Pope Miltiades
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Saint Miltiades | |
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| Papacy began | 2 July 311 |
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| Papacy ended | 10 January 314 |
| Predecessor | Eusebius |
| Successor | Sylvester I |
| Birth name | Miltiades (or Melchiades) |
| Born | (date unknown) northern Africa |
| Died | 10 January 314 Rome, Italy |
| Papal styles of Pope Miltiades |
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| Reference style | His Holiness |
| Spoken style | Your Holiness |
| Religious style | Holy Father |
| Posthumous style | Saint |
Pope Saint Miltiades, also called Melchiades (Μελχιάδης ὁ Ἀφρικανός in Greek), was pope from 2 July 311 to 10 January 314.[1]
He appears to have been a Berber African by birth, but of his personal history nothing is known. He was elected after a period of sede vacante lasting from the death of Pope Eusebius on 17 August 310 or, according to others, 309, soon after Eusebius was exiled to Sicily.
Miltiades became pope after the Roman emperor Galerius had passed an edict of toleration ending the persecution of Christians. During his pontificate, in 313, the Edict of Milan was passed by the tetrarchs Constantine and Licinius, declaring that they would be neutral with regard to religious worship and restoring church property. Constantine presented the pope with the Lateran Palace which became the papal residence and seat of Christian governance.
In the same year 313, Miltiades presided over the Lateran Synod in Rome at which Caecilian was acquitted of the charges brought against him, and Donatus Magnus was condemned as a heretic (see Donatism). He was then summoned to the Council of Arles, the first representative meeting of the Western Roman Empire's Christian bishops, but died before it was held.
The Liber Pontificalis, compiled from the fifth century onwards, attributed the introduction of several later customs to Miltiades, including not fasting on Thursdays or Sundays, although subsequent scholarship now believes the customs probably pre-existed Miltiades.
In the thirteenth century, the feast of Saint Melchiades (as he was then called) was included, with the mistaken qualification of "martyr", in the Roman Calendar for celebration on 10 December. In 1969 it was removed from that calendar of obligatory liturgical celebrations,[2] and his feast was moved to the day of his death, 10 January, with his name given in the form "Miltiades" and without the indication "martyr".[3]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Annuario Pontificio 2008 (Libreria Editrice Vaticana ISBN 978-88-209-8021-4), p. 8*
- ^ Calendarium Romanum (Libreria Editrice Vaticana 1969), p. 148
- ^ Martyrologium Romanum (Libreria Editrice Vaticana 2001 ISBN 88-209-7210-7)
[edit] External links
"Pope St. Miltiades" in the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia.- Historical "Gift of Constantine": Journal Article Concerning Miltiades and Constantine
- Opera Omnia
| Roman Catholic Church titles | ||
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| Preceded by Eusebius |
Bishop of Rome Pope 311–314 |
Succeeded by Sylvester I |
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