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Saint Augustine of Hippo (Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis) (November 13, 354 – August 28, 430), was Bishop of Hippo Regius (present-day Annaba, Algeria). He was a Latin-speaking philosopher and theologian who lived in the Roman Africa Province. His writings were very influential in the development of Western Christianity.

According to his contemporary, Jerome, Augustine "established anew the ancient Faith". In his early years he was heavily influenced by Manichaeism and afterward by the Neo-Platonism of Plotinus. After his conversion to Christianity and baptism (387), Augustine developed his own approach to philosophy and theology, accommodating a variety of methods and different perspectives. He believed that the grace of Christ was indispensable to human freedom, and he framed the concepts of original sin and just war.

When the Western Roman Empire was starting to disintegrate, Augustine developed the concept of the Church as a spiritual City of God (in a book of the same name), distinct from the material Earthly City. His thought profoundly influenced the medieval worldview. Augustine's City of God was closely identified with the church, the community that worshipped God.

In the Catholic Church he is a saint and pre-eminent Doctor of the Church, and the patron of the Augustinian religious order; his feast day is celebrated 28 August, the day of his death.

WHO WE ARE...

Augustini Servi Sancti Crucis, or Servants of the Holy Cross (SSC), is a secular priestly society following the Rule of Saint Augustine in faithful allegiance to the Roman Catholic Church. SSC priests include Roman Catholics, Old Roman Catholics, and other religious. The Novus Ordo, New Novus Ordo, and Tridentine Masses are approved for use as their respective Churches require.

SSC priests are validly ordained in the historic Apostolic Succession of Christ's One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. Their Apostolic lineages include the Rebiban or Vatican Apostolic lineage from Saint Peter through the Roman Catholic Church, the Melkite-Greek Apostolic lineage through the Patriarch of Antioch, Arnold Matthew (Gul) Old Roman Catholic succession and others.

SSC priests serve in varied ministries throughout the United States and Europe. Some priests pastor churches while others serve as military chaplains, minister to the elderly or give comfort to the sick and dying. SSC priests faithfully follow the Magisterium of the Old Roman Catholic Church and recognize Pope Benedict XIII as the Vicar of Christ.

Servants of the Holy Cross provides full Ecclesiastical Certification to its brother priests, who are fully authorized to officiate at and administer the Sacraments and officiate at the rites and ceremonies of the Church. They may perform all of the duties and functions of a priest of Christ's One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church and of this order of Servants of the Holy Cross in accordance with its Constitution and Canon Law Code and the Canon Law of the Old Roman Catholic Church.