Paphnutius of Thebes was a fourth-century Egyptian bishop and a disciple of Anthony the Great. He is historically recognized as a participant in the First Council of Nicaea, where he played a significant role in discussions regarding clerical celibacy. Having endured physical suffering and imprisonment for his Christian faith under Emperor Maximinus, he later served as an abbot and a defender of orthodoxy against Arianism. His influence at the ecumenical council helped shape the regulations concerning the marital lives of ordained clergy.