CrucisSt. Melito of Sardis
St. Melito of Sardis was a bishop of Sardis in Asia Minor (in modern Turkey) in the second century, and died around 180. Little is known of his life, but he was a prominent and widely respected figure in the early Church of Asia, esteemed by later writers for his learning and holiness. He is remembered among the early apologists who defended the Christian faith before the Roman authorities, and he is credited with drawing up one of the earliest known lists of the books of the Old Testament.
His most celebrated surviving work is the homily On Pascha (Peri Pascha), a powerful and poetic meditation on the Passover and its fulfillment in the death and resurrection of Christ. Rediscovered in the twentieth century, it is a precious witness to the paschal theology and liturgical celebration of Easter in the early Church. He is venerated as a saint and an important early Christian preacher.
Selected quotes
“In the Passover of old, blood was painted on doorposts; in the new Passover, it was poured out upon the whole world.”
“Christ rose from the dead not as one returning from a journey but as the Author of life reclaiming what is His.”
“Death came against Him as a conqueror and departed as the conquered; such is the power of the risen Lord.”