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Why did the people of Milan choose St. Ambrose as their bishop?
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St. Ambrose
Image of St. Ambrose, detail from a stained-glass window in a Roman Catholic church in Antwerp, Belgium.
The people of Milan chose St. Ambrose as their bishop in 374 CE primarily as a compromise candidate to avoid a disputed election. At the time, Ambrose was serving as the governor of Aemilia-Liguria, and his selection by the populace was unexpected. As a popular outsider, he was viewed as a suitable choice to resolve the tensions surrounding the episcopal vacancy. Following his acclamation, he transitioned from an unbaptized layman to a bishop in just eight days.1