People

A

AaronBrother of Moses, first high priest of Israel
Abgar VIIIKing of Edessa at the time of the flood of AD 201
AbrahamPatriarch, ancestor of Israel · c. 2166 BC – c. 1991 BC
Absalom JonesRector of St Thomas’s African Episcopal Church, Philadelphia
Acacius of ConstantinopleBishop of Constantinople, condemned by Rome in 484
AdamThe first man in Genesis
Aethelberht of KentKing of Kent, died 616 · died 24 February AD 616
Afonso I of KongoKing of Kongo
Afonso MendesCatholic patriarch of Ethiopia
AgathoBishop of Rome, 678–681 · died AD 681
AhabKing of Israel, c. 874–853 BC · died c. 853 BC
AhazKing of Judah, later eighth century BC
AlaricKing of the Goths
Albert of BrandenburgArchbishop of Mainz and Magdeburg; elector
Albert the GreatDominican master at Cologne, teacher of Thomas Aquinas
AlcuinScholar and deacon from York; teacher at Charlemagne’s court and at St Martin’s, Tours
Aleixo de MenezesArchbishop of Goa
Alexander IIIPope at the time of the Becket dispute and the Third Lateran Council
Alexander of AlexandriaBishop of Alexandria · died AD 328
Alexander the GreatKing of Macedon, 336–323 BC · 356 BC – 323 BC
Alexander VIPope
Alexios I KomnenosByzantine emperor at the time of the First Crusade
Alexis of RussiaTsar of Russia
Allan BoesakPresident of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches in 1982
AlopenMonk of the Church of the East in China, arrived 635
AmbroseBishop of Milan
AmosProphet to Israel, c. 760 BC
Ananias of DamascusDisciple at Damascus in the story of Paul’s conversion
Ananus ben AnanusHigh priest in Jerusalem, AD 62
AndrewApostle, brother of Peter
AnjiroJapanese convert; companion of Francis Xavier
Anselm of CanterburyMonk and abbot of Bec, archbishop of Canterbury 1093–1109 · died 1109
AnsgarMissionary to the Danes and Swedes; first archbishop of Hamburg-Bremen · c. AD 801 – 3 February AD 865
Antiochus IVSeleucid king, 175–164 BC · died 164 BC
Antoninus PiusRoman emperor, AD 138–161 · AD 86 – AD 161
Antonio de MontesinosDominican preacher in Hispaniola
Antony the GreatHermit in the Egyptian desert · c. AD 251 – AD 356
ApollosJewish Christian teacher from Alexandria
AquilaTentmaker; fellow worker of Paul
ArchelausEthnarch of Judea, Samaria and Idumea, 4 BC – AD 6
Arethas of NajranChief of the Christians of Najran, martyr
Aristobulus IIHasmonean king and high priest, 67–63 BC · died 49 BC
AriusPresbyter of Alexandria whose teaching was condemned at Nicaea
Arnaud AmalricAbbot of Cîteaux and papal legate
Artaxerxes IKing of Persia, reigned 465–424 BC
AthanasiusBishop of Alexandria, 328–373 · died 2 May AD 373
Athanasius the AthoniteMonk; founder of the Great Lavra on Mount Athos
Athanasius Yeshue SamuelSyrian Orthodox archbishop in Jerusalem
Athenagoras IEcumenical Patriarch of Constantinople
August Hermann FranckePastor at Glaucha and professor at Halle
Augustine of CanterburyMonk of Rome, first archbishop of Canterbury
Augustine of HippoBishop of Hippo Regius, theologian · AD 354 – AD 430
AugustusRoman emperor, 27 BC – AD 14 · 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14
Aurelius of CarthageBishop of Carthage
AvvakumRussian archpriest and opponent of Nikon’s reforms

B

BardaisanChristian teacher and writer of Edessa · born AD 154
Barlaam of CalabriaMonk and philosopher
BarnabasMissionary; companion of Paul
Bartholomäus ZiegenbalgLutheran missionary at Tranquebar
Bartholomew IArchbishop of Constantinople and Ecumenical Patriarch from 1991 · born 1940
Bartolomé de Las CasasDominican friar; bishop of Chiapa
Barton StoneMinister at Cane Ridge, Kentucky; leader of the Christian movement · 1772 – 1844
Basil IByzantine emperor
Basil IIByzantine emperor
Basil of CaesareaBishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, c. 370–379 · died AD 379
BathshebaWife of Uriah, then of David; mother of Solomon
BedeMonk of Wearmouth and Jarrow; historian and commentator on Scripture · c. AD 673 – 25 May AD 735
BelshazzarCrown prince of Babylon, son of Nabonidus
Benedict of NursiaAbbot of Monte Cassino and author of a rule for monks
Benedict XVIPope, 2005–2013; prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 1981–2005 · 16 April 1927 – 31 December 2022
Benito MussoliniPrime minister and head of the government of Italy
Bernadette SoubirousVisionary of Lourdes · 7 January 1844 – 16 April 1879
Bernard LawCardinal; archbishop of Boston, 1984–2002 · 1931 – 2017
Bernard of ClairvauxCistercian monk, first abbot of Clairvaux · c. 1090 – 20 August 1153
Bernard PetitjeanFrench missionary at Nagasaki, later vicar apostolic of Japan · born 1829
Berno of ClunyFirst abbot of Cluny
BessarionMetropolitan of Nicaea
Beyers NaudéDutch Reformed minister, founder of the Christian Institute
Billy GrahamAmerican evangelist
Blaise PascalFrench writer, author of the Provincial Letters · 1623 – 1662
BlandinaSlave and martyr at Lyon · died AD 177
BoazLandowner of Bethlehem; great-grandfather of David
BonaventureFriar and cardinal bishop of Albano · died 1274
BonifaceMissionary bishop in Germany; archbishop of Mainz · died 5 June AD 754
Boniface VIIIPope, 1294–1303 · died 12 October 1303
Boris GodunovBrother-in-law and minister of Tsar Fyodor; later tsar of Russia
Boris IRuler of the Bulgars
Brigham YoungPresident of the Twelve Apostles of the Latter-day Saints

