

Thank you to Fr Jonathan Farrugia from Malta and Mike Aquilina for their support in compiling the Fathers Of The Church quotes.

Read more:
– Complete List Of The Fathers Of The Church
– Easter Quotes By The Fathers Of The Church

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1. A true friend suffers with his neighbour – St Maximus the Confessor

“A true friend is one who in times of trial calmly and imperturbably suffers with his neighbour the ensuing afflictions, privations and disasters as if they were his own.”
Maximus the Confessor

2. Friendship has a wide range – St Augustine of Hippo

“The claims of friendship, moreover, are not to be confined within too narrow range, for it embraces all to whom love and kindly affection are due, although the heart goes out to some of these more freely, to others more cautiously.”
Augustine of Hippo, Letter 130, 13

3. No treasure is comparable to a genuine friend – St John Chrysostom

“Though you should name infinite treasures, none of them is comparable to a genuine friend. And first let us speak of the great delight of friendship itself. A friend rejoices at seeing his friend, and his heart expands with joy. He is tied to him with an union of soul that affords unspeakable pleasure. I speak of genuine friends, men of one soul, who would even die for each other, who love each other fervently.”
John Chrysostom, Homily II on I Thessalonians

Thank you to Fr Jonathan Farrugia from Malta and Mike Aquilina from Canada for their support in compiling the Fathers Of The Church quotes.

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1. The 5 Apostolic Fathers : 1st Century
Clement, Bishop of Rome (30-100)
Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch (30-107)
Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna (69-155)
Barnabas (priest?) (between 70 and 132)
Mathetes, Epistle to Diognetus

2. The Post-apostolic Fathers : 2nd & 3rd Centuries
Justin, (Priest) Martyr (100-165)
Hegesippus, (110-180)
Aristides the Athenian (2nd Century)
Marcus Minucius Felix (wrote in Latin after 150)
Melito, Bishop of Sardis (died circa 180)
Anonymous:Letter to Diognetus (end of 2nd Century)
Tatien the Syrian, a disciple of Justin (born 110/120 )
Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons (120-200)
Athenagoras of Athens (circa 133-190)
Clement, Bishop of Alexandria (150-215)
Hippolytus, priest of Rome (170-235)
Theophilus, Patriarch of Antioch ( wrote c. 180-185)
Origen, priest, (184/4 , 253-254)

3. The Christian Faith is officially recognised in the Empire
The Golden Age – The 4th to 8th Centuries
Greek Fathers (those who wrote in Greek) :
Gregory Thaumaturgus, Bishop of Caesarea (died 270)
Lucian of Antioch, priest & martyr (c.240-312)
Alexander, Bishop (Pope) of Alexandia (died 326/8)
Eusebius, Bishop of Caesarea, (260/5-339/40)
Athanasius, Bishop (Pope) of Alexandia (298-374)
Cyril, Bishop of Jerusalem (ca. 313-386)
Apollinaris, Bishop of Laodicea (Syria) (died 390)
Didymus the Blind (Egyptian theologian) (313-398)
Serapion, Bishop of Thmuis (Egypt) from (330-360)
Basil, Bishop of Caesarea (329-379)
Gregory, Bishop of Nazianzus (330-390)
Gregory, Bishop of Nyssa (332-394) ( brother of Basil)
Diodorus, Bishop of Tarsus, (died 390)
Epiphanius, Bishop of Salamis (Cyprus) (310/320-403)
John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople (349-407)
Asterius, Bishop of Amasea (Turkey) (c. 350-410)
Severian, Bishop of Gabala, (before 380-before 425)
Theodore, Bishop of Mopsuestia (350-428)
Cyril, Bishop (Pope) of Alexandria (376-444)
Cynesius of Cyrene, Bishop of Ptolemais (N.Africa)
Theodoret, Bishop of Cyrrhus (c. 393-458/66)
Hesychius, priest of Jerusalem (died 443)
Isidore, Bishop of Pelusium (Egypt) (died c.450)
Leontius of Jerusalem, theologian (485-543)
Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, (6th Century)
Romanos the Melodist, deacon, (6th Century)
Sophronius, Bishop of Jerusalem (c. 560-638)
Maximus the Confessor, Monk (580-662)
Anastasius of Sinai (Sinaita) Abbot of St Catherine’s (d. after 700)
John Climacus, monk at St Catherine’s (Sinai) (7th Century)
John of Damascus, priest and Abbot (675/6 – 749)
Also called the last of the Greek Fathers

4. Latin Fathers (those who wrote in Latin) :
The 4th to 8th Centuries
Tertullian (c 155 – c 225) priest of North Africa (probably Carthage)
Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage (died in 258)
Arnobius of Sicca (in Tunisia) Lay apologist (died in 330)
Hilary, Bishop of Poitiers (315-367)
Lucifer, Bishop of Cagliari (died 370/1)
Eusebius, Bishop of Vercelli (236-371)
Ambrose, Bishop of Milan (339-397)
Optatus, Bishop of Milevis (N. Africa) (4th Century)
Jerome, Priest, (347-420)
Augustin, Bishop of Hippo (354-430)
Paulinus, Bishop of Nola (354-431_)
Peter Chrysologus, Bishop of Ravenna (380-450)
Prosper of Aquitane, layman, (390=455)
Julianus Pomerius, priest (5th Century)
Leo the Great, Bishop (Pope) of Rome (400-461)
Gennadius, priest of Marseilles (died 496)
Fulgentius, Bishop of Ruspe (Tunisia) (462/67-527/33)
Caesarius, Bishop of Arles (France) (died in 542)
Gregory the Great, Bishop (Pope) of Rome (540-605)
Isidore, Bishop of Seville (c. 560-636)
Also called the last of the Latin Fathers

