- St. Ambrose (d. 397)
Today is the feast day of St. Ambrose. Ambrose was born around 340 in Trier, which is now in Germany. At the age of 33, he was a very successful lawyer, governor of Milan, owned large tracts of land, and was a friend of the emperor. In 374, Ambrose was elected bishop by the people of Milan. He had walked into the city's church to stop a riot that was breaking out between the Arian and Catholic Christians (they were trying to decide who would be the next bishop because the last one had died), and made a passionate speech in which he asked for peace. During his speech, someone called out "Ambrose for bishop!" and soon everybody was shouting that he be made bishop. He argued that he had not even been baptized, but that did not make a difference to the people or the emperor. Though he opposed being bishop, he gave in when he could not get out of it. He gave all his property to the poor, and started to study under St. Simplician. When Empress Justiania tried to take two Catholic basilicas to give them to Arians (the sect to which she belonged), Ambrose gathered the people together in the basilicas to hold off the imperial troops. The people and Ambrose eventually won after singing new hymns which touched the hearts of the imperial soldiers. He also helped convert St. Augustine, and championed consecrated virginity. He died in 397.
St. Ambrose, pray for us!
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Picture Of And Information About St. Ambrose Taken From:
http://www.americancatholic.org/features/saintofday/
http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=16
http://ericsammons.com/blog/2010/12/07/st-ambrose-grandfather-of-the-western-church/
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