Meletius of Antioch

Saint Meletius of Antioch, hierarch, was patriarch of Antioch from 360 until his death, in 381, at Constantinople, during the second ecumenical council. He was a confessor of the faith and was driven out three times under the Arian emperors. He is commemorated on 12 February.

Beginnings

Meletius was born at Melitene, in Lesser Armenia, of noble and wealthy parents, and led an austere life, despite the family’s riches. Around 357 he appears as a supporter of Acacius of Caesarea, in the party that held to the Homoean formula, and then he became bishop of Sebaste, but the clergy that held to Nicaea were not pleased and he resigned. At the council of Seleucia, in the autumn of 359, he subscribed to the formula of Acacius, according to Socrates Scholasticus.

Patriarch of Antioch

At the beginning of 360 he became patriarch of Antioch, in place of Eudoxius, who had passed to Constantinople. The people loved him greatly. He ordained Saint Basil the Great deacon and, according to tradition, baptized John Chrysostom. The next year he was driven out by the emperor Constantius, after a sermon in which he is said to have shown that he held to the faith of Nicaea. Those who had held to Eustathius set up against him, as bishop, the presbyter Paulinus, and so the Meletian schism came about. Meletius was driven out also in 365-366 and in 371-378. Saint Basil the Great urged Athanasius and Pope Damasus to recognize him, calling him a “man of God, most admirable bishop”. The debate between the Meletians, who spoke of three hypostases, and the Eustathians, who spoke of a single hypostasis, concerned chiefly words.

The second ecumenical council

When the emperor Theodosius the Great gathered the second ecumenical council at Constantinople, in 381, Meletius was chosen to preside, and the emperor showed him special honour. It is told that while he was speaking to the people at Antioch about the Holy Trinity, a heretical deacon closed his mouth with his hand, and he, unable to speak, raised his hand, opened first three fingers, then closed them, leaving one. At the council he confirmed Gregory the Theologian on the throne of Constantinople. Not long after, he fell ill and died, in the midst of the proceedings. His funeral was attended by all the Fathers of the council and thousands of the faithful. Gregory of Nyssa and John Chrysostom delivered eulogies. His relics were taken to Antioch.