SAINT AMBROSE

BISHOP OF MILAN.

A decorative horizontal rule with a central diamond-shaped ornament and lines tapering out to dots on either side.

Saint Ambrose, son of Ambrosius, the Prefect of the Gauls, was born at Trier around the year 340. Upon the death of his father in Rome, he was educated so thoroughly in the study of the liberal arts that, on account of his eloquence and other gifts of spirit, he was first admitted among the councilors by Probus, the Prefect of the Praetorium in Italy. He was later sent by the same man as governor of Aemilia and Liguria, saying: Go, act not as a judge, but as a bishop. (Paulinus in the Life of Ambrose)

However, when Auxentius, the Arian bishop of Milan, had died and the people, about to elect a new pontiff, were leaning toward sedition, Ambrose was present in the church to quell the disturbance. As he was soothing the minds of the dissenters with great eloquence, the voice of a boy was heard crying out: Ambrose for bishop; and everyone, having followed his lead...