The Inconvenient Truth That There Has Always Been Disunity In The Catholic Church-The Untold Story of Pope Melchiades

Mandeville, LA – It is one of the enduring urban legends of the Protestant revolt that Catholics are constantly sewing the seeds of disunity and are themselves in schism from the “real church”. Reverse that charge and put it in correct order and divine the Truth: Catholics are members of the universal Church and are in militant battle to bring those who are not, inside the Mystical Body of Our Lord. The historical facts of this are not in contest and the story of Pope Melchiades is a powerful testament to this ancient and enduring schism.

Melchiades was elected Pope on July 2nd, 311 succeeding Eusebius. Shortly after his election, the Emperor Constantine expelled the Tyrant prefect of Rome, Maxentius. In doing so, Constantine ended the persecution of Christians and as a gift, bequeathed to the Holy See the Lateran Palace, known to us as the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran. Shortly after taking the Seat of Peter, Melchiades was confronted with the Donatist schism, at that time, the most grave threat to the early Church’s unity. From Butler’s Lives of The Saints:

The good pope rejoiced exceedingly at the prosperity of God’s house, and, by his zealous labours, very much extended its pale; but he had the affliction to see it torn by an intestine division, in the Donatist schism, which blazed with great fury in Africa. Mensurius, bishop of Carthage, being falsely accused of having delivered up the sacred scriptures to be burnt in the time of the persecution, Donatus, bishop of Cassa-nigra in Numidia, most unreasonably separated himself from his communion, and continued his schism when Cecilian had succeeded Mensurius in the see of Carthage, and was joined by many jealous enemies of that good prelate, especially by the powerful lady Lucilla, who was personally piqued against Cecilian whilst he was deacon of that church. [emphasis mine]

It is interesting to note that Donatus’ schism was over fidelity to the defense of the “sacred scriptures” i.e. Donatus falsely accused his fellow Catholics of being lukewarm in their defense. Many Protestants today falsely accuse Catholics of being spiritually lukewarm in defense of The Bible too. Some even believe we are downright hostile to the Bible and have no use for it; this despite the fact that the Mass begins with this passage from Psalm 42.

Júdica me, Deus, et discérne causam meam de gente non sancta: ab hómine iníquo et dolóso érue me. “Judge me, O God, and defend my cause from the ungodly people.”

And the Mass ends with The Gospel of Saint John, Chapter 1 Verse 1 – 14.  This article details just how much of the Latin Mass is made up from scripture. “What could be more Bible-based than the Mass, already saturated with Scripture, following a liturgical year of readings that corresponds to the life of Jesus? Additionally, readings at Mass highlight mysteries of the faith on certain days, such as Corpus Christi, All Saints, and the feasts of Mary.”

After learning of Donatus’s treachery in fanning the flames of his diabolical shcism, Melchiades convened a Council at the Lateran Palace. Donatus was present as was Cæcelian the bishop he accused of failing to protect the sacred scriptures. Melchiades found no error in Cæcelian but found grave error in Donatus and his followers. He ordered them to renounce their schism and return to communion with the Holy See. Donatus infamously refused leading to his famous showdown with Saint Augustine who was at this time the new Bishop of Hippo. Augustine wrote with great respect for Melchiades and his decisive yet charitable leadership at the Council.

And yet what a decision was finally pronounced by the blessed Melchiades himself; how equitable, how complete, how prudent, and how fitted to make peace! For he did not presume to depose from his own rank those peers against whom nothing had been proved; and, laying blame chiefly upon Donatus, whom he had found the cause of the whole disturbance, he gave to all the others restoration if they chose to accept it, and was prepared to send letters of communion even to those who were known to have been ordained by Majorinus; so that wherever there were two bishops, through this dissension doubling their number, he decided that the one who was prior in the date of ordination should be confirmed in his see, and a new congregation found for the other. O excellent man! O son of Christian peace, father of the Christian people!

Melchiades would not be spared the insult and calumny of Donats who despite being condemned, continued his schism into full blown heresy.

Yet the Donatists, after his death, had recourse to their usual arms of slander to asperse his character, and pretended that this pope had delivered the scriptures into the hands of the persecutors; which St. Austin calls a groundless and malicious calumny. St. Melchiades died on the 10th of January, 314, having sat two years, six months, and eight days, and was buried on the Appian road, in the cemetery of Calixtus.

Constantine was so moved by Melchiades and the Lateran Council’s proceedings that he confidently passed laws elevating Catholic teaching to prominence.

He obliged all his soldiers to repeat on Sundays a prayer addressed to the one only God; and no idolater could scruple at such a practice. He abolished the pagan festivals and mysteries in which lewdness had a share.

Melchiades was Pope at one of the most important junctures in the young Church and guided her to peace and communion with  the Eastern Church, the confrontation of a dangerous heresy and the physical location of the Chair of Saint Peter. Butler concludes his life of Melchiades with a stirring call to avoid the charms of this world, especially pride, that lead men into schism and heresy both of which are solved by, ironically, devotion to the Gospel of Christ.

But with temporal honours and affluence, the love of the world, though most severely condemned by Christ, as the capital enemy to his grace and holy love, and the source of all vicious passions, crept into the hearts of many, to the utter extinction of the Christian spirit in their souls. This, indeed, reigns, and always will reign, in a great number of chosen souls, whose lives are often hidden from the world, but in whom God will always provide for his honour faithful servants on earth, who will praise him in spirit and truth. But so deplorable are the overflowings of sensuality, avarice, and ambition, and such the lukewarmness and spiritual insensibility which have taken root in the hearts of many Christians, that the torrent of evil example and a worldly spirit ought to fill every one with alarms, and oblige every one to hold fast, and be infinitely upon his guard that he be not carried away by it. It is not the crowd that we are to follow, but the gospel.

Saint Melchiades, Pope and Martyr, oremus.

TheKingDude

Host of the Mike Church Show on The Veritas Radio Network's CRUSADE Channel & Founder of the Veritas Radio Network. Formerly, of Sirius/XM's Patriot channel 125. The show began in March of 2003 exclusively on Sirius and remains "the longest running radio talk show in satellite radio history".

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