Saint Ambrose

The life of Saint Ambrose (339-397)

Ambrose of Milan was born in Trier in 339 as the son of a rich Roman family. Legend has it that a swarm of bees circled around the baby lying in a cradle, and the insects, without stinging, dripped honey into the baby's mouth. The honey is symbolic of the sweet language, the great talent for speech, which was given to the later saint.

Ambrosius - whose family had earmarked him for a career as a civil servant - was not baptized at first, but was intensively engaged in the Christian faith. In late antiquity there was a great inner-church conflict between the Aryans and the Trinitarians, the church was deeply divided. In the diocese of Milan, the election of a bishop was pending, and Ambrose was present in his role as prefect loved by the people. According to tradition, a child proposed Ambrose as bishop, and the election was unanimous in his favor. After a quick baptism, Ambrose was appointed Bishop of Milan on December 7, 374.

As a gifted orator, Ambrosius found it easy to inspire the faithful with his sermons and supplemented the liturgy with Ambrosian singing. Although the Aryans hoped for neutrality in the church dispute from their new bishop, Ambrosius turned out to be an advocate of the Trinitarians. With the help of a combination of political and theological measures Ambrosius pushed the Aryans out of their offices and organized his followers among the population of Milan to prevent the Aryans from being granted a church outside the city walls. Ambrosius vehemently advocated the thesis that it was the members of the church, not the emperor, who had to decide on religious matters - an almost revolutionary idea at the time.

His resolute advocacy of the Christian commandment of charity led to St. Ambrose successfully preventing a massacre that Emperor Theodosius I wanted to perpetrate on thousands of rebels in Thessaloniki. Ambrose also convinced his younger friend Augustine of Christianity and baptized the later church father and scholar. As he himself foreseen, Ambrose died at dawn on Easter Saturday in 397, and his relics are kept in the Basilica of St. Ambrogio in Milan.

St. Ambrose as patron saint

Ambrose of Milan left numerous traces in the Catholic Church. His interpretation of the Old Testament and his speeches are regarded as groundbreaking. He is regarded as the father of church music and has composed one of the oldest Christmas carols still popular today: "Come, Savior of the World". Since his time as a bishop, the Eucharistic celebration has been called "Mass". The cities of Milan and Bologna have chosen St. Ambrose as their patron saint. The beekeepers, gingerbread bakers, wax makers and grocers are also under the special protection of the saint. Pets, honey bees and learning are also under the protection of St. Ambrose.

Iconography: the representation of Saint Ambrose

Ambrose is usually depicted with a beehive, a book and a flagellum. The representation as a wooden statue usually shows him as an elderly man with a beard. A floor mosaic in the Milan church of S. Ambrogio, possibly created during his lifetime, depicts Ambrose as a young, prudent looking bishop. Examinations of the bones and a comparison with the mosaic prove a conspicuousness in the saint's left eye.

Commemoration

In the Catholic, Orthodox, Armenian and Anglican Churches, December 7 is set as a day of commemoration of St. Ambrose. This commemorates the election of the young scholar as a bishop. In the Protestant Church of Germany the 4th of April is dedicated to Ambrose. Here one remembers the day of the saint's death. There is an appropriate peasant rule for April 4, which says that if St. Ambrose is beautiful and pure, St. Florian (May 4) will be a savage.

Who would like to commemorate Saint Ambrose with a pretty wood carving, can buy a carved figure here in the online store. Beside the wood figure of the holy Ambrose there are here numerous carvings, which show further saints and are suitable very well also as gift idea for humans, who one wishes special protection.