C

CaecilianBishop of Carthage
CaiaphasHigh priest in Jerusalem, c. AD 18–36
CalebScout of the tribe of Judah
Callixtus IIPope at the time of the Concordat of Worms
Callixtus IIIPope from 1455
Carl HenryAmerican evangelical theologian and editor
Caspar OlevianusReformed theologian, named by tradition as co-author of the Heidelberg Catechism
Catherine BoothPreacher and writer, wife of William Booth · 1829 – 1890
Catherine de’ MediciQueen mother of France
Catherine of SienaDominican tertiary and letter-writer · 1347 – April 1380
CharlemagneKing of the Franks from 768; emperor, 800–814 · died 28 January AD 814
Charles FinneyAmerican evangelist and pastor
Charles IX of FranceKing of France at the time of the massacre of 1572
Charles LwangaHead of the royal pages of Buganda, Catholic martyr · c. 1861 – 1886
Charles Maillard de TournonPatriarch of Antioch, papal visitor to China, cardinal
Charles ParhamPreacher and leader of the Apostolic Faith movement that began at Topeka
Charles VHoly Roman Emperor
Charles WesleyBrother and fellow worker of John Wesley
Cheng JingyiChinese delegate at the Edinburgh conference of 1910
Christian FührerPastor of the Nikolaikirche, Leipzig
Christian KrauseLutheran bishop of Brunswick; president of the Lutheran World Federation, 1997–2003 · 1940 – 2024
Christoph SchönbornDominican theologian; archbishop of Vienna from 1995 · born 22 January 1945
Christopher ColumbusAdmiral in the service of Castile
Clare of AssisiFounder of the Poor Ladies of San Damiano · died August 1253
ClaudiusRoman emperor, AD 41–54 · 1 August 10 BC – 13 October AD 54
Clement of AlexandriaChristian teacher and writer at Alexandria
Clement of RomeBy early tradition bishop of Rome, late first century · died c. AD 100
Clement VPope, 1305–1314 · died 20 April 1314
Clement VIPope at Avignon during the Black Death
Clement VII (Avignon)Pope of the Avignon line, elected in 1378
Clement VIIIPope at the time of the Union of Brest
Clement XIPope
Clement XIVPope who suppressed the Jesuits in 1773
ClotildeQueen of the Franks, wife of Clovis
ClovisKing of the Franks, c. 481–511
Colman of LindisfarneBishop of the Northumbrians at Lindisfarne, 661–664
ColumbaIrish abbot, founder of the monastery of Iona · c. AD 521 – AD 597
Conrad GrebelLeader of the first Anabaptists at Zurich
Constantin von TischendorfGerman biblical scholar and editor of the New Testament
ConstantineRoman emperor, AD 306–337 · died 22 May AD 337
Constantine IVRoman emperor at Constantinople, 668–685 · died AD 685
Constantine XI PalaiologosLast Byzantine emperor · died 29 May 1453
Constantius IIRoman emperor, 337–361 · died AD 361
CorneliusRoman centurion at Caesarea
Cornelius JansenBishop of Ypres · died 1638
CyprianBishop of Carthage, martyred AD 258 · died 14 September AD 258
CyrilMissionary to the Slavs; maker of the Slavonic alphabet · c. AD 827 – 14 February AD 869
Cyril LucarisPatriarch of Alexandria, then of Constantinople
Cyril of AlexandriaBishop of Alexandria from 412
Cyrus the GreatKing of Persia, reigned c. 559–530 BC · died 530 BC

D

Damasus IBishop of Rome, died 384 · c. AD 305 – AD 384
DanielJudean exile and seer at the court of Babylon
Darius IKing of Persia, reigned 522–486 BC · died 486 BC
DavidKing of Israel, c. 1010–970 BC · c. 1040 BC – c. 970 BC
David du PlessisPentecostal minister and ecumenist
DeborahProphetess and judge of Israel
DeciusRoman emperor, AD 249–251 · died AD 251
Dennis BennettEpiscopal priest and leader of the charismatic renewal · 1917 – 1991
Desmond TutuAnglican bishop in South Africa, Nobel Peace laureate · 7 October 1931 – 26 December 2021
Dhu NuwasKing of Himyar in south Arabia
Dietrich BonhoefferGerman theologian
Dinkha IVCatholicos-Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East
DiocletianRoman emperor, AD 284–305
Dioscorus of AlexandriaBishop of Alexandria, deposed in 451
DobrawaBohemian princess, wife of Mieszko I
DominicFounder of the Order of Preachers · died 1221
DomitianRoman emperor, AD 81–96 · AD 51 – AD 96
Donatus of CarthageBishop of Carthage for the party that rejected Caecilian
Dositheus IIPatriarch of Jerusalem

