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Saint Alypius and Saint Possidius

May 16

Contemporaries of Augustine, Alypius and Possidius were his close friends and members of his monastic community in Hippo.

Saint Alypius

Alypius (died 430?) was referred to by Augustine as "brother of my heart". Both shared the same errors as young men and both shared the same conversion to Christ.

Alypius was born sometime in the middle of the fourth century in Tagaste, Africa. His parents were influential citizens of that city.

He studied law in Rome. He first met Augustine while at school in Carthage. Augustine praised him for his honesty, sincerity and sense of justice.

When he was living in Rome, Alypius had a government position involving the distribution of funds. He carried out his duties with integrity, not seeking to fill his own pockets with money that righly belonged to others. It was said that these qualities were very rare at the time. When a powerful Roman Senator tried to involve Alypius in dishonest dealings, Alypius refused to have anything to do with the Senator's schemes.

Like Augustine, Alypius was at one time a Manichean. The two friends were both converted to Christ and were Baptized together by Saint Ambrose in 387. Alypius helped Augustine start the first monastery in northern Africa in Tagaste. When Augustine was ordained a priest in Hippo, and started a monastery there, Alypius joined that community.

He once traveled to the East, where he met the great biblical scholar Saint Jerome. Alypius was ordained Bishop of Tagaste around the year 394. Augustine had not yet been ordained Bishop at the time.

He took part in the African Councils of the Church during his time as Bishop, and was chosen along with Possidius and Augustine to represent the Catholic Bishops at the famous meeting with the Donatists in Carthage in 411. He took part in the Council of Milevi (Numidia) in 416. He composed a written report on this Council for Pope Innocent.

Alypius travelled to Italy several times as part of his opposition to the Pelagian heresy. He often carried Augustine's writings with him in order to present them to Pope Boniface.

It is believed that he was present during the death of Augustine in 430. Alypius died shortly after Augustine, probably in the same year 430.

Saint Possidius

Possidius (died 437?) wrote the first biography of Augustine, in which he tells of their 40 years of close friendship.

He was born in northern Africa. Little is known of his childhood and youth.

Possidius was a member of Augustine's monastic community in Hippo, along with Saint Alypius.

He was named Bishop of Calama (Numidia). There he faced opposition from the Donatists. On one occasion Donatist extremists set fire to a house where Possidius was visiting. Possidius narrowly escaped death.

Twice he went to Italy to defend his Church. He was present at the Councils of the African Church in Carthage in 403 and 407, and was chosen along with Alypius and Augustine to represent the Catholic Bishops at the famous meeting with the Donatists in Carthage in 411, where he took an active role.

Possidius was charged with official missions to Emperor Theodosius in 409 and in 410.

He took part in the Councils of Malevi (416) and Carthage (419). These Councils were in opposition to the Pelagian heresy.

When Calama was conquered by Vandal invaders in 429, Possidius took refuge with Augustine inside the walls of Hippo. Possidius was with Augustine at his death in 430.

Hippo itself was attacked and burned in 431. Possidius did return to Calama, but in 437 was exiled by King Hunmeric, who suppressed Christianity and forced Arianism on the territories that he conquered. During this time of exile, Possidius completed his famous book, The Life of Augustine. Little else is know about the activities of Possidius during this exile.

He died in exile around the year 437.

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Would you like to follow in the footsteps of Saint Alypius and Saint Possidius? They were made holy through the power of Jesus Christ while living their Augustinian Spirituality.

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Illustrations of Saints Alypius and Possidius by János Hajnal
in Il fascino di Dio: Profili de agiografia agostiniana by Fernando Rojo Martínez, O.S.A.
Copyright © 2000 Pubblicazioni Agostiniane Rome. Used with permission.
Original art preserved in the Office of Augustinian Postulator of Causes, Rome