Saint of the Day – 16 January – Saint Melas (Died c385) Bishop of Rhinocolura, between Egypt and Palestine. Born in his Diocese and died in exile in c385 of natural causes after many sufferings for the Church of Christ. Also known as – Melantius.
The Roman Martyrology states today : “At Rhinocorura in Egypt, in the reign of the Emperor Valens, the holy Bishop, Saint Melas, who rested in peace after suffering exile and other painful trials fothe Catholic Faith.”
The City of Rhinocolura is known as an Episcopal Seat in Egypt (its Bishop, Ermogenes, had in fact participated in the Council of Ephesus).
Melas was a native of this City and became its Bishop in the second half of the 4th Century. We owe all that is known about his life to the Catholic Historian Sozomen, who praises his virtues.
The Emperor Valens (died 378) persecuted all the Bishops faithful to the faith of Nicaea, so Melas, having refused to adhere to the Arian doctrines, was a victim of the persecution and sent into exile. The Imperial Commissioners, arriving with an arrest warrant, found him in the Church busy cleaning the lamps. Having learned that they were looking for Bishop Melas, he introduced the Imperial envoys into his home and refreshed them before revealing his identity to them. Won over by Melas’s kindness, they gave him a chance to escape but he was too attached to the Holy and True Faith and too eager toconfess his conviction, to accept such a compromise and went into exile instead.
Sozomen speaks of Melas’ successor to the See of Rhinocolura, namely his brother Solon but the Historian does not provide any further information on Melas. Therefore, it is unknown whether, after the death of Valens, he was able to return from exile and be reinstated in his pastoral office.
Western Martyrologies have kept St Melas in their lists and St Melas is always venerated on the date of 16 January.
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