Saint Augustine was a prominent Christian theologian and philosopher who lived in the late 4th and early 5th centuries AD. He was born in 354 AD in what is now Algeria, into a Roman family of modest means. After a wild youth spent pursuing pleasure and worldly knowledge, Augustine converted to Christianity at the age of 32 and began a life devoted to writing and teaching. His most famous work is his Confessions, a spiritual autobiography that recounts his early life and conversion to Christianity. He also wrote extensively on topics such as the nature of God, free will, and the problem of evil. His ideas had a profound influence on Western Christianity and philosophy, and he is widely regarded as one of the most important thinkers in the history of the Western Church. Augustine was ordained as a bishop in 396 AD and spent the rest of his life as a pastor and teacher, founding monasteries and advocating for the church’s role in public life. He died in 430 AD during the siege of Hippo by the Vandals, and is commemorated as a saint in the Catholic and Orthodox Churches.
