Doctor of the Church

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Doctor of the Church

Doctor of the Church (Latin

Latin

Latin is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Through the Military history of the Roman Empire, Latin spread throughout the Mediterranean and a large part of Europe....
doctor, teacher, from Latin docere, to teach) is a title given by a variety of Christian church

Christian Church

Christian Church and the word church are used to denote both a Christian Groups of people and a Church . The word church is usually, but not exclusively, associated with Christianity....
es to individuals whom they recognize as having been of particular importance, particularly regarding their additions to theological or doctrinal matters.

oman Catholicism, this title is given to a saint from whose writings the whole Christian Church is held to have derived great advantage and to whom "eminent learning" and "great sanctity" have been attributed by a proclamation of a pope

Pope

The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church and head of state of Vatican City. The current pope is Pope Benedict XVI, who was elected April 19, 2005 in Papal conclave, 2005....
or of an ecumenical council

Ecumenical council

An ecumenical council is a conference of the bishops of the whole Christian Church convened to discuss and settle matters of Church doctrine and practice....
.

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Doctor of the Church (Latin

Latin

Christian Church

Roman Catholicism

In Roman Catholicism, this title is given to a saint from whose writings the whole Christian Church is held to have derived great advantage and to whom "eminent learning" and "great sanctity" have been attributed by a proclamation of a pope

Pope

Ecumenical council

An ecumenical council is a conference of the bishops of the whole Christian Church convened to discuss and settle matters of Church doctrine and practice....
. This honor is given rarely, only posthumously, and only after canonization

Canonization

Canonization is the act by which a particular Christian church declares a deceased person to be a saint and is included in the canon, or list, of recognized saints....
. No ecumenical council has yet exercised the prerogative of proclaiming a Doctor of the Church.

Saint Ambrose

Ambrose

Saint Ambrose was a Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milan who became one of the most influential ecclesiastical figures of the fourth century. He is counted as one of the four original doctors of the Church....
, Saint Augustine, Saint Jerome

Jerome

Saint Jerome was a Christian priest and Christian apologetics best known for translating the Vulgate. He is recognized by the Catholic Church as a canonized saint and Doctor of the Church, and his version of the Bible is still an important text in Catholicism....
, and Pope Gregory I

Pope Gregory I

Pope Saint Gregory I or Gregory the Great was pope from 3 September 590 until his death.He is also known as Gregory the Dialogist in Eastern Orthodoxy because of his Dialogues....
were the original Doctors of the Church and were named in 1298. They are known collectively as the Great Doctors of the Western Church. The four Great Doctors of the Eastern Church, John Chrysostom

John Chrysostom

'Saint John Chrysostom' , archbishop of Constantinople, was an important Early Church Father. He is known for his eloquence in Sermon and public speaking, his denunciation of abuse of authority by both ecclesiastical and political leaders, the Divine Liturgy of St....
, Basil the Great, Gregory of Nazianzus

Gregory of Nazianzus

Gregory of Nazianzus was a 4th-century Archbishop of Constantinople. He is widely considered the most accomplished rhetorical stylist of the Church Fathers....
, and Athanasius of Alexandria

Athanasius of Alexandria

Athanasius of Alexandria , also known as St Athanasius the Great, Pope Athanasius I of Alexandria, and St Athanasius the Apostolic, was a theologian, Bishop of Alexandria, Church Father, and a noted Egyptian leader of the fourth century....
were recognized in 1568 by Pope St. Pius V. Although the revered Catalan

Catalan people

The Catalans are the people from Catalonia, an Autonomous Community of Spain, including people originating in that region but living elsewhere. The inhabitants of the adjacent portion of southern France ? known in Catalonia proper as Catalunya Nord , and in France as the Pays Catalan ? are often included in this definition....
philosopher Ramon Llull

Ramon Llull

Ramon Llull was a Majorcan writer and philosopher born into a wealthy family in Palma de Mallorca, Majorca, in the Balearic Islands, then part of the Crown of Aragon, now part of Spain....
was dubbed "Doctor Illuminatus," he is not officially considered a Doctor of the Church.

