Baring-Gould’s sources: Roman Martyrology. Authorities: — Eusebius, H. E.; S. Optatus, the Epistles of S. Augustine, &c.] Pope S. Melchiades succeeded Eusebius in the chair of S. Peter in 310. Maxentius Had promised to restore their churches to the Christians; but though he had written a letter to this effect, and his commander of the praetorian guards had done the same, nothing was done. Melchiades sent these letters by some of his deacons to the prefect of the city, and claimed a fulfilment of the promise; but we are not S. Melchiades.

…informed whether his application succeeded Melchiades was accused afterwards of having employed for this purpose a deacon who had delivered up some Church property during the late persecution, but he denied the charge. In 313 Constantine wrote to Ursus, chief minister of finance for Africa, to pay a certain sum to the clergy of the Catholic Church in Africa, through Caecilian, the bishop of Carthage; and the pro-consul was directed to announce to him that all persons engaged in the sacred ministry were to be excused from the burden of taking any public office. The Donatists sought to obtain the same immunity for themselves, and they brought a number of charges against Caecilian, and claimed that they were the true Catholic Church of Africa. Constantine ordered Caecilian, with ten bishops of his party and ten Donatist bishops to go to Rome; and he wrote to Melchiades on the subject At the same time he wrote to three Gallic bishops, Rheticius of Autun, Matemus of Cologne, and Marinus of Arles, as well as to some Italian bishops, desiring them to go to Rome and give the rival bishops of Carthage an impartial hearing. Fifteen Italian bishops joined the three from Gaul [roughly modern France and Belgium] and the bishop of Rome in forming this council, which was held in the month of October. The council decided that the election of Caecilian was regular, and that none of the charges had been proved against him; it was added, however, that the bishops who had condemned him, and who were now come to accuse him, were not to be excluded from communion. Donatus, alone, as the chief promoter of the schism, was excepted from this charitable decision. Melchiades died on Jan. 10, 314, and was buried in the cemetery of Calixtus.