MARCELLINA, saint. — Elder sister of s. Ambrose, b. around 330, probably at Trier, where her father was prefect of the praetorium, d. in 398, most probably at Milan. After her father’s death, she received the veil of virgins in Rome from the hands of Pope Liberius on Christmas night of 353.
At her request, s. Ambrose wrote the three books De virginibus (PL 16, 197–244), which he dedicated to her. He also sent her three letters (Epp. 20, 22, 41: PL 16): in the first he describes his conflict with the empress Justina and Valentinian II, her son; in the second he announces the discovery of the bodies of ss. Gervasius and Protasius; in the third he reports his speech to Theodosius, in which he urged him to revoke the edict issued against certain Christians who had burned a Jewish synagogue. In the speech on the death of his brother Satiro, Ambrose alludes to the grief experienced by his sister on that sad occasion (De excessu fratris Satyri, I, 33: PL 16).
M. was buried in the crypt of the basilica of S. Ambrogio, beside her brother. She is commemorated in the Calendario ambrasiano of the 11th century on 17 July, the day on which her feast is celebrated.