Life of St. Augustine of Hippo

Life of St. AugustineBishop of Hippo Doctor of Grace354-430 AD

Birthday:November 13, 354 AD

Birthplace:Thagaste, Numidia, North Africa

Real Name: Aurelius Augustinus

Father: Patricius - PaganMother: Monica (St. Monica) - xtianSiblings: 2 Brothers and 1 Sister (Navigius and Perpetua)

Augustine's schooldays: his parents deliver him to the schoolmaster

Infancy and Childhood

364 AD - 10 y/o - Thagaste- He likes Latin and dislikes Arithmetic and Greek

In his writings, Augustine accuses himself of often studying by constraint, not obeying his parents and masters, not writing, reading, or minding his lessons so much as was required of him. And this he did not for lack of intelligence or memory, but out of love of play.

They stripped a pear tree of its fruit "not to eat the fruit ourselves, but simply to destroy it."

Here in his own behaviour he saw an example of sin being committed simply for the sake of doing evil.

Infancy and Childhood

366 AD - 12 y/o - Madaura (20 miles south

of Thagaste- Studied Rhetoric, at that time, which is fundamental

to any professional career, such as law and public life.

370 AD - 16 y/o- returned to Thagaste- year of idleness

371 AD - 17 y/o - Carthage- Romanianus - long term relationship

with a woman (no name) always associated to Melania

372 AD - 18 y/o- Adeodatus (God-Given)

was born.- His father died and was

baptized to Christianity at his deathbed.

- He became a “Manichaean”.- Manichaeism, which is a

pseudo-Christian sect formed by Mani. Followers believe on the God of good and the God of evil.

Adolescent years

374 AD - 20 y/o-returned to Thagaste to

teach grammar (needed for the study of Rhetoric).376 Ad - 22 y/o

- Returned to Carthage after his best friend died in

Thagaste.- Opened a school of

Rhetoric and became a teacher for 8 years.

Adolescent years

373 AD - 19 y/o- He read Hortensius of

Cicero.- It is a philosophical

book, which moved him to abandon his career as a lawyer in the imperial service.

- “Intellectual conversion” The Hortensius advised against the pursuit of sensual pleasure as harmful to the discipline of thinking in a philosophic manner; however, the sexual drives within Augustine were then too strong for him to be willing to separate from his concubine.

Adolescent years

383 AD - 29 y/o-Went to Rome w/ Alypius

(former student) to open a school.

- He deceived his mother so that she couldn’t follow him.

- Milan – he was asked to be professor of Rhetoric by

Symmachus, a prefect of the City.

Augustine sets sail for Rome, leaving his mother behind

Augustine the teacher: by position in the cycle, during his brief stay in Rome

Augustine sets out for Milan from Rome -- the distinguished gentleman at the far left

is clearly meant to be the 'pagan' orator Symmachus, who secured Augustine his

place at Milan

Augustine arrives at Milan

384 AD - 30 y/o- Milan – He was inspired by

the sermons of Bishop Ambrose and

became frequent hearer of the bishop’s sermons.385 AD - 31 y/o

- Monica arrived in Milan and offered Augustine an

arranged marriage.- Augustine was faithful to

his concubine for 14 years until here.

Adolescent years

386 AD - 32 y/o- “Spiritual Conversion”- “Tolle Lege, Tolle Lege”- Romans 13:13-14

'Take up and read'

387 AD - 33 y/o- “Baptism”- Fall, April 24 - Augustine, together w/

Alypius and Adeodatus, was baptized by Bishop Ambrose in Milan

Augustine is baptized by Ambrose (the text behind his head is the famous medieval hymn, 'Te Deum', which legend believed had been by Augustine and Ambrose, jointly improvising at just this moment

387 AD - 33 y/o

- Summer, - Monica died in Ostia when they were about to go back to Thagaste.

- She died at 56 y/o.

Death of Monnica

388 AD - Founded a monastery in Thagaste.

390 AD - Adeodatus died at 18 y/o- Nebridius, his friend, also died.

391 AD - He was made a priest on the spot while looking to build another

community in Hippo.395 AD - He was made coadjutor

(assistant) bishop of Hippo.

396 AD - 42 y/o - Bishop Valerius died and he became the bishop of Hippo

Augustine’s life as a bishop:1. Drove out in Hippo Donatists2. Interfering for prisoners to save

them from torture and execution3. Advocating for the poor4. Buying freedom for badly treated

slaves5. Charging religious women with the

care of abandoned and orphaned children.

397 AD - The Confessions- 5 years

399 AD - On the Trinity- 20 years

413 AD - The City of God- 13 years

100 books240 letters500+ sermons

Works

Augustine and a boy on the seashore at Hippo

Death of Augustine:August 28, 430 at 76 y/o

Image : The bones of St Augustine are locked in a glass-sided urn and usually kept in the large marble “arca” situated immediately behind the main altar of the Church of S. Pietro in Ciel d'Oro, Pavia, On this occasion, the urn has been placed on the altar table.

Pope Benedict XVI before the bones of St. Augustine in Pavia

Ruins of the Cathedral of Hippo

Ruins of the Cathedral of

Hippo

Life of St. AugustineBishop of Hippo Doctor of Grace354-430 AD

Thank you for

listening!