10
December 314 A.D. Melchiades
a Bishop of Rome
Melchiades (also known as Miltiades) became Bishop
of Rome (pope) in 311 at a moment when profound events were shaking the world
and the church. He lived only three years longer, but, although he did not die
a martyr, he is included in the list of Roman martyrs. This was probably
because he suffered under the fierce persecution of the Emperors Diocletian and
Galerius. During that persecution, an earlier Bishop of Rome, Eusebius, was
sent into exile. For a few months, there was no Bishop of Rome. It was
Melchiades who replaced Eusebius.
Constantine rose to power and
put an end to the persecution of the Christians. That is how it came to be that a new age for the church dawned while
Melchiades was still pope. One of Constantine's early acts was to give the
Lateran Palace to the popes. This became the center from which the Western
church administered its affairs.
Melchiades was in the thick of
that administration, because the first major split in the church occurred while
he was Bishop of Rome. During the persecutions, some Christians handed over
rare pieces of Scriptures to the government's agents in order to escape
torture. This was considered betrayal by other Christians. After the
persecution was over, these "weaklings" wanted back in the church.
Some Christians, who had
suffered torture rather than give up copies of Scripture, said the failed
Christians should only be let back in with severe penalties.
In North Africa, a number of
Christians claimed that bishop Caecilian of Carthage had been consecrated by a
traitor. Therefore, they argued that he was not a lawful bishop. These North
Africans elected a bishop of their own. He soon died and Donatus took his
place. The splinter sect that they formed became known as Donatists. The
Donatists said they would break away from other Christians if Caecilian was not
removed. Constantine asked Melchiades and another bishop to handle the matter.
At the request of the Donatists, bishops from Gaul were included in the
investigation. (Gaul had not suffered persecution and therefore was considered
neutral on the issue of traitors.) Melchiades, the bishops from Gaul and some
Italian bishops investigated the situation. They declared Caecilian the
legitimate bishop.
The Donatists carried through
their threat and broke away from the universal church, setting up rival bishops
in North Africa. They became a thorn in Constantine's side. Because of his
other involvements, he had to allow them to exist as an independent sect.
Melchiades condemned Donatus but
said the other Donatist bishops could keep their offices if they returned to
the universal church. St. Augustine, also a North African, later praised
Melchiades' decision, calling it very moderate. But the Donatists claimed that
Melchiades made the decision he made because he himself was a traitor--one of those
who had delivered the Scriptures into the hands of the persecutors. St.
Augustine said there was no grounds for this lie.
Melchiades died on January 10,
314, but for unknown reasons, his feast on the Roman Calendar is shown on this day, December 10th.
Bibliography:
1. Butler, Alban. "Pope Saint Miltiades." Various editions.
2. "Condemnation by Pope Melchiades."
http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/heresy05.htm
3. "Donatism." The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church.
Oxford, 1997.
4. "Galerius." Encyclopedia Americana. Chicago:
American Corp., 1956.)
5. Kirsch, J. P. "Pope St. Miltiades." Catholic
Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton, 1911.
6. "Melchiades." Encyclopedia Britannica. (1911).
Last updated June,
2007
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