E

Edmund CampionJesuit priest, executed at Tyburn in 1581 · c. 1540 – 1581
Edward Bouverie PuseyRegius Professor of Hebrew at Oxford and a leader of the Oxford Movement · 1800 – 1882
Edward VIKing of England, 1547–1553 · 1537 – 1553
Eleazar ben YairLeader of the Sicarii at Masada
Eleazar SukenikProfessor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
EliPriest at Shiloh
ElijahProphet in Israel, ninth century BC
ElishaProphet in Israel, ninth century BC
Elizabeth IQueen of England from 1558
Ellen WhiteAdventist writer, received by Seventh-day Adventists as a prophet · born 26 November 1827
Enrico DandoloDoge of Venice during the Fourth Crusade · died 1205
Epiphanius of KyivMetropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine, primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine from 2018 · born 1979
ErasmusScholar and editor of the Greek New Testament
EsauSon of Isaac, ancestor of the Edomites · born c. 2006 BC
EstherJewish queen of Persia in the book of Esther
EudoxiaRoman empress, wife of Arcadius · died AD 404
Eugene IVPope during the Council of Ferrara and Florence
Eusebius of CaesareaBishop of Caesarea in Palestine and historian of the church
EutychesArchimandrite at Constantinople
EveThe first woman in Genesis
EzanaKing of Aksum, mid-fourth century
EzekielPriest and prophet among the exiles in Babylonia
EzraPriest and scribe of the law

F

FabianBishop of Rome, AD 236–250 · died January AD 250
FasilidesEmperor of Ethiopia from 1632
FelicityMartyr in Roman Africa, c. AD 203 · died c. AD 203
FelixRoman governor of Judaea, c. AD 52–59
Felix ManzLeader of the first Anabaptists at Zurich · died 5 January 1527
Feofan ProkopovichBishop of Pskov, later archbishop of Novgorod
Ferdinand IKing of the Romans; later emperor
Ferdinand IIHoly Roman Emperor and King of Bohemia
Ferdinand II of AragonKing of Aragon and, with Isabella, of Castile · born March 1452
FestusRoman governor of Judaea, c. AD 59–62
Flavian of ConstantinopleBishop of Constantinople, deposed in 449
Flavius SilvaRoman governor of Judaea who took Masada
Florence Li Tim OiAnglican priest, ordained 1944 · 1907 – 1992
FrancisPope, 2013–2025 · 1936 – 2025
Francis of AssisiFounder of the Friars Minor · died October 1226
Francis XavierJesuit missionary in India and Japan · died 1552
Franciscus GomarusReformed professor of theology
Fred ShuttlesworthMinister and civil rights leader in Birmingham, Alabama
Frederick III of the PalatinateElector Palatine, 1559–1576
Frederick the WiseElector of Saxony · died 1525
Friedrich SchleiermacherReformed preacher and theologian in Berlin · born 1768
FrumentiusBishop of Aksum

G

GaleriusRoman emperor: Caesar from 293, Augustus AD 305–311 · died AD 311
Galileo GalileiMathematician and natural philosopher · 1564 – 1642
GallioProconsul of Achaia, c. AD 51–52
Gaspard de ColignyAdmiral of France and Huguenot leader · died 1572
Gebre Meskel LalibelaKing of Ethiopia, venerated as a saint
Geert GrooteDeacon and preacher of Deventer · c. 1340 – 20 August 1384
Gelasius IBishop of Rome, 492–496
Gennadius ScholariusMonk, patriarch of Constantinople under Mehmed II
Geoffrey FisherArchbishop of Canterbury
George BlaurockPriest from Chur; one of the first Anabaptists · died 1529
George FoxFounder of the Society of Friends (Quakers) · 1624 – 1691
George of the CrossArchdeacon of the Thomas Christians
George WhitefieldItinerant preacher in Britain and the American colonies
Germanus IPatriarch of Constantinople, 715–730
GideonJudge of Israel
Godfrey of BouillonDuke of Lorraine, first Latin ruler of Jerusalem
GoliathPhilistine champion from Gath
GratianRoman emperor in the West, died 383 · c. AD 359 – AD 383
Gratian (canonist)Compiler of the Decretum
Gregory IBishop of Rome, 590–604 · died March AD 604
Gregory IIBishop of Rome, 715–731 · died AD 731
Gregory IXPope from 1227
Gregory of NazianzusBishop and theologian; bishop of Constantinople in 381 · died c. AD 390
Gregory of NyssaBishop of Nyssa in Cappadocia and theologian
Gregory PalamasMonk of Mount Athos, metropolitan of Thessalonica
Gregory the IlluminatorBishop and missionary of Armenia
Gregory VIIPope, 1073–1085 · died 25 May 1085
Gregory XPope, 1271–1276
Gregory XIPope at Avignon and Rome, died 1378 · died March 1378
Guillaume FarelReformer of Geneva
Gustavo GutiérrezPeruvian priest and theologian · 8 June 1928 – 22 October 2024
Gustavus AdolphusKing of Sweden · died 1632

