Saint Ambrose

Bishop Ambrose (?340-397) was an Italian cleric who was an ardent champion of the church against the power of the state. He is recognised as one of the original four Doctors of the Church, along with Augustine, Jerome and Pope Gregory II.
The story of how Ambrose came to be appointed the Bishop of Milan is an interesting one, so are you sitting comfortably?
374AD was a difficult year in the diocese of Milan. Heresies were threatening to divide the church and the two sides, the Arians and the Catholics couldn't agree on fundamental theological issues. When Auxentius, the Bishop of Milan died, everything came to a head. Should an Arian or Catholic bishop be elected? Ambrose, who was at the time, the Roman governor for the area, fearing an uproar, went to the basilica where the election was due to take place and made a speech urging the people to make their choice peacefully. The governor was completely thrown when a crowd started shouting “Ambrose for Bishop!” He run away, appealing to the Emperor that as he hadn't any theological training or even been baptized he was surely not the right man for the job. However because Ambrose was acceptable to both parties, the emperor believed him to be the right man. The theologically neutral governor hid in a senator’s house before reluctantly accepting the decision. Ambrose was baptized, ordained and consecrated within a week before proceeding, as an example to his flock, to give away his property to the poor.
The honey-tongued Ambrose's preaching helped convert Saint Augustine of Hippo, whom Ambrose baptized and brought into the Church.
A man of strong principals, he bravely denied admission to the church to the Eastern Roman Emperor Theodosius for eight months after he had ordered a massacre of rebels in Thessalonica, who had burned down a synagogue. The emperor later recanted.
The former governor remained as the Bishop of Milan until his death of natural causes in 397, having . successfully used his legal and oratory skills to combat the Arian heresy.
Ambrose was musical and composed several hymns, which each had eight four-line stanzas. The best known is the hymn "Te Deum," which is based on the text "Te Deum Laudamus", ("We praise thee O God"). It is claimed it originated when Ambrose was baptising St Augustine. He improvised the hymn starting with the words "Te Deum Laudamus."
Troubled that in the Mass one individual sang all the Psalms and hymns whilst the congregation merely listened. Ambrose introduced to the western church congregational singing, antiphonal singing which allowed congregation to sing alternating parts of the music.

The story goes that the first recorded instance of communal singing in church was during a sit in of the Milan Basilica when the congregation had locked themselves inside. They had been forced into this action as the Empress, Justina, was demanding that Ambrose’s basilica be handed over for Arian worship, sending imperial troops to fulfil this by starving the distressed congregation out. On Palm Sunday, Ambrose preached a sermon about not giving up churches. In order to calm the people, the musical bishop taught them to sing the hymns he had composed and he split the congregation in two in order to alternate verses of the hymns. Hearing this the hearts of the soldiers softened, they joined in the singing and ended the siege. Surprisingly this story has yet to be made into a musical.
Such was Ambrose's speaking and preaching ability that the title "Honey Tongued Doctor" was bestowed upon him. However it is denied by musical historians that it was Ambrose who composed "The Bee Song."