| The Fathers of the Church are the officially recognized early saints of the Catholic Church who helped shape theology and faith in the first age of the Church. They are often classified by period (e.g. Ante-Nicene and Post-Nicene) or by region, culture, and language (e.g. Eastern and Western, or Latin, Greek, and Oriental).
Some of the most important Greek fathers are:
Note: All though all of these Greek fathers were very influential in the early church, some were declared heretics (or at least some of their writings were condemned) by the Catholic Church and/or Orthodox Churches. (Thanks Byzantine)
Some of the most important Latin fathers are:
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