Prayer to Saint Augustine Patron of Philosophers

Prayer to Saint Augustine

O great Saint Augustine, brilliant teacher of truth and humble seeker of God, you searched tirelessly for wisdom until your heart found rest in the Lord.

Patron of philosophers and scholars, intercede for all who seek truth through reason and faith. Guide our minds to think clearly, our hearts to love rightly, and our lives to be shaped by wisdom rooted in God.

Help us to unite intellect and humility, knowledge and charity, so that learning may lead us closer to Christ and not away from Him. May our studies serve truth, build up others, and glorify God.

Saint Augustine, who taught that our hearts are restless until they rest in God, pray for us.

Amen.

Saint Augustine of Hippo, born Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis, was a highly influential theologian and philosopher who served as the bishop of Hippo Regius (present-day Souk Ahras, Algeria) from 396 until his death in 430 AD. His extensive writings profoundly shaped the development of Western philosophy and Western Christianity, earning him recognition as one of the most important Church Fathers of the Latin Church during the Patristic Period.

Augustine's life journey was marked by a significant intellectual and spiritual transformation. Born in 354 AD in Thagaste, Numidia, to a devout Christian mother, Monica, and a pagan father, Patricius, Augustine initially pursued a hedonistic lifestyle and was drawn to Manichaeism, a dualistic religious philosophy. He taught rhetoric in Carthage and Rome before securing a prestigious position in Milan. His encounter with Bishop Ambrose of Milan, coupled with his mother's persistent prayers and his own philosophical inquiries into Neoplatonism, gradually led him towards Christianity. A pivotal moment in his conversion, recounted in his Confessions, occurred when he heard a child's voice instructing him to "take up and read," leading him to a passage from Romans 13:13–14 that deeply resonated with him. He was baptized by Ambrose in 387 AD, along with his son Adeodatus. Following his conversion, Augustine returned to Africa, sold his property, and established a monastic community. He was ordained a priest in 391 AD and became the Bishop of Hippo in 396 AD, a role he held until his death.

Augustine's theological and philosophical contributions are vast and enduring. He is credited with helping to formulate the doctrine of original sin and made significant contributions to the development of just war theory. His concept of the Church as a spiritual "City of God," distinct from the material "Earthly City," emerged during the decline of the Western Roman Empire. His works, such as Confessions, The City of God, and On the Trinity, are considered masterpieces of Christian theology and philosophy. He is recognized as a saint in the Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, Lutheran churches, and the Anglican Communion, and is a preeminent Catholic Doctor of the Church. His feast day is celebrated on August 28th in the Western Church and June 15th in the Greek and Russian Orthodox Churches. Augustine is the patron saint of brewers, printers, and theologians.