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Although we transfer his Feast to Sunday, today is the day that the Church remembers our holy patron, St. Augustine.![]()
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Lord God, the light of the minds that know you, the life of the souls that love you, and the strength of the hearts that serve you: Help us, following the example of your servant, Augustine of Hippo, so to know you that we may truly love you, and so to love you that we may fully serve you, whose service is perfect freedom; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Today the Church remembers and honors St. Monica, the mother of our holy patron, St. Augustine. May we all be as dedicated to our Lord and as faithful in prayer as blessed Monica was.“Nothing is far from God.” – Monica (331-387), Mother of Augustine of Hippo ![]()
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Monica was an African Christian who watched her family fall apart. Her husband cheated on her. Her son, Augustine, left the Christian faith for a decadent life in the big city, becoming a slave to sexual addiction and the occult. For many years, Monica spent every night praying and weeping, pleading for the Lord to bring her son back into the truth. The Lord kept every one of Monica’s tears in his bottle (Psalm 56:8), and brought her son to repentance and acceptance that Christ was the answer to his wanderings. Augustine was baptized and eventually became the most influential Church Father of the Western Church. ![]()
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Almighty God, you have surrounded us with a great cloud of witnesses: Grant that we, encouraged by the good example of your servant Monica, may persevere in running the race that is set before us, until at last, with her, we attain to your eternal joy; through Jesus Christ, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. ![]()
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Art & history by Ben Lansing // ![]()
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Order the book 📚 and listen to the podcast 🎙️ at www.ourchurchspeaks.com // ![]()
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#ourchurchspeaks #churchhistory #mother #christianmotherhood #monica #saintmonica #saintmonicaofhippo #africanchristianity #earlychurch #churchmother #anglican #saint
“What prevents me from being baptized?” – Simeon Bachos (fl. 30’s), Evangelist![]()
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In the first five centuries of Christianity, Africa played a significant role in shaping Christian scholarship and tradition. The churches of Africa produced significant churches, theologians, and saints who have inspired Christians of every successive century. One of the first African converts to Christianity was discovered by the deacon Philip, as he journeyed from Jerusalem to Gaza. Philip encountered the man sitting on the side of the road in his chariot, reading from an ancient scroll. The man was a eunuch and treasurer of the Queen of the Ethiopians. Likely a Gentile convert to Judaism or an African Jew, this traveler was returning from a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and sat reading the suffering servant passage from the book of Isaiah. Philip approached and asked if the man understood what he was reading. “How can I,” said the Ethiopian, “unless someone guides me?” Philip then shared the good news about Jesus. In some traditions, the Ethiopian, assigned the name ‘Simeon Bachos,’ responded to Philip’s teaching with, “I believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” Scripture recounts that he asked to be baptized immediately. “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” Philip baptized the convert and sent Bachos on his way, rejoicing. Tradition holds that Bachos journeyed home, sharing the Gospel in East Africa. The Christian faith flourished for many centuries in Sudan and Ethiopia. Today, an ancient Ethiopian tradition of Christianity has survived the centuries and points to the ancient legacy of the faith in the African contintent. ![]()
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Almighty and everlasting God, you called your servant Simeon Bachos to preach the Gospel to the people of East Africa: Raise up in this and every land evangelists and heralds of your kingdom, that your Church may proclaim the unsearchable riches of our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.![]()
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Art & history by Ben Lansing![]()
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Order the book and listen to the podcast – ourchurchspeaks.com![]()
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#ethiopianeunuch #catholic #ethiopianorthodox #saintsimeonbachos #ourchurchspeaks #saint