St. Ambrose of Milan began an intensive study of Christian theology under the tutelage of Roman Simplician priests. He then made the necessary arrangements for his family, shared his wealth with the poor, and devoted himself to the church. He was baptized, then briefly ordained, and rose rapidly through the ranks of the clergy until he became Bishop of Milan.

Saint Ambrose was a bishop born into a Christian senatorial family and was likely born in Trier, Germany, sometime between the ages of 337 and 340. His father was the Governor of Narbonne Gaul; his mother had literary interests. He received an excellent education in Rome and followed his father throughout his career. After further studies in literature, law, and rhetoric, he was elected to the Ligurian and Emilia councils by the consul Anicius Probus and later the consul (who lived in Milan). Here he proved his qualities as an excellent manager.

On the death of the (Arian) bishop Auxentie of Milan in 374, the bishop’s chair was left vacant; there was a fierce dispute between the Orthodox and the Arians over the succession. Amid this crisis, Ambrose gave a conciliatory speech to the assembled crowd, which won him the sympathy of the people, who hailed him as the only candidate capable of succeeding Auxentius (although Ambrose was still only a catechumen).

Who is Ambrose of Milan?

He defended the Christian faith of the Council of Nicaea in the church, soon coming into conflict with the Arians, who were still very influential at Mediolanum and the imperial court. The eloquence of his argument convinced the Roman emperor Gratian (375-383), son of Valentinian I, but not the family of his very young half-brother, co-emperor Valentinian II (375-392), who remained on the side of the Arians.

According to some biblical scholars, Ambrose of Milan was a very popular and well-respected preacher. He introduced several reforms in the celebration of public worship. He introduced antiphons (alternating the two choirs in church singing) in church and wrote some hymns himself. Some of the liturgical traditions he founded are still preserved in the Roman Catholic Church in Milan under the name “Ambrosio Rite.”

Biography of Ambrose of Milan

What did Ambrose of Milan do?

A gifted orator, who preached on current affairs, including court affairs, in his sermons and was very close to the poor, he was well-loved by the people but also frequently faced anger and jealousy from the people.

According to historians, Ambrose rejected two attempts by the ancient Roman polytheists to gain approval from the emperor to restore the shrine to the goddess Victoria, celebrate pagan ceremonies and maintain the College of Vestas next to the Roman Senate. From the Imperial Fund, they believed that Christian emperors had no rights and could not support the maintenance of pagan and false beliefs.

For the same reason, he rebuked the emperor for helping rebuild the synagogue destroyed in the riots, reminding him that as a Christian emperor, his duty was to (re)build churches rather than to destroy them; he supported, however, the punishment of those directly responsible for the destruction of the synagogue.