Ambrose of Alexandria (before 212 c. 250) was a friend of the Christian theologian Origen. Ambrose was attracted by Origen's fame as a teacher, and visited the Catechetical School of Alexandria in 212. At first a gnostic Valentinian and Marcionist, Ambrose, through Origen's teaching, eventually rejected this theology and became Origen's constant companion, and was ordained deacon. He plied Origen with questions, and urged him to write his Commentaries () on the books of the Bible, and, as a wealthy nobleman and courtier, he provided his teacher with books for his studies and secretaries to lighten the labor of composition.

He suffered during the persecution under the Roman emperor Maximinus Thrax in 235. He was later released and died a confessor. The last mention of Ambrose in the historical record is in Origen's "Contra Celsum," which the latter wrote at the solicitation of Ambrose.

Origen often speaks of Ambrose in affectionately as a man of education with excellent literary and scholarly tastes. All of Origen's works written after 218 are dedicated to Ambrose, including his "On Martyrdom", "Contra Celsum", "Commentary on St. John's Gospel", and "On Prayer". Ambrose's letters to Origen (praised by Jerome) are lost, although part of one exists.

Answer this series of questions:

1. Which religions theory did Origen believe in?
2. What about Origen piqued Ambrose's interest?
3. Where did he teach?
4. When was this?
5. What was Ambrose's original religious belief?
6. Did he eventually give up this belief?
7. What caused him to do this?
8. What religious figure did he become?
9. Did he have a lot of wealth?
10. What did he do with his wealth?
11. How did he die?
12. Did Origen think highly of him?
13. What did Origen say about him?
14. Did Origen dedicate anything to him?
15. When were those works written?
16. Who thought highly of Ambrose's letters to his friend?
17. What happened to these letters?
18. When did Ambrose die?

Numbered answers:
1. Christian
2. fame as a teacher
3. Catechetical School of Alexandria
4. 212
5. gnostic Valentinian and Marcionist
6. Yes.
7. Origen's teaching
8. ordained deacon
9. Yes.
10. he provided his teacher with books and secretaries.
11. as a confessor
12. Yes.
13. a man of education with excellent literary and scholarly tastes
14. Yes.
15. after 218
16. Jerome
17. they were lost
18. c. 250