What’s in the Fresco?

In this fresco there are three illustrations of Augustine that tell a chronological story when read left to right. The depiction of Augustine on the left shows his arrival in Milan as a “master of rhetoric” (5.7.13), which was quite an upgrade from his previous teaching post. Augustine is looking down at someone who is tying his shoe which represents his selfishness and pride as a rhetorician. Near the center of the fresco and in the background, Augustine, who can be identified by his distinctive hat, is kneeling before the emperor. This shows him vying for a powerful political position. The last depiction on the right shows Augustine slightly bent before Bishop Ambrose, suggesting that Augustine had transformed into a humble student who yearned to discover the mysteries of Christianity. It is important to note the similarities and differences between each depiction of Augustine. Within each depiction, the person wearing a blue robe represents someone whom Augustine glorified. The first shows Augustine wearing the blue robe, signifying that he thought highly of himself; the second shows the emperor wearing the blue robe, suggesting that Augustine worshipped a powerful status that he dreamed of attaining; finally, the third shows Ambrose wearing the blue robe, suggesting that Augustine respected and revered Ambrose and his teachings. Most importantly, the fresco expresses Augustine’s idea of seeking the “higher above the lower” (7.13.19). In the third depiction, the standing Augustine is higher than the kneeling Augustine in the second depiction, communicating that the search for truth and spirituality through Bishop Ambrose was considered “higher” than the search for rhetoric and merit.

What’s in Confessions?

In the text, Augustine describes a similar occurrence regarding his arrival to Milan. Although Augustine did not know it at the time, he later believes that he subconsciously took the job in Milan in order to avoid the Manichaeans (5.13.23). When he arrived, he met Ambrose and listened to his sermons in an attempt to primarily “assess his eloquence to see if it matched his reputation (5.13.23).” However, Augustine discovers that he is no longer mesmerized by the rhetoric, and instead the content of Ambrose's message touches him: “Nonetheless as his words, which I enjoyed, penetrated my mind, the substance, which I overlooked, seeped in with them, for I could not separate the two (5.14.24).” Augustine learned that when the text of the Bible was explained figuratively, rather than literally, he was able to overcome many of the objections the Manichaeans had put forth (5.14.24). He now found it possible to read the Bible, get meaning from it, and take it to heart more than other books, such as Cicero’s Hortensius. Furthermore, Ambrose made it possible for Augustine to realize his primary flaw, putting the lower over the higher. After seeing Ambrose live a life of satisfied celibacy (6.3.3), Augustine recognized that being promiscuous was not necessary to be happy. Overall, Augustine’s trek to Milan allowed him to follow the path of Ambrose on his way to embracing Catholicism.

What’s in it for us?

College students who see the fresco can relate it to their own daily lives.  Like Augustine, college students experiences three different stages of understanding: a period focused on the self, a power-seeking self, and a spiritual self. Just as Augustine went to Milan filled with a sense of pride, many students enter college with the same attitude, believing that they have all the answers. However, college is a place where students can discover themselves through questioning. In classes and relationships with others, students grow intellectually and spiritually. Similar to Augustine, students come to college seeking power and popularity by valuing the lower, such as friends, over the higher, like intellectual learning. Ultimately, the fresco shows the importance of a mentor in life. The relationship between a mentor and student, such as that between Ambrose and Augustine, is significant because students need role models to help shape their lives. College students need someone to look up to for guidance. These mentors teach students to prioritize their values and help them to grow in maturity. As Rev. George Lawless, O.S.A., a prominent Augustinian scholar once said, “Augustine came to Ambrose to hear his delivery of the gospel, but he stayed because he heard the gospel of delivery”. Similarly, college students should focus less on the grandeur of the experience, but instead on getting the most out of the material, which is what will guide them through the rest of their lives.

On the left, Ambrose (in blue) is talking to Augustine.  In the back, Monica (with a halo) is kneeling before Ambrose.  On the right, you can see Ambrose preaching and Augustine sitting at his feet in the bottom right part of the fresco.