Origin
Of Berber origin, Mônica was born in the year 331, in Tagaste, North Africa, into an opulent family, but with ancient Christian roots. She applied herself, with dedication, to the teachings of Holy Scripture; Her strong spirituality was forged by prayer and assiduous practice of the Sacraments, in addition to which she places herself at the service of the ecclesiastical community.
Difficult marriage
She married Patrício, an ambitious, pagan, irascible man with a difficult character, who was also unfaithful to her. Mônica, sweet, benevolent, capable of dialoguing at opportune moments, with her method, made up of waiting, patience and prayer, which even suggests it to her friends, who confide their marital problems and misunderstandings to her – she manages to overcome her husband’s rudeness, to the point of leading him to embrace faith.
Mother of a saint
At the age of 22, Mônica gives birth to her firstborn Agostinho, followed by another son, Navígio, and a daughter, whose name is not known, and educates them according to Christian principles.
Becoming a widow at the age of 39, she managed the family’s assets, dedicating herself with immeasurable love to her offspring. The one who caused the most concern to the careful and astute mother was Augustine, the “son of so many tears”; with a restless heart and rhetorical ambition, in the search for truth, he distances himself from the Catholic faith and wanders from one philosophy to another.
Monica never stops praying for him; on the contrary, she follows all the vicissitudes of her life and always remains by her side. Therefore, she moved to Cartagena and then to Italy, when her son, at the height of his career, as a rhetoric teacher, went to live in Milan.
Her maternal affection and prayers accompany the conversion of Augustine, who, upon receiving baptism by the holy Bishop Ambrose, decided to return to Tagaste, where he founded a Community of servants of God. Mônica was with him when they had to embark at the port of Ostia bound for Africa. However, while waiting for the ship, they were forced to spend a few days there.
Easter
However, Mônica and Agostinho maintain intense spiritual dialogues. One of these refers to the so-called “ecstasy in Ostia”, narrated in his Confessions (XIX 10, 23-27):
“We happened to find ourselves alone, she and I, leaning against a window that overlooked the interior garden of the house where we lived. It was in Ostia, at the mouth of the Tiber, where, far from the crowd, after the fatigue of a long journey, we regained strength for the sea crossing. There, alone, we talked with great sweetness, forgetting the past, occupied only with the future, we inquired together, in the presence of the Truth, which is you, what would be the eternal life of the saints… we went one by one through all the corporeal things, even the very heaven… And we ascend even higher in spirit, meditating, celebrating and admiring your works, and we reach the depths of our souls. And we went beyond them, to reach the region of inexhaustible abundance… where life is Wisdom itself. And while we thus spoke of this Wisdom and sighed for it, we came to touch it with the supreme impetus of our heart.”
Thus, Mônica feels that she has reached the peak of her life and confesses to her son: “As far as I’m concerned, this life no longer has any attraction for me. What am I still doing here? I don’t know. My expectations here on earth have already been exhausted. Only one thing kept me down here…: seeing, before you died, that you became a Catholic Christian. My God satisfied me completely, because I see that you even despise earthly happiness to serve Him. What am I doing here?”
A few days later, Mônica falls ill and dies at the age of 56.
The relics of Santa Monica
His body was buried in Ancient Ostia, in the current church of Santa Áurea. Time is probably a paleo-Christian basilica with a necropolis next door. The mortal remains of Santa Monica rest, for many centuries, in the church of Santa Áurea. Today, in the place, you can only see a tombstone, because, in the 15th century, Pope Martin V wanted the relics to be transferred to Rome, in the church of Saint Tryphon, entrusted to the Augustinian friars – later included in a large Basilica dedicated to Saint Augustine. There, even today, you can find answers to the many whys in front of a green marble sarcophagus, in the chapel decorated with frescoes, in 1885, by Pietro Gagliardi.
My prayer
“You who were an intercessory mother, tireless in saving your children, help mothers so that they do not become discouraged from this mission and, by praying, they can be bridges for their family to reach heaven. Amen!”
Santa Monica, pray for us!
Other saints and blesseds celebrated on August 27th:
- In Capua, in Campania, region of Italy, Saint Ruff, martyr. († s. III/IV)
- In Scythia de Tomis, today Constance, in Romania, the holy martyrs Marcelinotribune, and Maneiaspouses, and Johnyour son, Serapionclergyman, and Pedro, Soldier. († cs IV)
- In Bergamo, in Liguria, today in Lombardy, a region of Italy, Saint Narno, considered the first bishop of this city. († s. IV)
- In the Thebaid, in Egypt, Saint Pémenes, abbot. († s. IV/V)
- In Couserans, in Aquitaine, today in France, Saint Licériobishop.(† c. 540)
- In Arles, in Provence, also in present-day France, Saint Cesario, Bishop. († 542)
- In Pavia, in Lombardy, region of Italy, Saint John, Bishop. († c. 825)
- In the monastery of Petershausen, which had founded, in Swabia, currently in Germany, the burial of Saint Gebardo, Bishop of Constance. († 995)
- In the monastery of Aulps, in Savoy, currently in France, the passage of Saint Guarino, Bishop of Sion. († 1150)
- In Lausanne, Switzerland, Saint Amadeu, Bishop. († 1159)
- In Folinho, in Umbria, a region of Italy, Blessed Angelo Conti, presbyter of the Order of Hermits of Saint Augustine. († 1312)
- In Leominster, England, Blessed Rogério Cadwallador, presbyter and martyr. († 1610)
- In Nagasaki, Japan, the blessed Francisco de Santa Mariapresbyter of the Order of Friars Minor, and fourteen companions martyrs. († 1627)
- In Usk, a city in Wales, Saint David Lewis, presbyter of the Society of Jesus and martyr. († 1679)
- On a prison boat anchored off Rochefort, in France, the blessed martyrs João Baptista de Souzypresbyter, and Ulrico (João Baptista Guillaume), religious of the Congregation of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, martyrs. († 1794)
- In Reading, England, Blessed Sundays of the Mother of God Barberi, presbyter of the Congregation of the Passion. († 1849)
- In Picassent, a town in the territory of Valencia, in Spain, Blessed Fernando González Añon, presbyter and martyr. († 1936)
- On the road from Godella to Bétera, in the same region of Spain, Blessed Raimundo Marti Soriano, presbyter and martyr. († 1936)
- In Madrid, also in Spain, the blessed José Maria López Carrillo It is Pedro Ibañez Alonso, presbyters of the Order of Preachers and martyrs. († 1936)
- In San Sebastian, also in Spain, Blessed Maria do Pilar Izquierdo Albero, virgin. († 1945)
Sources:
- vatican.va and vaticannews.va
- Roman Martyrology – liturgia.pt
- Liturgy of the Hours
- Book “Relation of Saints and Blesseds of the Church” – Prof Felipe Aquino
– Research and writing: Rafael Vitto – Comunidade
– Production and editing: Melody de Paulo