MIL'AN, ARCHBISHOPRIC OF. Of its early history we have no certain knowledge. There is a tradition that the apostle Barnabas estalilisbed the Christian church at 31ilan, and was its first bishop. The first bishop of Milan of whom we have any knowledge is Auxentius, 335-74. He was the leader of the Arians in the western church. The ortho dox bishops, who at a synod assembled at Rome in 369 condemned Arianism, feared to pronounce against Auxentius because he was protected by the emperor Valentinian I., and, though the synod was prevailed upon by Athanasias to condemn him, he remained in his see till his death. The contest arising from the Arian heresy rendered the election of a new bishop very difficult, and Ambrose, the consular prefect, found it necessary to proceed to the church at Milan for the purpose of restoring order. At the close of his speech both the orthodox and the Arians united in a demand that he should be their bishop. He accepted, and acquired great influence with the people and the emperor Valentinian. He vigorously opposed the Arians, and in 382 presided at a synod which deposed the Arian bishops Palladius and Secundianus. All the bishops who succeeded Ambrose were elected by the people. After the overthrow of the Gothic kingdom, the archbishops of Milan, on account of the hostility between the people and the Lombards, their conquerors, resided at Geneva. But afterwards the Lombards became enthusiastic friends of the church, and the archbishops returned to Milan. Though the first bishop in the kingdom, and having the power even of crowning the king with the so-called iron crown, the archbishop was yet subject to the king, and the church was subordinate to the state. After the overthrow of the Longobard kingdom, the power of the archbishops of Milan was much reduced, but they subsequently became more independent than before, large feudal estates being bestowed upon them, and they were the most influential allies of the German emperors. Eriberto di Argago, archbishop of Milan 1019-43, organized in 1034 a revolt against the emperor Conrad the Salic, and was expelled. After his death, in the excitement prevailing over the election of his successor, the popular chief Erlan bald° persuaded the people to select four candidates, from whom a choice should be made. These names were sent to the emperor Henry II. to make the appointment, but influenced by a faction of the nobles lie appointed a rival, Guido di Valate. This appointment was disliked, both by the people on whom he was forced, and by the disap pointed candidates. Milan was at one time independent of the papacy, the spiritual and ternporal power being granted by the emperor. But the German popes began to interfere. Pope Leo IX. and his successors attacked the Milanese clergy, who at that time were allowed to marry, and in a council held at Rheims in 1049 laws were enacted against clerical marriage. Archbishop Guido defended the clergy both by Scripture and by a decision of Ambrose which he cited. The popes sent their emissaries, who excited
great tumults in Milan, which Guido, who argued in favor of the married clergy, was unable to quell The people rose in arms and resisted the papal faction, which resulted in fights and bloodshed. Nicholas II., then pope, sent Hildebrand and Anselin to allay the strife. Anselm was conciliatory, but Hildebraud demanded unconditional submis sion to Rome. In 1059 another papal legation was sent with full power to compel sub mission from the archbishop and clergy. These ecclesiastics at first earnestly denied the authority of Rome, but finally acknowledged it, signing a paper in which they expressed their penitence in humiliating terms. But when in 1061, after the death of Nicholas, their fellow-citizen Anselm was elected pope under the name of Alexander II., the church of Milan endeavored to regain its independence. A council of German and Lombard bishops convened at Basle and elected Cadalus, who was bishop of Parma, pope under the title of IIonorius II. The German bishops, under the influence of Hanno, archbishop of Cologne, sided with Alexander, and in 1064 the synod of 3Iantua deposed Honorius. Guido, the archbishop, was excommunicated by the pope in 1066, but disregarding the deposition he appeared at the altar to officiate at the services of Pentecost day. The papal party attacked him in the church. His followers rallied for his defense, but he was nearly killed by the papists. A few months later Guido reorganized his party, and the war continued for several years. Hildebrand finally, in 1069, proposed that the Milanese cicrgy and laity should take an oath that in future their archbishops should apply for confirmation to the pope, not to the German emperor. Guido, weary of strife, resigned his archbishopric to his sub-deacon Gotefrido. He was confirmed by Henry IV., but the Milanese refused to receive him, and to save his life he escaped from the city. The papal appointee was also rejected, and compelled to swear that he would not attempt to enter the see. Milan was thus without an archbishop. Hildebrand, who suc ceeded Alexander, issued an interdict against it. The Milanese, disregarding the interdict, appealed to Henry IV. for an archbishop. He nominated Tedaldo, who was consecrated. Ile Ivas the leader of the disaffected bishops who, at the synod of Pavia in 1076, excom municated pope Gregory himself. He remained in his see till his death, notwithstanding the frequent excommunications from Gregory. With him ceased the independence of the Milan archbishopric. The clergy of Milan now largely belong to the Old Catholic party. The reforms which they seek are the election of priests by the parish, the use of the vernacular in the church service, the cessation of the worship of Mary and the saints, the marriage of priests, etc. E. Serra Gropelli is the leader of the reform party.