Saint Monica of Hippo

Best Review Saint Monica of Hippo

Saint Monica of Hippo occupies a unique status in the pages of history: she is the patron saint of married women, patience, mothers and abuse victims and the mother of one of the most important figures in Western Christianity, Saint Augustine. She was born at Tagaste, what is now known as Souk Arras, Algeria in 332 and is of Berber descent. She was brought up as a Christian by devout parents but was married off at an early age to a pagan official in North Africa named Patricius, who was adulterous, dissolute, and possessed a violent temper. Her meek ways and daily prayers annoyed him but he respected her.

His mother lived with them and was equally difficult, and because of that, her life was not easy, but with daily prayers, gentleness, and patience was able to convert her husband and mother-in-law to Christianity, although it took thirty years. After the death of her husband, a year after he converted to Christianity, she decided to never marry again. She was an example to the wives and mothers of Tagaste because of her sweet disposition and strength of character and often told them to curb their tongues instead of arguing with their husbands. She bore three children, Augustine, Navigius, and Perpetua and although Navigius and Perpetua joined the religious life, Augustine proved to be more difficult.

Although Monica made sure that Augustine received rigorous religious training during his boyhood, she had to cope with the disappointment of seeing him later scorn all religion and live a life of disrepute. Once again with prayers and patience, even thought it took seventeen years, several mistresses, and much debauchery, Augustine was baptized by Saint Ambrose in 387 and because a famous figurehead in the rise of Christianity. She died that same year, at the age of fifty-six having achieved her life's desire.