Milan: The Perfect City For New Pilgrims

When you think “Pilgrimage”, your mind might go straight to the classics: Rome, Jerusalem, Santiago, Canterbury – but I’m here to tell you that Milan, Italy is a fantastic city for pilgrims!

The Cathedral of Milan, 3rd largest Cathedral in the world, and the one with the most spires and statues.

For the first 300 years of its existence, Christianity had a highly unstable relationship with the Roman authorities. During that time, Christians were frequently subject to violence and discrimination, most notoriously under the reign of Emperor Diocletian. In 303 AD, Diocletian instituted a targeted mass-persecution of Christians, calling for forced conversion under penalty of imprisonment and execution. Saint Lucy is perhaps the most famous victim of the Diocletian persecutions. If you are familiar with the appallingly cruel nature of her death, you understand the intensity of the anti-Christian sentiment of the time.

Ten years later, Emperor Constantine ended the centuries-long cycle of persecution by issuing the Edict of Milan, which officially legalized Christianity in the Roman Empire and called for the restoration of property stolen from Christians.

“When I, Constantine Augustus, as well as I, Licinius Augustus, had fortunately met near Mediolanum (Milan), and were considering everything that pertained to the public welfare and security, we thought that, among other things which we saw would be for the good of many, those regulations pertaining to the reverence of the Divinity ought certainly to be made first, so that we might grant to the Christians and to all others full authority to observe that religion which each preferred ; whence any Divinity whatsoever in the seat of the heavens may be propitious and kindly disposed to us and all who are placed under our rule.”

From the Edict of Milan (313 AD)

Previous emperors issued proclamations of tolerance for Christians, but new waves of persecution inevitably replaced them. The Edict of Milan stands out as being the final, definitive proclamation of tolerance. It was never overturned, and it paved the way for Christianity to become the official religion of the Roman Empire. The Edict was a turning point for Christianity – in the decades and centuries that followed, the Christian population of Europe and beyond ballooned. The city of Milan may often be overlooked, but it is clearly holds more importance than it gets credit for! For pilgrims with an interest in history, Milan is the perfect spot – it is teeming with sites from its Roman past, including the ruins of the Imperial Palace and the still-standing Basilica of Saint Ambrose.

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Milan is also the home of one of the most important Saints in the history of the early Church: Saint Ambrose, Doctor, Bishop, and one of the traditional four outstanding “Fathers of the Church”. Ambrose is most well-known for his writings countering the pagan and Arian majorities of his time, his cultural authority over his country, and for playing a pivotal role in the conversion of Saint Augustine. His eloquent sermons and advanced public speaking skills were very appealing to Augustine, who came to Milan as the professor of rhetoric for the Imperial Court there. Ambrose’s words changed Augustine’s heart, and after a miraculous encounter with a Bible, Augustine went to be baptized by Ambrose in 387 AD.

Today, you can visit the Basilica of Saint Ambrose in Milan, built in 379 and still standing to this day. There, you can visit the remains of this influential Saint. Outside the Basilica stands the so-called “Devil’s Column”, a marble pillar with two horn-like holes in the side. The story goes that the devil, frustrated by his failed efforts to tempt Saint Ambrose, rammed his horns into the pillar out of anger.

Rich history aside, Milan also has a wealth of one-of-a-kind religious sites to explore, including:

• A bone-church hidden in the heart of the city
• The wall upon which Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper is painted
• The ancient baptismal font where Saint Augustine was baptized
• The ruins of a 4th century church
• The Cathedral of Milan, the single most decorated Cathedral in the world, and third largest by area

Conclusion: Comfortable but Meaningful

Modern Milan is one of Europe’s leading business centers and one of the world’s fashion capitals. As such, the city is full of delicious food, comfortable accommodations, and convenient public transportation. A pilgrim here can still live humbly thanks to city-wide affordable prices (at least compared to the US), but with a degree of comfort that you won’t get on traditional pilgrimage routes. If you’re interested in doing some sightseeing on your pilgrimage, Milan has you covered with the magnificent Sforza Castle, the Monumental Cemetery, the Brera fashion district, La Scala Opera House, Navigli canal, and others.

Even against the backdrop of all these worldly comforts, you can have a meaningful spiritual experience in this city. The historical sites connect you to millennia-old Christian history in a way that makes you feel like a part of something infinitely greater than yourself. The monumental churches elevate your senses and help you to lift your heart and mind to higher things. The culture of the city is naturally Catholic, and it allows you to fully immerse yourself into your spirituality if you wish. Milan is a perfect spot for new pilgrims. It is accessible and comfortable for those with little experience, but simultaneously manages to provide an environment well-suited for spiritual enrichment. Milan is very important to me personally. I like to think St. Ambrose played a role in my own conversion – just two months after I returned home from my semester in Milan, I fell headfirst into the Catholic Church.

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Edict-of-Milan

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/saints/12/13/st–lucy–virgin-and-martyr-of–syracuse.html

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Ambrose

https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1525/rh.2010.28.4.384