This medal is a part of my French medals collection
Visit my
page with the offers, please.
You will find many interesting items related to this subject.
If you are
interested in other medals, related to this subject, click here, please.
This medal
has been minted in
It is signed by the prominent French medalist, Raymond TSCHUDIN.
Aurelius Ambrosius, better known in English as Saint Ambrose (c. between 337 and 340 – 4 April 397), was a bishop of Milan who became one of the most influential ecclesiastical figures of the 4th century. He is counted as one of the four original doctors of the Church.
av.
The figure of St Ambrose
rv.
The figures of the saints
diameter – 68 mm, (2⅝“)
weight – 156.10 gr, (5.50 oz)
metal – bronze, mint patina
In
the late 4th century there was a deep conflict in the diocese of Milan between the Catholics and Arians. In 374 the
bishop of Milan, Auxentius, an Arian, died, and the Arians challenged the succession. Ambrose went to the church
where the election was to take place, to prevent an uproar, which was probable
in this crisis. His address was interrupted by a call "Ambrose,
bishop!", which was taken up by the whole assembly.
Ambrose was known to be Catholic in
belief, but also acceptable to Arians due to the charity shown in theological matters
in this regard. At first he energetically refused the office, for which he was
in no way prepared: Ambrose was neither baptized nor formally trained in theology. Upon his appointment, St.
Ambrose fled to a colleague's home to seek hiding. Upon receiving a letter from
the Emperor Gratian praising the appropriateness
of
As bishop, he immediately adopted an ascetic lifestyle, apportioned his money to the poor, donating all of his land, making only provision for his sister Marcellina (who later became a nun), and committed the care of his family to his brother. Ambrose also wrote a treatise by the name of "The Goodness Of Death".
Ambrose
ranks with Augustine, Jerome, and Gregory the Great, as one of the Latin Doctors
of the Church.
Theologians compare him with Hilary, who they claim fell short
of Ambrose's administrative excellence but demonstrated greater theological ability. He succeeded as a
theologian despite his juridical training and his comparatively late handling
of Biblical and doctrinal subjects. His spiritual
successor, Augustine, whose conversion was helped
by Ambrose's sermons, owes more to him than to any writer except Paul.
Ambrose's
intense episcopal consciousness furthered the growing doctrine of the Church and its sacerdotal ministry, while the
prevalent asceticism of the day, continuing the Stoic and Ciceronian training of his youth, enabled him to
promulgate a lofty standard of Christian ethics. Thus we have the De officiis ministrorum, De viduis,
De virginitate and De paenitentia.
Ambrose
displayed a kind of liturgical flexibility that kept in mind that liturgy was a
tool to serve people in worshiping God, and ought not to become a rigid entity
that is invariable from place to place. His advice to Augustine of Hippo on
this point was to follow local liturgical custom. "When I am at