Patristic Quotation
A quotation from the early Christian writers known as the Church Fathers.
A patristic quotation is a sentence or passage taken from the writings of the early Church Fathers, the theologians and bishops of the first eight centuries of Christianity. Major patristic authors include Augustine, Jerome, Ambrose, Gregory the Great, John Chrysostom, and the Cappadocian Fathers.
These quotations matter because they shaped Christian doctrine, liturgy, and later Western thought. A phrase like 'Our hearts are restless until they rest in you' (Augustine, Confessions) has been quoted for sixteen centuries and has become part of the shared vocabulary of Christian reflection.
Patristic quotations are often used in theological writing, homiletics, and liturgy. They require the same care as any quotation: the writer should cite the work, the book or chapter, and, where possible, the modern critical edition.
Common mistake: treating a patristic quotation as if it were a Bible verse. The Church Fathers interpreted Scripture; their words are authoritative in tradition but not part of the biblical canon.
“You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.”
Keep reading the glossary
Ancient texts that collect practical advice, proverbs, and reflections on how to live.
A religious address — historically one of the most prolific sources of quotation in any culture.
The layered citation tradition of Jewish religious literature — quote upon quote upon quote.
A historical record arranged year by year, often a source of memorable quotations.