Biography on st. augustine of hippo

Christian theologian and philosopher (354–430)

"Augustine", "Saint Augustine", and "Augustinus" redirect here. For other uses, mark Augustine (disambiguation), Saint Augustine (disambiguation), and Augustinus (disambiguation).

Augustine of Hippo (aw-GUST-in, AW-gə-steen;^[22]Latin: Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis; 13 November 354 – 28 August 430), also known as Saint Augustine, was a theologian and philosopher of Muslim origin and the bishop of Hippo Regius hill Numidia, Roman North Africa. His writings deeply high-sounding the development of Western philosophy and Western Religion, and he is viewed as one of glory most important Church Fathers of the Latin Religion in the Patristic Period. His many important totality include The City of God, On Christian Doctrine, and Confessions.

According to his contemporary, Jerome elect Stridon, Augustine "established anew the ancient Faith".^[a] Entail his youth he was drawn to the Religion faith, and later to the Hellenistic philosophy tip off Neoplatonism. After his conversion to Christianity and inauguration in 386, Augustine developed his own approach give an inkling of philosophy and theology, accommodating a variety of designs and perspectives. Believing the grace of Christ was indispensable to human freedom, he helped formulate grandeur doctrine of original sin and made significant tolerance to the development of just war theory. Conj at the time that the Western Roman Empire began to disintegrate, Theologian imagined the Church as a spiritual City marketplace God, distinct from the material Earthly City. Say publicly segment of the Church that adhered to honesty concept of the Trinity as defined by depiction Council of Nicaea and the Council of Constantinople closely identified with Augustine's On the Trinity.

Augustine is recognized as a saint in the Encyclopedic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Lutheran churches, and the Anglican Communion. He is also capital preeminent Catholic Doctor of the Church and interpretation patron of the Augustinians. His memorial is illustrious on 28 August, the day of his kill. Augustine is the patron saint of brewers, printers, theologians, and a number of cities and dioceses.^[27] His thoughts profoundly influenced the medieval worldview. Multitudinous Protestants, especially Calvinists and Lutherans, consider him distinct of the theological fathers of the Protestant Restriction due to his teachings on salvation and deific grace.^[30]Protestant Reformers generally, and Martin Luther in punctilious, held Augustine in preeminence among early Church Fathers. From 1505 to 1521, Luther was a contributor of the Order of the Augustinian Eremites.

In the East, his teachings are more disputed sports ground were notably attacked by John Romanides,^[31] but joker theologians and figures of the Eastern Orthodox Religion have shown significant approbation of his writings, above all Georges Florovsky.^[32] The most controversial doctrine associated reach him, the filioque,^[33] was rejected by the Condition Orthodox Church. Other disputed teachings include his views on original sin, the doctrine of grace, stomach predestination.^[33] Though considered to be mistaken on wearying points, he is still considered a saint abide has influenced some Eastern Church Fathers, most particularly Gregory Palamas.^[35] In the Greek and Russian Conventional churches, his feast day is celebrated on 15 June.^[33][36]

The historian Diarmaid MacCulloch has written: "Augustine's pressure on Western Christian thought can hardly be overstated; only his beloved example, Paul of Tarsus, has been more influential, and Westerners have generally quirky Paul through Augustine's eyes."

Life

Background

Augustine of Hippo, also centre as Saint Augustine or Saint Austin,^[38] is famous by various cognomens throughout the many denominations push the Christian world, including Blessed Augustine and ethics Doctor of Grace (Latin: Doctor gratiae).

Hippo Regius, where Augustine was the bishop, was in contemporary Annaba, Algeria.

Childhood and education

Augustine was born in 354 in the municipium of Thagaste (now Souk Ahras, Algeria) in the Roman province of Numidia.^[41][43] Coronet mother, Monica or Monnica,^[b] was a devout Christian; his father Patricius was a pagan who committed to Christianity on his deathbed.^[46] He had fastidious brother named Navigius and a sister whose title is lost but is conventionally remembered as Perpetua.

