Saint Miltiades

The first year of the pontificate of Saint Melchiades (311) was marked by the consummation of the Donatist schism. The bishops of Africa, taking advantage of the peace that had just been restored to the Church by the Emperor Galerius, had assembled in Carthage to provide a successor to Mensurius, bishop of that city, who had died during the persecut ion. The Cécilien Bishop of Carthage whose election was contested by the Donatists. deacon Caecilian was elected by a unanimous vote. Felix, bishop of Aptungi, laid hands upon him, seated him in the episcopal chair, and handed him the inventory of the gold and silver vessels that Mensurius had entrusted to the care of the elders of the Church. Some of these unfaithful custodians had hoped to divert some of these precious objects for their own profit. They allied themselves with two intriguing deacons, Botrus and Celesius, who had displayed their own pretensions to the see of Carthage. In concert with these ambitious ministers, they called upon those bishops of Numidia who could not be summoned at the time of Caecilian's ordination. Under the leadership of Donatus, bishop of Casae Nigrae, a city in Numidia, they formed a conciliabulum and deposed Caecilian, on the pretext that Felix of Aptungi, who had laid hands upon him, was a traditor; that furthermore, Caecilian had refused to attend their assembly; and finally, that while still a deacon, he had allegedly prevented the faithful from bringing aid to the Martyrs in their dungeons during the persecution of Diocletian. Considering the see of Carthage therefore vacant, they elected and ordained the lector Majorinus as bishop. Such was the origin of the long schism of Carthage, known as the Donatist schism, because Donatus, the bishop of Casae Nigrae, was its most ardent and principal instigator.

However, Constantine had just defeated the tyrant Maxentius and made his triumphal entry into the Eternal City. The Donatists presented him with a petition to support their schism with his authority. In response, Constantine charged the Pope to judge them and to pronounce a definitive sentence against them. In accordance with the emperor's intentions, Melchiades opened, on October 2, 313, in the ancient Lateran palace, then inhabited by the Empress Fausta, a council composed of nineteen bishops from Italy and Gaul. Donatus appeared in person to support the slanderous accusations that his party did not cease to put forward against Caecilian, the legitimate bishop of Carthage. But he only succeeded in drawing upon himself the severity of the council. Convicted of having rebaptized heretics and of having conferred episcopal ordination upon traditors notoriously known as such, he was excommunicated. The acts of the conciliabulum of the bishops of Numidia, who in 311 had condemned Caecilian, were then examined in detail. They were found to be tainted with irregularities, violence, and partisanship. Each of the charges brought against Caecilian was then discussed and carefully examined. None could withstand serious scrutiny; it was but a web of lying inventions and slanders. The question thus elucidated, Saint Melchiades, with the unanim saint Melchiade Pope of African origin who reigned from 310 to 314. ous opinion of the bishops of the council, proclaimed the innocence of Caecilian and the legitimacy of his ordination. But, with that spirit of high prudence which distinguishes all measures emanating from the Holy See, the Pope did not wish to separate from his communion either the bishops who had condemned Caecilian, or those who had been sent to Rome to accuse him. He even offered, adds Saint Augustine, to receive into his communion those who had been ordained by Majorinus, the Donatist bishop of Carthage; so that in all places where there were two bishops, following the schism, the one who had seniority of ordination would be maintained and the first vacant see would be given to the other. Donatus alone was excepted from this measure of mercy. He was condemned as the author of all the trouble. He returned to Africa, more animated than ever and ready to foment new discords.

Pope Saint Melchiades did not see the end of it. He died three months later, on January 16, 314. His moderation, his prudence, and his charity earned him the pr aise of Saint saint Augustin Father of the Church and spiritual master of Possidius. Augustine, who exclaims, when speaking of the holy Pontiff: "O excellent man! O true son of peace! O true father of the Christian people!" He was buried in the cemetery of Callixtus, and later transferred to the church of Saint Sylvester in Capi te by Saint Pa saint Paul Ier Pope who transferred the relics of Melchiades. ul I.

Abbé Darras, Histoire générale de l'Église, volume VIII, pages 606-639.