Confissões

Augustine grew up in Roman-colonized North Africa and was educated in Carthage. He taught rhetoric in Milan in 383. He followed Manichaeism during his student days and converted to Christianity through the preaching of Ambrose of Milan. He was baptized at Easter in 387 and returned to North Africa, establishing a monastic foundation in Tagaste with some friends. In 391 he was ordained a priest in Hippo. He became a famous preacher (more than 350 of his sermons have been preserved and are believed to be authentic) and is noted for his combat against the heresy of Manichaeism. He also defended the use of force against the Donatists, asking, "Why should the Church not use force to compel its lost children to return, if the lost children compel others to their own destruction?" (The Correction of the Donatists, 22-24) In 396 he was appointed assistant bishop of Hippo (with the right of succession in case of the death of the current bishop), and remained bishop of Hippo until his death in 430. He left his monastery, but maintained monastic life in his episcopal residence. He left the Rule for his monastery, which led to him being designated the "Patron Saint of the Regular Clergy," which is a parish of clergy living under a monastic rule. Augustine died in 430 during the siege of Hippo by the Vandals. It is said that he encouraged his citizens to resist the attacks, mainly because the Vandals had adhered to Arianism, which Augustine considered a heresy.