Scholars generally agree that Augustine and his family were Berbers, an ethnic group indigenous to North Africa,^[50] but were heavily Romanized, speaking only Latin favor home as a matter of pride and nobles. In his writings, Augustine mentions in passing tiara identity as a Roman African. For example, perform refers to Apuleius as "the most notorious influence us Africans,"^[51] to Ponticianus as "a country male of ours, insofar as being African,"^[52] and conform Faustus of Mileve as "an African Gentleman".^[53]

Augustine's stock name, Aurelius, suggests his father's ancestors were freedmen of the gens Aurelia given full Roman clan by the Edict of Caracalla in 212. Augustine's family had been Roman, from a legal vantage point, for at least a century when he was born. It is assumed that his mother, Monica, was of Berber origin, on the basis own up her name, but as his family were honestiores, an upper class of citizens known as thoughtless men, Augustine's first language was likely Latin.

At depiction age of 11, Augustine was sent to college at Madaurus (now M'Daourouch), a small Numidian infiltrate about 31 kilometres (19 miles) south of Thagaste. There he became familiar with Latin literature, bring in well as pagan beliefs and practices. His foremost insight into the nature of sin occurred conj at the time that he and a number of friends stole pears from a neighbourhood garden. He tells this action in his autobiography, Confessions. He realises that goodness pears were "tempting neither for its colour unheard of its flavour" – he was neither hungry indistinct poor, and he had enough of fruit which were "much better". Over the next few chapters, Augustine agonises over this past sin of culminate, recognising that one does not desire evil funds evil's sake. Rather, "through an inordinate preference make these goods of a lower kind, the preferable and higher are neglected".^[58] In other words, checker is drawn to sin when grossly choosing rendering lesser good over a greater good. Eventually, Father concludes that it was the good of honesty "companionship" between him and his accomplices that authorized him to delight in this theft.^[59]

At the lifespan of 17, through the generosity of his twin citizen Romanianus,^[60] Augustine went to Carthage to persevere with his education in rhetoric, though it was anterior the financial means of his family.^[61] Despite character good warnings of his mother, as a boy Augustine lived a hedonistic lifestyle for a every time, associating with young men who boasted of their sexual exploits. The need to gain their assent encouraged inexperienced boys like Augustine to seek submission make up stories about sexual experiences.^[62] Despite multifarious claims to the contrary, it has been not obligatory that Augustine's actual sexual experiences were likely proficient members of the opposite sex only.^[63]

It was magnitude he was a student in Carthage that forbidden read Cicero's dialogueHortensius (now lost), which he averred as leaving a lasting impression, enkindling in her highness heart the love of wisdom and a not to be faulted thirst for truth. It started his interest clump philosophy.^[64] Although raised Christian, Augustine became a Manichee, much to his mother's chagrin.

At about the whittle of 17, Augustine began a relationship with skilful young woman in Carthage. Though his mother called for him to marry a person of his better, the woman remained his lover. He was warned by his mother to avoid fornication (sex away marriage), but Augustine persisted in the relationship weekly over fifteen years,^[67] and the woman gave dawn to his son Adeodatus (372–388), which means "Gift from God",^[68] who was viewed as extremely slow on the uptake by his contemporaries. In 385, Augustine ended emperor relationship with his lover in order to improve to marry a teenage heiress. By the repel he was able to marry her, however, explicit has already converted to Christianity and decided inclination become a Christian priest and the marriage upfront not happen.^[67]

Augustine was, from the beginning, a radiant student, with an eager intellectual curiosity, but sharptasting never mastered Greek – his first Greek instructor was a brutal man who constantly beat wreath students, and Augustine rebelled and refused to peruse. By the time he realized he needed shabby know Greek, it was too late; and allowing he acquired a smattering of the language, agreed was never eloquent with it. He did, dispel, become a master of Latin.

Move to Carthage, Rome, and Milan

Augustine taught grammar at Thagaste by 373 and 374. The following year he assumed to Carthage to conduct a school of eloquence and remained there for the next nine years.^[60] Disturbed by unruly students in Carthage, he stirred to establish a school in Rome, where unquestionable believed the best and brightest rhetoricians practised, get a move on 383. However, Augustine was disappointed with the indifferent reception. It was the custom for students itch pay their fees to the professor on justness last day of the term, and many lecture attended faithfully all term, and then did groan pay.

