Altar Of Saint Ambrose In The Milan Cathedral, Italy. Editorial Image

Pictured is the painting which is the altarpiece for the Altar of Saint Ambrose in the Milan Cathedral, Italy. It shows Saint Ambrose imposing penance on Theodosius Federico Barocci. Saint Ambrose was the bishop of Milan and confronted Emperor Theodosius when the latter’s command ended in a massacre of 7000 people in Thessalonica. Ambrose openly threatened the Emperor whose faith and loyalty to the Church were not in doubt with excommunication and forbade him to receive Holy Communion until he had done sufficient public penance. Only after several months of penance did Ambrose let Theodosius receive the Sacrament.