THE SYNOD OF MILAN

The Synod of Milan (390 BCE), with Ambrose of Milan as the chair, condemned the teaching of Jovinian that Mary did not give birth as a physical virgin. Ambrose embraces the views in the Protoevangelium of James and goes so far as to link virginity to martyrdom and use the Virgin Mary as an example of an explicit martyr who does not suffer death as martyrs invariably do, but by her actions and chastity is an acceptable type of martyr in the social mind of the Imperial Roman. Ambrose says that the Virgin Mary was not unfamiliar to sinful temptations since "only God is without spot of blemish" (Ambrose of Milan, Commentary on Psalm 118). To Ambrose: "Christ is not divided but one. If we adore him as the Son of God, we do not deny his birth from the virgin... But nobody shall extend this to Mary. Mary was the temple of God but not God in the temple. Therefore only the one who was in the temple can be worshipped" (Ambrose of Milan, De Spiritu Sancto, III, 11, 79-80). Her role as the Theotokos afforded Mary special dispensation from God as she becomes the first to receive the blessed heavenly Kingdom: 'Yes, truly blessed for having surpassed the priest (Zechariah). While the priest denied, the Virgin rectified the error. No wonder that the Lord, wishing to rescue the world, began his work with Mary. Thus she, through whom salvation was being prepared for all people, would be the first to receive the promised fruit of salvation" (Ambrose of Milan, Expositio in Lucam 2, 17; PL 15, 1640). Mary is the most blessed of women for many reasons, however the predominant reason is that she conceived, carried, and gave birth to Jesus Christ and was essentially the spouse of the Holy Spirit and a virgin and a mother. It is important to confess Christ as the Son of a virgin mother. We confess that Christ the Lord was born from a virgin, and therefore we reject the natural order of things. "Because not from a man she conceived but from the Holy Spirit" (Ambrose of Milan, De Mysteriis, 59, PG 16, 410).

Eve was the mother of the old Adamic race and although pure at birth, sinned, and by contrast Mary (who is pure and without sin) is the new Eve, the Mother of the new people which are the Body of Christ, His Church, and Christ is the new Adam. Ambrose relates the prophecy of the prophet Ezekiel: "This gate is to remain closed; it is not to be opened for anyone to enter by it. Since the Lord, the God of Israel has entered by it, it shall remain closed" (Ezekiel 44:2). Ambrose then states: "Who is this gate, if not Mary?" The sexual contact substances are best kept separated but in the case of virgins there is no physical defilement or bewilderment to plague them (Brown 1988: 353). To Ambrose, Mary is the ultimate role model for both males and females, since she was virgin not only in body but also in mind. She was never touched by the seed of any male and her womb was an aula pudoris (hall of purity) and conceived the Logos and nothing of any male entered her womb (Ambrose of Milan, Exposito evangelii secundum Lucam: 55). Mary is totally flawless and the paragon of all virtue. He regards her as total perfection and absolutely nothing stands in the way of this notion (Ambrose of Milan, De Virginibus, 2, 2, 6-18). He further elucidates that: "The first impulse to learn is inspired by the nobility of the teacher. Now, who could be nobler than the Mother of God? Who more splendid than she, whom Splendor chose? Who more chaste than she, who gave birth to a body without bodily contact? What should I say, then, about all her other virtues? She was a virgin, not only in body but in her mind as well, and never mixed the sincerity of her affections with duplicity" (Ambrose of Milan, De Virginibus 2, 7). She is an inspirational virgin who has much to teach us about how to live our lives: "This is the likeness of virginity. For Mary was such that her example alone is a lesson for all. If, then, the author displeases us not, let us make trial of the production, that whoever desires its reward for herself may imitate the pattern. How many kinds of virtues shine forth in one Virgin! The secret of modesty, the banner of faith, the service of devotion, the Virgin within the house, the companion for the ministry, the mother at the temple" (Ambrose of Milan, Concerning virginity: Book II).

As for the heretical Jovinians, Ambrose has some critique: "They pretend that they are giving honour to marriage. But what praise can rightly be given to marriage if no distinction is paid to virginity? We do not deny that marriage was hallowed by Christ, for the Divine words say, And they twain shall be one flesh, and one spirit, but our birth precedes our calling, and the mystery of the Divine operation is much more excellent than the remedy of human frailty" (Ambrose of Milan, Letter XLII. Letter of the Council of Milan to Pope Siricius, S3, BCE 389). Marriage is thus important but so then is virginity. It is also not strange that Mary should give birth to Jesus and still be a virgin since she was a "royal" virgin:

But why should it be incredible that Mary, contrary to the usage of natural birth, should bring forth and yet remain a virgin; when contrary to the usage of nature, the sea saw and fled, and the floods of Jordan retired to their source. It should not exceed our belief that a virgin should bring forth, when we read that a rock poured forth water, and the waves of the sea were gathered up like a wall. Nor need it, again, exceed our belief that a man should be born of a virgin, when a running stream gushed forth from the rock, when iron swam upon the waters, and a man walked upon them. If therefore the waves carried a man, could not a virgin bring forth a man? But what man? Him of Whom we read, The Lord shall send them a Man Who shall deliver them; and the Lord shall be known to Egypt. Wherefore in the old Testament a Hebrew virgin led the people through the sea, in the New Testament a royal virgin was elected to be a heavenly abode for our salvation (Ambrose of Milan, Letter XLII. Letter of the Council of Milan to Pope Siricius, S7, BCE 389).

