Learn About the Augustinian Saints

Heavenly Intercessors: The Saints and Blessed of the Augustinian Order

The Augustinian family is blessed with a rich legacy of holy men and women who have perfectly lived out our charism of community, prayer, and service. As we journey together, we look to their examples and ask for their heavenly intercession.

Here are the prominent saints, blesseds, and Marian feasts of our Order, their patronages, and their feast days:

Saint Fulgentius of Ruspe

• Feast Day: January 3

• About: A North African bishop heavily inspired by the Rule and theology of Saint Augustine. Known for his robust defense of the Orthodox faith against Arianism and his deep commitment to monastic community life despite exile.

Blessed Josephine Mary of Benigánim

• Feast Day: January 23

• About: An Augustinian Discalced nun from Spain known for her profound mystical experiences, extreme humility, and prophetic insights. She dedicated her life to contemplative prayer and spiritual guidance.

Blessed Stephen Bellesini

• Feast Day: February 3

• Patron Saint of: Parish priests, Catholic school teachers, and underprivileged youth.

• About: Living during a time of intense government suppression and anti-clerical laws in 19th-century Italy, Stephen was forced out of his beloved monastery. Undeterred, he dedicated his exile to establishing free schools, clothing, and food for poor children. When religious life was finally restored, he left a prestigious government school post to return happily to his vows as a humble friar. He passed away from typhus contracted while heroically ministering to sick parishioners, leaving a legacy of absolute fidelity to his community and the vulnerable.

Blessed Anselm Polanco

• Feast Day: February 7

• About: An Augustinian friar who became the Bishop of Teruel. He was martyred during the Spanish Civil War for refusing to compromise his allegiance to the Church, standing as a heroic witness to the faith.

Blessed Christine of Spoleto

• Feast Day: February 13

• About: Born into nobility, she experienced a profound conversion and became an Augustinian tertiary. She devoted her life to severe penance, extreme poverty, and hands-on care for the sick and marginalized.

Blessed Simon of Cascia

• Feast Day: February 16

• About: A celebrated Augustinian preacher and spiritual writer of the 14th century. His theological insights profoundly influenced early spiritual writers, and he was known for his ability to reconcile bitter political factions.

Solemnity of Saint Joseph, Husband of the Virgin Mary

• Feast Day: March 19

• Significance: Celebrated with special devotion as the Protector and Guardian of the Augustinian Order, mirroring his protective care over the Holy Family.

Blessed Helen of Udine

• Feast Day: April 23

• About: Following the death of her husband, she joined the Augustinian secular third order. She committed her remaining years to absolute silence, prayer, and serving the poor of Udine.

Feast of the Conversion of Saint Augustine

• Feast Day: April 24

• Significance: A unique liturgical feast celebrating the pivotal moment in Milan (387 AD) when Augustine was baptized by Saint Ambrose, giving birth to the spiritual trajectory of our entire Order.

Feast of the Mother of Good Counsel

• Feast Day: April 26

• Significance: A deeply treasured Marian title within the Order, centering on the miraculous fresco in the Augustinian church in Genazzano, Italy. Mary is honored as our guide in seeking the will of God.

Blessed Vincent Soler

• Feast Day: May 5

• About: An Augustinian Recollect missionary who served in the Philippines before returning to Spain. He was martyred during the religious persecution of the Spanish Civil War alongside several companions.

Blessed Maria of Saint Joseph Alvarado

• Feast Day: May 7

• About: The first Venezuelan to be beatified. Foundress of the Augustinian Recollect Sisters of the Heart of Jesus, she dedicated her life to orphans, the sick, and the promotion of women's dignity.

Feast of Our Lady of Grace

• Feast Day: May 8

• Significance: This feast honors Mary as the dispenser of God's grace and acknowledges her continuous, loving protection over the ministries and friars of the Augustinian family.

Blessed William Tirry

• Feast Day: May 12

• About: An Irish Augustinian friar who ministered secretly during the fierce anti-Catholic Cromwellian persecutions. He was arrested while celebrating Mass and martyred for his fidelity to the Catholic faith.

Feast of Our Lady of Help

• Feast Day: May 13

• Significance: Commemorates the traditional Augustinian devotion to Mary under the title Succurre Miseris (Succor the Wretched), highlighting her swift assistance to those in desperate need.

Saint Alypius of Tagaste

• Feast Day: May 16 (Commonly celebrated alongside Saint Possidius)

• Patron Saint of: Lifelong friendships, lawyers, and those seeking integrity in public service.

• About Our Holy Father: Famously called by Saint Augustine the "brother of my heart," Alypius was Augustine's closest friend from their youth in Tagaste (modern-day Algeria). They shared the same intellectual struggles, went through a simultaneous conversion to Christ, and were baptized together by Saint Ambrose. Alypius helped Augustine found the very first Augustinian monastery in Africa, and later served faithfully as the Bishop of Tagaste. He is a beautiful model of how holy friendships pull us closer to God.

