death_place canonized_date feast_day venerated_in titles article_title name
180 pre-congregation 1 april roman catholic church catholic church , eastern orthodox church , eastern apologist and bishop of sardis melito of sardis
 melito of sardis
melito of sardis

melito of sardis -lrb- `` melíton sárdeon '' -rrb- -lrb- died c. 180 -rrb- was the bishop of sardis near smyrna in western anatolia , and a great authority in early christianity .
melito held a foremost place in terms of bishops in asia due to his personal influence on christianity and his literary works , most of which have been lost but of what has been recovered has provided a great insight into christianity during the second century .
jerome , speaking of the old testament canon established by melito , quotes tertullian to the effect that he was esteemed as a prophet by many of the faithful .
this work by tertullian has been lost but pieces regarding melito are quoted by jerome as to the high regard that melito was considered at the time .
melito is remembered for his work on developing the first old testament canon .
though it can not be determined what date he was elevated to episcopacy , it is probable that he was bishop during the arising controversy at laodicea in regards to the observance of easter , which resulted in him writing his most famous work , an apology for christianity to marcus aurelius .
little is known of his life outside of what works are quoted or read by clement of alexandria , origen , and eusebius .
his feast day is celebrated on april 1 .
