LIFE OF ST.

AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO

A. From birth to conversion (354-386)

Augustine was born on Nov. 13, 354 at Thagaste, where the population
was mostly of Berber stock. His mother, Monica, was a fervent
Christian. Patricius, his father was a pagan who was a small land holder
and town councilor. Despite the family’s limited resources, he provided
his son with all that was needed for his good education. He had a
brother, Navigius and a sister whom tradition called Perpetua. He was
African in descent, yet roman in culture, education and language. He
studied at Thagaste, Madaura and Carthage. He taught rhetoric at
Carthage, then at Rome and Milan. He was a master of the Latin
language and culture yet not fluent in Greek. He knew little or no
Punic. He was brought up as a Christian. In intention, he always
remained one.

At 19, reading Cicero’s Hortensius, he was converted to the love of

wisdom, which, disappointed by his reading of scriptures, he sought
among the Manichees, to whom he adhered for 9 years. Having been
disillusioned by the weakness of the Manichean system, he returned to
skepticism. When in Milan, aged 32, he began the return-journey
through St. Ambrose’s preaching’s on the catholic interpretation of
scripture. He overcame skepticism by accepting the authority of the
church. He overcame his materialism by naturalism and the problem of
meditation by reading St. Paul and recognizing Jesus Christ as mediator
of grace and redeemer.

Thus his return to the catholic faith was complete. Yet his problem was
how to live the Christian ideal. After struggle, he chose to abandon all
worldly aspirations, including marriage, and consecrated himself totally
to that ideal (confess. 8, 6, 13-20, 30)

B. From conversion to priesthood (386-391)

Augustine withdrew to Cassiciacum (probably modern-day cassago,

brianza), returned to Milan the following march, followed Ambrose’s
catechism and was baptized by him on the night of Holy Saturday, April
24-25, 386.
While planning to return to Africa with his family to carry out the “holy
aim” of living together in god’s service, Monica died at ostia. Thus he
returned to Rome and spent 8-10 months interesting himself in
monastic life.

Returning to Africa, he settled at Thagaste where “together with those

who were united to him he lived for god and instructed those present
and absent through discourses and book” (Possidius).

C. From priesthood to episcopate (391-396)

Augustine went to Hippo Regius “to look for a place to found a

monastery and live with my brothers” (sermon 355,2). There he was
surprised by the priesthood, which he reluctantly accepted as god’s
wish. As he had planned, he founded a monastery where he lived as
priest and monk, in ascesis and study, following the way and rule
established at the time of the apostles.” (Possidius, 5)

In 395/396, he was consecrated assistant bishop. Leaving the lay

monastery, which would become a “seminary” of priests and monks for
the whole of Africa (Possidius 11), he withdrew to a clerical monastery
of hippo (sermons 355 and 356).

D. From Episcopate to death (396-430)

Augustine’s pastoral activity comprised: (1) the church of hippo:

preaching (2x a week – sat and sun often on several consecutive days
or even 2x a day), “audientia episcopalis”, care of the poor and
orphans, training of the clergy, organization of male and female
monasteries, administration of church property(not enjoyed but
submitted to), visiting the sick. (2) the church of Africa; participation in
annual councils, frequently journeys in response to colleagues’
invitations or ecclesiastical necessity (3) the universal church:
dogmatic controversies against the Manichees, the Donatists and the
Pelagians.

Augustine died on August 28, 430. History tells that a group of African
bishops took the body of Augustine with them while fleeing from the
Vandals. It was deposited in Sardinia on payment of gold equaling the
weight of Augustine’s body. A king of Lombardy brought it to Pavia
where it was buried in the church of Ciel D’oro. A relic of his right
forearm is retained in the Cathedral of Hippo, present-day Annaba.
 IMPORTANT PERSONS IN HIS LIFE

HIS FAMILY

Monica – his mother

Patricius – his father
Navigius – his brother
Perpetua – his sister who became Superior of a religious community for
women
Melania – mother of his son Adeodatus
Adeodatus – his son

HIS FRIENDS

Alypius – the brother of my heart

Evodius – member of his Cassiciacum group
Severus – a part of his first community
Possidius – his biographer
Nebridius – his disciples in Italy

HIS INSPIRERS

Romanianus – rich friend of the family

Cicero – Latin poet author of Hortensius
St. Ambrose – Bishop of Milan
Victorinus – famous philosopher of the 4th century

WORKS OF ST. AUGUSTINE

BOOKS
A. AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL WORKS
 Confessions
 Revisions
B. PHILOSOPHICAL – DOGMATIC WORKS
 Dialogues
 The Trinity
 The City of God
 On Christian Belief
C. PASTORAL WORKS
 On Marriage and Virginity
 On Morality and Christian As Asceticism
D. EXEGETICAL WORKS
 Christian Instruction
 On Genesis
 On the New Testament
 On the Old Testament
E. POLEMICAL WORKS
 The Arian Debate
 The Manichean Debate
 The Donatist Controversy
 Answer to the Pelagians
 Answer to the Semipelaglans
F. LETTERS 1 - 270
G. HOMILIES 1 - 400
H. EXPOSITIONS OF THE PSALMS 1 - 500