AM'BROSE, SAINT (c. 340-397). One of the most celebrated of the ancient Fathers of the Church. and one of the four doctors of the West ern Church. He was born about the year 340, at Tr&ves, where his father, as prefect of Gaul, was wont to reside. According to his earliest biographer, Ambrose received a fortunate omen even in his cradle: a swarm of bees covered the slumbering Lamy, and the astonished nurse saw that the bees clustered round his mouth without doing him any harm. His father, perhaps re membe•ing a similar wonder related of Plato. foretold from this a high destiny for Ambrose. lie received an excellent education in Rome with his brother Satyrus, who died early, and his sister Marcellina, who became a nun. Ambrose studied law and entered the civil service, and soon dis tinguished himself so much that lie became, about 370. a consular magistrate in upper Italy, with his court at Milan. In this office his gentle ness and wisdom won for him the esteem and love of the people, whose prosperity had been much injured by the troubles caused by Arianism. Accordingly, he was unanimously called, by both .Arians and Catholics, to be Bishop of Milan in 374. He long refused to accept this dignity, and even left the city; yet be soon returned, Was bap tized, as hitherto he had been only a catechumen, and was consecrated eight days afterward. The anniversary of this event is still celebrated as a fete by the Catholic As a bishop. Am brose won universal reverence by his mild and gentle, though, toward wickedness of every kind, severe and unbending character. Thus he de fended the churches of Milan against the pro posed introduction of Arian worship by the Em press Justina (385-86), and brought to repent ance and public penance the Emperor Theodosius himself, who had caused the rebellious Thessa lonians to be cruelly massacred by Rufous (390). He is best remembered. however, not as
the faithful bishop and wise counselor. nor as the fluent preacher and learned theologian, but as the sympathizinft• friend of Monica, the mother of Augustine, when she deplored his re jection of orthodox Christian teaching. and as the one whom Augustine heard with pleasure and who received him into the Church. Ambrose died in Milan, April 4. 397. The best edition of his works, in which lie followed in many things the Greek theological writers, is that pub lished by the Benedictines (2 volumes, Paris, reprinted in Migne. Pair. Lat., XIV. XV11.. later edited by Ballerini (Milan, 1875-SC: 6 volumes) ; by C. Sehenkle in corpus Scrip foram Eeclesiasticoram Latinoram (Vienna, 1896 sqq.). English translation of some of his principal works by H. de Romestin (New York. 18961. For his biography consult Barry ( London, 1896). His fifteenth centenary was observed in Milan in 1897. Consult 11 Vainthei Ccatenario della morte di S. antbrogio (Milan, 1897). The hymn Te Dcum Le urlo mils is ascribed to Am bro-c, but it is proved to have been written one 'kindled years later. The Ambrosian ritual has also received his name only because Ambrose had made some changes in it. which are retained at the present day in the Milanese Church. A commentary on the Epistles of Paul. whicli was formerly ascribed to Ambrose, is now frequently ascribed to the Roman deacon Hilarius, and is usually quoted as the "Commentary of the Am hrosiaster." Ambrose is the patron saint of Milan, and the large Ambrosial] Library, estab lished by Cardinal Feilerigo Borromeo in 1603 0J, which now contains the famous cartoon by Raphael for his school of Athens, received its name in honor of him.