5. Syriac Fathers (those who wrote in Syriac) :
Ephrem the Syrian , Deacon (306-373)
Aphraates, Monk (c. 320-345)
Jacob, Bishop of Serugh (451-521)
Philoxenus, Bishop of Mabbug (or Hierapolis) (6th Century)
Isaac , Bishop of Nineveh and hermit (613-700)

6. Fathers of the Desert (Hermits/Monks)
Anthony, the Great Father of all Monks (251-356)
Pachomius, Founder of Christian Monasticism (292-348)
Macarius of Egypt, (300-391)
Macarius of Alexandria (died 395)
Evagrius Ponticus, deacon (345-399)
Arsenius the Great (deacon/hermit) (350/4-445)
Nilus of Sinai (died 430)
Vincent of Lerins (died 445)
Theodore the Studite, Abbot (759-826)
Athanasius the Athonite, Abbot (920-1003)
Symeon, the New Theologian, Monk (949-1022)
Gregory Palamas, Monk (1296-1359)

Catholic Church Fathers List, Church Fathers names

Read more:
– Who Are The Fathers Of The Catholic Church?
– Friendship Quotes By The Fathers Of The Church

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The Fathers Of The Catholic Church – explainers of the gospel to the faithful

“You might have thousands of guardians in Christ but no more than one father, and it was I who begot you in Christ Jesus by preaching the Good News. (I Cor. 4, 15) This is why the Church has so called those teachers who, after the death of the Apostles, taught and explained the Gospel to the faithful, the Fathers of the Church. These Fathers are, therefore, mostly , not all , Bishops since from the beginning of Christianity, teaching the faithful had been their duty.

First and Second Century Fathers of The Catholic Church

The earliest texts (second part of the 1st Century) are the Apostles’ Creed and the Teaching of the Twelve Apostles. We then have the Apostolic Fathers: the Bishops who came after the Apostles like Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, and Polycarp of Smyrna who explained the Christian Faith to their faithful. The 2nd Century is when the Apologist Fathers flourished, such as St Justin, Theophilus of Antioch, Melito of Sardis and others. They wanted to present their belief to the pagans and show that Christianity was not against the Roman Empire.

The 2nd Century saw the Church refuting the heresies which were appearing in Christian communities and which were menacing her teaching of Faith and the Gospels. Bishops (and Popes) had to clearly explain and refute these false teachings. We have a complete theological refutation of the Gnostic heresy by Irenaeus, the Bishop of Lyons in France.

The 4th Century Fathers of The Catholic Church

The 4th Century witnesses two meetings of the Councils of all the Churches of the inhabited world (= ecumenical) in what is now Turkey: one in Nicaea in the year 325 and the other in Constantinople (today, Istanbul) in 381. At Nicaea, Athanasius, Bishop and Pope of Alexandria, plays an important role against the Arian heresy. The first Council of Constantinople gave the Christian Church, the Creed of Nicaea-Constantinople which we still recite at Mass on Sunday. Two of the three Cappadocian Fathers were present at the Council, namely Gregory of Nazianzus and Gregory of Nyssa. The elder brother of Gregory of Nyssa, Basil of Caesarea, had died two years earlier. These three Fathers have greatly contributed to  Christian theology.

Other Fathers of The Catholic Church

There were also Fathers who wrote in Latin such as: Tertullian, a priest, who lived in the 2nd Century; Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, who lived in the 3rd Century and Hilary, Bishop of Poitiers, who lived in the 4th Century.

You might also be interested in taking a look at the whole list of the Fathers of the Church.

Further reading:
– Book: Four Witnesses: The Early Church in Her Own Words, Rod Bennet, 2002. This book covers Ignatius, Clement, Justin Martyr, and Iraneous.
– Book: St. Ignatius of Antioch: The Epistles, Paul A. Boer Sr., 2012. 
– Website: Early Christian Writings
– Website: Early Church Fathers

Published: 2016
Updated: 2019

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1. Take care of those who are the least among you- St Augustine Of Hippo

“Do not neglect then the least of those belonging to you, look after the salvation of all your household with all vigilance.”
St Augustine of Hippo, Sermon 44 on the New Testament

2. Love is greater than space and time – St John Chrysostom

“For such is the power of love, it embraces, and unites, and fastens together not only those who are present, and near, and visible but also those who are far distant; and neither length of time, nor separation in space, nor anything else of that kind can break up and sunder in pieces the affection of the soul.
St John Chrysostom, Letter to a young widow

Thank you to Fr Jonathan Farrugia from Malta and Mike Aquilina from Canada for their support in compiling the Fathers Of The Church quotes.

Read more:
– Who Are The Fathers Of The Church?
– God Quotes From The Fathers Of The Church

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