| Contents | S. Augustinus Hipponensis St. Augustine of Hippo |
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It is hard to know where to begin in such a short space in discussion of St. Augustine of Hippo. His life's history is too extensive to even begin to chronicle it here in a short introduction. Nor can his impact on Western Christian thought can hardly be overstated. He is honored by the Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox and some Protestant denominations. He was born on November 13th, 354 AD, in North Africa, in the town Thagaste, which is in present-day Algeria. He was born of a pagan father and a Christian mother, the well known St. Monica. He was not born a Christian but converted from paganism at the age of 33. His mother prayed for his conversion for years. Eventually he was baptized by St. Ambrose along with Augustus' son, Adeodatus, at the Easter Vigil in Milan on the 24th of April, 387 AD. He was not originally interested in the clerical life but through a number of events eventually sold all his goods and was ordained a priest in 391 AD. Augustine was made the coadjutor bishop of Hippo Regius in 395 AD and became the head of the diocese shortly thereafter. He died at Hippo on August 28th, 430 AD. He was canonized by popular acclaim and later recognized as a Doctor of the Church in 1298 by Pope Boniface VIII. He is the patron saint of brewers, printers, theologians, and a number of cities and dioceses. His feast day is the day of his death, August 28. His life is extensively documented in several sources. Paul Orosius, a student of St. Augustine, wrote many details concerning Augustine. We also have St. Augustine's own works, especially his “Confessions,” to draw from. He is the preeminent Latin author of all time. Much of his writings still survive today. He wrote extensively in defense of orthodoxy and against the major heresies of the time. Those interested should seek out his biographies and anthologies of writings. |
Preces et Devotiones ad S. Augustum (Prayers and devotions to St. Augistine)
- Litaniae de S. Augustino
Litany of St. Augustine
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