{"product_id":"saint-augustine-of-hippo-orthodox-icon","title":"Saint Augustine of Hippo — Orthodox Icon","description":"\u003ch2 class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003eSaint Augustine of Hippo — Orthodox Icon\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSaint Augustine of Hippo\u003c\/strong\u003e, also known in Orthodox tradition as \u003cstrong\u003eBlessed Augustine, Bishop of Hippo\u003c\/strong\u003e, was one of the most influential Christian theologians, bishops and spiritual writers of the ancient Western Church.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBorn in Roman North Africa in \u003cstrong\u003eAD 354\u003c\/strong\u003e, Augustine passed through a long spiritual search before embracing Christianity under the influence of the Scriptures, the prayers of his mother \u003cstrong\u003eSaint Monica\u003c\/strong\u003e, and the preaching of \u003cstrong\u003eSaint Ambrose of Milan\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe was baptized in Milan in 387 and later became Bishop of Hippo in North Africa, serving the Church until his repose in \u003cstrong\u003e430\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHis works — particularly the \u003cstrong\u003eConfessions\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eThe City of God\u003c\/strong\u003e — became classics of Christian literature.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSaint Augustine lived more than six centuries before the Great Schism and is commemorated in the Orthodox Church, making him one of the most prominent \u003cstrong\u003eWestern Orthodox saints of the ancient undivided Church\u003c\/strong\u003e. \u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWho Was Saint Augustine of Hippo?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAugustine was born on \u003cstrong\u003eNovember 13, 354\u003c\/strong\u003e, in \u003cstrong\u003eThagaste\u003c\/strong\u003e, a town in Roman North Africa located in present-day Algeria.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHis mother, \u003cstrong\u003eSaint Monica\u003c\/strong\u003e, was a devout Christian whose persistent prayers for her son's conversion became one of the best-known stories of early Christianity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a young man, however, Augustine did not immediately embrace his mother's faith.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHighly intelligent and ambitious, he received an extensive education and became a teacher of \u003cstrong\u003erhetoric\u003c\/strong\u003e. His intellectual and professional journey eventually took him from Carthage to Rome and then to \u003cstrong\u003eMilan\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the same time, Augustine was searching for answers to profound questions about God, truth, good and evil, and the meaning of human existence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eThe Conversion of Saint Augustine\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn Milan Augustine encountered \u003cstrong\u003eSaint Ambrose\u003c\/strong\u003e, the city's celebrated bishop.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAmbrose's preaching helped Augustine understand Christianity in a new way and encouraged him to study the Holy Scriptures more deeply. \u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAugustine's conversion was not merely an intellectual change. It represented a profound transformation of his entire life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe received \u003cstrong\u003eHoly Baptism in Milan in 387\u003c\/strong\u003e from Saint Ambrose.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter returning to North Africa, Augustine pursued a life centered on prayer and Christian community.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHis journey from spiritual uncertainty to Christian faith later became the subject of his most famous autobiographical work, the \u003cstrong\u003eConfessions\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSaint Augustine and Saint Monica\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe story of Augustine cannot easily be separated from that of his mother, \u003cstrong\u003eSaint Monica\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor years Monica prayed for her son's conversion while following his spiritual journey with extraordinary patience and hope.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe lived to see Augustine embrace Christianity and receive Baptism.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTheir relationship, described movingly in the \u003cem\u003eConfessions\u003c\/em\u003e, became one of the most celebrated examples of a mother's persistent Christian prayer for her child.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor this reason, icons of \u003cstrong\u003eSaint Augustine and Saint Monica\u003c\/strong\u003e have particular meaning for Christian families, parents and those praying for loved ones.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eBishop of Hippo\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cstrong\u003e391\u003c\/strong\u003e, Augustine was ordained a priest by Bishop Valerius of Hippo.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 395 he became a bishop and subsequently succeeded Valerius as \u003cstrong\u003eBishop of Hippo\u003c\/strong\u003e, a position he would hold for approximately 35 years. \u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs bishop, Augustine preached, taught, wrote extensively and participated in some of the most important theological controversies of his age.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe defended the Church against movements including \u003cstrong\u003eManichaeism, Donatism and Pelagianism\u003c\/strong\u003e and produced an enormous body of theological, pastoral and biblical writing. \u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eThe Confessions of Saint Augustine\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003eConfessions\u003c\/strong\u003e is Augustine's most famous work and one of the great classics of Christian literature.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRather than being simply a modern autobiography, the book is fundamentally addressed to \u003cstrong\u003eGod\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAugustine reflects upon his childhood, ambitions, sins, intellectual searching and eventual conversion while examining memory, desire, time, grace and the human longing for God.