Britannica
Sources used in this answer
Who was Marcellina and how did she influence St. Ambrose’s early life?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
St. Ambrose
Image of St. Ambrose, detail from a stained-glass window in a Roman Catholic church in Antwerp, Belgium.
Marcellina was the elder sister of St. Ambrose. Following the early death of their father, she played a significant role in Ambrose’s upbringing in Rome.
Along with their widowed mother, Marcellina helped rear Ambrose in a palace environment that was frequently visited by the clergy. As a nun, her presence and the religious atmosphere of their home were formative influences during his early life, contributing to the environment in which he was raised before he eventually became the bishop of Milan.1