Saint Possidius

• Feast Day: May 16 (Commonly celebrated alongside Saint Alypius)

• About: A close disciple of Saint Augustine, a member of his first monastic community, and Bishop of Calama. He wrote the very first biography of Augustine, preserving his teacher's life and legacy for the world during the Vandal invasion.

Blessed William of Toulouse

• Feast Day: May 18

• About: A 14th-century Augustinian friar noted for his immense gift of preaching, his severe fasting, and his total detachment from worldly goods. He was a sought-after spiritual director and a champion for the poor.

Blessed Augustine of Tarano (Augustine of Novello)

• Feast Day: May 19 (Commonly celebrated alongside Blessed Clement of Osimo)

• About: A brilliant lawyer and chancellor to the Kingdom of Sicily who left his high status to become a humble, anonymous Augustinian lay brother. He later helped revise the Constitutions of the Order.

Blessed Clement of Osimo

• Feast Day: May 19 (Commonly celebrated alongside Blessed Augustine of Tarano)

• About: A key figure in the structural organization of the early Augustinian Order. Serving as Prior General, he was instrumental in promoting a return to stricter observance of common life, study, and prayer.

Saint Rita of Cascia

• Feast Day: May 22

• Patron Saint of: Impossible causes, difficult marriages, infertility, and open wounds.

• About Our Holy Mother: Known globally as the "Saint of the Impossible," Rita lived through immense heartbreak as a wife and mother before entering the Augustinian convent later in life. Known for her profound mystical prayer, she received the partial stigmata—a painful thorn wound on her forehead—sharing in Christ's passion. She is loved worldwide for her gentle comfort to those facing hopeless situations.

Blessed James of Viterbo

• Feast Day: June 4

• About: A brilliant theological mind, professor at the University of Paris, and Archbishop of Naples. He was deeply praised by his contemporaries for his holiness and his early, systematic writings on the nature of the Church.

Saint John of Sahagún

• Feast Day: June 12

• About: A charismatic Augustinian friar from Spain renowned for his fiery preaching against social injustice. He successfully reconciled warring noble factions in Salamanca and possessed a deep mystical devotion to the Holy Eucharist.

Blessed Magdalene Albrici

• Feast Day: July 17

• About: A visionary Abbess who led her Italian convent into affiliation with the Augustinian Order. She was highly regarded for her administrative wisdom, spiritual guidance, and works of charity in her community.

Blessed John of Rieti

• Feast Day: August 2

• About: A humble Augustinian lay brother of the 14th century who exemplified the charism of quiet hospitality and joyful service. He was known for finding extraordinary holiness in the most ordinary, hidden daily tasks.

Saint Clare of the Cross of Montefalco

• Feast Day: August 17

• About: An Augustinian nun and mystic who experienced profound visions of Christ's Passion. Upon her death, symbols of the Crucifixion (including a tiny cross and scourge) were miraculously found formed within the tissue of her heart.

Saint Ezekiel Moreno

• Feast Day: August 19

• Patron Saint of: Cancer patients and those suffering from severe illnesses.

• About: A courageous 19th-century Augustinian Recollect friar, Ezekiel served as a passionate missionary in the Philippines and later as a bishop in Colombia. Diagnosed with painful throat cancer, he bore his immense suffering with heroic patience and faith until his death, making him a powerful intercessor for cancer patients today.

Blessed Liberatus, Boniface, and Companions

• Feast Day: August 26

• About: A courageous community of seven North African Augustinian monks who were martyred together by the Vandal King Hunneric for refusing to renounce their orthodox faith in the divinity of Christ.

Saint Monica

• Feast Day: August 27

• Patron Saint of: Mothers, parents, difficult marriages, and grieving over wayward children.

• About Our Holy Mother: The mother of Saint Augustine, Monica is a towering example of patience, hope, and unwavering prayer. She wept and prayed for decades for her son’s conversion. Her tears were ultimately answered, proving to generations of parents that love and persistent prayer can change the human heart.

Saint Augustine of Hippo

• Feast Day: August 28

• Patron Saint of: Theologians, printers, sore eyes, and a restless search for truth.

• About Our Holy Father: One of the original Doctors of the Church, Saint Augustine’s brilliant mind and passionate heart shaped the course of Western Christianity. Following a dramatic conversion journey famously detailed in his book Confessions, he founded our monastic way of life. He taught us that the core of Christian community is to be "of one mind and one heart intent upon God."

Feast of the Mother of Consolation

• Feast Day: September 4

• Significance: The principal Marian patroness of the Augustinian Order. According to tradition, Mary gave the distinctive leather cincture (belt) to Saint Monica as a source of comfort during her grief, establishing the clothing habit of the Order.

Saint Nicholas of Tolentino

• Feast Day: September 10

• Patron Saint of: Holy Souls in Purgatory, Mariners, and the sick.

