Il battesimo di Agostino nella Milano di Ambrogio

Abstract

The baptism of St Augustine, received in the Milanese baptistery of San Gio-vanni alle Fonti represents a turning point in the life of the future Bishop of Hippo: «et veni Mediolanum ad episcopum Ambrosium» (Confessiones 5,23). Without presuming to be exhaustive, the paper employs some chrono-topical and anthropological points of reference, useful in understanding the com-plexity of the social, cultural, religious and ecclesiastical context in which the conversion of the orator from Africa matured. Of prime importance is the comparison with the platonic philosophical tradition, both in its opposition to, as in its preparation for, the annunciation of the christian message. Au-gustine is a believer who does not abdicate his own cultural commitment, in-stead he dedicates himself to its transfiguration at the service of that Church in which he gave himself to the call of salvation. While, for our research, we will depend on Augustine’s writings as well as those of Ambrose and of other important figures of that period, we will not ignore the data provided by ar-chaeological research.