The Doctors' works vary greatly in subject and form. Some, such as Pope Gregory I and Ambrose were prominent writers of letters and short treatises. Catherine of Siena

Catherine of Siena

Saint Catherine of Siena, Ordo Praedicatorum was a Tertiaries of the Dominican Order, and a Scholasticism philosopher and theologian. She also worked to bring the Papacy back to Rome from Avignon Papacy, and to establish peace among the Italian city-states....
and John of the Cross

John of the Cross

Saint John of the Cross , born Juan de Yepes Alvarez, was a major figure of the Counter-Reformation, a Spanish mystics, and Carmelites friar and Priesthood , born at Fontiveros, a small village near ?vila....
wrote mystical theology

Mystical theology

Mystical theology is the school of thought which treats of acts and experiences or states of the soul which cannot be produced by human effort....
. Augustine and Bellarmine

Robert Bellarmine

Robert Bellarmine was an Italian Jesuit and a Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He participated in the Catholic Church's proceedings against Giordano Bruno and Galileo Galilei ....
defended the Church against heresy

Heresy

Heresy is an introduced change to some system of belief, especially a religion, that conflicts with the previously established canon of that belief....
. Bede's Ecclesiastical History of the English People
Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum

The Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum is a work in Latin by the Bede on the history of the Church in England, and of England generally; its main focus is on the conflict between Roman Catholic Church and Celtic Christianity....
provides the best information on England

England

native_name =|conventional_long_name = England|common_name = England|image_flag = Flag of England.svg|image_coat = England COA.svg|symbol_type = Royal Coat of Arms...
in the early Middle Ages. Systematic theologians include the Scholastic philosophers Anselm

Anselm of Canterbury

Saint Anselm of Canterbury was an Italian medieval philosopher, theology, and church official who held the office of Archbishop of Canterbury from 1093 to 1109....
, Albertus Magnus

Albertus Magnus

Saint Albertus Magnus, Ordo Praedicatorum , also known as Saint Albert the Great and Albert of Cologne, was a Dominican Order Dominican friar and bishop who achieved fame for his comprehensive knowledge of and advocacy for the peaceful Relationship between religion and science....
, and Thomas Aquinas

Thomas Aquinas

Saint Thomas Aquinas, Dominican Order was a priest of the Roman Catholic Church in the Dominican Order from Italy, and an immensely influential philosopher and theologian in the tradition of scholasticism, known as Doctor Angelicus and Doctor Communis....
.

Until 1970, no woman had been named a Doctor of the Church, but since then three additions to the list have been women.

Traditionally, in the liturgy, the Office of Doctors was distinguished from that of Confessors by two changes: the Gospel reading, Matthew 5:13-19, "Vos estis sal terrae" ("You are the salt of the earth"), and the eighth Respond at Matins, from Ecclesiasticus 15:5, "In medio Ecclesiae aperuit os ejus, * Et implevit eum Deus spiritu sapientiae et intellectus. * Jucunditatem et exsultationem thesaurizavit super eum." ("In the midst of the Church he opened his mouth, * And God filled him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding. * He heaped upon him a treasure of joy and gladness.")

The Roman Catholic Church has to date named 33 Doctors of the Church. Of these, the 17 who died before the Great Schism

East-West Schism

The East-West Schism, or the Great Schism, divided medieval Christendom into Eastern and Western branches, which later became known as the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church, respectively....
of 1054 (marked * in the list below) are also venerated by the Eastern Orthodox Church

Eastern Orthodox Church

The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian communion in the world with an estimated 225 million members worldwide. It is considered by its adherents to be the Four Marks of the Church established by Jesus Christ and his Apostles nearly 2000 years ago....
. Among these 33 are 25 from the West and 8 from the East; 3 women; 18 bishops, 29 priests, 1 deacon, 2 nuns, 1 lay woman; 24 from Europe, 3 from Africa, 6 from Asia.