H

HadrianRoman emperor, AD 117–138 · AD 76 – AD 138
Hadrian IBishop of Rome, 772–795 · died AD 795
Hadrian IIPope, 867–872
HaggaiProphet in Jerusalem, 520 BC
Harry Emerson FosdickAmerican preacher, New York
HazaelKing of Aram-Damascus, from c. 842 BC
Heinrich PlütschauLutheran missionary at Tranquebar
HelenaMother of Constantine
Henry II of EnglandKing of England
Henry IV (emperor)King of the Germans, emperor from 1084 · died 1106
Henry IV of FranceKing of France and Navarre
Henry MorgenthauUnited States ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, 1913–1916
Henry V (emperor)King of the Germans, emperor from 1111
Henry VennHonorary secretary of the Church Missionary Society · 1796 – 1873
Henry VIIIKing of England · 1491 – 1547
Herman of AlaskaMonk of Valaam, missionary on Kodiak and Spruce Island · c. 1757 – 1837
Herod Agrippa IKing of Judea, AD 41–44 · c. 10 BC – AD 44
Herod Agrippa IIHerodian king under Roman rule · born c. AD 27
Herod AntipasTetrarch of Galilee and Perea from 4 BC until the emperor Gaius deposed him
Herod the GreatKing of Judea, 37–4 BC · c. 73 BC – 4 BC
HerodiasWife of Herod Antipas
HezekiahKing of Judah during Sennacherib’s invasion of 701 BC
Hilary of PoitiersBishop of Poitiers in Gaul
Hilda of WhitbyAbbess of Whitby · c. AD 614 – AD 680
HilkiahHigh priest in Jerusalem under Josiah
Hiram of TyreKing of Tyre
Hong RenganTaiping minister, the Shield King
Hong XiuquanFounder of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom · 1813 – 1864
Honorius IIIPope, 1216–1227 · died 18 March 1227
HormisdasBishop of Rome, 514–523 · died AD 523
HoseaProphet in Israel, mid eighth century BC
Hoshea of IsraelLast king of Israel, reigned nine years to c. 722 BC
Hosius of CordobaBishop of Cordoba in Spain, adviser to Constantine
Hugh LatimerBishop of Worcester and preacher; burned 1555 · died 1555
HuldahProphetess in Jerusalem in the reign of Josiah
Huldrych ZwingliPreacher at the Great Minster in Zurich; reformer · died 1531
Humbert of Silva CandidaCardinal bishop of Silva Candida; papal legate
Hyrcanus IIHasmonean high priest, 76–67 and 63–40 BC · died 30 BC

I

Ignatius of AntiochBishop of Antioch, martyr · died c. AD 110
Ignatius of ConstantinoplePatriarch of Constantinople
Ignatius of LoyolaFounder of the Society of Jesus
Innocent IIIPope, 1198–1216 · died 16 July 1216
Innocent IVPope in the middle of the thirteenth century
Innocent of AlaskaPriest on Unalaska and Sitka, bishop of Kamchatka and the Aleutians, metropolitan of Moscow · 1797 – 1879
Innocent XPope from 1644
IrenaeusBishop of Lyon, theologian
Irene of AthensRoman empress at Constantinople; co-ruler from 780, sole ruler from 797
IsaacPatriarch, son of Abraham · c. 2066 BC – c. 1886 BC
Isaac of SeleuciaBishop of Seleucia-Ctesiphon, catholicos of the Church of the East
Isabella I of CastileQueen of Castile and León · died November 1504
IsaiahProphet in Jerusalem, c. 740–700 BC
Issachar RobertsAmerican Baptist missionary in China

