St Melliton, Bishop of Sardis in Asia Minor
Commemorated April 1
A well-known pastor of the Church in the second century, he was a man of great learning and laboured to codify all the books of Holy Scripture. He laboured also in meekness and devotion to bring peace to the Church in Laodicea, involved in a quarrel about the celebration of Easter. Apart from this, he defended Christianity against the pagans. He travelled to Rome in about 170, bringing a written apologia on the Faith and the Christian Church to the Emperor Marcus Aurelius. St Meliton, this learned, devout and zealous man, entered peacefully into rest in the Lord in about 177
Troparion
As a rule of faith and model of tenderness, and teacher of abstinence hath the reality shewn thee unto thy flock; there withal hast thou acquired by humility greatness, by poverty riches; O father hierarch Melliton, intercede before Christ the God that our souls may be saved.
Kontakion
O divine thunder, spiritual trumpet, planter of faith and cutter off of heresies, great favourite of the Trinity, hierarch Melliton, standing with the angels before God do ever and unceasingly pray for us all.
Source: Crkveni Kalendar