List of Doctors of the Catholic Church

Name	Year Born	Died	Promoted	Ethnicity	Post
St. Gregory the Great Pope Gregory I Pope Saint Gregory I or Gregory the Great was pope from 3 September 590 until his death.He is also known as Gregory the Dialogist in Eastern Orthodoxy because of his Dialogues.... *	540 540 Events... (ca.)	March 12,604 604 Events...	1298	Italian Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia....	Pope Pope The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church and head of state of Vatican City. The current pope is Pope Benedict XVI, who was elected April 19, 2005 in Papal conclave, 2005....
St. Ambrose Ambrose Saint Ambrose was a Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milan who became one of the most influential ecclesiastical figures of the fourth century. He is counted as one of the four original doctors of the Church.... *	340 340 Events... (ca.)	April 4, 397 397 Events...	1298	Italian Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia....	Bishop of Milan
St. Augustine, Doctor Gratiae*	354 354 Events...	August 28, 430 430 Events...	1298	Berber Berber people Berbers are the indigenous ethnic groups of North Africa west of the Nile Valley. They are discontinuously distributed from the Atlantic to the Siwa oasis, in Egypt, and from the Mediterranean to the Niger River.... from Numidia Numidia Numidia was an ancient Berber people kingdom in present-day Algeria and part of Tunisia that later alternated between being a Roman province and being a Roman client state, and is no longer in existence today....	Bishop of Hippo
St. Jerome Jerome Saint Jerome was a Christian priest and Christian apologetics best known for translating the Vulgate. He is recognized by the Catholic Church as a canonized saint and Doctor of the Church, and his version of the Bible is still an important text in Catholicism.... *	347 347 Events... (ca.)	September 30,420 420 Sorry, no overview for this topic	1298	Dalmatia Dalmatia Dalmatia is a region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea, situated mostly in modern Croatia and spreading between the island of Rab in the northwest and the Bay of Kotor in the southeast.... n	Priest, monk Monk A Monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, the unconditioning of mind and body in favor of the realization of one's true nature, and does so living either alone or with any number of like-minded people, whilst always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose....
St. John Chrysostom John Chrysostom 'Saint John Chrysostom' , archbishop of Constantinople, was an important Early Church Father. He is known for his eloquence in Sermon and public speaking, his denunciation of abuse of authority by both ecclesiastical and political leaders, the Divine Liturgy of St.... *	347 347 Events...	407 407 For the cars, see Peugeot 407 and Bristol 407....	1568	Syrian Demographics of Syria This article is about the demographics features of the population of Syria, including population density, Ethnic group, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population....	Archbishop of Constantinople Patriarch of Constantinople The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople is the Archbishop of Constantinople ? New Rome ? ranking as primus inter pares in the Eastern Orthodox Church organization, which is seen by followers as the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church....
St. Basil*	330 330 Events...	January 1,379 379 Events...	1568	Cappadocia Cappadocia Cappadocia, Wikipedia:IPA for English /k?p?'do???/ , was an extensive inland district of Asia Minor . The name continued to be used in western sources and in the Christianity tradition throughout history and is still widely used as an international Tourism in Turkey concept to define a region of exceptional natural wonders characterized by... n	Bishop Bishop A bishop is an ordination or consecration member of the Clergy#Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight.... of Caesarea
St. Gregory Nazianzus*	329 329 Events...	January 25,389 389 Events...	1568	Cappadocia Cappadocia Cappadocia, Wikipedia:IPA for English /k?p?'do???/ , was an extensive inland district of Asia Minor . The name continued to be used in western sources and in the Christianity tradition throughout history and is still widely used as an international Tourism in Turkey concept to define a region of exceptional natural wonders characterized by... n	Archbishop of Constantinople Patriarch of Constantinople The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople is the Archbishop of Constantinople ? New Rome ? ranking as primus inter pares in the Eastern Orthodox Church organization, which is seen by followers as the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church....
St. Athanasius Athanasius of Alexandria Athanasius of Alexandria , also known as St Athanasius the Great, Pope Athanasius I of Alexandria, and St Athanasius the Apostolic, was a theologian, Bishop of Alexandria, Church Father, and a noted Egyptian leader of the fourth century.... *	298 298 Events...	May 2,373 373 Events...	1568	Egypt Egypt Egypt is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Western Asia. Covering an area of about , Egypt borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north, the Gaza Strip and Israel to the northeast, the Red Sea to the east, Sudan to the south and Libya to the west.... ian	Patriarch of Alexandria Patriarch of Alexandria The Patriarch of Alexandria is the Archbishop of Alexandria and Cairo, Egypt. Historically, this office has included the designation of Pope , and did so earlier than that of the Bishop of Rome....
