Saint Augustine of Hippo and His Detours on the Long and Winding Path to Christianity

Saint Augustine of Hippo is one of the most important Christian theologians, and his works have exerted a great influence not only on the development of Western Christianity, but also on Western philosophy. Apart from the Roman Catholic Church, where he is honored as a saint as well as a Church Father, Saint Augustine of Hippo is also a prominent figure in the Anglican Communion, in the Eastern Orthodox Church, and even in some of the churches that grew out of the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century.

Augustine’s Youth

Saint Augustine of Hippo was born on November 13, 354 AD, in Tagaste (now Souk Ahras, Algeria), a city then pertaining to Roman Africa. Though his family was not wealthy, they were highly respected in the city. His father was a man by the name of Patricius, and it is recorded that he was one of the curiales (leading members of a clan) of the city. Patricius was a pagan, though he converted to Christianity on his deathbed in accordance with his wife, Saint Monica’s, wishes. Augustine too would be greatly influenced by the Christian virtues of his mother.