The Ancient Witnesses

Chapter 4: The Unfolding of Time, Part 1 • 145

beginning of months.” Another reader followed him, reading the passage in Greek. 45 Then Melito stood up to preach. His voice was pleasing and his words were measured, like the ticking of a clock.

He began, 46

Now that the Scripture of the Hebrews concerning the Exodus has been read, and the very words of the Mystery openly declared—concerning the sacrifice of the sheep, the salvation of the people, and the disciplining of Pharaoh by means of the mystery—take note, beloved: that you may grasp how this is new and old, eternal and temporary, perishable and imperishable, mortal and immortal, this mystery of the Pascha. In his opening words, the preacher had declared he would explain the Paschal mystery. 45 The ancient Sardis dream sequence is based in part on Alistair Steward-Sykes, Melito of Sardis On Pascha (Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 2001), 20-21. Those who have participated in Christian Passover celebrations will find elements of the traditional Seder in this liturgy. For example, Christ’s coming is described using the word aphikomenos , which, as Steward-Sykes notes, is reminiscent of the word aphikoman , a portion of bread broken off from the main loaf at the Passover Seder of Judaism, and hidden as a symbol of the coming Messiah. The value of the liturgy is apparent in its content and form, the rich, biblical imagery by which it conveys the story of Passover. 46 All the following quotations are my translation of the Greek text found in Melito of Sardis, On Pascha and Fragments , Stuart G. Hall (translator), Oxford Press, 1979. Compare his English translation in the same volume, and Alistair Stewart-Sikes, Melito of Sardis On Pascha (Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 2001. Melito is not in NPNF.