Use in The Early Christian Church
Origen (d. 254) is often cited as the earliest author to use theotokos for Mary (Socrates, Ecclesiastical History 7.32 citing Origen's Commentary on Romans) but the text upon which this assertion is based may not be genuine.
Athanasius of Alexandria in 330, Gregory the Theologian in 370, John Chrysostom in 400, and Augustine all used theotokos.
Sub tuum praesidium, a Coptic Orthodox hymn dating approximately to the year 250, refers to Mary as the theotokos.
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