Melitius and the Council’s Letter to Alexandria

Melitius had been ordained bishop not long before the Arian controversy. He was convicted of certain crimes by the most holy Peter, bishop of Alexandria, who also received the crown of martyrdom. After being deposed by Peter, he did not accept his deposition, but filled the Thebaid and the neighboring part of Egypt with tumult and disorder, and rebelled against the primacy of Alexandria. The council wrote a letter to the church of Alexandria, stating what had been decreed against his rebellious conduct. It read as follows. [a]

The Letter of the Synod. “To the church of Alexandria, great and holy by the grace of God, and to the beloved brothers in Egypt, Libya, and Pentapolis, the bishops gathered at the great and holy Council of Nicaea send greetings in the Lord. [c] “The great and holy Council of Nicaea was called together by the grace of God and by the most religious emperor Constantine, who summoned us from different provinces and cities. We judge it necessary that a letter be sent from the whole holy synod to tell you also what questions were raised and debated, and what was decreed and settled.

“First of all, the ungodly teachings of Arius were examined in the presence of our most religious emperor Constantine. His ungodliness was unanimously anathematized, together with the blasphemous language and views he had put forward: that the Son of God came from what did not exist, that before he was begotten he did not exist, that there was a time when he did not exist, and that by his own free will he is capable of either virtue or vice. The holy council anathematized all these assertions, and would not even listen to such ungodly and foolish opinions and such blasphemous expressions. “The final decision about him you already know, or will soon hear; but we will not speak of it now, so as not to seem to trample on a man who has already received what his sins deserved. His ungodliness has had such influence that it has dragged Theonas, bishop of Marmarica, and Secundus, bishop of Ptolemais, down to ruin with him, and they have shared his punishment. [d]

“But after Egypt had, by the grace of God, been set free from these false and blasphemous opinions, and from the persons who dared to stir up discord and division among a people that had been at peace until then, there still remained the matter of the rashness of Melitius and of those he had ordained. We now inform you, beloved brothers, of the council’s decrees on this subject. “The holy council decided that Melitius should be treated with leniency, though, strictly speaking, he did not deserve even the least concession. He was permitted to remain in his own city, but was stripped of all power to nominate or to ordain, and he was not to show himself in any province or city for these purposes. He was only to keep the bare name of his office. “Those who had received ordination at his hands were to submit to a new and holier ordination. They were then to be admitted to communion on these terms: they would keep their ministry, but in every diocese and church they would rank below those who had been ordained before them by Alexander, our much-honored fellow minister. So they would have no power to choose or nominate others for the ministry as they pleased, or indeed to do anything at all without the consent of the bishops of the catholic and apostolic church who are under Alexander. “But those who, by the grace of God and in answer to your prayers, have been found in no schism, and have remained spotless in the catholic and apostolic church, are to have the power of choosing and nominating men worthy of the clergy, and are permitted to do whatever is in keeping with the law and authority of the church. “If any of those now holding an office in the church should die, then let these newly admitted men be advanced to the honors of the dead, provided only that they appear worthy, that the people choose them, and that the catholic bishop of Alexandria confirms and ratifies the election. The same privilege has been granted to all the others. In the case of Melitius, however, an exception has been made, both because of his former insubordination and because of the rashness and hastiness of his character; for if the least authority were given to him, he might abuse it by stirring up confusion again. “These are the chief points that concern Egypt and the holy church of Alexandria. Whatever other canons were made or doctrines decreed, you will hear of them from Alexander, our most honored fellow minister and brother. He will give you still more exact information, because he himself both directed and took part in everything that was done. [e]

“We also bring you the good news that, in answer to your prayers, the celebration of the most holy feast of Easter has been set right by unanimous agreement. Our brothers of the East, who did not previously keep the feast at the same time as those of Rome and as you, and indeed as all have done from the beginning, will from now on celebrate it with you. “Rejoice, then, in the success of our undertakings, in the general peace and harmony, and in the rooting out of every heresy. And receive with still greater honor and warmer love Alexander, our fellow minister and your bishop, who gladdened us by his presence and who, at a very advanced age, has gone through so much hardship to restore peace among you. Pray for us all, that what has been rightly decreed may stand firm, through our Lord Jesus Christ, since it has been done, as we trust, according to the good pleasure of God and the Father in the Holy Spirit, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.” [f]

Despite the efforts of that divine assembly of bishops to apply this medicine to the Melitian disease, traces of his folly remain to this day. For in some districts there are communities of monks who refuse to follow sound doctrine and keep certain empty points of discipline, agreeing with the senseless views of the Jews and the Samaritans.