Ambrose

Ambrose was the Roman governor in Milan, sent to calm a riotous episcopal election, when the crowd — legend says at a child's cry — acclaimed the unbaptized official himself as bishop in 374. Within days he was baptized, ordained, and consecrated. He gave his wealth to the poor, mastered Greek theology, and made Milan's church a power even emperors respected: he barred Theodosius from the Eucharist until the emperor did public penance for a massacre at Thessalonica. His preaching drew a skeptical professor named Augustine toward the faith, and his hymns taught the Western church to sing its theology.

He was still an unbaptized catechumen — and the Roman governor — when Milan acclaimed him bishop; he was baptized and consecrated within about a week.

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