The Apophthegmata Ecclesiastica is a collection of wise sayings compiled by an anonymous Christian author between the 4th and 6th centuries CE. This period, known as Late Antiquity, saw the flourishing of monasticism and the popular practice of gathering short, instructive anecdotes. The compiler’s role was to collect and preserve these sayings, which are attributed to various church authorities, likely bishops and other ecclesiastical leaders. The title Ecclesiastica distinguishes this collection from others that focused more on desert monks.

The work belongs to the ancient genre of apophthegmata—pithy sayings or brief stories meant to convey moral and spiritual wisdom. This tradition has roots in both Greek philosophy and biblical literature. The collection is written in the common Greek of the early Christian era. The exact number and titles of the works within the compilation are uncertain, but the core text is a prose anthology of these ecclesiastical sayings.

According to modern scholars, the Apophthegmata Ecclesiastica is significant as a window into the practical ethics and spiritual ideals taught in late antique Christian communities. It served as an educational tool for both clergy and laypeople, transmitting core values in an accessible format. The work is an important example of how early Christians adapted classical literary forms for their own instructional purposes, helping to preserve and spread teachings in the centuries before the printing press.