About virginity and marriage

Treatises devoted to the issue of virginity constitute a fairly large group of moralizing works by St. Ambrose of Milan. 6 such works have survived to this day. All of them are presented in the published collection: 1) “About virgins” in 3 books. The treatise was compiled in 377 at the request of the sister of St. Ambrose Marcellinus from sermons delivered in the first years of his episcopal ministry. The work contains praise for the virgin life and an exhortation to it. Also in the treatise, the saint declares his anti-Arian position. *The title of the work in Latin is De virginibus. 2) “On widows” (377, 15 chapters). The essay was written about the intention of one widow to remarry. The saint tries to keep her from this, showing the height and moral value of widowhood, its advantage over married life, using biblical examples to indicate the virtues with which Christian widows should adorn themselves. *The title of the work in Latin is De viduis. 3) “On virginity (de virginitate)” (377, 20 chapters). St. Ambrose wrote this treatise in response to accusations that he belittled the dignity of married life. The work contains the doctrine of the mystical marriage of the soul with Christ. *The title of the essay in Latin is De virginitate. 4) “On the education of a virgin and the ever-virginity of Saint Mary to Eusebius” (392, 17 chapters). The essay sets out the speech of the saint at the tonsure of the Virgin Ambrose and refutes the heretical teaching of Bonosus of Sardica, who rejected the Ever-Virginity of the Most Holy Theotokos. *The title of the essay in Latin is De institutione virginis. 5) “Admonition to virginity” (394, 14 chapters). The treatise is a speech delivered by St. Ambrose of Milan in Florence on the occasion of the consecration of the church, built at the expense of the pious Juliana, the widow of a clergyman, who dedicated her life to God and brought her children to the same. *The title of the work in Latin is Exhortatio virginitatis. 6) “On the Fall of the Initiated Virgin” (after 377, 10 chapters). The treatise strictly condemns the fall of a virgin dedicated to God and rejects the church's permission from sin. The work belongs to the category of those whose authorship is doubtful: in addition to St. Ambrose of Milan, it is also attributed to Blessed Augustine and Jerome of Stridon, Saints John Chrysostom and Nikita of Remesia. *The title of the work in Latin is De lapsu virginis consecratee. **This publication presents a pre-revolutionary translation from Latin by A. Voznesensky (edited by L. Pisarev). Contents Preface About virgins in three books. Book one Chapter one Chapter two Chapter three Chapter four Chapter five Chapter six Chapter seven Chapter seven Chapter eight Chapter nine Chapter ten Chapter eleven About virgins in three books. Book two Chapter one Chapter two Chapter three Chapter four Chapter five Chapter six About virgins in three books. Book Three Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven About Widows Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen About Virginity (de virginitate) Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter ten Chapter eleven Chapter twelve Chapter thirteen Chapter fourteen Chapter fifteen Chapter sixteen Chapter seventeen Chapter eighteen Chapter nineteen Chapter twenty About the education of the virgin and the ever-virginity of Saint Mary to Eusebius Chapter one Chapter two Chapter three Chapter four Chapter five Chapter six Chapter seven Chapter eight Chapter nine Chapter ten Chapter eleven Chapter twelve Chapter thirteen Chapter fourteen Chapter fifteen Chapter sixteen Chapter seventeen An exhortation to virginity Chapter one Chapter two Chapter three Chapter four Chapter five Chapter six Chapter seven Chapter eight Chapter nine Chapter ten Chapter eleven Chapter twelve Chapter thirteen Chapter fourteen On the fall of the consecrated virgin Chapter one Chapter two Chapter three Chapter four Chapter five Chapter six Chapter seven Chapter eight Chapter nine Chapter ten St. Ambrose 1, Bishop of Mediolan, is one of the outstanding figures of the Christian Church of the 4th century. Regardless of his vigorous administrative activities, aimed mainly at the fight against paganism, Arianism and various internal moral and religious disorders of Christian society, he became well known in the field of Christian theological writing. In this regard, his numerous moralizing and moralizing treatises, written in most cases in the form of homily, come to the fore. Like St. John Chrysostom, St. Ambrose - Chrysostom of the West - gives in these treatises the answer to all the burning issues of the day, which were put forward by the very life of his contemporary society. A completely separate and quite extensive group of moralizing works by St. Ambrose consists of his treatises on the issue of virginity, which he considers in connection with the question of the marital status of man. Such treatises with the name of St. Ambrose has survived to this day six: 1) On virgins (dé virginibus) in three books written to his sister Marcellina; 2) about widows (de viduis) in one book; 3) about virginity (de virginitate) in one book; 4) about the education of a virgin and the ever-virginity of Saint Mary (de institutione virginis et S. Mariae virginitate perpetua) in one book written to Eusebius; 5) an exhortation to virginity (exhortatio virginitatis) in one book and 6) about the fall of the consecrated virgin (de lapsu virginis consecratae) in one book. The first five treatises undoubtedly belong to St. Ambrose; the question of whether the last treatise belonged to him: “On the Fall of the Virgin” is questioned due to the ambiguity and confusion of ancient evidence. Having in mind certain considerations, some of the scientific researchers attribute it to Bl. Jerome, others - Bl. Augustine, the third - Nikita, the Romantian bishop, and the fourth - finally - St. Ambrose. For belonging to the treatise of St. Ambrose is told to a large extent by some of the same features that are inherent in all his other treatises on virginity. Like these latter, the work “On the Fall of a Virgin” ends with a hymn that is put into the mouth of a fallen virgin. This hymn is reminiscent of the numerous ecstatic hymns of St. Ambrose. There are no particularly sharp differences from the original writings of St. father and in the very style of this work, and some original expressions inherent in both the controversial and genuine works of St. Ambrose, such as: Synagoga (to denote Jewish views on the meaning of the Old Testament law in its relation to Christianity - “Admonition to virginity” §§ 67, 81, pp. 235, 241 and “The Fall of Virginity.” § 30, p. 257), lily (as a special epithet of virginity - “On the Fall” § 5, p. 248; “On Virginity” § 51–52, p. 132), further support the authorship of St. Ambrose and for this work. The proposed translation of all these treatises is made from the original Latin text according to the edition of Min (Patrologiae cursus completus. Series latina t. XVI, col. 183 – 384). When translating, primary attention was paid to the accuracy and clarity of conveying the thoughts of the original. Places of Holy Scripture are quoted everywhere with literal accuracy according to the Slavic translation of the Bible in cases where the Slavic text correctly and accurately conveys the quotation of Ambrose himself, and in the translation into Russian in the case where Ambrose makes a free translation of the sacred text, therefore, cannot correspond to the text of the Slavic Bible. St. Ambrose was born around 340 into a Christian family. Possessing rich natural talents, coupled with his comprehensive education, Ambrose made very rapid progress in the field of public service. Until 374 he held various secular positions. In 374, by unanimous decision of the citizens of the city of Mediolana, he was called to episcopal service, which he served until 395, when his earthly career ended. You might be interested in: