✠✠✠✠✠
Saint Meletios, Archbishop of Antioch, was Bishop of Sebaste in Armenia (ca. 357), and afterwards, he was summoned to Antioch by the emperor Constantius to help combat the Arian heresy and was appointed to that See.
Saint Meletios struggled zealously against the Arian error, but through the intrigues of the heretics, he was thrice deposed from his cathedra by the Emperor Constantius who had become surrounded by the Arians and had accepted their position. In all this Saint Meletios was distinguished by an extraordinary gentleness, and he constantly led his flock by the example of his own virtue and kindly disposition, supposing that the seeds of the true teaching sprout more readily on such soil.
Saint Meletios was the one who ordained the future hierarch Saint Basil the Great as a deacon. Saint Meletios also baptized and encouraged another of the greatest luminaries of the Catholic Faith Saint John Chrysostom, who later eulogized his former archpastor.
After Constantius, the throne was occupied by Julian the Apostate, and the saint again was expelled, having to hide in secret places for his safety. Returning under the emperor Jovian in the year 363, Saint Meletios wrote his theological treatise, “Exposition of the Faith,” which facilitated the conversion of many of the Arians to Catholicism.
In the year 381, under the emperor Theodosius the Great (379-395), the Second Ecumenical Council was convened. In the year 380, the saint had set off on his way to the Second Ecumenical Council at Constantinople and came to preside over it.
Before the start of the Council, Saint Meletios raised his hand displaying three fingers, and then withdrawing two fingers and leaving one extended he blessed the people, proclaiming: “We understand three hypostases, and we speak about a single nature.” With this declaration, a fire surrounded the saint like lightning. During the Council, Saint Meletios fell asleep in the Lord. Saint Gregory of Nyssa honoured the memory of the deceased with a eulogy.
Saint Meletios has left treatises on the consubstantiality of the Son of God with the Father, and a letter to the emperor Jovian concerning the Holy Trinity. The relics of Saint Meletios were transferred from Constantinople to Antioch.
Troparion — Tone 4
You appeared to your flock as a rule of faith, / an image of humility and a teacher of abstinence. / Because of your lowliness, Heaven was opened to you. / Because of your poverty, riches were granted to you. / O holy Bishop Meletios, pray to Christ our God to save our souls.
Kontakion — Tone 6
Fearing your spiritual boldness, the apostate Makedonios fled, / and we your servants, celebrating your service with love, flee to you as an intercessor, O Meletios, / converser with Angels, and the fiery sword of Christ our God, smiting all the godless; / and we sing to you, as a lamp which enlightens all.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Comments are subject to deletion if they are not germane. I have no problem with a bit of colourful language, but blasphemy or depraved profanity will not be allowed. Attacks on the Catholic Faith will not be tolerated. Comments will be deleted that are republican (Yanks! Note the lower case 'r'!), attacks on the legitimacy of Pope Francis as the Vicar of Christ (I know he's a material heretic and a Protector of Perverts, and I definitely want him gone yesterday! However, he is Pope, and I pray for him every day.), the legitimacy of the House of Windsor or of the claims of the Elder Line of the House of France, or attacks on the legitimacy of any of the currently ruling Houses of Europe.