although the distinctive ambrosian rite has risked suppression at various points in its history, it survived and was reformed after the second vatican council, partly because pope paul vi belonged to the ambrosian rite, having previously been archbishop of milan. in the 20th century, it also gained prominence and prestige from the attentions of two other scholarly archbishops of milan: achille ratti, later pope pius xi, and the blessed ildefonso schuster, both of whom had been involved in studies and publications on the rite before their respective appointments.