J

J. Gresham MachenNew Testament scholar, Princeton Theological Seminary
JacobPatriarch, father of the twelve tribes · c. 2006 BC – c. 1859 BC
Jacob BaradaeusBishop of Edessa for the opponents of Chalcedon, c. 542–578 · died c. AD 578
Jacobus ArminiusDutch Reformed pastor and professor of theology at Leiden
Jakob AndreaeLutheran theologian, signatory of the Formula of Concord
James HanningtonAnglican bishop of Eastern Equatorial Africa · 1847 – 1885
James Hudson TaylorMissionary to China and founder of the China Inland Mission · born 1832
James MadisonVirginia legislator, author of the Memorial and Remonstrance
James Son of ZebedeeApostle, brother of John · died AD 41–44
James the JustLeader of the Jerusalem church · died AD 62
James VI and IKing of Scotland and of England
Jan HusCzech priest and preacher, master at Prague · died 6 July 1415
Jan ŽižkaCaptain of the Taborites · died 11 October 1424
JedaniahLeader of the Judean community at Elephantine, late fifth century BC
JehoiachinKing of Judah, 597 BC · born c. 615 BC
JehoiakimKing of Judah, 609–598 BC · died 598 BC
JehuKing of Israel, 841–c. 814 BC · died c. 814 BC
JeremiahProphet in Jerusalem, active c. 627–after 586 BC
Jeremias II of ConstantinoplePatriarch of Constantinople
Jeroboam IFirst king of the northern kingdom of Israel, c. 930–909 BC · died c. 909 BC
Jeroboam IIKing of Israel, first half of the eighth century BC
JeromeBiblical scholar and translator · died AD 420
Jeshua the High PriestHigh priest at the return from exile
JesusJewish teacher from Nazareth, confessed by Christians as the Christ and Son of God · c. 6–4 BC – AD 30 or 33
JezebelQueen of Israel, wife of Ahab · died 841 BC
Joan of ArcThe Maid of Orléans, condemned for heresy at Rouen in 1431 · c. 1412 – 30 May 1431
Job of MoscowMetropolitan of Moscow; first patriarch of Moscow from 1589
Johann TetzelDominican friar and indulgence preacher
Johannes GutenbergPrinter at Mainz
John CalvinReformer of Geneva; author of the Institutes
John ChrysostomBishop of Constantinople, 398–404 · died AD 407
John FisherBishop of Rochester · died 1535
John Henry NewmanAnglican priest and leader of the Oxford Movement, later Catholic cardinal · born c. 1801
John HyrcanusHigh priest and ruler of Judea, 134–104 BC · died 104 BC
John KebleAnglican priest and poet, preacher of the assize sermon of 1833 · died 1866
John KnoxScottish preacher and reformer
John LockePhilosopher
John MarkCompanion of Barnabas and Paul
John MottChairman of the World Missionary Conference of 1910
John of DamascusPriest, monk and theologian
John of MontecorvinoFranciscan missionary and archbishop of Khanbaliq
John of PatmosChristian prophet; author of the Revelation
John of Plano CarpiniFranciscan friar, papal envoy to the Mongols
John of SaxonyElector of Saxony from 1525
John of the CrossCarmelite friar, poet and writer on prayer
John Paul IIPope, 1978–2005 · 18 May 1920 – 2 April 2005
John RobinsonPastor of the English Separatist congregation at Leiden · died 1625
John SmythEnglish Separatist pastor who adopted believers’ baptism
John StottRector of All Souls, Langham Place, London; evangelical leader · died 27 July 2011
John the ApostleApostle, brother of James
John the BaptistProphet who baptised in the Jordan · died c. AD 29
John VIIIPope, 872–882
John VIII PalaiologosByzantine emperor
John WesleyClergyman of the Church of England and founder of Methodism
John WycliffeOxford theologian, rector of Lutterworth · died 1384
John XIIPope from 955; declared deposed in 963
John XXIIIPope, 1958–1963 · 25 November 1881 – 3 June 1963
JonahProphet of Israel, eighth century BC
Jonathan EdwardsPastor at Northampton, Massachusetts
JosephSon of Jacob, governor of Egypt · c. 1915 BC – c. 1805 BC
Joseph of ArimatheaMember of the council who buried Jesus
Joseph of NazarethHusband of Mary
Joseph SmithFounder of the Latter-day Saint movement · 23 December 1805 – 27 June 1844
JosephusJewish priest, commander and historian · born AD 37/38
JoshuaSuccessor of Moses, leader of Israel’s entry into Canaan
JosiahKing of Judah, c. 640–609 BC · c. 648 BC – 609 BC
Juan de ZumárragaFranciscan; bishop of Mexico
Juan DiegoVisionary of Guadalupe; saint of the Catholic Church · 1474 – 1548
Juan Ginés de SepúlvedaChronicler to Charles V
Judas IscariotOne of the Twelve, who handed Jesus over · died AD 30 or 33
Judas MaccabeusLeader of the Jewish revolt against the Seleucids · died 160 BC
Judas the GalileanLeader of resistance to the Roman census of AD 6
JulianRoman emperor, 361–363 · c. AD 332 – 26 June AD 363
Julian the MissionaryPriest of the patriarch Theodosius of Alexandria, missionary to the Nobadae
Justin MartyrChristian philosopher and apologist at Rome · died c. AD 165
Justinian IRoman emperor at Constantinople, 527–565 · died AD 565

K

Kaleb of AksumKing of Aksum in the early sixth century
KangxiEmperor of China
Karl BarthTheologian
Kil Sun-jooKorean Presbyterian elder and preacher at Pyongyang
Kirill of MoscowPatriarch of Moscow and All Russia from 2009 · born 1946
Konstanty OstrogskiDuke of Ostrog, palatine of Kiev

L

László TőkésPastor at Timișoara in 1989; later member of the European Parliament · born 1 April 1952
LazarusFriend of Jesus, of Bethany
Leander of SevilleBishop of Seville in the time of Reccared
Leo IBishop of Rome, 440–461
Leo IIIBishop of Rome, 795–816 · died AD 816
Leo III the IsaurianRoman emperor at Constantinople, 717–741 · died 18 June AD 741
Leo IXPope · died April 1054
Leo Jozef SuenensBelgian cardinal · 1904 – 1996
Leo XPope from 1513
Leo XIIIPope, 1878–1903
Leo XIVPope from 2025 · born 1955
Leonard DoberMoravian missionary to St Thomas
Lesslie NewbiginBishop in the Church of South India
LiciniusRoman emperor in the East, colleague and then rival of Constantine
Longinus of NubiaBishop of the Nobadae; baptised the king of Alodia
Louis XIVKing of France from 1643
LukeCompanion of Paul; by tradition the author of the third Gospel and Acts
LydiaMerchant at Philippi; host of Paul and the believers there

