Saint Melito of Sardis

Life story

Melito was bishop of Sardis in western Asia Minor in the second half of the 2nd century. Few details of his life survive. His birth, the start of his episcopate and the date of his death are unrecorded. What is certain is that when Polycrates of Ephesus wrote to Pope Victor around 194, he said Melito was buried at Sardis.

With other bishops of Asia, Melito kept the Quartodeciman custom of celebrating Easter on 14 Nisan of the Jewish calendar. The practice was debated among churches of different regions in the early Church.

The historian Eusebius lists Melito's works, including an Apology addressed to Emperor Marcus Aurelius, dated to about 172 or before 177, a work On Pascha, and a set of six books of extracts from the Old Testament. In these extracts he gave a list of the Old Testament books, the earliest known Christian list, which omits Esther. Most of his writings have been lost, and many later works were falsely attributed to him.

In 1940 the scholar Campbell Bonner published a Greek text of the Passover homily, which renewed study of the work. Scholars still debate whether it is a homily or a liturgy. Melito's feast is 1 April.

Works and witness

• Served as bishop of Sardis in the later 2nd century
• Kept the custom of celebrating Easter on 14 Nisan
• Wrote an Apology addressed to Marcus Aurelius
• Composed On Pascha, rediscovered and published in 1940
• Left the earliest known Christian list of Old Testament books

Saints from the same country

Saint Paul, Saint Luke, Saint George, Saint Nicholas

References

• Catholic Encyclopedia: 'St. Melito' (newadvent.org/cathen/10166b.htm)

Written by Anawim from documented history. Some details about ancient saints rest on tradition and are marked as such.