Christian Leaders - Church Fathers and Heretics

The following are some of the men and women who were canonized by the Christian church. Some may no longer be counted as saints and others may be saints in the eastern but not the western church, or vice versa.

Church Fathers were writers known for their piety, orthodoxy, acceptance and antiquity. These are four of the Greek Church Fathers of the fourth century. Saints Basil the Great, John Chrysostom and Gregory of Nazianzus were the three Cappadocian Fathers or the 3 Holy Hierarchs. Athanasius was added to balance the 4 Western Fathers.

Theotokos is the Greek for god-bearer and is used in reference to Mary the mother of God.