Ambrose
Ambrose of Milan (Latin: Aurelius Ambrosius; c. 339 – 4 April 397), venerated as Saint Ambrose,[a] was a theologian and statesman who served as Bishop of Milan from 374 to 397. He expressed himself prominently as a public figure, fiercely promoting Roman Christianity against Arianism and paganism.[5] He left a substantial collection of writings, of which the best known include the ethical commentary De officiis ministrorum (377–391), and the exegetical Exameron (386–390). His preachings, his actions and his literary works, in addition to his innovative musical hymnography, made him one of the most influential ecclesiastical figures of the 4th century.
"St. Ambrose" redirects here. For the university, see St. Ambrose University. For other uses, see Ambrose (disambiguation).
Ambrose of Milan
Mediolanum (Milan)
Mediolanum
374 AD
4 April 397
7 December 374
4 April 397 (aged 56–57)
Mediolanum, Italia, Roman Empire
Crypt of the Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio
Christian
7 December
Milan and beekeepers[2]
- Bakers of honeybread, bees, bishops, candlemakers, chandlers, domestic animals, the French Commissariat, geese, gingerbread makers, learning, schoolchildren, stone masons, students, wax melters and Bologna[3]
- De officiis ministrorum (377–391)
- Exameron (386–390)
- De obitu Theodosii (395)
Anti-paganism, mother of the Church[4]
Ambrose was serving as the Roman governor of Aemilia-Liguria in Milan when he was unexpectedly made Bishop of Milan in 374 by popular acclamation. As bishop, he took a firm position against Arianism and attempted to mediate the conflict between the emperors Theodosius I and Magnus Maximus. Tradition credits Ambrose with developing an antiphonal chant, known as Ambrosian chant, and for composing the "Te Deum" hymn, though modern scholars now reject both of these attributions. Ambrose's authorship on at least four hymns, including the well-known "Veni redemptor gentium", is secure; they form the core of the Ambrosian hymns, which includes others that are sometimes attributed to him. He also had a notable influence on Augustine of Hippo (354–430), whom he helped convert to Christianity.
Western Christianity identified Ambrose as one of its four traditional Doctors of the Church. He is considered a saint by the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Anglican Communion, and various Lutheran denominations, and venerated as the patron saint of Milan and beekeepers.
Painting by Michael Pacher
Engraving of a statue of Ambrose
Ambrose's writings extend past literature and into music, where he was an important innovator in early Christian hymnography.[177] His contributions include the "successful invention of Christian Latin hymnody",[178] while the hymnologist Guido Maria Dreves designated him to be "The Father of church hymnody".[179] He was not the first to write Latin hymns; the Bishop Hilary of Poitiers had done so a few decades before.[177] However, the hymns of Hilary are thought to have been largely inaccessible because of their complexity and length.[177][180] Only fragments of hymns from Hilary's Liber hymnorum exist, making those of Ambrose the earliest extant complete Latin hymns.[180] The assembling of Ambrose's surviving oeuvre remains controversial;[177][181] the almost immediate popularity of his style quickly prompted imitations, some which may even date from his lifetime.[182] There are four hymns for which Ambrose's authorship is universally accepted, as they are attributed to him by Augustine:[177]
Each of these hymns has eight four-line stanzas and is written in strict iambic tetrameter (that is 4 × 2 syllables, each iamb being two syllables). Marked by dignified simplicity, they served as a fruitful model for later times.[59] Scholars such as the theologian Brian P. Dunkle have argued for the authenticity of as many as thirteen other hymns,[181] while the musicologist James McKinnon contends that further attributions could include "perhaps some ten others".[177] Ambrose is traditionally credited but not actually known to have composed any of the repertory of Ambrosian chant also known simply as "antiphonal chant", a method of chanting where one side of the choir alternately responds to the other. Although Ambrosian chant was named in his honour, no Ambrosian-chant melodies can be attributed to Ambrose.[183] With Augustine, Ambrose was traditionally credited with composing the hymn "Te Deum". Since the hymnologist Guido Maria Dreves in 1893, however, scholars have dismissed this attribution.[184]
