The Doctors of the Church

A Doctor of the Church is a title granted by the Catholic Church to saints who have made significant contributions to theology or doctrine through their research, study, or writing. Recognized for both their holiness and their theological insight, these individuals are considered reliable guides for the faith, with teachings that offer timeless wisdom and deepen understanding of Christian beliefs.

There are three main criteria for being named a Doctor of the Church:

Eminent Doctrine: The individual’s writings or teachings must offer outstanding insights into Catholic doctrine and contribute meaningfully to the Church’s theological and spiritual understanding.

Holiness: The person must have demonstrated an exemplary life of faith, often leading a life marked by virtue and deep spirituality.

Formal Proclamation: The Church, typically through the Pope, formally bestows this title, often after consulting with theologians and bishops.

Some well-known Doctors of the Church include St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, and St. Teresa of Ávila. The title reflects the universal importance of their teachings rather than official authority over the Church.

Among the thirty-seven doctors recognized by the Catholic Church, the vast majority are men. Only four women have been recognized as doctors, all after 1970 and the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council. The doctors are distributed as follows:

2 are popes;

18 are bishops, including 4 patriarchs and 3 cardinals;

14 are religious men and women;

1 is a deacon;

1 is a consecrated layperson;

1 is a martyr.

List of the Doctors of the Church, along with their titles and the years they were proclaimed:

Early Church Fathers

St. Ambrose (340-397) - Bishop of Milan (Proclaimed in 1298)

St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430) - Bishop and Theologian (Proclaimed in 1298)

St. Jerome (c. 347-420) - Priest and Translator of the Vulgate (Proclaimed in 1298)

St. Gregory the Great (c. 540-604) - Pope and Reformer (Proclaimed in 1298)

Eastern Fathers

St. Athanasius (c. 296-373) - Bishop of Alexandria, Defender of the Trinity (Proclaimed in 1568)

St. Basil the Great (329-379) - Bishop of Caesarea, Monastic Reformer (Proclaimed in 1568)

St. Gregory of Nazianzus (c. 329-390) - Theologian, Archbishop of Constantinople (Proclaimed in 1568)

St. John Chrysostom (c. 347-407) - Archbishop of Constantinople, Preacher (Proclaimed in 1568)

Medieval Doctors

St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) - Theologian, Philosopher (Proclaimed in 1567)

St. Bonaventure (1221-1274) - Franciscan Theologian, Philosopher (Proclaimed in 1588)

St. Anselm of Canterbury (1033-1109) - Archbishop, Philosopher (Proclaimed in 1720)

St. Isidore of Seville (c. 560-636) - Archbishop, Encyclopedist (Proclaimed in 1722)

St. Peter Chrysologus (c. 380-450) - Bishop of Ravenna, Preacher (Proclaimed in 1729)

St. Leo the Great (c. 400-461) - Pope, Theologian (Proclaimed in 1754)

St. Peter Damian (1007-1072) - Reformer, Cardinal (Proclaimed in 1828)

Mystical and Spiritual Doctors

St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153) - Abbot, Mystic (Proclaimed in 1830)

St. Hilary of Poitiers (c. 310-367) - Bishop, Defender against Arianism (Proclaimed in 1851)

St. Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) - Founder of the Redemptorists, Theologian (Proclaimed in 1871)

St. Francis de Sales (1567-1622) - Bishop, Writer on Devotion (Proclaimed in 1877)

St. Cyril of Alexandria (376-444) - Patriarch, Defender of Mary as Theotokos (Proclaimed in 1882)

St. Cyril of Jerusalem (c. 315-386) - Bishop, Catechetical Teacher (Proclaimed in 1883)

St. John of Damascus (c. 676-749) - Theologian, Defender of Icons (Proclaimed in 1890)

Counter-Reformation and Spanish Mystics

St. Bede the Venerable (c. 673-735) - Monk, Historian (Proclaimed in 1899)

St. Ephrem the Syrian (c. 306-373) - Deacon, Poet, Hymnographer (Proclaimed in 1920)

St. John of the Cross (1542-1591) - Mystic, Carmelite Reformer (Proclaimed in 1926)

St. Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621) - Cardinal, Apologist (Proclaimed in 1931)

St. Albert the Great (c. 1200-1280) - Scholar, Scientist (Proclaimed in 1931)

St. Anthony of Padua (1195-1231) - Preacher, Theologian (Proclaimed in 1946)

St. Lawrence of Brindisi (1559-1619) - Capuchin Friar, Preacher (Proclaimed in 1959)

St. Teresa of Ávila (1515-1582) - Mystic, Carmelite Reformer (Proclaimed in 1970)

St. Catherine of Siena (1347-1380) - Mystic, Lay Dominican (Proclaimed in 1970)

St. Thérèse of Lisieux (1873-1897) - Carmelite Nun, Advocate of the “Little Way” (Proclaimed in 1997)

Contemporary Additions

St. John of Ávila (1499-1569) - Spanish Priest, Mystic (Proclaimed in 2012)

St. Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) - Abbess, Mystic, Visionary (Proclaimed in 2012)

St. Gregory of Narek (c. 950-1003) - Armenian Monk, Mystic (Proclaimed in 2015)

St. Irenaeus of Lyon (c. 130-202) - Bishop, Defender of Christian Unity (Proclaimed in 2022)

St. Gregory of Nysa (c. 335-395)

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 Thérèse of Lisieux (1873-1897), French Carmelite, wrote spiritual autobiography describing her “little way” of spiritual perfection [1997].

Saint John of Ávila (1499 or 1500-1569), Spanish priest, preacher, and mystic, was influential in spreading the faith in Andalusia and reforming the church in Spain [2012]

Saint Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179), German Benedictine abbess and mystic, recorded her visions in writing, also wrote lyric poems, letters of advice and prophecy, and treatises on medicine and physiology [2012]

Saint Gregory of Narek (950-c. 1005), Armenian monk and poet, also recognized as a saint in the Armenian Apostolic Church [2015]

St. Irenaeus of Lyon (around 130–202 AD) and is best known for his works against heresy, particularly his major work, Against Heresies. Irenaeus played a crucial role in the development of early Christian theology and the establishment of the authority of the Church. His teachings emphasized the importance of tradition and the apostolic succession.