Augustine, Saint

Aurelius Augustinus, Augustine of Hippo, or Saint Augustine (November 13, 354 – August 28, 430) is one of the most important figures in the development of Western Christianity. In Roman Catholicism and the Anglican Communion, he is a saint and pre-eminent Doctor of the Church, and the patron of the Augustinian religious order. Many Protestants, especially Calvinists, consider him to be one of the theological fountainheads of Reformation teaching on salvation and grace. He is also considered a saint by the Orthodox Churches. Born in Africa as the eldest son of Saint Monica, he was educated in Rome and baptized in Milan. His works—including The Confessions, which is often called the first Western autobiography—are still read around the world.

Saint Augustine is the patron of the Augustinian religious order. He is held in reverence by the Roman Catholic Church, Protestants, Calvinist and the Anglican Church. Considered a pre-eminent Doctor of the Church, his works are still widely read.