St. Thomas Aquinas Thomas Aquinas Saint Thomas Aquinas, Dominican Order was a priest of the Roman Catholic Church in the Dominican Order from Italy, and an immensely influential philosopher and theologian in the tradition of scholasticism, known as Doctor Angelicus and Doctor Communis.... , Doctor Angelicus, Doctor Communis	1225	March 7, 1274	1568	Italian Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia....	Priest, Theologian, O.P. Dominican Order The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Roman Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic in the early 13th century in France....
St. Bonaventure Bonaventure Saint Bonaventure of Bagnoregio , born John of Fidanza , was an Italian medieval Scholasticism theologian and philosopher, the eighth Minister General of the Order of Friars Minor, commonly called the Franciscans.... , Doctor Seraphicus	1221	July 15,1274	1588	Italian Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia....	Cardinal Bishop of Albano, Theologian, Minister General, O.F.M. Franciscan The term Franciscan is commonly used to refer to members of Catholic religious orders that follow a body of regulations known as "The rule of St....
St. Anselm Anselm of Canterbury Saint Anselm of Canterbury was an Italian medieval philosopher, theology, and church official who held the office of Archbishop of Canterbury from 1093 to 1109.... , Doctor Magnificus	1033 or 1034	April 21, 1109	1720	Italian Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia....	Archbishop of Canterbury Archbishop of Canterbury The Archbishop of Canterbury is the chief bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the Diocesan Bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury, the Episcopal see that churches must be in communion with in order to be a part of the Anglican Communion.... O.S.B. Order of Saint Benedict The Order of Saint Benedict is a Roman Catholic religious order of independent Christian monasticism Cenobium that observe the Rule of St. Benedict....
St. Isidore Isidore of Seville Saint Isidore of Seville was Archbishop of Seville for more than three decades and has the reputation of being one of the greatest scholars of the early Middle Ages.... *	560 560 Events...	April 4, 636 636 Events...	1722	Spanish Spain Spain or the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in Southern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though Espa?a , Estado espa?ol and Naci?n espa?ola are used interchangeably....	Bishop of Seville
St. Peter Chrysologus Peter Chrysologus Saint Peter Chrysologus was Bishop of Ravenna from about 433 AD until his death. He is revered as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church, and was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Benedict XIII in 1729.... *	406 406 Sorry, no overview for this topic	450 450 For the area code, see Area code 450....	1729	Italian Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia....	Archbishop of Ravenna
St. Leo the Great Pope Leo I Pope Leo I, or Pope Saint Leo the Great, was pope from 29 September, 440 to 10 November, 461.He was an Italian aristocrat, and is the earliest pope of the Roman Catholic Church to have received the title "the Great".... *	400 400 Sorry, no overview for this topic	November 10,461 461 Events...	1754	Italian Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia....	Pope Pope The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church and head of state of Vatican City. The current pope is Pope Benedict XVI, who was elected April 19, 2005 in Papal conclave, 2005....
St. Peter Damian Peter Damian Saint Peter Damian, Order of Saint Benedict was a reforming monk in the circle of Pope Gregory VII and a Cardinal . In 1823, he was posthumously declared a Doctor of the Church....	1007	February 21/22,1072	1828	Italian Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia....	Cardinal Bishop of Ostia, monk, O.S.B. Order of Saint Benedict The Order of Saint Benedict is a Roman Catholic religious order of independent Christian monasticism Cenobium that observe the Rule of St. Benedict....
St. Bernard Bernard of Clairvaux Bernard of Clairvaux, Cistercians was a French abbot and the primary builder of the reforming Cistercian monastic order. After the death of his mother, Bernard sought admission into the Cistercian order.... , Doctor Mellifluus	1090	August 21, 1153	1830	French France France , officially the French Republic , is a country whose Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various Overseas departments and territories of France....	Priest, O.Cist. Cistercians Image:Cistersian priests in Szczyrzyc monastery.JPGThe keynote of Cistercian life was a return to literal observance of the Rule of St Benedict. Rejecting the developments the Benedictines had undergone, the monks tried to reproduce life exactly as it had been in Benedict of Nursia time; indeed in various points they went beyond it in austerity....
St. Hilary of Poitiers Hilary of Poitiers Hilary of Poitiers was Bishop of Poitiers and is a Doctor of the Church. He was sometimes referred to as the "Malleus Arianorum" and the "Athanasius of Alexandria of the West".... *	300 300 Sorry, no overview for this topic	367 367 Events...	1851	French France France , officially the French Republic , is a country whose Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various Overseas departments and territories of France....	Bishop of Poitiers
St. Alphonsus Liguori Alphonsus Liguori Saint Alphonsus Liguori was a Roman Catholic Bishop , spiritual writer, theology, and founder of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, known as the "Redemptorists," an influential religious order.... , Doctor Zelantissimus	1696	August 1,1787	1871	Italian Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia....	Bishop of Sant'Agata de' Goti, C.S.S.R. (Founder) Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer The Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer is a Roman Catholic missionary Catholic Congregation founded in 1732 by Saint Alphonsus Liguori at Scala , near Amalfi, Italy for the purpose of labouring among the neglected country people in the neighbourhood of Naples....
