Augustine gave notice that he was abandoning the professorship of rhetoric, wrote a letter to Ambrose denouncing his errors and returned to Milan to prepare for his baptism. Ambrose baptized Augustine along with Alypius and his son Adeodatus on Easter Day in 387 A.D. Monica was most surely present as depicted in this stained glass window.
In 387 A.D. Augustine decided to return with his friends to Tagaste so as to live the religious life. Monica became very sick and unconscious at Ostia. When she regained consciousness, the brother of Augustine asked her where she wanted to be buried. She looked at Augustine and his brother with amazement and said, "'Here, you bury your mother.'" "And soon after she said to them, 'Lay this body anywhere ; ...this only I request, that you would remember me on the Lord's altar, wherever you may be.'" (Conf. 9.11.27) On the 9th day of her sickness at age 56 her religious soul was freed from her body. "I closed her eyes; and there flowed within me a mighty sorrow into my heart which was overflowing into tears ...." Conf. 9.12.29) Adeodatus, who was only 15 or 16, burst into loud lament. Euodius began to sing Psalm 101:
"I sing of love and justice;
to you O Lord I sing praise",
and the whole house was answering him.
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