Saints in Advent - St Ambrose, a saint for our age

St. Ambrose was born ca. 340 AD probably at Trier to one of the most prominent families in the Empire, his father being prefect of Gallia. He grew up in an atmosphere of great piety and devotion, mostly influenced by his widowed mother and his sister, who went on to take the veil of virginity and subsequently became a nun. It was from this sister that he acquired his great respect and esteem for virginity and his sense of its value.

He had a thorough knowledge of Greek, with a mastery of the language far greater than the Western Fathers who followed him, particularly Sts. Augustine and Leo the Great. In an age when the mystical body of Christ is wounded by so many divisions among Christians, Ambrose can teach us the importance, when engaging in dialogue, of understanding the language and expression of those with whom we seek to converse. Some scholars have even speculated that the terrible Schism between East and West would have been avoided if the thorough knowledge of the Greek mind, demonstrated by St. Ambrose in his conversations with St. Basil of Caesarea, had been maintained.

Ambrose is perhaps best known by most Christians for bringing about the conversion of St. Augustine through his preaching and holy life as Bishop of Milan. The Church esteems him as one of her four great doctors: Sts. Augustine, John Chrysostom and Athanasius being the others, with whom he shares the honour of supporting the chair of the Prince of the Apostles in St. Peter's Basilica.