St. Francis de Sales Francis de Sales Saint Francis de Sales was Bishop of Geneva and a Roman Catholic saint. He worked to convert Protestants back to Catholicism, and was an accomplished preacher....	1567	December 28,1622	1877	French France France , officially the French Republic , is a country whose Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various Overseas departments and territories of France....	Bishop of Geneva
St. Cyril of Alexandria Cyril of Alexandria Saint Cyril of Alexandria was the Pope of Alexandria when Alexandria was at its height of influence and power within the Roman Empire. Cyril wrote extensively and was a leading protagonist in the Christological controversies of the later 4th, and 5th centuries.... , Doctor Incarnationis*	376 376 Events...	June 27,444 444 Events...	1883	Egypt Egypt Egypt is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Western Asia. Covering an area of about , Egypt borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north, the Gaza Strip and Israel to the northeast, the Red Sea to the east, Sudan to the south and Libya to the west.... ian	Patriarch of Alexandria Patriarch of Alexandria The Patriarch of Alexandria is the Archbishop of Alexandria and Cairo, Egypt. Historically, this office has included the designation of Pope , and did so earlier than that of the Bishop of Rome....
St. Cyril of Jerusalem Cyril of Jerusalem Saint Cyril of Jerusalem was a distinguished theologian of the early Church . He is venerated as a saint by both the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church, as well as in the Anglican Communion.... *	315 315 Events...	386 386 Events...	1883	Jerusalem Jerusalem Jerusalem is the capital of Israel and its List of Israeli cities in both population and area, with a population of 747,600 residents over an area of if Positions on Jerusalem East Jerusalem is included....	Bishop of Jerusalem
St. John Damascene John of Damascus John of Damascus was a monk and Priesthood from Damascus. He was born and raised in that city, and died at his monastery Mar Saba.He was a polymath whose fields of interest and contribution included law, theology, philosophy, and music.... *	676 676 Events...	December 5,749 749 Events...	1883	Syrian Demographics of Syria This article is about the demographics features of the population of Syria, including population density, Ethnic group, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population....	Priest, monk Monk A Monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, the unconditioning of mind and body in favor of the realization of one's true nature, and does so living either alone or with any number of like-minded people, whilst always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose....
St. Bede the Venerable Bede Bede , , was a monasticism at the Northumbrian monastery of Saint Peter at Monkwearmouth, today part of Sunderland, England, and of its companion monastery, Saint Paul's, in modern Jarrow , both in the Kingdom of Northumbria.... *	672 672 Events...	May 27,735 735 Events* A smallpox epidemic starts in Ancient Japan, which reduces the population by 30%.* In Tang Dynasty China, by this year there was 149,685,400 kg of grain shipped annually along the Grand Canal of China....	1899	Northumbrian Northumbria Northumbria is primarily the name of both a medieval petty kingdom of the Angles people, in what is now north east England and southern Scotland, and of the earldom which succeeded it when a united Anglo-Saxon kingdom became England....	Priest, monk Monk A Monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, the unconditioning of mind and body in favor of the realization of one's true nature, and does so living either alone or with any number of like-minded people, whilst always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose....
St. Ephrem Ephrem the Syrian Ephrem the Syrian was a Roman Syria deacon, prolific Syriac-language hymnographer and theologian of the 4th century. He is venerated by Christianity throughout the world, and especially among Syriac Christians, as a saint.... *	306 306 Events...	373 373 Events...	1920	Syrian Demographics of Syria This article is about the demographics features of the population of Syria, including population density, Ethnic group, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population....	Deacon
St. Peter Canisius	1521	December 21,1597	1925	Dutch Netherlands The Netherlands is a country that is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy. The Netherlands is located in North-West Europe, and bordered by the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east....	Priest, S.J. Society of Jesus The Society of Jesus is a Roman Catholic religious order of clerks regular whose members are called Jesuits, Soldiers of Jesus Christ, and Foot soldiers of the Pope, because the founder, Saint Ignatius of Loyola, was a knight before becoming a Holy Orders....
St. John of the Cross John of the Cross Saint John of the Cross , born Juan de Yepes Alvarez, was a major figure of the Counter-Reformation, a Spanish mystics, and Carmelites friar and Priesthood , born at Fontiveros, a small village near ?vila.... , Doctor Mysticus	1542	December 14,1591	1926	Spanish Spain Spain or the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in Southern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though Espa?a , Estado espa?ol and Naci?n espa?ola are used interchangeably....	Priest, mystic Mysticism Mysticism is the pursuit of communion with, Unio Mystica with, or conscious awareness of an ultimate reality, divinity, Spirituality, or God through direct experience, intuition, or insight.... , O.C.D. Discalced Carmelites The Discalced Carmelites, or Barefoot Carmelites, is a Catholic Church mendicant order with roots in the hermit of the Desert Fathers. The order was established in 1593, pursuant to the reform of the Carmelites by two Spain saints, St.... (Founder)
