Ambrose
Bishop of Milan whose preaching drew Augustine to the church and who baptised him. After the massacre at Thessalonica he wrote to the emperor Theodosius that he must repent before he could attend the eucharist.
Jerome’s Chronicle records that Ambrose was made bishop of Milan after the death of the previous bishop, Auxentius (Jerome, Chronicle entry on the death of Auxentius). The letter of the eastern bishops in 382 names him next after Damasus among the bishops of the West (Theodoret, Church History 5.9). Augustine of Hippo went to hear him preach, was received by him “like a father”, and was baptised by him (Augustine, Confessions 5.13.23) (Possidius, Life of Augustine 1); he also tells how the people of Milan kept watch in the church with their bishop when the empress Justina, who favoured the Arians, moved against him (Augustine, Confessions 9.7.15). See the Conversion of Augustine.
After the massacre at Thessalonica Ambrose wrote privately to Theodosius I, urging him to repent and declining to offer the eucharist in his presence until he did (Ambrose, Letter 51) (see Ambrose Calls an Emperor to Penance). Jerome, writing in 392–393, notes that Ambrose was still alive and still writing, and for that reason withholds his judgment of him (Jerome, On Illustrious Men 124).
In the timeline
- AD 386, firm dateThe Conversion of Augustine
In a garden at Milan the African teacher of rhetoric Augustine, after years of hesitation, reads a sentence of Paul and resolves to seek baptism. He tells the story himself in the Confessions. Ambrose baptises him the following Easter.
- AD 390, estimated dateAmbrose Calls an Emperor to Penance
After Theodosius orders a massacre at Thessalonica, Ambrose of Milan writes that he cannot celebrate the eucharist in the emperor’s presence until he repents. Theodosius does public penance. Later writers add a confrontation at the church door that is not in the letter.
Primary sources
Life of Augustine
- Possidius, Life of Augustine 1tertullian.org
Letters
- Ambrose, Letter 51newadvent.org
On Illustrious Men
- Jerome, On Illustrious Men 124newadvent.org