Nov 3, 2018

⛪ Doctors of the Church

St. Isidore of Seville, a 7th-century Doctor of the Church,
depicted by Murillo (c. 1628) with a book, common iconographical attribute for a doctor.


SAINT AMBROSE (c. 340-397), BISHOP OF MILAN, Italy, a major opponent of Arianism, wrote and preached extensively [named a Doctor of the church, 1298].

⇲ Saint Augustine of Hippo (c. 354-430), North African bishop, author of Confessions, City of God, and numerous treatises, countered heretical movements, one of the most influential theologians of the Western church, called "Doctor of Grace" [1298].

⇲ Saint Jerome(c. 343-420), translated Old Testament from Hebrew into Latin and revised Latin translation of New Testament to produce Vulgate version of Bible, called "Father of Biblical Science" [1298].

⇲ Saint Gregory the Great (c. 540-604), pope, strengthened papacy and worked for clerical and monastic reform [1298].

⇲ Saint Athanasius (c. 297-373), bishop of Alexandria, dominant opponent of Arians, called "Father of Orthodoxy" [1298]

⇲ Saint John Chrysostom ("Golden-Mouthed") (c. 347-407), archbishop of Constantinople, homilist, writer of scripture commentaries and letters, patron of preachers [1568].

⇲ Saint Basil the Great (c. 329-379), bishop of Caesarea in Asia Minor, refuted Arian errors, wrote treatises, homilies, and monastic rules, called "Father of Monasticism of the East" [1568].

⇲ Saint Gregory of Nazianzus (c. 330-390), bishop of Constantinople, opponent of Arianism, wrote major theological treatises as well as letters and poetry, called the "Christian Demosthenes" and, in the East, "The Theologian" [1568].

⇲ Saint Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274), Italian Dominican, wrote systematically on philosophy, theology, and Catholic doctrine, patron of Catholic schools and education, one of the most influential theologians in the West [1568].

⇲ Saint Bonaventure (c. 1217-1274), Franciscan, bishop of Albano, Italy, cardinal [1588].

⇲ Saint Anselm of Canterbury (1033-1109), archbishop, called "Father of Scholasticism" [1720].

⇲ Saint Isidore of Seville (c. 560-636), Spanish bishop, encylopedist, and preeminent scholar of his day [1722].

⇲ Saint Peter Chrysologus (c. 400-450), archbishop of Ravenna, Italy, homilist and writer, counteracted Monophysite heresy [1729].

⇲ Saint Leo I, the Great (c. 400-461), pope, wrote christological and other works against the heresies of his day [1754].

⇲ Saint Peter Damian (1007-1072), Italian Benedictine and cardinal, ecclesiastical and clerical reformer [1828].

⇲ Saint Bernard of Clairvaux (c. 1090-1153), French Cistercian abbot and monastic reformer, called "Mellifluous Doctor" [1830].

⇲ Saint Hilary of Poitiers (c. 315-368), one of first Latin doctrinal writers, opposed Arianism [1851].

⇲ Saint Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787), founder of Redemptorists, preeminent moral theologian and apologist, patron of confessors and moralists[1871].

⇲ Saint Francis de Sales (1567-1622), bishop of Geneva, spiritual writer, patron of Catholic writers and press [1877].

⇲ Saint Cyril of Alexandria (c. 376-444), bishop, authored doctrinal treatises against Nestorian heresy [1882].

⇲ Saint Cyril of Jerusalem (c. 315-386), bishop, catechist, vigorous opponent of Arianism [1882].

⇲ Saint John Damascene (c. 675-749), Syrian monk, doctrinal writer, called "Golden Speaker" [1890].

⇲ Saint Bede the Venerable (c. 673-735), English Benedictine, called "Father of English History" [1899].

⇲ Saint Ephrem the Syrian (c. 306-373), counteracted Gnosticism and Arianism with his poems, hymns, and other writings [1920].

⇲ Saint Peter Canisius (1521-1597), Dutch Jesuit, catechist, important figure in Counter-Reformation in Germany [1925].

⇲ Saint John of the Cross (1542-1591), founder of Discalced Carmelites, called "Doctor of Mystical Theology" [1926].

⇲ Saint Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621), Italian Jesuit, archbishop of Capua, wrote Reformation-era doctrinal defenses, catechisms, and works on ecclesiology and church-state relations [1931].

⇲ Saint Albert the Great (c. 1200-1280), German Dominican, bishop of Regensburg, teacher of Saint Thomas Aquinas, patron of scientists, called "Universal Doctor" and "Expert Doctor" [1932].

⇲ Saint Anthony of Padua (1195-1231), first theologian of Franciscans, preacher, called "Evangelical Doctor" [1946].

⇲ Saint Lawrence of Brindisi (1559-1619), Italian Capuchin Franciscan, influential post-Reformation preacher [1959].

⇲ Saint Teresa of Ávila (1515-1582), Spanish Carmelite, initiated discalced Carmelite movement, prolific spiritual and mystical writer, first woman Doctor of the church [1970].

⇲ Saint Catherine of Siena (c. 1347-1380), Italian Third Order Dominican, mystical author, also active in support of Crusades and in papal politics[1970].

⇲ Saint ThΓ©rΓ¨se of Lisieux (1873-1897), French Carmelite, wrote spiritual autobiography describing her "little way" of spiritual perfection [1997].


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