List of Christian women of the early church

This is a list of Christian women in the early church who were leaders and members of the early Christian churches and communities. The list is roughly in chronological order of year when they lived or died. For this list the early church is considered to have started towards the end of the 1st century (after the time of the New Testament church) and to have ended towards the close of the 6th century.

The first column lists the woman's name, her "also known as", location and year. Also known as means her position, titles or status. Some were referred to during their life as deacons, presbyters, ministers, martyrs, Empress or Augusta. Later they may have been called church patrons, teachers, leaders, church mothers, Desert Mothers, martyrs or saints. There is a link in the woman's name to her Wikipedia page or one mentioning her. Readers can go to the linked page to read more life details and about any churches who may venerate her. If there is no link, there are references to sources that discuss the woman and her position in the early church.

The image column reproduces images, icons or pictures available from Commons that represent the woman.

The description and legacy column uses the historical, literary or archeological evidence (such as letters, inscriptions, texts and funerary art) to summarise the woman's contribution to the early church and her legacy. As far as possible, historical sources are used rather than hagiography.

Abbreviations

 * c = about, approximately
 * cent. = century
 * d = death
 * est. = estimated