Ambrose is adamant as to the total purity of Mary and further stresses that: "Mary was a Virgin not in body only, but mind also... God made her whom He had chosen and chose her of whom He would be made" (Ambrose of Milan, De Virginibus, 2, 11). In the writings of Justin the Martyr (165 BCE.), Irenaeus (202 BCE.) and Cyril of Jerusalem (348 BCE.), all of whom preceded Ambrose with whom he agreed, Mary is depicted as bringing Christ who is life into the world, whereas Eve, by her sin brought death. He also concurs that Mary's humility and obedience can be contrasted with Eve's arrogance and defiance. Because Mary gave her flesh to the Son of God, she is exclusively to be "blessed from generation to generation" (Luke 1:48). Even though she was the Theotokos, she still wanted to learn the teachings of the Lord, and she still wished to know God.

Ambrose highlights that Christians are to worship only Jesus because: "Christ is not divided but one. If we adore him as the Son of God, we do not deny his birth from the virgin... But nobody shall extend this to Mary. Mary was the temple of God but not God in the temple. Therefore only the one who was in the temple can be worshipped." (Ambrose of Milan, De Spiritu Sancto, III, 11, 79-80). The true wealth of Mary's virginity is in her humility and utter obedience and these are the banners of the faith (Ambrose of Milan, De Virginibus, II, C, 15). Ambrose reflects: "According to the condition of the body (Jesus) was in the womb, He nursed at His mother's breast, He lay in the manger, but superior to that condition, the Virgin conceived and the Virgin bore, so that you might believe that He was God who restored nature, though He was man who, in accord with nature, was born of a human being" (Ambrose of Milan, Mystery of the Lord's Incarnation, 6:54; 382 AD). Ambrose makes Mary's name synonymous with virginity and it is our benchmark for life: "Let, then, the life of Mary be as it were virginity itself, set forth in a likeness, from which, as from a mirror, the appearance of chastity and the form of virtue is reflected. From this you may take your pattern of life, showing, as an example, the clear rules of virtue: what you have to correct, to effect, and to hold fast. The first thing which kindles ardor in learning is the greatness of the teacher. What is greater than the Mother of God? What more glorious than she whom Glory Itself chose? What more chaste than she who bore a body without contact with another body?" (Ambrose of Milan, Concerning virginity: Book II, 2). Ignatius of Antioch explains the mystery of Mary's virginity and childbearing as a sign of God's omnipotence and Ambrose shares his views. Ignatius states that God used the same power at His transfiguration and Glorious Resurrection: "Mary's virginity was hidden from the prince of this world; so was her childbearing, and so was the death of the Lord. All these three trumpet-tongued secrets were brought to pass in the deep silence of God" (Ignatius of Antioch, Epistle to the Ephesians, 19; c. 107 AD).

Ambrose in a sense reinforces the teachings of St. Athanasius on asceticism and the value of both virginity and celibacy for Christians. In fact from roughly 200 BCE reference was made of ascetics who lived a life of pure continence and virginity was respected by the Church. St. Ignatius of Antioch inter alia spoke of both Christian men and women who sought to imitate Jesus Christ and adopted a life of celibacy (Ignatius of Antioch, Letter to Polycarp, 5, 2). Virgins during the time of Ambrose had certain roles to fulfil (Camelot 1967: 701-704). Virgins and others who were celibates stayed at home with the families from which they emanated and participated in local church-life activities. From time to time some would create groups and Ambrose and others such as St. Jerome created rigid rules of living for them. In order to be approved as "church" celibates it was necessary for a bishop to hear them take official vows. Virgins were required to wear black robes and veils after a bishop had consecrated their vow of celibacy. In a Letter of Pope Siricius to the Church of Milan to notify them of the sentence of excommunication passed against Jovinian and his heretical followers, Siricius states: ".but virgins, for whose existence marriage is necessary, as being devoted to God, we honour more highly" (Ambrose of Milan, Letter LXI of Pope Siricius to the Church of Milan, BCE 389). In Letter XLII [BCE 389] which was a reply to Siricius, probably penned by Ambrose personally, the Council of Milan thanks Ambrose for his care, and they state that they are following his paradigm and also condemned Jovinian and his heretical band of followers. The letter attacks Jovinian's error especially relating to his derision of virginity, and on his total denial of the true virginity of Mary the Theotokos. Ambrose demonstrates his reverential stance on virginity when he writes: "For it is a savage barking to shew no reverence to virginity, observe no rule of chastity, to seek to place every thing on a level, to abolish the different degrees of merit, and to introduce a certain meagreness in heavenly rewards, as if Christ had only one palm to bestow, and there was no copious diversity in His rewards" (Ambrose of Milan, Letter XLII, S 3, Letter of the Council of Milan to Pope Siricius, 389 BCE).