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe work has remained influential for more than sixteen centuries because Augustine writes with unusual honesty about the interior struggle of a person seeking truth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne of its central themes is that the human heart cannot find its ultimate fulfillment apart from God.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eThe City of God\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother monumental work is \u003cstrong\u003eThe City of God (\u003cem\u003eDe Civitate Dei\u003c\/em\u003e)\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAugustine began writing it after the sack of Rome by the Visigoths in 410, at a time when many people were questioning Christianity and the future of Roman civilization.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe work contrasts the transient kingdoms and ambitions of this world with the eternal \u003cstrong\u003eCity of God\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRather than identifying Christianity with any particular earthly empire, Augustine presents Christian history within the larger perspective of God's providence and humanity's ultimate destiny.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTogether, the \u003cem\u003eConfessions\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eCity of God\u003c\/em\u003e made Augustine one of the most influential Christian writers of late antiquity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eIs Saint Augustine an Orthodox Saint?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYes. Augustine of Hippo is commemorated as a saint in the Orthodox Church.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis point sometimes causes confusion because Orthodox theologians have debated aspects of Augustine's theological legacy, particularly interpretations that developed around some of his writings in later Western Christianity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, disagreement with particular theological formulations does \u003cstrong\u003enot\u003c\/strong\u003e mean that the Orthodox Church simply rejects Augustine as a saint.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Orthodox Church in America explicitly identifies him as \u003cstrong\u003eBlessed Augustine, Bishop of Hippo\u003c\/strong\u003e, notes his commemoration in Orthodox calendars, and gives his Orthodox feast as \u003cstrong\u003eJune 15\u003c\/strong\u003e. \u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAugustine therefore belongs to the ancient Western Christian tradition that existed centuries before the separation of Eastern and Western Christianity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSaint Augustine and Orthodox Christianity\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAugustine's reception in the Christian East developed differently from his enormous influence in Latin Christianity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHis writings were not as widely available in Greek during the early centuries, and consequently his theological influence in the Byzantine East was much smaller than in Western Europe. \u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis historical difference helps explain why Orthodox Christians may approach some aspects of Augustine's theology differently while nevertheless honoring \u003cstrong\u003eBlessed Augustine as a holy Bishop of the ancient Church\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor an Orthodox icon page this distinction is important: Augustine should neither be presented as somehow “not really Orthodox” nor should later differences between Eastern and Western theology simply be ignored.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe belongs to the shared Christian world of the \u003cstrong\u003efirst millennium\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSaint Augustine and the Western Orthodox Saints\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSaint Augustine lived during a period when the Mediterranean Christian world remained united through a common sacramental and ecclesiastical life despite important regional theological traditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe was a contemporary of many saints honored throughout Christianity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHis life is especially connected with \u003cstrong\u003eSaint Monica\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eSaint Ambrose of Milan\u003c\/strong\u003e, while his writings became part of the broader intellectual heritage inherited by later Western saints.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor this reason Augustine is an essential figure in any collection devoted to \u003cstrong\u003eWestern Orthodox Saints\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTogether with saints such as \u003cstrong\u003eBenedict of Nursia, Gregory the Great, Martin of Tours, Ambrose of Milan and Leo the Great\u003c\/strong\u003e, he represents the ancient Christian heritage of the West before the Great Schism.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSaint Augustine in Orthodox Iconography\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn Orthodox iconography Augustine is normally represented as a \u003cstrong\u003eholy bishop and hierarch\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe may wear episcopal vestments and hold a \u003cstrong\u003eGospel book or scroll\u003c\/strong\u003e, emphasizing his role as a bishop, teacher and Christian writer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOrthodox icons generally identify him as \u003cstrong\u003eBlessed Augustine, Bishop of Hippo\u003c\/strong\u003e or Saint Augustine of Hippo rather than emphasizing the later artistic attributes found in Western religious painting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHis icon therefore places one of the most famous Latin Christian theologians within the visual tradition of the saints and hierarchs of the ancient Church.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSaint Augustine or Blessed Augustine?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBoth forms can be encountered in Orthodox English.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSaint Augustine of Hippo\u003c\/strong\u003e is the name most familiar to the general English-speaking public.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOrthodox sources also frequently use:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBlessed Augustine of Hippo\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBlessed Augustine, Bishop of Hippo\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSaint Augustine, Bishop of Hippo\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe word \u003cstrong\u003e“Blessed”\u003c\/strong\u003e in this context should not be confused with the modern Roman Catholic distinction between beatification and canonization.