Name: St Monica

Born: 331AD in Tagaste, which is present day Algeria

Patron Saint of: Mothers

Feast Day: 27^th August

Bio: When Monica was young, she was married off to a Roman pagan called Patricius, who had a temper. Patricius’ mother lived with the couple and sometimes this proved to be a challenge for Monica.

Monica continued to pray and carry out Christian deeds. It is believed that this bothered Patricius, but he respected her beliefs.

Monica and Patricius had three children: Augustine, Navigius and Perpetua. Patricius did not allow Monica to baptise her children. But when Augustine fell ill, he allowed it. But when Augustine became well, he withdrew his permission.

For years Monica persevered in prayer for her husband and mother-in-law. Then about a year before Patricius’ death, he wanted to be baptised.

As time passed Naigius and Perpetua entered religious life, but Augustine became lazy and reckless. This worried Monica greatly and when Patricius died, she sent Augustine to school in Carthage when he was 17. While in Carthage, Augustine became a Manichaean, which was a major religion that saw the world as light and darkness. After Augustine returned home, he shared his views with his mother, who drove him away from his table. Some time passed and Monica had a vision to reconcile with her son.

Monica went to see the Bishop, who said to her, “the child of those tears shall never perish.”

Inspired, Monica followed Augustine to Rome, where she learned he had left for Milan. She continued her pursual and eventually came upon St Ambrose, who helped her convert Augustine to Christianity. After a period of 6 months, Augustine was baptised in the Church of St John the Baptist in Milan. The pair were led to believe they should spread the Word of God to Africa, but in the Roman city of Civitavecchia, Monica passed away.

Augustine recorded the words she imparted on him when she realised her death was near, “Son, nothing in this world now affords me delight. I do not know what there is now left for me to do or why I am still here, all my hopes in this world being now fulfilled.”

Monica was buried at Ostia, and her body was removed during the 6^th century to a hidden crypt in the Church of Santa Aurea in Osta, near the tomb of St Aurea of Ostia.

In 1430, Pope Martin V ordered her relics to be brought to Rome and many miracles were reported to have occurred along the way. Later, Cardinal d’Estouteville built a church to honour St Augustine called Basilica di Sant’Agostino, where her relics were placed in a chapel to the left of the high alter.

St Monica, pray for us!

Quote:

“Nothing is far from God” -St. Monica