Monica
Born c. 331/332, St. Monica was a native of Tageste (now Souk Atira, Algeria). She was raised a Christian, but her parents, who are thought to have owned a small estate, married her to a pagan, Patricius. He was older than Monica and had a violent temper. Both are thought to have imbibed heavily. Monica's mother-in-law lived with the couple and is reputed to have been troublesome. Monica, with great patience, reformed herself and converted her husband, who was baptized a year before his death in 371. Monica also worked to convert her son Augustine, an intellectually talented young man. He, it is said, travelled to Italy to escape her. She followed him there in 383. He eventually became a Christian. (Nothing seems to be known of his siblings, Navigius and Perpetua or Perpetus.) Monica died in 387, as she and Augustine were about to return to North Africa.
Karen Rae Keck
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