author
Bishop of Milan Saint Ambrose
d. 397
Chosen as bishop of Milan before he was even baptized, he became one of the most influential Christian leaders of late antiquity. His preaching, hymns, and fearless clashes with emperors helped shape the Western Church for centuries.
1 Audiobook
The Letters of S. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan
by Bishop of Milan Saint Ambrose
About the author
Born around 339 in Trier, Ambrose was trained in law and rhetoric and rose in the Roman imperial administration before church leadership was even on his path. In 374, while trying to calm unrest over the election of a new bishop in Milan, he was unexpectedly acclaimed by the crowd and soon became bishop himself.
As bishop of Milan, he was a powerful defender of Nicene Christianity during fierce doctrinal conflicts and became known for his independence in dealing with imperial power. He was also an important writer and preacher whose works on ethics, Scripture, and the Christian life were widely admired, and tradition especially remembers him for his hymns and for the influence he had on Augustine.
Ambrose died on April 4, 397. He is honored as one of the four original Doctors of the Latin Church, and his life still stands out for the unusual way a Roman official became a pastor, teacher, and enduring voice in Christian history.