St. Monica and St. Augustine are two figures of great relevance in the history of the Catholic Church because of their deep faith, their exemplary lives and the contributions they made to Catholicism.
On the one hand, St. Monica is a model of perseverance in prayer and trust in God’s mercy. She was a woman of great faith and Christian devotion, who lived in a difficult family context. Her husband was a pagan and violent character, but Monica managed to keep her faith and eventually convert her husband to Christianity before his death. However, she is most famous for her patience and persistence in praying for the conversion of her son Augustine, who in his youth led a life far from the Christian faith.
St. Monica’s dedication and motherly love were crucial for the conversion of St. Augustine, Doctor and one of the greatest theologians of the Church. For this reason, St. Monica is the patron saint of mothers, especially those who pray for the conversion of their children.
On the other hand, St. Augustine is considered one of the Fathers of the Church and is venerated as a Saint and Doctor of the Catholic Church. He was a brilliant student and became an outstanding teacher of rhetoric. During his life, he explored various philosophies and religions, including Manichaeism.
St. Augustine, in his youth, led a life marked by the pursuit of pleasure and knowledge, far from the Christian faith. But, thanks to the prayers of his mother and the influence of St. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, St. Augustine underwent a profound conversion to Christianity at the age of 32. Since then, his thought has shaped Christian doctrine and continues to be studied and revered to this day.
In this article we will explore two important churches for those devoted to St. Monica and St. Augustine: the Basilica di Sant’Agostino and the Basilica di San Pietro in Ciel d’Oro, sites where the remains of both saints are located, and some prayers to ask for the intercession of these Saints.
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Where are the remains of St. Monica and St. Augustine?
1. St. Monica: Basilica di Sant’Agostino, Rome, IT
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The body of St. Monica, the mother of St. Augustine, is in the Basilica of Sant’Agostino (St. Augustine) in Rome because her relics were transferred there from Ostia in the 15th century.
St. Monica died in Ostia, a port near Rome, in 387 AD, and was originally buried there. However, when the Basilica of Sant’Agostino was built in Rome at the end of the 15th century, it was decided to transfer the relics of St. Monica to that church because of the importance of her figure as the mother of St. Augustine and to give her a prominent place in the church dedicated to her son.
This transfer was made as an act of veneration for St. Monica, since her life and devotion as an exemplary Christian mother were completely linked to the life and teachings of St. Augustine. Thus, it was deemed appropriate that her remains should rest in a place dedicated to her son, in the heart of Rome.
- For more information about this church, visit the website of the Basilica di Sant’Agostino.
- Location: P.za di S. Agostino, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
2. St. Augustine: Basilica di San Pietro in Ciel d’Oro, Rome, IT
Fausto Deseri on Flickr (https://www.flickr.com/photos/faustodeseri/48177590477)
The body of St. Augustine is in the Basilica di San Pietro in Ciel d’Oro in Italy. His body is not in the Basilica of St. Augustine in Rome because his remains were moved to Pavia, Italy, long before the construction of the Basilica of Sant’Agostino (St. Augustine) in Rome.
After his death in 430 AD in Hippo (present-day Annaba, Algeria), his remains were initially buried there. However, due to the invasion of the Vandals, his relics were moved to Sardinia and then to Pavia around 722 AD to protect them from the expansion of Islamic forces in the Mediterranean region.
The Basilica of Sant’Agostino in Rome was built in the late 15th century, and although it is dedicated to St. Augustine, it was not intended to house his remains. Instead, the basilica in Pavia, where his relics were transferred, became the final resting place for St. Augustine.
- For more information on this church, visit the Basilica di San Pietro in Ciel d’Oro website.
- Location: Piazza S. Pietro in Ciel d’Oro, 2, 27100 Pavia PV, Italy
Prayers to St. Monica
1. Prayer to St. Monica for your children
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, amen.
To you I turn for help and instruction, St. Monica, wonderful example of steadfast prayer for children.
Into your loving arms I place my child (mention names here), so that through your powerful intercession they may attain genuine conversion to Christ our Lord.
I also appeal to you, mother of mothers, to ask our Lord to grant me the same spirit of unceasing prayer that he granted you.
All this I ask through Christ Our Lord Himself.
Amen.
2. Prayer to St. Monica for the conversion of a son or daughter.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, amen.
With the weight of my burden of love, I turn to you, dear St. Monica, and ask for your help and intercession.
From your place in heaven, I implore you to pray before the Throne of the Most Holy for the good of my son/daughter, (Name), who has strayed from the faith and from all that we try to teach him/her.
I know, dear Monica, that our children do not belong to us, but to God, and that God often allows this drifting as part of the journey to Him.
Your son, Augustine, also went astray; he ended up finding faith and, from his faith, became a true teacher.
So help me to be patient and to believe that all things – even this disappointing departure from the faith – ultimately work according to God’s good purpose.
For the sake of my child’s soul, I pray that I understand this and have confidence.
St. Monica, I beg you to teach me to persevere in my faithful prayer, as you yourself did for the sake of your son.
Inspire me to behave in a way that does not increase the distance between my child and Christ, but only draws (Name) gently into His wonderful light.
Please show me what you know about this painful mystery of separation, and how it is reconciled in the reorientation of our children towards paradise.
O holy Monica, lover of Christ and His Church, pray for me and my son/daughter (Name), that we may gain heaven and be united there with you in eternal praise and thanksgiving to God.
Amen.
Prayers to St. Augustine
1. Prayer to St. Augustine for the intercession of the Holy Spirit
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, amen.
Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit,
May all my thoughts be holy.
Act in me, O Holy Spirit,
So that my work may also be holy.
Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit,
That I love only what is holy.
Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit,
Defend all that is sacred.
Keep me, therefore, O Holy Spirit,
That he may always be holy.
Call upon the Holy Spirit and ask Him to fill you with His life.
Renew, Lord, in your Church the spirit that you instilled in St. Augustine so that, penetrated by that same spirit, we may thirst for you, source of wisdom, seek you as the only true love, and follow in the footsteps of so great a saint.
Through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen.
St. Augustine of Hippo, pray for us.
2. Prayer to St. Augustine for Vocations
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, amen.
Glorious Father St. Augustine, you opened a path of surrender to God by discovering the beauty of religious life:
Grant that I, who also believe I am called by Him, may see my path clearly; help me to be faithful to this divine vocation; that I may esteem it in all its value, that I may flee from people and things that can snatch it away from me; that I may be generous enough to say yes on the day of my total surrender.
Amen.
In conclusion, the life and legacy of St. Monica and St. Augustine are deeply united, not only because they were relatives, but because of the spiritual influence that marked the history of Christianity. St. Monica is an immortal example of perseverance in faith and unconditional motherly love, whose unceasing prayer led to the conversion of her son. St. Augustine left an indelible impact on Christian theology with his writings and teachings, which continue to illuminate the doctrine of the Church.
The two basilicas mentioned above not only house their bodies, but are also symbols of their holiness and the example they left for all Christians.
You can use the Catholic Mass Times app to find the nearest Catholic church with Mass, Confession, and Adoration schedules. It will surely help you! Download it now.
