Find Books & Ebooks By and About the Patristics

Explore the catalog to find both book and ebook titles written by the Church Fathers (try an author search), as well as books about them and their theological contributions (try a keyword or subject search). You can also use Title or Series Title searches to find additional titles. Ebook entries in the catalog include direct links to the full text.

Women in Early Christianity

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Mothers of the Church

  • Perpetua and Felicity d. 203 (opens new windowabout)
    • Sample title - The passion of S. Perpetua
    • North African mothers
    • thrown to wild animals for being Christians
  • Euphemia, d. 303 (opens new windowabout)
  • Juliana, d. 304
    • sample title - Collaborative ministry: Skills and guidelines
  • Macrina the Elder, d. c. 340 (opens new windowabout)
    • grandmother of Basil the Great, Gregory of Nyssa, Macrina the Younger, and Peter of Sebaste
    • disciple of Gregory Thaumaturgus
  • Marcella of Rome, c. 325-410 or 411 (opens new windowabout)
    • established religious order in her home on the Aventine hill in Rome
    • received instruction from Jerome and corresponded with him after he left Rome
    • died shortly after being beaten by Visigothic soldiers during the sack of Rome in 410
  • Macrina the Younger, c. 327-380
    • sample titles - Macrina the Younger, philosopher of God; The life of Saint Macrina; Christianity and classical culture : the metamorphosis of natural theology in the Christian encounter with Hellenism
    • elder sister of Basil the Great and Gregory of Nyssa
    • Gregory called her his teacher
    • emphasized her asceticism and her virginity
    • mother of Eastern monasticism
  • Syncletica, 380-c. 460
    • desert mother (amma)
    • Vita Sanctae Syncleticae (PG 28: 1488-1557)
    • sayings in A pophthegmata Patrum
    • emphasized patience, gentleness, and moderation
  • Melania the Elder (opens new windowabout), 342-411
    • established monastery on Mount of Olives
  • Egeria the Pilgrim, active, 4th-5th c.
    • sample titles:& Egeria's travels to the Holy Land;& Egeria: diary of a pilgrimage.
    • went on a pilgrimage, 381-384
  • Paula the Elder, of Rome,347–404
    • friend of Jerome
    • established a monastery and convent in Bethlehem in386
    • Jerome extolled her virtues in Ep.108 (MignePL22. 878 ff.).
  • Monica, c. 331-387 (opens new windowabout)
    • mother of Augustine
    • wept and prayed perseveringly for her son's conversion
    • extolled by her son for her holiness and wisdom
  • Mary of Egypt, 344-c. 421 (opens new windowabout)
  • Melania the Younger (opens new windowabout), 383-439
    • granddaughter of the earlier Melania
  • Sarah, anchoress
    • desert mother (amma) in the desert of Scetis near end of the 4th c.
    • sayings in Apophthegmata Patrum
  • Theodora, anchoress
    • desert mother (amma)
    • sayings in Apophthegmata Patrum
  • Ita, 475-570 or 577
    • born in Ireland
    • established convent of Killeedy (Limerick County)
    • known for healings and the gifts of spiritual discernment and prophecy

Melania the Elder

Melania the Elder

Desert Mothers

Online Indices to Women's Literature