M

Macarius of CorinthFormer metropolitan of Corinth, compiler of the Philokalia
Macarius of JerusalemBishop of Jerusalem in the time of Constantine
MacrinaAscetic; elder sister of Basil of Caesarea and Gregory of Nyssa
MalachiProphet in Jerusalem, fifth century BC
MarcianEastern Roman emperor, 450–457
MarcionChristian teacher at Rome, from whom the Marcionite churches took their name
Margaret FellQuaker leader and writer
Mark of EphesusMetropolitan of Ephesus
MarthaDisciple of Jesus, of Bethany
Martin ChemnitzLutheran theologian, signatory of the Formula of Concord
Martin LutherFriar and professor at Wittenberg; reformer · 10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546
Martin Luther King JrBaptist pastor and civil rights leader · 15 January 1929 – 4 April 1968
Martin NiemöllerGerman Protestant pastor
Martin VPope, elected at Constance in 1417
Marutha of MaypherkatBishop of Maypherkat, envoy to the Persian court
MaryMother of Jesus
Mary I of EnglandQueen of England, 1553–1558 · died 1558
Mary MagdaleneDisciple of Jesus and witness of the resurrection
Mary of BethanyDisciple of Jesus, of Bethany
Mary, Queen of ScotsQueen of Scotland
Matilda of TuscanyCountess in northern Italy, ally of the reforming popes
MattathiasPriest of Modein, first leader of the Maccabean revolt · died 166 BC
Matteo RicciJesuit missionary in China · 1552 – 1610
MatthewApostle; tax collector at Capernaum
Matthew ParkerArchbishop of Canterbury, 1559–1575 · 1504 – 1575
MaxentiusEmperor at Rome, AD 306–312 · died 28 October AD 312
MaximillaProphetess of the New Prophecy in Phrygia
Maximus the ConfessorMonk and theologian; defender of the two wills of Christ
Mehmed IIOttoman sultan
MelchizedekKing of Salem and priest of God Most High
MerneptahPharaoh of Egypt, c. 1213–1203 BC · died c. 1203 BC
MeshaKing of Moab, mid ninth century BC
Methodios IPatriarch of Constantinople
MethodiusArchbishop in Pannonia and Moravia · died 6 April AD 885
Michael CerulariusPatriarch of Constantinople
Michael RohozaMetropolitan of Kiev, Halych and all Rus’
Michael SattlerFormer monk; Anabaptist leader · died 1527
Michael VIII PalaiologosByzantine emperor
Michael von FaulhaberArchbishop of Munich and Freising, 1917–1952; cardinal from 1921 · 1869 – 1952
Mieszko IDuke of the Poles · died AD 992
MiriamProphetess, sister of Moses and Aaron
Mirian IIIKing of Kartli (Iberia) in Georgian tradition
MonicaMother of Augustine · c. AD 331 – AD 387
MontanusChristian prophet in Phrygia, founder of the New Prophecy
MordecaiJewish official at Susa in the book of Esther
MosesProphet and lawgiver of Israel
Munib YounanLutheran bishop in Jordan and the Holy Land; president of the Lutheran World Federation, 2010–2017 · born 1950
Mwanga IIKabaka (king) of Buganda from 1884

N

NabonidusLast king of Babylon, reigned 556–539 BC
NaomiMother-in-law of Ruth
NapoleonFirst Consul of France from 1799, Emperor of the French from 1804
NathanProphet at the court of David
Nebuchadnezzar IIKing of Babylon, reigned 605–562 BC · died 562 BC
Necho IIKing of Egypt, 610–595 BC
NehemiahGovernor of Judah, 445–433 BC
NeroRoman emperor, AD 54–68 · AD 37 – AD 68
NestoriusBishop of Constantinople, 428–431
Nicholas IPope, 858–867
Nicholas IVPope from 1288
Nicholas RidleyBishop of London under Edward VI; burned 1555 · died 1555
Nicodemus the HagioriteMonk of Mount Athos, co-editor of the Philokalia
Nikephoros II PhokasByzantine general; emperor, 963–969
Nikolaus von ZinzendorfCount, patron and leader of the Moravian congregation at Herrnhut
NikonPatriarch of Moscow, 1652–1666
NinoMissionary of Kartli in Georgian tradition
NoahBuilder of the ark
NovatianRoman presbyter and rival bishop of Rome from AD 251
Nzinga a NkuwuKing of Kongo, baptised as João in 1491

O

OdoacerKing in Italy from 476
Olaf TryggvasonKing of Norway · died AD 999/1000
Olaudah EquianoWriter and campaigner against the slave trade · born c. 1745
Olga of KyivPrincess of Kyiv; grandmother of Vladimir · died AD 969
OrigenBiblical scholar and teacher at Alexandria and Caesarea · c. AD 185 – c. AD 254
Óscar RomeroArchbishop of San Salvador, 1977–1980 · 15 August 1917 – 24 March 1980
OswiuKing of the Northumbrians, 642–670 · c. AD 612 – AD 670
Otto IKing of the East Franks; emperor from 962

