Name: St Augustine

Birth/death: Birth:354 AD Death – the year 430 AD

Patron Saint of brewers, printers and theologians

Feast Day: August 28

Bio: St Augustine was born in Africa and spent many years of his life in wicked living and false beliefs. He is also known as Augustine of Hippo. He attended school at the age of 11 when he joined a school at Madauras. He then went to study in Carthage. During these days, he lived a carefree life and started to follow Manichaean religion.

Through the prayers of his holy mother and the preaching of St Ambrose, Augustine finally became convinced that Christianity was the one true religion. Not long after, Augustine was baptised. He became a priest and a Bishop. St Augustine became the Bishop of Hippo – modern day Algeria.

Augustine is known as one of Christianity’s most famous writers and is often referred to as one of the most prominent Christian thinkers after St Paul. He is known in the western Christian community as a Christian Church Father. His written works, especially ‘Confessions’ – the details of his conversion and ‘City of God’, are credited with shaping the practice of the Bible.

In his last days, Augustine suffered from frail health and spent his final days praying and repenting. He also instructed from his death bed that the library and books of his church in Hippo be secured and preserved. Augustine died on 28 August, 430.  He was canonised an appointed Doctor of the Church in 1298 by Pope Boniface VIII.

Quote:

“Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe’ – St Augustine