When Servilius Paulus was proconsul of Asia, at the time that Sagaris [3605] suffered martyrdom, there arose a great controversy at Laodicea concerning the time of the celebration of the Passover, which on that occasion had happened to fall at the proper season; [3606] and this treatise was then written. [3607]

[3603] The following Fragments of Melito are translated from the Greek, except No. IX., which is taken from the Latin.

[3604] In Eusebius, Hist. Eccl., iv. 26. [Melito wrote two books on the Paschal and one On the Lord's Day (ho peri kuriakes logos), according to Eusebius. But is this On the Lord's Day other than one of the books on the Paschal? It may be doubted. Routh refers us to Barnabas. See vol. i. cap. 15, note 7, p. 147, this series. See also Dionysius of Corinth, infra.]

[3605] He was bishop of Laodicea, and suffered martyrdom during the persecution under M. Aurelius Antonius.--Migne.

[3606] The churches of Asia Minor kept Easter on the fourteenth day from the new moon, whatever day of the week that might be; and hence were called Quartodecimans. Other churches, chiefly those of the West, kept it on the Sunday following the day of the Jewish passover. In the case here referred to, the 14th of the month occurred on the Sunday in question.

[3607] Migne, not so naturally, punctuates otherwise, and renders, "which had happened then to fall at the proper season, and on that occasion this treatise was written."