St. Robert Bellarmine Robert Bellarmine Robert Bellarmine was an Italian Jesuit and a Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He participated in the Catholic Church's proceedings against Giordano Bruno and Galileo Galilei ....	1542	September 17,1621	1931	Italian Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia....	Archbishop of Capua, Theologian, S.J. Society of Jesus The Society of Jesus is a Roman Catholic religious order of clerks regular whose members are called Jesuits, Soldiers of Jesus Christ, and Foot soldiers of the Pope, because the founder, Saint Ignatius of Loyola, was a knight before becoming a Holy Orders....
St. Albertus Magnus Albertus Magnus Saint Albertus Magnus, Ordo Praedicatorum , also known as Saint Albert the Great and Albert of Cologne, was a Dominican Order Dominican friar and bishop who achieved fame for his comprehensive knowledge of and advocacy for the peaceful Relationship between religion and science.... , Doctor Universalis	1193	November 15,1280	1931	German Germans The German people are an satanic group, in the sense of sharing a common evil culture, descent from Hades, and speaking the subhuman German language as a whore mother tongue....	Bishop, Theologian, O.P. Dominican Order The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Roman Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic in the early 13th century in France....
St. Anthony of Padua and Lisbon Anthony of Padua Saint Anthony also venerated as Saint Anthony of Lisbon and Saint Anthony of Padua, is a Catholic saint who was born in Lisbon, Portugal, as Fernando Martins de Bulh?es to a wealthy family and who died in Padua, Italy.... , Doctor Evangelicus	1195	June 13,1231	1946	Portuguese Portugal Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic , is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. Located in southwestern Europe, Portugal is the westernmost country of mainland Europe and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and south and by Spain to the north and east....	Priest, O.F.M. Franciscan The term Franciscan is commonly used to refer to members of Catholic religious orders that follow a body of regulations known as "The rule of St....
St. Lawrence of Brindisi Lawrence of Brindisi Saint Lawrence of Brindisi , born *Giulio Cesare Russo, was a Roman Catholic priest and a member of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin.... , Doctor Apostolicus*	1559	July 22,1619	1959	Italian Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia....	Priest, Diplomat, O.F.M. Cap. Order of Friars Minor Capuchin File:Rapperswil - Kapuzinerkloster.jpgThe Order of Friars Minor Capuchin is an order of friars in the Catholic Church, among the chief offshoots of the Franciscans....
St. Teresa of Ávila Teresa of Ávila Saint Teresa of ?vila, also called Saint Teresa of Jesus, baptized as Teresa de Cepeda y Ahumada, was a prominent Spanish mystics, Carmelites nun, and writer of the Counter Reformation....	1515	October 4,1582	1970	Spanish Spain Spain or the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in Southern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though Espa?a , Estado espa?ol and Naci?n espa?ola are used interchangeably....	Mystic Mysticism Mysticism is the pursuit of communion with, Unio Mystica with, or conscious awareness of an ultimate reality, divinity, Spirituality, or God through direct experience, intuition, or insight.... , O.C.D. Discalced Carmelites The Discalced Carmelites, or Barefoot Carmelites, is a Catholic Church mendicant order with roots in the hermit of the Desert Fathers. The order was established in 1593, pursuant to the reform of the Carmelites by two Spain saints, St.... (Founder)
St. Catherine of Siena Catherine of Siena Saint Catherine of Siena, Ordo Praedicatorum was a Tertiaries of the Dominican Order, and a Scholasticism philosopher and theologian. She also worked to bring the Papacy back to Rome from Avignon Papacy, and to establish peace among the Italian city-states....	1347	April 29,1380	1970	Italian Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia....	Mystic Mysticism Mysticism is the pursuit of communion with, Unio Mystica with, or conscious awareness of an ultimate reality, divinity, Spirituality, or God through direct experience, intuition, or insight.... , O.P. Dominican Order The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Roman Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic in the early 13th century in France....
St. Thérèse de Lisieux Thérèse de Lisieux Th?r?se de Lisieux , or Sainte Th?r?se de l'Enfant-J?sus et de la Sainte Face, born Marie-Fran?oise-Th?r?se Martin, was a Roman Catholic Carmelites nun who was canonization a saint and is recognized as a Doctor of the Church, one of only three women to receive that honor.... , Doctor Amoris	1873	September 30,1897	1997	French France France , officially the French Republic , is a country whose Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various Overseas departments and territories of France....	O.C.D. Discalced Carmelites The Discalced Carmelites, or Barefoot Carmelites, is a Catholic Church mendicant order with roots in the hermit of the Desert Fathers. The order was established in 1593, pursuant to the reform of the Carmelites by two Spain saints, St.... (Nun)

