Gospel in Art: Saint Monica

Death of St Monica, Church of Sant'Agostino by Benozzo Gozzoli, painted1464 - 1465 © Church of Sant'Agostino, San Geminiano, Italy

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 27 August 2026
Luke 7:11-17

At that time: Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, 'Do not weep.' Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, 'Young man, I say to you, arise.' And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, 'A great prophet has arisen among us!' and 'God has visited his people!' And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country.

Reflection on the fresco painting

Saint Monica, whose feast we celebrate today, is best known as the mother of Saint Augustine, one of the great saints and thinkers of the Church. She was born in North Africa in the 4th century and married a pagan man named Patricius, who could be hot-tempered and was not always faithful. Monica's deep faith and gentle perseverance gradually influenced her husband, and he was baptised before his death. She was also a devoted mother, though her relationship with her eldest son, Augustine, was marked by years of worry. Augustine (whose feast we celebrate tomorrow) was brilliant but restless, and for a long time he lived far from God. Monica never gave up on him, following him across countries and continents, weeping and praying constantly for his conversion.

Her prayers were finally answered in a remarkable way when Augustine was baptised by Saint Ambrose in Milan. Shortly afterwards, Monica told her son that her life's purpose was fulfilled: she had seen him return to God. She told him that now she felt ready for heaven. She died in the year 387 in the Italian port town of Ostia, while preparing to return home to Africa. Monica is remembered as a model of patience, faith, and persistent prayer, especially for loved ones who seem far from God. I think we all know people that we love but who are far from God. Monica is a wonderful saint to pray to for their conversion. Her story reminds us that no prayer offered in love is ever wasted, and that God's timing, though sometimes slow in our eyes, is always perfect.

Since my mother's name is Monique, I want to take a moment to wish her a very happy feast day today.

Our moving fresco by Benozzo Gozzoli, painted between 1464 and 1465, forms part of an extensive cycle illustrating the life of St Augustine in the Church of Sant'Agostino in San Gimignano, Tuscany. The scene depicts the death of St Monica, Augustine's mother, as described in his Confessions. Having witnessed her son's conversion to Christianity after years of fervent prayer, Monica dies peacefully at Ostia while preparing to return to North Africa. Gozzoli portrays the moment with great tenderness: Monica lies serenely on her deathbed, surrounded by grieving companions, while Augustine stands nearby in prayer, on the left. Above, we see her see her soul a luminous circle (depicted as a young infant, reflecting the innocence of her soul) being carried up to heaven. In the background on the right one can, through an open colonnade, see the departure of St Augustine for Numidia.

Benozzo Gozzoli, one of the great masters of the early Italian Renaissance and a pupil of Fra Angelico, was renowned for his luminous colours and ability to combine deep spirituality with vivid storytelling. The Church of Sant'Agostino itself, built in the late thirteenth century, is one of San Gimignano's artistic treasures, housing Gozzoli's remarkable frescoes.

LINKS

Christian Art: www.christian.art
Today's image: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/luke-7-11-17-2026/