Saint Augustine of Hippo (354?430 CE) was a theologian, philosopher, and bishop of Hippo Regius in North Africa. He is widely recognized as one of the most important Church Fathers in Western Christianity, whose writings profoundly influenced medieval and modern Christian thought. Born in Tagaste (modern-day Algeria) to a Christian mother and a pagan father, Augustine spent his youth pursuing classical rhetoric and philosophy while struggling with personal morality. His dramatic conversion to Christianity in 386 CE shifted his path entirely. Over his lifetime, he authored over one hundred books, including his theological masterpiece The City of God and his highly influential spiritual autobiography, The Confessions.