In the same letter Ambrose expresses his belief that virgins are under the grace of God and virginity is better than marriage and he says: "A good wife is deservedly praised, but a pious virgin is more properly preferred, for the Apostle says, He that giveth his virgin in marriage doeth well, but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better; for the one careth for the things of the Lord, the other for the things of the world. The one is bound by the chains of marriage, the other is free from chains; the one is under the Law, the other under Grace. Marriage is good, for thereby the means of continuing the human race has been devised, but virginity is better, for thereby the heritage of the heavenly kingdom is regained, and the mode of attaining to heavenly rewards discovered. By a woman care entered the world; by a virgin salvation was brought to pass.... Christ chose virginity as His own special gift, and displayed the grace of chastity, thus making an exhibition of that in His own person which in His Mother He had made the object of His choice" (Ambrose of Milan, Letter XLII, S 4, Letter of the Council of Milan to Pope Siricius, 389 BCE). Ambrose attacks the Jovinians for suggesting that Christ could not be born of a virgin but still accept that women after having given birth to human pledges can remain virgins: "God, came upon earth in an extraordinary way, that as He had said, Behold I make all things new, so also He might be born of an immaculate virgin... But from their perverse ways they are induced to say 'She was a virgin when she conceived, but not a virgin when she brought forth.' Could she then conceive as a virgin, and yet not be able to bring forth as a virgin, when conception always precedes, and birth follows?" (Ambrose of Milan 1989: 89-90). Virginity was a serious matter and it was no co-incidence that the Council of Elvira (306 BCE) issued the idea of fines to be imposed on virgins who broke their vow of virginity to God. Eight years later at the Council of Ankyra (314 BCE), sanctions on virgins intensified as it was stated that consecrated virgins who opted to get married were bigamists as they were already married to Jesus Christ. Under the rule of the Emperor Valens (364 BCE), men who married consecrated virgins would be put to death once they were discovered. Essentially, virgins had to stay at home, fast austerely by eating mainly bread and vegetables and pray three times a day, usually at 9am, 12pm and 3pm (Evdokimov 1966: 64-66). Ambrose urges people to accept Mary as a role-model for a life of virtue and chastity: "Let, then, the life of Mary be as it were virginity itself, set forth in a likeness, from which, as from a mirror, the appearance of chastity and the form of virtue is reflected. From this you may take your pattern of life, showing, as an example, the clear rules of virtue: what you have to correct, to effect, and to hold fast" (Ambrose of Milan 1896: S6). Mary was the most virtuous of all women and was humble and hardworking and often attended the temple. It is Mary who must lead virgins to the bridal chamber of Jesus Christ the bridegroom. After all, she conceived "...contrary to the course of nature" (Ambrose of Milan 1963: 25).

Women, both virgins and widows were called upon by Ambrose to strengthen the moral fabric of a Roman society that had been disrupted by the Emperor Julian (361363 BCE) who relinquished Christianity and wanted to reinstate pagan worship. In this environment of potential spiritual destruction, virgins could play a great role as examples of purity while mothers could be promoters of Christian values and ideals. Each had a role to fulfil in society and Mary is the prime model for women: "For Mary was such that her example alone is a lesson for all. If, then, the author displeases us not, let us make trial of the production, that whoever desires its reward for herself may imitate the pattern. How many kinds of virtues shine forth in one Virgin! The secret of modesty, the banner of faith, the service of devotion, the Virgin within the house, the companion for the ministry, the mother at the temple." He continues: "Let, then, the life of Mary be as it were virginity itself, set forth in a likeness, from which, as from a mirror, the appearance of chastity and the form of virtue is reflected. From this you may take your pattern of life, showing, as an example, the clear rules of virtue: what you have to correct, to effect, and to hold fast" (Ambrose of Milan, Concerning virginity: Book II).

Christian virgins are bearers of divine grace and have a special place in God's eyes since they are akin to altars: "Nor would I hesitate to admit you to the altars of God, whose souls I would without hesitation call altars, on which Christ is daily offered for the redemption of the body. For if the virgin's body be a temple of God, what is her soul, which, the ashes, as it were, of the body being shaken off, once more uncovered by the hand of the Eternal Priest, exhales the vapor of the divine fire. Blessed virgins, who emit a fragrance through divine grace as gardens do through flowers, temples through religion, altars through the priest" (Ambrose of Milan, Concerning virginity: Book II). Mary possessed other virtues such as her ability to remain at home and to strive for virtue in everything. She was responsible in her behaviour and a lady in her demeanour, keen to learn as much as she could so she could teach others how to live a life of virtue:

She was unaccustomed to go from home, except for divine service, and this with parents or kinsfolk. Busy in private at home, accompanied by others abroad, yet with no better guardian than herself, as she, inspiring respect by her gait and address, progressed not so much by the motion of her feet as by step upon step of virtue. But though the Virgin had other persons who were protectors of her body, she alone guarded her character; she can learn many points if she be her own teacher, who possesses the perfection of all virtues, for whatever she did is a lesson. Mary attended to everything as though she were warned by many, and fulfilled every obligation of virtue as though she were teaching rather than learning (Ambrose of Milan, Concerning virginity: Book II).