P

PachomiusFounder of the monasteries of Tabennisi in Upper Egypt · died AD 346
Paisius VelichkovskyElder and archimandrite of Neamț in Moldavia, translator · 1722 – 1794
Pasquier QuesnelAuthor of the Réflexions morales condemned in 1713
PatrickBishop and missionary in Ireland, fifth century
PaulApostle to the Gentiles · died c. AD 64–67
Paul IIIPope
Paul MikiJapanese Jesuit brother, crucified at Nagasaki in 1597 · died 1597
Paul VIPope, 1963–1978 · 26 September 1897 – 6 August 1978
PaulaRoman noblewoman, founder of monasteries at Bethlehem · AD 347 – AD 404
Pedro PáezJesuit missionary in Ethiopia, 1603–1622 · died 1622
PelagiusMonk and teacher
Pepin the ShortKing of the Franks, 751–768 · died 24 September AD 768
PerpetuaMartyr in Roman Africa, c. AD 203 · died c. AD 203
PeterApostle, named first among the Twelve · died c. AD 64–68
Peter AbelardMaster in the schools of Paris, logician and theologian
Peter FaberOne of the first companions of Ignatius of Loyola
Peter LombardTheologian, author of the Sentences
Peter the GreatTsar and emperor of Russia
Peter WaldoCitizen of Lyon from whom the Waldensians take their name
Philip IV of FranceKing of France, 1285–1314 · died November 1314
Philip MelanchthonProfessor of Greek at Wittenberg; Luther’s colleague
Philip of HesseLandgrave of Hesse
Philip the EvangelistOne of the Seven; preacher in Samaria
Philipp Jakob SpenerLutheran pastor at Frankfurt am Main
PhotiusPatriarch of Constantinople
Pierre CauchonBishop of Beauvais, judge of Joan of Arc
Pietro GasparriCardinal Secretary of State to Pius XI
Pius IVPope
Pius IXPope, 1846–1878 · 1792 – 1878
Pius VPope who excommunicated Elizabeth I in 1570
Pius VIPope during the French Revolution
Pius VIIPope from 1800
Pius XIPope from 1922
Pius XIIPope from 1939; before that Cardinal Secretary of State to Pius XI
Pliny the YoungerRoman senator, governor of Bithynia and Pontus · born c. AD 61
PolycarpBishop of Smyrna, martyr · died c. AD 155
PompeyRoman general and statesman · 106 BC – 48 BC
Pontius PilateRoman prefect of Judea, c. AD 26–36
PothinusBishop of Lyon, martyr · died AD 177
PriscillaFellow worker of Paul; teacher of Apollos
Ptolemy IIKing of Egypt, 285–246 BC
PulcheriaRoman empress, sister of Theodosius II and wife of Marcian

Q

QuiriniusRoman senator, legate of Syria in AD 6 · died AD 21

R

R. A. TorreyAmerican evangelist and Bible teacher
Rabban SaumaMonk of the Church of the East and Mongol envoy to the West · died 10 January 1294
RahabWoman of Jericho who sheltered Joshua’s spies
Ramón PanéHieronymite friar and missionary on Hispaniola
RastislavRuler of the Moravians
Raymond VI of ToulouseCount of Toulouse
Reccared IKing of the Visigoths, 586–601 · died AD 601
Reginald PoleCardinal, papal legate to England, archbishop of Canterbury 1556–1558 · died 1558
RehoboamKing of Judah, c. 930–913 BC · c. 971 BC – c. 913 BC
RemigiusBishop of Reims in the time of Clovis
René PadillaLatin American evangelical theologian · died 2021
Richard AllenFounder and first bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church · born 1760
Robert BellarmineCardinal and theologian
Robert of MolesmeAbbot of Molesme, founder of Cîteaux
Romulus AugustulusWestern Roman emperor, 475–476
Ronald HallAnglican bishop of Hong Kong · 1895 – 1975
RuthMoabite widow; great-grandmother of David

S

SamsonJudge of Israel
SamuelProphet and judge of Israel
Samuel Ajayi CrowtherBishop of the Niger, linguist and missionary · died 1891
Samuel RutherfordScottish Presbyterian minister and commissioner to the Westminster Assembly
SanballatGovernor of Samaria, fifth century BC
SarahWife of Abraham, mother of Isaac · c. 2156 BC – c. 2029 BC
Sargon IIKing of Assyria, 722–705 BC
SaulFirst king of Israel, c. 1050–1010 BC · died c. 1010 BC
ScholasticaNun, sister of Benedict of Nursia
SennacheribKing of Assyria, 705–681 BC · died 681 BC
Sergius of RadonezhFounder and abbot of the Trinity monastery · 1314 or 1322 – 25 September 1392
Severus of AntiochPatriarch of Antioch, 512–518
Shalmaneser IIIKing of Assyria, 858–824 BC · died 824 BC
Shalmaneser VKing of Assyria, 727–722 BC · died 722/721 BC
Shenouda IIIPope of Alexandria, head of the Coptic Orthodox Church
SheshbazzarPrince of Judah and governor at the first return
Shoshenq IKing of Egypt, founder of the Twenty-second Dynasty, later tenth century BC
SigismundKing of the Romans and of Hungary
SilasProphet of the Jerusalem church; companion of Paul
Simon bar KokhbaLeader of the Jewish revolt, AD 132–135 · died AD 135
Simon de MontfortLeader of the Albigensian Crusade · died 1218
Simon EpiscopiusSpokesman of the Remonstrants at the Synod of Dort
Simon KimbanguCongolese Baptist preacher; founder of the Kimbanguist Church
Simon ThassiHigh priest and ruler of Judea, 142–134 BC · died 134 BC
Sixtus IVPope, 1471–1484
SolomonKing of Israel, c. 970–930 BC · died c. 930 BC
SophroniusPatriarch of Jerusalem at the Arab conquest
Stefan WyszyńskiArchbishop of Gniezno and Warsaw, Primate of Poland · 3 August 1901 – 28 May 1981
StephenOne of the Seven; the first martyr in Acts · died c. AD 34
Stephen HardingAbbot of Cîteaux
Stephen IBishop of Rome in the mid-250s
Stephen I of HungaryKing of Hungary, died 1038 · died 1038
Stephen IIBishop of Rome, 752–757 · died AD 757
SusenyosEmperor of Ethiopia, 1607–1632 · c. 1571 – 1632
Sylvester IIPope, 999–1003

