Yet despite Ambrose’s fame in Milan, in Christian memory he has been almost totally eclipsed by his contemporary, St Augustine. Another Milanese institution named after Ambrose, the Banco Ambrosiano, came to international attention when, in 1982, its chairman Roberto Calvi – dubbed ‘God’s banker’ because of his ties to the Vatican – was found dead under Blackfriars Bridge in London. The Ambrosian Library, founded in 1607, is home to Leonardo da Vinci’s Codex Atlanticus. The La Scala Opera House opens its annual season on his feast day. A basilica, institutions and public celebrations such as the Ambrosian Carnival all bear his name. Every year the city honours its most deserving inhabitants with a prestigious gold medal named after the saint. In Milan, St Ambrose (c.339-97) is the ubiquitous anchor of civic identity.
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