MELEZIO, bishop of PONTO, saint. - He had no cult in antiquity; he was introduced into the Martyrology of Usuard, whose entry passed into the Roman Martyrology, where he is commemorated on 4 Dec.
Few details are known of his life, and these are reported by Eusebio di Cesarea, who knew him personally in Palestine. He was bishop of the churches of Ponto at the beginning of the 4th century, and during the persecution of Diocletian he took refuge in Palestine, where he remained for seven years. A man of vast learning, supremely eloquent and a profound reasoner, he aroused the admiration of all who came near him; equal to his learning was the holiness of his life. He took part in the Council of Nicaea (325), where, notwithstanding the contrary assertion of Filostorgio, he was certainly among the defenders of the Catholic faith. S. Atanasio, indeed (PG 25, 557), and s. Basilio (ibid. 32, 208) praise him as a champion of orthodox doctrine. The time of his death is unknown.