Editing Theotokos (section)

===Early Church===
The term was certainly in use by the 4th century.
[[Athanasius of Alexandria]] in 330, [[Gregory Nazianzus|Gregory the Theologian]] in 370, [[John Chrysostom]]{{Failed verification|date=December 2023}} in 400, and [[Augustine of Hippo|Augustine]] all used ''theotokos''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.egolpion.com/term_theotokos_.en.aspx |title=The rejection of the term Theotokos by Nestorius Constantinople and the refutation of his teaching by Cyril of Alexandria |publisher=Egolpion.com |date=2012-06-24 |access-date=2012-10-04 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121008063042/http://egolpion.com/term_theotokos_.en.aspx |archive-date=2012-10-08 }}</ref>

[[Origen]] (d. 254) is often cited as the earliest author to use ''theotokos'' for Mary (Socrates, ''Ecclesiastical History'' 7.32 ([[Patrologia Graeca|PG]] 67, 812 B) citing Origen's ''Commentary on Romans''), but the surviving texts do not contain it. It is also claimed that the term was used c. 250 by [[Dionysius of Alexandria]], in an epistle to [[Paul of Samosata]],<ref name=Villiers>{{cite web|last=de Villiers|first=Henri |url=http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2011/02/sub-tuum-praesidium.html |title=The Sub Tuum Praesidium |publisher=New Liturgical Movement |date=2011-02-03 |access-date=2012-10-04}}.</ref> but the epistle is a forgery of the 6th century.<ref>Wolfgang A. Bienert, "Dionysius von Alexandrien: zur Frage d. Origenismus im 3. Jh", de Gruyter (1978), pp.47-49.</ref>

The oldest preserved extant hymn dedicated to the Virgin Mary,  Ὑπὸ τὴν σὴν εὐσπλαγχνίαν (English: "Beneath thy Compassion," Latin: ''[[Sub tuum praesidium]]'',) has been continually prayed and sung for at least sixteen centuries, in the original [[Koine Greek]] vocative, as ΘΕΟΤΟΚΕ.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2011/08/oldest-hymn-to-theotokos.html?m=1|title=The Oldest Hymn To the Theotokos|website=johnsanidopoulos.com|access-date=25 July 2022}}</ref> The oldest record of this hymn is a papyrus found in Egypt, mostly dated to after 450,<ref>G. Vannucci, ''Marianum'', 1941 (3), pp. 97-101, "La piu antica preghiera alla Madre de Dio". [http://www.trismegistos.org/text/64320 P. Ryl. Gr. 3 470] (Roberts, Colin Henderson) = Le Muséon 52 (1939), p. 229-233 (Mercenier, P. F. ) = [[Zeitschrift für katholische Theologie]] 74 (1952), p. 76-82 (Stegmüller, Otto). "Date: AD 450 - 799".</ref> but according to a suggestion by de Villiers (2011) possibly older, dating to the mid-3rd century.<ref name=Villiers/>

[[John Cassian]] (360–435) wrote in his book about the [[Mother of God]] against [[Nestorian]] heresy of [[Christokos]]:

{{blockquote|Since then you said that God was born of Mary, how can you deny that Mary was the mother of God? Since you said that God came, how can you deny that He is God who has come?<ref name="Cassian1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/35096.htm|title=CHURCH FATHERS: On the Incarnation, Book VI (John Cassian)|website=www.newadvent.org}}</ref>}}

{{blockquote|And so you say, O heretic, whoever you may be, who deny that God was born of the Virgin, that Mary the Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ ought not to be called Theotokos, i.e., Mother of God, but Christotocos, i.e., only the Mother of Christ, not of God. For no one, you say, brings forth what is anterior in time. And of this utterly foolish argument whereby you think that the birth of God can be understood by carnal minds, and fancy that the mystery of His Majesty can be accounted for by human reasoning, we will, if God permits, say something later on. In the meanwhile we will now prove by Divine testimonies that Christ is God, and that Mary is the Mother of God. Hear then how the angel of God speaks to the Shepherds of the birth of God. There is born, he says, to you this day in the city of David a Saviour who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11 In order that you may not take Christ for a mere man, he adds the name of Lord and Saviour, on purpose that you may have no doubt that He whom you acknowledge as Saviour is God, and that (as the office of saving belongs only to Divine power) you may not question that He is of Divine power, in whom you have learned that the power to save resides.<ref name="Cassian2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/35092.htm|title=CHURCH FATHERS: On the Incarnation, Book II (John Cassian)|website=www.newadvent.org}}</ref>}}

[[Basil of Caesarea]] (330-378) stated:

{{blockquote|According to the blameless faith of the Christians which we have obtained from God, I confess and agree that I believe in one God the Father Almighty; God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost; I adore and worship one God, the Three. I confess to the œconomy of the Son in the flesh, and that the holy Mary, who gave birth to Him according to the flesh, was Mother of God.<ref name="Basil">{{Cite web|url=https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/3202360.htm|title=CHURCH FATHERS: Letter 360 (St. Basil)|website=www.newadvent.org}}</ref>}}

[[Augustine of Hippo]] (354-430) stated:

{{blockquote|An Angel speaks to Zacharias; fertility is given to the barren; the priest comes forth dumb from the place of incense; John bursts forth into speech while yet confined within his mother's womb; an Angel blesses Mary and promises that she, a virgin, shall be the mother of the Son of God.<ref name="Augustine">{{Cite web|url=https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/330202.htm|title=CHURCH FATHERS: On the Trinity, Book II (Hilary of Poitiers)|website=www.newadvent.org}}</ref>}}