Saint Ambrose, Bishop of Milan

Ambrose was born about 339 in Trier, the son of a high Roman official, and became governor of the province of Aemilia-Liguria, with his seat at Milan. In 374, while he was keeping order at a disputed election, the people demanded him as their bishop, though he was still a catechumen; he was baptized and consecrated within a week, on 7 December.

He gave his wealth to the poor, stood up to the Arian party at the imperial court, wrote hymns still sung in the West, and baptized Augustine in 387. After the massacre at Thessalonica in 390 he required Emperor Theodosius to do public penance. He died on 4 April 397; the Eastern Church remembers him on the day of his consecration.