T

TaizongEmperor of Tang China
TarasiusPatriarch of Constantinople from 784
Tawadros IIPope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St Mark, from 2012 · born 4 November 1952
Teresa of ÁvilaCarmelite nun, founder of the Discalced Carmelites, writer on prayer
TertullianChristian writer at Carthage
TheodoraRoman empress, wife of Justinian I
Theodora the EmpressByzantine empress; regent for Michael III
Theodosius IRoman emperor, 379–395 · died AD 395
Theodosius IIRoman emperor in the East from 408 · born AD 401
Thoma IArchdeacon of the Thomas Christians, made bishop in 1653
ThomasOne of the twelve apostles
Thomas à KempisCanon regular of Mount St Agnes, writer and copyist · c. 1380 – 1471
Thomas AquinasDominican theologian, master at Paris · c. 1225 – 7 March 1274
Thomas BecketArchbishop of Canterbury, 1162–1170 · died 29 December 1170
Thomas CharlesWelsh clergyman of Bala, promoter of Sunday schools and Welsh Bibles
Thomas ClarksonCampaigner against the slave trade and its first historian · born c. 1760
Thomas CranmerArchbishop of Canterbury · died 1556
Thomas CromwellSecretary to Henry VIII and his vicegerent in church affairs · died 1540
Thomas HelwysEnglish Baptist leader and writer
Thomas JeffersonAuthor of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom; President of the United States
Thomas MoreEnglish royal councillor and Lord Chancellor; writer against Luther and Tyndale
Thomas MüntzerPreacher at Allstedt and Mühlhausen · died 1525
Thorgeir ThorkelssonLawspeaker of the Icelandic Althing
TiberiusRoman emperor, AD 14–37 · 42 BC – AD 37
Tikhon of MoscowPatriarch of Moscow and all Russia from 1917
TimothyCompanion and envoy of Paul
Tiridates IIIKing of Armenia in the late third and early fourth century
TitusRoman emperor, AD 79–81; commander at the siege of Jerusalem · died AD 81
Tokugawa IeyasuRuler of Japan, founder of the Tokugawa government
Tomás de TorquemadaDominican prior and inquisitor general
Toyotomi HideyoshiRuler of Japan
TrajanRoman emperor, AD 98–117 · died AD 117

U

UlfilasBishop of the Goths and translator of the Bible into Gothic
UmarSecond caliph; ruler of the Arabs at the conquest of Syria and Palestine · died AD 644
Urban IIPope, 1088–1099 · died 29 July 1099
Urban VIPope, elected at Rome in 1378
Urban VIIIPope during the trial of Galileo
Uriah the HittiteWarrior in David’s army, husband of Bathsheba
UzziahKing of Judah for fifty-two years, eighth century BC · died c. 740 BC

V

V. S. AzariahIndian clergyman, National Missionary Society
VespasianRoman emperor, AD 69–79 · AD 9 – AD 79
VigiliusBishop of Rome, 537–555
Vladimir LeninChairman of the Council of People’s Commissars of Soviet Russia from 1917
Vladimir the GreatPrince of Kyiv · died 15 July 1015

W

Walter KasperCardinal; president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, 2001–2010 · born 1933
Wang MingdaoIndependent pastor in Beijing
Watchman NeeFounder of the Little Flock assemblies
WilfridAbbot of Ripon and bishop in Northumbria · died AD 709
Willem Visser ‘t HooftFirst general secretary of the World Council of Churches
William BlairPresbyterian missionary at Pyongyang
William BoothFounder and first General of the Salvation Army · 1829 – 1912
William BradfordGovernor and historian of Plymouth colony
William CareyBaptist minister and missionary in Bengal
William I of AquitaineCount and duke; founder of Cluny
William IIIKing of England, reigning with Queen Mary
William MillerLecturer on the second coming of Christ · born c. 1782
William of RubruckFranciscan friar and traveller to the Mongol court
William Reed HuntingtonEpiscopal priest and writer on church unity
William SeymourPastor of the Azusa Street mission, Los Angeles
William TyndaleTranslator of the New Testament into English · died 1536
William WilberforceMember of Parliament and leader of the campaign against the slave trade · 1759 – 1833
Wu YaozongFounder and first chairman of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement

X

Xerxes IKing of Persia, reigned 486–465 BC
Xu GuangqiChinese scholar-official and Christian

Y

Yahballaha IIICatholicos of the Church of the East, 1281–1317 · c. 1245 – November 1317
Yazdegerd ISasanian king of Persia
Yi ByeokKorean scholar, first teacher of the Korean church · c. 1754 – 1786
Yi Seung-hunKorean scholar, baptized at Beijing in 1784 · 1756 – 1801

Z

Zacharias UrsinusReformed theologian at Heidelberg
Zaven I Der YeghiayanArmenian Patriarch of Constantinople in 1915
ZechariahProphet in Jerusalem, 520–518 BC
ZedekiahLast king of Judah, reigned 597–587/586 BC
ZenoRoman emperor at Constantinople, 474–491 · died AD 491
ZerubbabelGovernor of Judah, descendant of David