(CE:1584a-1585a)

MELITIAN SCHISM, begun when MELITIUS (or Meletius),

bishop of Lycopolis (modern Asyut) in Upper Egypt, objected to the
terms set by PETER I of Alexandria for the readmission of lapsed
Christians. Melitius began to ordain supporters of his stricter policy,
and they constituted the core of the movement. Persecution
continued and Melitius was exiled. Upon his return from exile (after
A.D. 311), he began to organize a schismatic church.
ACHILLAS and then ALEXANDER I, successors of Peter as
bishop of Alexandria, apparently failed to reach agreement with the
Melitian party. A serious attempt to heal the breach was made at the
First Council of NICAEA (325). It was decided that clergy ordained
by Melitius could retain their status; Melitian bishops, if properly
elected, could succeed Catholic bishops when the sees became
vacant; and Melitius would retain his title.
These measures of reconciliation were not sufficient, perhaps
because ATHANASIUS I, who succeeded Alexander in 328, did not
approve of them. From this point on, there are many references in
the writings of Athanasius to the continued activity of the Melitians.
They joined with the Arians in opposition to Athanasius, though it is
unclear to what extent they supported the Arian theological position.
In 332 they brought various accusations against Athanasius to the
emperor; whatever the truth of specific charges, this action shows
that the reconciliation planned at Nicaea was being undermined by
both parties. Melitius was succeeded by John Arkaph (date
unknown; probably between 325 and 332) as leader of the sect; the
names of subsequent leaders are unknown. There is papyrological
evidence for a thriving Melitian monasticism in the fourth century.
The Melitian monks lived together in groups, but it is unclear
whether they had structured cenobia (like the Pachomians) or semieremitic communities (like the monks of Nitria and Scetis).
Scattered references indicate that the sect survived until the eighth
century, but it seems gradually to have changed its character and
purpose. It began as a movement in favor of strict discipline, later
formed an alliance with the Arians, and, according to a reference in

Theodoret (Compendium 4.7), still later developed distinctive forms

of worship that included hand clapping and music.
The Melitian sect had some success with Coptic-speaking
Christians. This is suggested by the Egyptian names of some of the
Melitian bishops (see the list in Athanasius Apologia contra Arianos
71), by the papyri that mention Melitian issues, and by the
references to the sect in the Coptic writings of the Pachomians and
SHENUTE of Atribe.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bell, H. I. Jews and Christians in Egypt. London, 1924; Westport,
Conn., 1972. Contains the Melitian papyri and a brief history of
the sect.
Hardy, E. R. Christian Egypt: Church and People. Oxford, 1952.
Kettler, F. H. "Der meletanische Streit in gypten." Zeitschrift fr
die neutestamentliche Wissenschaft 35 (1936):155-93. A modern
work on the subject.
JANET TIMBIE