Sant'Agostino
Known as Saint Augustine
Hello everyone! Today I will talk to you about Saint Augustine, a very important figure for the Catholic Church. Also known as "Doctor Gratiae" ("Doctor of Grace"), he left an indelible mark on the history of Western Patristics.
Biography
The life of Augustine has been handed down to us in detail through various sources. Among these, one of the most important is his autobiographical work "Confessions (Saint Augustine)", where he tells about his childhood, adolescence and his experience of conversion to Christianity. In addition, the "Retractations" and the "Life of Augustine" written by his friend Possidio, provide further description of his life and apostolate.
From birth to conversion (354-387)
Augustine was born on November 13, 354 in Tagaste, Algeria, to a family of Hellenistic-Roman culture. His parents were of different religions: his father, Patricius, was a Pagan, while his mother, Saint Monica, was a devout Christian. From childhood, Augustine received two opposite worldviews that often came into conflict with each other.
Childhood and adolescence
Despite the inner conflict, Augustine managed to stand out for his intelligence and talent. His mother, Saint Monica, guided him in education and played a major role in his life, so much so that Augustine said: "I owe everything to her." During this time, Augustine began to deepen his knowledge of philosophy and rhetoric, searching for the truth.
The experience of conversion
After his studies, Augustine embarked on an academic career, teaching in different cities in Africa. Back in Tagaste, he met a group of friends who spoke to him about the doctrine of neoplatonism, which at that time exercised great influence in the culture of the era.
Conversion to Christianity
Despite the temptation of neoplatonism, Augustine felt the call of Christianity, thanks to the influence of his mother and his friendship with the Archbishop of Milan, Ambrose. With his help and the persuasive power of the Scriptures, Augustine converted to Christianity in 386, receiving Baptism the following year.
Service to the Church
After his conversion, Augustine spent the rest of his life serving the Church and preaching. He became Bishop of Hippo in 396 and founded a monastery in the nearby city of Tagaste, where he spent most of his time in prayer and meditation. Among his most important works, he highlights the treatise "The City of God", in which he examines the relationship between the earthly city and the heavenly city.
The message of Saint Augustine
Saint Augustine was a deep and original thinker, who significantly influenced the development of Christian theology and philosophy. His message to contemporary man is still relevant, in his call to seek inner truth, to practice forgiveness, charity and love for one's neighbor. He left as his legacy the concept of human nature as a "wounded creature", in need of divine grace to attain salvation.
In conclusion, the figure of Saint Augustine is still very relevant today, not only for the Catholic Church but also for Western culture in general. Thanks to his genius and the depth of his writings, he still provides us with a message of great relevance and universal value.
