Ambrose of Milan

AMBROSE of Milan. b. Trier, 339 (or 340); d. Milan, 4 April 397. Born into a Roman Christian family, Ambrose pursued the cursus honorum (the ladder of advancement within the Roman public hierarchy) and became governor of the province of Emilia-Liguria in 370, moving to Milan. On the death of the Arian bishop, Auxence, Ambrose was chosen by the people as their bishop, was baptised and, one week later, was consecrated (1 December 373 or 7 December 374). During the 23 years of his episcopate, he represented the authority of the church, exercised his pastoral responsibility, composed numerous treatises, and became renowned as a major ecclesiastical figure. Ambrose, one of the four great Church...