St.AugustineSt.Augustine
Saint Augustine was born on November 13, 354 in
Thagaste, North Africa. He had a pagan father and a Christian mother.He
was brought up as Christian and when he was sixteen he finished his education
for the law. At age 21 he became interested in philosophy. He converted
to the Manichean religion and then founded his own school in Rome. Then
in Milan, he came under the influence of Neoplatism and the preaching of
St. Ambrose. There was a lot of conflict and he was again baptized in 387.
He then returned to Africa and formed his own community. At age 37, he was
ordained a priest against his wishes because Vandals were surrounding Hippo.
St Augustine lived with his clergy for 34 years and many of his works have
had an impact on Christian theology. He died in 430 at age 76 while Vandals
were still in Hippo.
Saint Augustine is now a city in Florida. It was established in 1565 by
the Spanish explorer Pedro Menendez de Aviles. In 1821 it was given to the
United States by the Spanish. Now some of the interesting places include
Castillo de San Marcos, Fort Matanzas, The Cathedral of St. Augustine, San
Agustin Antiguo, The Lightner Museum, and The Fountain of Youth, which commemorates
the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon.