La Storia di Sant Ambroeus
Sant Ambroeus is the name, in Milanese dialect, of Sant’Ambrogio, the patron saint of Milan.
His feast day is celebrated on December 7, the date when he was made bishop.
Ambrogio, a local governor and lawyer
Born in 334 A.D. was appointed bishop of Milan in the year 374. Know as the “reluctant bishop” due the fact that he became bishop by popular demand rather than personal inclination, he effectively ran the city for close to 20 years.
A skilled orator and demagogue
Ambrogio campaigned against Paganism and Arianism. His most famous convert, St. Augustine, proclaimed him to be a “model bishop”. Ambrogio died in 397 A.D., at the age of 63. His feast day is celebrated on December 7, the date when he was made bishop. To this day, the Milanese often refer to themselves as “Ambrosiani”, in honor of Sant Ambroeus.
