AMBROSE, Saint, Latin father of the Church: b. 333, or, according to other accounts, 334, probably at Troves (the ancient Augusta Trevirorum), where his father resided as pre torian prefect of Gallia Narbonensis; d. Milan, 4 April 397. It is told that a swarm of bees covered the eyes of the boy while slumbering in the court of his father's castle, and the nurse was astonished to perceive the bees going in and out of his mouth without doing him any injury. His father, possibly recalling a similar wonder, mentioned of Plato, prophesied future greatness for his son. Ambrose studied law at Rome under Anicius Prohus and Symmachus, and then went to Milan and began to plead causes while yet a youth. His pleadings were so eloquent and skillful that in a short time Pro bus, the prefect of Italy, chose him a member of his council ; and in 369, with the approval of the Emperor Valentinian, appointed him gov ernor of the provinces of Liguria and 'Emilia (North Italy). In 374 he was called to the bishopric of Milan by the unanimous voices of Arians and Catholics. Ambrose long refused to accept this dignity, but in vain. He fled by night, and thought himself on the way to Pavia, but unexpectedly found himself again before the gates of Milan. At length he yielded, re ceived baptism, for he had hitherto been only a catechumen, and eight days after was conse crated a priest. The 7th of December is still celebrated by the Church on this account. On his elevation to the bishopric he bestowed all his wealth on the Church and among the poor, resolving to live as simply as possible, and at the same time to exercise his functions as an ecclesiastical ruler with firmness and vigor. He was employed by the court to negotiate with Maximus, then threatening Italy, whose advance he succeeded for a time in arresting (383). Four years later he was sent on a like mission, but his conduct on this occasion so offended Maximus that he had to return to Milan, hav ing accomplished nothing. In his struggles
against the Arian heresy he was opposed by Justina, mother of Valentinian II, and for a time by the young Emperor himself, together with the courtiers and the Gothic troops. Backed by the people of Milan, however, he felt strong enough to deny the Arians the use ofa single church in the city, although Justina, her son's name, demanded that two should be given up. He was commanded to quit the city, but this he refused to do, being still supported by the people. About this time Ambrose, in structed by a dream, searched for and found the relics of two martyrs, Gervasius and Protasius. The people crowded to see these bones, and, according to Ambrose himself, the eyes of the blind were opened and devils were cast out by touching them. Although the court derided these miracles they were accepted by the people, and the triumph of orthodoxy was secured. He had also to oppose paganism. In 390, after the massacre at Thessalonica, he re fused the Emperor Theodosius entrance into the church of Milan for a period of eight months, only restoring him after a public penance. (See THEODOSIUS). The later years of his life were devoted to the more immediate care of his see. His writings (the best edition is by the Bene- • dictines, 2 vols. folio, 1686-90), bear marks of haste, and show his theological knowledge to have extended little beyond an acquaintance with the works of the Greek fathers, from whom, especially Ori?en, he borrowed consider ably. The aAmbrosian Chant° or aTe Deum Laudamusp has been ascribed to him, but was written a century later. He may be considered the father of the hymnology of the Latin Church. He is the patron saint of Milan, which observed his 15th centenary in 1897.