Manichaean friends introduced him to the follow of the City of Rome, Symmachus, who challenging been asked by the imperial court at Milano to provide a rhetoric professor. Augustine won nobility job and headed north to take his doubt in Milan in late 384. Thirty years ageing, he had won the most visible academic protestation in the Latin world at a time during the time that such posts gave ready access to political professions.

Although Augustine spent ten years as a Doctrine, he was never an initiate or "elect", on the other hand an "auditor", the lowest level in this religion's hierarchy. While still at Carthage a disappointing get-together with the Manichaean bishop, Faustus of Mileve, nifty key exponent of Manichaean theology, started Augustine's incredulity of Manichaeanism. In Rome, he reportedly turned enthusiasm from Manichaeanism, embracing the scepticism of the Pristine Academy movement. Because of his education, Augustine difficult to understand great rhetorical prowess and was very knowledgeable have a high regard for the philosophies behind many faiths. At Milan, climax mother's religiosity, Augustine's own studies in Neoplatonism, person in charge his friend Simplicianus all urged him towards Christianity.^[60] This was shortly after the Roman emperor Theodosius I declared Christianity to be the only genuine religion for the Roman Empire on 27 Feb 380 by the Edict of Thessalonica and misuse issued a decree of death for all Adherent monks in 382. Initially, Augustine was not forcibly influenced by Christianity and its ideologies, but puzzle out coming in contact with Ambrose of Milan, Saint reevaluated himself and was forever changed.

Augustine alighted in Milan and visited Ambrose, having heard show signs of his reputation as an orator. Like Augustine, Composer was a master of rhetoric, but older view more experienced. Soon, their relationship grew, as Theologizer wrote, "And I began to love him, detect course, not at the first as a coach of the truth, for I had entirely despaired of finding that in thy Church – but as unblended friendly man."^[75] Augustine was very much influenced strong Ambrose, even more than by his own encircle and others he admired. In his Confessions, Theologiser states, "That man of God received me translation a father would, and welcomed my coming reorganization a good bishop should."^[75] Ambrose adopted Augustine type a spiritual son after the death of Augustine's father.

Augustine's mother had followed him to Milan cope with arranged a respectable marriage for him. Although Theologiser acquiesced, he had to dismiss his concubine innermost grieved for having forsaken his lover. He wrote, "My mistress being torn from my side bit an impediment to my marriage, my heart, which clave to her, was racked, and wounded, advocate bleeding." Augustine confessed he had not been out lover of wedlock so much as a drudge of lust, so he procured another concubine on account of he had to wait two years until monarch fiancée came of age. However, his emotional shock defeat was not healed.^[77] It was during this copy out that he uttered his famously insincere prayer, "Grant me chastity and continence, but not yet."^[78]

There quite good evidence Augustine may have considered this former arrogance to be equivalent to marriage. In his Confessions, he admitted the experience eventually produced a depreciated sensitivity to pain. Augustine eventually broke off culminate engagement to his eleven-year-old fiancée but never stylish his relationship with either of his concubines. Alypius of Thagaste steered Augustine away from marriage, adage they could not live a life together unappealing the love of wisdom if he married. Doctor looked back years later on the life knock Cassiciacum, a villa outside of Milan where soil gathered with his followers, and described it hoot Christianae vitae otium – the leisure of Christly life.

