Do we, as Oriental Orthodox Christians, venerate St. Augustine of Hippo and his mother, St. Monica, as saints?

By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-10

In the Coptic Orthodox Church, and more broadly across Oriental Orthodoxy, the status of Saint Augustine of Hippo is distinct from that in the Roman Catholic or Eastern Orthodox traditions.

St. Augustine of Hippo

The Coptic Orthodox Church generally views Augustine as a prominent Church Father and a significant writer of the early Church, but he is not formally listed in our Synaxarium (the book of saints), nor is there a formal feast day dedicated to him in the Coptic liturgical calendar.

While we respect many of his writings against early heresies, our Church remains cautious regarding some of his theological conclusions. Specifically, the Coptic Church adheres to the Alexandrian school of theology, which differs from some of Augustine’s later developments on:

1. Original Sin: Our Church teaches that we inherit the consequences of Adam's sin (mortality, a fallen nature), but not the guilt of his actual sin. Some of Augustine’s views led to the later Roman Catholic development of "Total Depravity" or the "Inheritance of Guilt," which we do not accept.
2. Grace and Free Will: Augustine’s later writings in his dispute with the Pelagian heretics tended toward a view of "Irresistible Grace" that can overshadow the necessity of human free will (synergeia). The Coptic perspective maintains a strict balance of both God's grace and man's free choice.
3. The Procession of the Holy Spirit: Augustine's work De Trinitate introduced concepts that were later used by the West to justify the Filioque (the claim that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son). In the Coptic Orthodox faith, we strictly maintain the Nicene Creed as originally written: the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father alone.

For these reasons, while he is a "Father of the Church" in a historical sense, he is not venerated as a liturgical saint.

St. Monica

Saint Monica, his mother, is highly respected for her perseverance, prayer, and tears, which led to the conversion of her son. However, like Augustine, she is not formally included in the Coptic Synaxarium or the official liturgical commemorations of our Church.

The Comparison with Other Fathers

In contrast, our Church holds St. Athanasius the Apostolic and St. Cyril of Alexandria as the primary pillars of our faith. St. Cyril is specifically remembered as the "Pillar of Faith" for his defense of the Theotokos against the heretic Nestorius.

While you may find Coptic individuals who admire the life and repentance of St. Augustine, he and St. Monica do not hold a place in the official liturgical veneration or the Coptic Orthodox calendar of saints.