When was the first time a Pope was addressed as Holy Father?

[fabio_rocha]

The earliest record I found is from the Council of Ephesus (A.D.431):

"Thus the Fathers of Ephesus declare that they “are compelled” to condemn the heresy of Nestorius “by the sacred canons and by the letter of our holy father and co-minister, Celestine the Bishop of Rome.”

Is there an earlier record?

 

[PluniaZ]

Ooooh nice find. I’m not aware of anything earlier, but definitely want to find out.

 

[amsjj]

I’d like to know too!

 

[Todd977]

The Synod of Constantinople (382) used the phrase “holy fathers” to refer to the participants in the Council of Nicaea:
Now as to the particular administration of individual churches, an ancient custom, as you know, has obtained, confirmed by the enactment of the holy fathers of Nicæa, that in every province, the bishops of the province, and, with their consent, the neighbouring bishops with them, should perform ordinations as expediency may require.

 

[twf]

The Synod of Constantinople (382) used the phrase “holy fathers” to refer to the participants in the Council of Nicaea:
Now as to the particular administration of individual churches, an ancient custom, as you know, has obtained, confirmed by the enactment of the holy fathers of Nicæa, that in every province, the bishops of the province, and, with their consent, the neighbouring bishops with them, should perform ordinations as expediency may require.

This is referring to ALL the bishops at the Council as “the holy fathers” in the plural. We still refer to those bishops who participate in a council or synod as “council fathers” or “synod fathers”.

 

[1ke]

Well, that’s what pope means. Father.

 

[Todd977]

This is referring to ALL the bishops at the Council as “the holy fathers” in the plural. We still refer to those bishops who participate in a council or synod as “council fathers” or “synod fathers”.

Yes. It appears that it was common in the early Church to address any bishop as “Holy Father” and only later did “Holy Father” became reserved to the bishop of Rome in the West.

 

[PluniaZ]

Yes. It appears that it was common in the early Church to address any bishop as “Holy Father” and only later did “Holy Father” became reserved to the bishop of Rome in the West.

I’m not sure about that. The reference to the 318 bishops at the First Council of Nicea as “holy fathers” was a term of reverence for what was viewed at the time as the most important council in church history. We can’t infer from this one usage that it was common to address any bishop as “holy father”.