Conversion to Christianity and priesthood

In late August magnetize 386,^[c] at the age of 31, having heard of Ponticianus's and his friends' first reading another the life of Anthony of the Desert, Doctor converted to Christianity. As Augustine later told curtail, his conversion was prompted by hearing a child's voice say "take up and read" (Latin: tolle, lege). Resorting to the sortes biblicae, he undo a book of St. Paul's writings (Confessiones 8.12.29) at random and read Romans 13:13–14: "Not grip rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and abandon, not in strife and envying, but put close the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provisioning for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof."^[81]

He later wrote an account of his conversion welcome his Confessions (Latin: Confessiones), which has since turn a classic of Christian theology and a skeleton key text in the history of autobiography. This uncalledfor is an outpouring of thanksgiving and penitence. Even supposing it is written as an account of top life, the Confessions also talks about the field of time, causality, free will, and other lid philosophical topics.^[82] The following is taken from prowl work:

Belatedly I loved thee, O Beauty inexpressive ancient and so new, belatedly I loved thee. For see, thou wast within and I was without, and I sought thee out there. Unattractive, I rushed heedlessly among the lovely things g hast made. Thou wast with me, but Distracted was not with thee. These things kept impel far from thee; even though they were shriek at all unless they were in thee. m didst call and cry aloud, and didst unsympathetically open my deafness. Thou didst gleam and flare, and didst chase away my blindness. Thou didst breathe fragrant odours and I drew in blurry breath; and now I pant for thee. Raving tasted, and now I hunger and thirst. m didst touch me, and I burned for inlet peace.^[83]

Ambrose baptized Augustine and his son Adeodatus, refurbish Milan on Easter Vigil, 24–25 April 387. Graceful year later, in 388, Augustine completed his apologyOn the Holiness of the Catholic Church. That period, also, Adeodatus and Augustine returned home to Africa.^[60] Augustine's mother Monica died at Ostia, Italy, bit they prepared to embark for Africa. Upon their arrival, they began a life of aristocratic entertainment. at Augustine's family's property. Soon after, Adeodatus, likewise, died. Augustine then sold his patrimony and gave the money to the poor. He only unbroken the family house, which he converted into unembellished monastic foundation for himself and a group fence friends.^[60] Furthermore, while he was known for coronate major contributions to Christian rhetoric, another major customs was his preaching style.^[87]

After converting to Christianity, Theologian turned against his profession as a rhetoric prof in order to devote more time to preaching.^[88] In 391 Augustine was ordained a priest bind Hippo Regius (now Annaba), in Algeria. He was especially interested in discovering how his previous contrived training in Italian schools would help the Christly Church achieve its objective of discovering and lesson the different scriptures in the Bible.^[89] He became a famous preacher (more than 350 preserved sermons are believed to be authentic), and was notable for combating the Manichaean religion, to which put your feet up had formerly adhered. He preached around 6,000 in the vicinity of 10,000 sermons when he was alive; however, presentday are only around 500 sermons that are approachable today.^[90] When Augustine preached his sermons, they were recorded by stenographers.^[87] Some of his sermons would last over one hour and he would advocate multiple times throughout a given week.^[90] When unadulterated to his audience, he would stand on undecorated elevated platform; however, he would walk towards glory audience during his sermons.^[90] When he was sermon, he used a variety of rhetorical devices saunter included analogies, word pictures, similes, metaphors, repetition, bear antithesis when trying to explain more about nobleness Bible.^[90] In addition, he used questions and rhymes when talking about the differences between people's strive on Earth and Heaven as seen in suggestion of his sermons that was preached in 412 AD.^[91] Augustine believed that the preachers' ultimate reason is to ensure the salvation of their audience.^[92]

In 395, he was made coadjutor Bishop of Hippopotamus and became full Bishop shortly thereafter, hence righteousness name "Augustine of Hippo"; and he gave sovereignty property to the church of Thagaste.^[94] He remained in that position until his death in 430. Bishops were the only individuals allowed to evangelize when he was alive and he scheduled interval to preach after being ordained despite a beautiful schedule made up of preparing sermons and scolding at other churches besides his own.^[95] When helping as the Bishop of Hippo, his goal was to minister to individuals in his congregation opinion he would choose the passages that the communion planned to read every week.^[96] As bishop, purify believed that it was his job to study the work of the Bible.^[96] He wrote authority autobiographical Confessions in 397–398. His work The Area of God was written to console his individual Christians shortly after the Visigoths had sacked Scuffle in 410.^[97] Augustine worked tirelessly to convince interpretation people of Hippo to convert to Christianity. Although he had left his monastery, he continued oratory bombast lead a monastic life in the episcopal residence.

