Peri Pascha
Encyclopedia
Peri Pascha is a 2nd century document from Melito of Sardis
that was assembled from surviving fragments in the 1930s, and translated into English in the 1940s.
Prior to the recovery of the full text less the opening folio among the Bodmer Papyri
the order in which the fragments had been assembled was a possible reconstruction. It is clear from Eusebius that Melito celebrates Passover on the fourteenth of Nisan, rather than the Sunday following, hence he was a Quartodeciman.
In this homily, Melito formulated the charge of deicide
, namely that Jews were responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus
. He proclaimed that "God has been murdered; the king of Israel has been slain by an Israelite hand." Some believe his preaching later inspired pogrom
s against the Jews.
Other scholars have questioned this conclusion, and do not consider that Melito encouraged any form of anti-semitism, especially since he advocated Quartodeciman beliefs.
Melito of Sardis
Melito of Sardis was the bishop of Sardis near Smyrna in western Anatolia, and a great authority in Early Christianity: Jerome, speaking of the Old Testament canon established by Melito, quotes Tertullian to the effect that he was esteemed a prophet by many of the faithful...
that was assembled from surviving fragments in the 1930s, and translated into English in the 1940s.
Prior to the recovery of the full text less the opening folio among the Bodmer Papyri
Bodmer Papyri
The Bodmer Papyri are a group of twenty-two papyri discovered in Egypt in 1952. They are named after Martin Bodmer who purchased them. The papyri contain segments from the Old and New Testaments, early Christian literature, Homer and Menander. The oldest, P66 dates to c. 200. The papyri are kept at...
the order in which the fragments had been assembled was a possible reconstruction. It is clear from Eusebius that Melito celebrates Passover on the fourteenth of Nisan, rather than the Sunday following, hence he was a Quartodeciman.
In this homily, Melito formulated the charge of deicide
Deicide
Deicide is the killing of a god. The term deicide was coined in the 17th century from medieval Latin *deicidium, from de-us "god" and -cidium "cutting, killing")...
, namely that Jews were responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus
Crucifixion of Jesus
The crucifixion of Jesus and his ensuing death is an event that occurred during the 1st century AD. Jesus, who Christians believe is the Son of God as well as the Messiah, was arrested, tried, and sentenced by Pontius Pilate to be scourged, and finally executed on a cross...
. He proclaimed that "God has been murdered; the king of Israel has been slain by an Israelite hand." Some believe his preaching later inspired pogrom
Pogrom
A pogrom is a form of violent riot, a mob attack directed against a minority group, and characterized by killings and destruction of their homes and properties, businesses, and religious centres...
s against the Jews.
Other scholars have questioned this conclusion, and do not consider that Melito encouraged any form of anti-semitism, especially since he advocated Quartodeciman beliefs.