In addition, parts of the Roman Catholic church have recognized other individuals with this title. In Spain

Spain

Spain or the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in Southern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though Espa?a , Estado espa?ol and Naci?n espa?ola are used interchangeably....
, Fulgentius of Ruspe

Fulgentius of Ruspe

Saint Fulgentius of Ruspe was bishop of the city of Ruspe, North Africa, in the 5th and 6th century who was canonization as a Christianity saint....
and Leander of Seville

Leander of Seville

Saint Leander of Seville , brother of the encyclopedist Isidore of Seville, was the Catholic Bishop of Seville who was instrumental in effecting the conversion to Catholicism of the Visigothic kings Hermengild and Reccared of Hispania ....
have been recognized with this title.

The Syro-Malabar Catholic Church

Syro-Malabar Catholic Church

The Syro-Malabar Catholic Church is a Chaldean Catholic Church or East Syrian Rite, Major Archbishop Church in Full communion with the Roman Catholic Church....
has recognized Ambrose, Jerome, Gregory, Augustine, Athanasius, Basil, Gregory of Nazianzus, and John Chrysostom, as well as Ephrem the Syrian

Ephrem the Syrian

Ephrem the Syrian was a Roman Syria deacon, prolific Syriac-language hymnographer and theologian of the 4th century. He is venerated by Christianity throughout the world, and especially among Syriac Christians, as a saint....
, Isaac the Elder, Pope Leo I, John of Damascus, Cyril of Alexandria, Cyril of Jerusalem, Epiphanius of Salamis

Epiphanius of Salamis

Epiphanius was bishop of Salami and Cypriot Orthodox Church at the end of the 4th century AD. He is considered a Church Father. He gained the reputation of a strong defender of orthodoxy....
, and Gregory of Nyssa

Gregory of Nyssa

Gregory of Nyssa was a Christian bishop and saint. He was a younger brother of Basil the Great and a good friend of Gregory Nazianzus. His significance has long been recognized in the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Roman Catholic branches of Christianity....
. The Chaldean Catholic Church

Chaldean Catholic Church

The Chaldean Catholic Church or the Chaldean Church of Babylon is an Eastern Catholic Churches Particular_church#Autonomous_particular_Churches_or_Rites of the Catholic Church, maintaining full communion with the Bishop of Rome and the rest of the Catholic Church....
has recognized Polycarp

Polycarp

Polycarp was a second century bishop of Smyrna. He died a martyr when he was stabbed after an attempt to burn him at the stake failed. Polycarp is recognized as a saint in the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Anglican, and Lutheran Churches....
, Eustathius of Antioch

Eustathius of Antioch

Eustathius of Antioch, sometimes surnamed the Great, was a bishop and patriarch of Antioch in the 4th century.He was a native of Side in Pamphylia....
, Meletius, Alexander of Jerusalem, Athanasius, Basil, Cyril of Alexandria, Gregory Nazianzus, Gregory of Nyssa, John Chrysostom, Fravitta of Constantinople, Ephrem the Syrian, Jacob of Nisibis

Jacob of Nisibis

Jacob of Nisibis , is a Assyrian Christian saint. He was the first bishop of Nisibis, spiritual father of the renowned Syriac literature Ephrem the Syrian, and celebrated asceticism....
, James of Serug, Isaac of Armenia

Isaac of Armenia

Isaac of Armenia, or Sahak was Catholicos of Armenia of Armenia. He is sometimes known as "Isaac the Great," and as "????? ????? / Sahak Parthev" in Armenian language, owing to his Parthian origin....
, Isaac of Nineve, and Maruthas

Maruthas

Saint Maruthas was a monk who became bishop of Tikrit or Maypherkat in Mesopotamia , friend of Saint John Chrysostom, believed to have died before 420....
.

