AYE10

  • Increase font size
  • Default font size
  • Decrease font size
St Augustine's Story

His childhood

Augustine of Hippo was born on 13 November, 354 AD in a small town called Tagaste, Africa. His father was pagan and his mother, Monica, was Christian. Augustine was not baptised as a child as it was common for this to be done in adulthood at the time.
Augustine hated school and would frequently skip class. His father died when he was a teenager and not long after that a rich relative paid for him to go to university, though he never wanted to go, his family saw great potential.  He soon started to enjoy studying; especially philosophy.

His university career

During his time at university he became caught up in a religion known as Manichaeism, which was at its peak at the time. This religion believed that the world was the result of a battle between darkness and light, and that each human soul was a small particle of light caught in an expanse of darkness. When he heard a sermon by Bishop Ambrose of Milan at the age of 29, Augustine started to move away from the teachings of Manichaeaism, but it was not easy.

His conversion

Four years later, as the age of 33 Augustine picked up a Bible, something he had not done in years and read the words "...not in rioting and drunkenness, not in debauchery and indecencies, not in strife and rivalry, but put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in its lusts" (from St. Paul's Letter to the Romans).  He started to read more about the Christian faith and Catholicism and was finally baptised in Rome in 387AD by Bishop Ambrose.  

He returns to Africa

Sadly, his mother died soon after...was she waiting to see him baptised? He travelled back to Africa and eventually made it to his home town of Tagaste. Upon arriving home, he immediately wanted to give all he had to the poor and upon doing so he strived to live the perfect life for God. A few friends and he started living in community together; a life of poverty, prayers and studying sacred letters.  This was the beginning of the Augustinian way of life as we see it today within the Augustinian Order.

His priesthood

Augustine had never wanted to be a priest but once on a visit to the town of Hippo, the Bishop, Valerius was encouraged by the congregation to ordain him!  Augustine protested and fought against the Bishop, but the Bishop went ahead, and so in 391AD Augustine was ordained a priest.  Bishop Valerius died five years later and in turn Augustine was appointed Bishop and spent the next 35 years travelling northern Africa and preaching.

He dies serving God

In 427AD fighting broke out between the Goths and the Vandals and in his efforts to bring peace to the groups and areas he stayed in places that many Bishops had already escaped from to protect themselves. Shortly after deciding to stay he took seriously ill and then died on 28 August, 430AD and an age of 76.  After he died it was found that he had written many books including his famous book ‘The City of God’ which was one of Europe’s best sellers!


“You must stand by him and not change friendship just because his circumstances have changed for the worse, you must keep faith.” St. Augustine