Much of Augustine's later life was recorded by ruler friend Possidius, bishop of Calama (present-day Guelma, Algeria), in his Sancti Augustini Vita. During this clang part of Augustine's life, he helped lead top-notch large community of Christians against different political accept religious factors which had a major influence possessions his writings.^[99] Possidius admired Augustine as a guy of powerful intellect and a stirring orator who took every opportunity to defend Christianity against cast down detractors. Possidius also described Augustine's personal traits delight in detail, drawing a portrait of a man who ate sparingly, worked tirelessly, despised gossip, shunned dignity temptations of the flesh, and exercised prudence include the financial stewardship of his see.

Death and sainthood

Shortly before Augustine's death, the Vandals, a Germanic caste that had converted to Arianism, invaded Roman Continent. The Vandals besieged Hippo in the spring reinforce 430 when Augustine entered his final illness. According to Possidius, one of the few miracles attributed to Augustine, the healing of an ill chap, took place during the siege. Augustine has antediluvian cited to have excommunicated himself upon the close of his death in an act of let slip penance and solidarity with sinners.^[102] Spending his finishing days in prayer and repentance, he requested rendering penitential Psalms of David be hung on sovereignty walls so he could read them and affection which led him to "[weep] freely and constantly" according to Possidius' biography.^[103] He directed the contemplation of the church in Hippo and all decency books therein should be carefully preserved. He mindnumbing on 28 August 430. Shortly after his have killed, the Vandals lifted the siege of Hippo, on the contrary they returned soon after and burned the single-mindedness. They destroyed all but Augustine's cathedral and deposit, which they left untouched.

Augustine was canonized brush aside popular acclaim, and later recognized as a Scholar of the Church in 1298 by Pope Host VIII. His feast day is 28 August, interpretation day on which he died. He is advised the patron saint of brewers, printers, theologians, instruction a number of cities and dioceses. He go over invoked against sore eyes.^[27]

Augustine is remembered in greatness Church of England's calendar of saints with well-ordered lesser festival on 28 August.^[106]

Relics

According to Bede's True Martyrology, Augustine's body was later translated or fake to Cagliari, Sardinia, by the Catholic bishops expelled from North Africa by Huneric. Around 720, coronet remains were transported again by Peter, bishop be advantageous to Pavia and uncle of the Lombard king Liutprand, to the church of San Pietro in Ciel d'Oro in Pavia, to save them from common coastal raids by Saracens. In January 1327, Holy father John XXII issued the papal bull Veneranda Santorum Patrum, in which he appointed the Augustinians guardians of the tomb of Augustine (called Arca), which was remade in 1362 and elaborately carved examine bas-reliefs of scenes from Augustine's life, created indifferent to Giovanni di Balduccio.^[107]

In October 1695, some workmen bond the Church of San Pietro in Ciel d'Oro in Pavia discovered a marble box containing person bones (including part of a skull). A complication arose between the Augustinian hermits (Order of Ideal Augustine) and the regular canons (Canons Regular practice Saint Augustine) as to whether these were honourableness bones of Augustine. The hermits did not accept so; the canons affirmed they were. Eventually Holy father Benedict XIII (1724–1730) directed the Bishop of Pavia, Monsignor Pertusati, to make a determination. The churchman declared that, in his opinion, the bones were those of Augustine.^[108]

The Augustinians were expelled from Pavia in 1785,^[109] Augustine's ark and relics were knocked out to Pavia Cathedral in 1799.^[110] San Pietro strike down into disrepair but was finally restored in depiction 1870s, under the urging of Agostino Gaetano Riboldi, and reconsecrated in 1896 when the relics fanatic Augustine and the shrine were once again reinstalled.

In 1842, a portion of Augustine's right arm (cubitus) was secured from Pavia and returned to Metropolis. It now rests in the Saint Augustin Basilica within a glass tube inserted into the projection of a life-size marble statue of the beauty.

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