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOrthodox sources that call him “Blessed Augustine” nevertheless recognize him among the saints. \u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor this reason I use \u003cstrong\u003eSaint Augustine of Hippo\u003c\/strong\u003e as the main product name while retaining \u003cstrong\u003eBlessed Augustine\u003c\/strong\u003e throughout the description for Orthodox search queries.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eA Saint Augustine Icon for Prayer\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe life of Saint Augustine is particularly meaningful for those seeking God after periods of uncertainty, spiritual struggle or profound change.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHis journey reminds Christians that intellectual searching and repentance can lead not away from faith but toward a deeper encounter with God.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn icon of Saint Augustine can also be a meaningful gift for someone named \u003cstrong\u003eAugustine, Augustin, Agostino, Agustín or Augustinus\u003c\/strong\u003e, for students of theology and philosophy, and for those especially devoted to the ancient saints of the Christian West.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur reproduction is carefully produced on a prepared wooden panel and individually \u003cstrong\u003ehand-finished with natural beeswax in our family workshop in Portugal\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOrthodox Feast Day: June 15.\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs Augustine of Hippo an Orthodox saint?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes. Augustine is commemorated by the Orthodox Church as \u003cstrong\u003eBlessed Augustine, Bishop of Hippo\u003c\/strong\u003e. His Orthodox feast is June 15. \u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy do Orthodox Christians call him Blessed Augustine?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Blessed Augustine” is a traditional Orthodox designation for the saint. It does not mean that Orthodox Christianity regards him merely as Roman Catholic “Blessed” rather than a saint. \u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWho was Saint Augustine's mother?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHis mother was \u003cstrong\u003eSaint Monica\u003c\/strong\u003e, whose prayers and Christian example played an important role in the story of his conversion. \u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWho baptized Saint Augustine?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAugustine was baptized in Milan after coming under the influence of \u003cstrong\u003eSaint Ambrose of Milan\u003c\/strong\u003e and studying the Scriptures. \u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat are Saint Augustine's most famous books?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHis best-known works include the \u003cstrong\u003eConfessions\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eThe City of God\u003c\/strong\u003e, along with numerous theological, biblical and pastoral writings. \u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhen did Saint Augustine die?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHe died in \u003cstrong\u003eHippo on August 28, 430\u003c\/strong\u003e, while the city was under Vandal siege. The Orthodox Church commemorates him on June 15.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e🖼 Product Features\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach icon in our workshop is made to last a lifetime and beyond. The image is printed with rich, fade-resistant pigment inks on a premium solid-core wood panel — then hand-finished with a natural beeswax coating that deepens the colors, protects the surface, and gives each piece the warm, reverent quality of a traditionally crafted sacred object. A metal hanging hook is included on the back, so your icon is ready to display the moment it arrives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCrafted on a premium wood panel — 1.6 cm (0.6\") thick, sturdy yet lightweight\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFade-resistant pigment print — rich, true-to-life colors that last for generations\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNatural beeswax finish — hand-applied for depth, protection, and a traditional feel\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReady to hang — metal hook pre-attached on the reverse\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHand-finished by Orthodox Christian artisans in Portugal\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e📏 Available Sizes\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e• Small – 12 x 15 cm (5” x 6”)\u003cbr\u003e• Medium – 23 x 30 cm (9” x 12”)\u003cbr\u003e• Large – 30 x 39 cm (12” x 15”)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e🎁 Perfect For\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e• Meaningful Orthodox Christian gifts\u003cbr\u003e• Housewarming and family blessings\u003cbr\u003e• Prayer corners and devotional spaces\u003cbr\u003e• Baptisms, name days, weddings, and feast days\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e🌍 Worldwide Delivery\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSecurely packed and shipped worldwide from Portugal with tracking.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e✨ Crafted with Tradition\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach icon is carefully made by Orthodox Christian artisans in Portugal — created to become a lasting blessing for your home or a treasured gift for someone you love.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Icons of Saints","offers":[{"title":"12x15 cm (5”x6”)","offer_id":53927984103707,"sku":null,"price":85.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"23x30 cm (9\"x12\")","offer_id":53927984136475,"sku":null,"price":153.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"30x39 cm (12\"x15\")","offer_id":53927984169243,"sku":null,"price":198.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0728\/3805\/4171\/files\/Saint_Augustine_of_Hippo_Orthodox_Icon_82e1b96b-878c-465a-951e-eb6dd797b190.webp?v=1789135424","url":"https:\/\/iconsofsaints.com\/products\/saint-augustine-of-hippo-orthodox-icon","provider":"iconsofsaints.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}