Eastern Orthodoxy

The Eastern Orthodox church honors many of the pre-schismatic saints as well, but the application of the term Doctor or Father of the Church is somewhat more flexible than in the West, and it is misleading to look for lists of officially recognized Doctors. An Eastern Orthodox understanding of such pillars of the Church include saints such as Photios I of Constantinople, Gregory Palamas

Gregory Palamas

Saint Gregory Palamas was a monasticism of Mount Athos in Greece and later the Archbishop of Thessalonica known as a preeminent theologian of Hesychasm....
, Nikodemos the Hagiorite and possibly even more recent saints such as Nektarios Kefalas. An exception to this flexibility is the grouping of Basil the Great, Gregory of Nazianzos

Gregory of Nazianzus

Gregory of Nazianzus was a 4th-century Archbishop of Constantinople. He is widely considered the most accomplished rhetorical stylist of the Church Fathers....
and John Chrysostom

John Chrysostom

Armenian Church

The Armenian church recognizes as Doctors of the Church Hierotheus the Thesmothete, Dionysius the Areopagite

Dionysius the Areopagite

Dionysius the Areopagite was the judge of the Areopagus who, as related in the Acts of the Apostles, , was converted to Christianity by the preaching of the Paul of Tarsus....
, Pope Sylvester I, Athanasius of Alexandria, Cyril of Alexandria, Ephrem the Syrian, Basil the Great, Gregory Nazianzus, Gregory of Nyssa, Epiphanius of Salamis, John Chrysostom, Cyril of Jerusalem, and their own saints Mesrob

Saint Mesrob

Saint Mesrop Mashtots was an Armenians monk, theology and linguistics. He is best known for having invented the Armenian alphabet, which was a fundamental step in strengthening the Armenian Orthodox Church, the government of the Kingdom of Armenia, and ultimately the bond between the Armenian Kingdom and Armenians living in the Byzantine Em...
, Eliseus the historiographer, Moses of Chorene, David the philosopher, Gregory of Narek

Gregory of Narek

Grigor Narekatsi was an Armenian monk, poet, mystical philosopher and theologian, born into a family of writers. His father, Khosrov, was an archbishop....
, Nerses III the Builder

Nerses III the Builder

Catholicos Nerses III the Builder, was the Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church between 641 and 661. He was originally from the village of Ishkhan in Tayk....
, and Nerses of Lambron

Nerses of Lambron

Saint Nerses of Lambron was the Archbishop of Tarsus in the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia who is remembered as one of the most significant figures in Armenian literature and ecclesiastical history....
. (See also Vardapet

Vardapet

A vardapet or doctor-monk is a highly-educated Preacher monk in the Armenian Apostolic Church tradition who is also a Doctor of Theology....
)

Assyrian Church of the East

The Assyrian Church of the East

Assyrian Church of the East

The Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East , currently presided over by Mar Dinkha IV, is a Christian particular church and one of the earliest to separate itself from communion with the Catholic Church ....
recognizes as Doctors of the Church Eliseus, Diodore of Tarsus, Theodore of Mopsuestia

Theodore of Mopsuestia

Theodore the Interpreter , was bishop of Mopsuestia from 392 to 428 AD. He is also known as Theodore of Antioch, from the place of his birth and presbyterate....
, and Nestorius

Nestorius

Nestorius was Patriarch of Constantinople from 10 April 428 to 22 June 431. He was accused by his political enemy Cyril of Alexandria of a heresy that later bore his name, Nestorianism, because he objected to the popular practice of calling the Virgin Mary the "Mother of God" theotokos; he instead preached that "Mother of Christ" would be m...
.

Anglicanism

Anglicans accept the pre-Reformation doctors of the Christian Church, laying special emphasis upon Eastern Theologians. Richard Hooker

Richard Hooker

Richard Hooker was an Anglican priest and an influential theology. Hooker's emphases on reason, tolerance and inclusiveness considerably influenced the development of Anglicanism....
is generally counted amongst the Doctors of the Church, being the only "Anglican" to receive this distinction. Amongst High Church

High church

"High Church" relates to ecclesiology and liturgy in Anglican theology and practice. Although used by several Protestant Christian denominations, the term has traditionally been associated with the Anglican tradition in particular....
men, the Caroline Divines

Caroline Divines

The Caroline Divines were influential theologians and writers in the Anglicanism who lived during the reigns of Charles I of England and, after the Restoration, Charles II of England This was a golden age of Anglican scholarship....
are usually awarded the status of Church Doctors. Anglo Catholics may recognize the post-Reformation Roman Catholic doctors as well.

Lutherans

The Lutheran calendar of saints

Calendar of Saints (Lutheran)

The Lutheran Calendar of Saints is a listing which details the primary annual festivals and events that are celebrated liturgically by the Lutheran Church....
does not use the full term doctor of the church, but it does refer to Martin Luther

Martin Luther

Martin Luther was a Germans monk, theology, university professor, priest, father of Protestantism, and Protestant Reformers whose ideas started the Protestant Reformation and changed the course of Western culture....
by the term "doctor".

External links

Doctors of the Church Produced by EWTN hosted by Fr. Charles Connor - Real Audio