• About: The first member of the actual mendicant Augustinian Order to be officially canonized, Nicholas was a friar noted for his radical fasting, gentle spiritual guidance, and profound love for the poor. He was famous for a vision where he blessed bread to cure the sick—a tradition carried on today through the blessing of "Saint Nicholas Bread" for healing.

Saint Alonso de Orozco

• Feast Day: September 19

• About: A beloved mystic, royal preacher to King Philip II of Spain, and prolific spiritual writer. Despite his high social connections, he chose to live in strict poverty and was constantly found ministering to the sick and imprisoned.

Blessed Josefa de la Purificación Masiá Ferragut

• Feast Day: September 22

• About: An Augustinian Discalced nun who, along with her mother and three sisters (all religious nuns), was martyred during the religious persecutions of the Spanish Civil War.

Blessed Peter de Zúñiga & Blessed Thomas of Saint Augustine

• Feast Day: September 28

• About: Two courageous Augustinian friars—one Spanish, one native Japanese—who disguised themselves to smuggle back into Japan during the fierce anti-Christian bans. They were captured and burned at the stake for their missionary zeal.

Saint Thomas of Villanova (Patron Saint of our Gala)

• Feast Day: October 10

• Patron Saint of: Studies, Catholic schools, and the poor.

• About: Known as the "Father of the Poor," Thomas was an Augustinian friar, educator, and eventually the Archbishop of Valencia. He was famous for his absolute poverty, selling everything he owned—even his bed—to feed the starving. He deeply believed that charity without personal involvement was incomplete, a value that continues to inspire our educational ministries today.

Blessed Elías del Socorro Nieves

• Feast Day: October 11

• About: A Mexican Augustinian friar who ministered secretly in caves and private homes during the anti-clerical Cristero War. He was captured by government soldiers and shot, dying with the cry "¡Viva Cristo Rey!" (Long live Christ the King!).

Blessed Maria Teresa Fasce

• Feast Day: October 12

• About: A dedicated Augustinian nun who served as the long-time Abbess of the monastery in Cascia. She was instrumental in spreading worldwide devotion to Saint Rita and constructing the modern basilica that hosts Rita's shrine.

Blessed Gonzalo of Lagos

• Feast Day: October 14

• About: A Portuguese Augustinian friar who turned down administrative positions to focus on catechizing children, the uneducated, and working as a talented manuscript illuminator.

Saint Magdalene of Nagasaki

• Feast Day: October 20

• Patron Saint of: Secular Augustinians and persecuted Christians.

• About: A young, heroic Japanese laywoman who associated closely with the Augustinian missionaries in the 17th century. During a time of intense Christian persecution, she openly declared herself a Christian and an Augustinian tertiary. She was tortured for thirteen days before being martyred, standing as a brilliant symbol of courage and devotion.

Saint John the Good

• Feast Day: October 23 (Commonly celebrated alongside Saint William the Hermit)

• About: An Italian hermit who founded a monastic community that eventually merged into the Grand Union of 13th-century hermits, helping form the modern Augustinian Friars.

Saint William the Hermit

• Feast Day: October 23 (Commonly celebrated alongside Saint John the Good)

• About: A great ascetic whose rigorous penitential lifestyle inspired the founding of the Williamites, one of the primary hermetic groups integrated into the Augustinian Order during the Grand Union.

Saint John Stone

• Feast Day: October 25

• About: An English Augustinian friar and martyr. He publicly refused to sign King Henry VIII’s Act of Supremacy, which declared the King head of the Church. For defending papal authority, he was executed at Canterbury.

Blessed Mariano de la Mata

• Feast Day: November 5

• About: A Spanish Augustinian friar who moved to Brazil, spending decades as a beloved schoolteacher and parish priest. He was affectionately known as the "Messenger of Charity" due to his constant care for the sick and poor.

Blessed Gratia of Kotor

• Feast Day: November 7

• About: A humble sailor from Montenegro who, after hearing a moving sermon by an Augustinian friar, left his seafaring career to become a lay brother. He spent his life in profound Eucharistic adoration and manual labor.

Blessed Avelino Rodríguez and Companions

• Feast Day: November 8

• About: A group of dozens of Augustinian friars, led by Provincial Father Avelino Rodríguez, who were tragically executed en masse during the height of the Spanish Civil War for their religious vows.

All Saints of the Augustinian Order

• Feast Day: November 13

• About: On this day, we honor the countless unnamed Augustinians throughout history who quietly and beautifully fulfilled our Rule, sanctifying the world through everyday brotherhood, study, and prayer.

Blessed Frederick of Regensburg

• Feast Day: November 29

• About: A humble German Augustinian lay brother of the 14th century who served his community as a woodcutter. He was highly revered for his complete obedience, deep prayer life, and absolute devotion to the Holy Eucharist.