The Quartodecimans were early Christians who maintained the tradition derived from Judaism, and observed Pascha at the same time that the Jews observed Passover. In this work, Alistair Stewart, the leading authority on Melito and the Quartodecimans, presents a unique collection of material in a formal ideal for classroom use as well as for the general reader.At the head of this newly revised collection stand the original Greek text and an updated translation of On Pascha by Melito of Sardis, a liturgical work deriving from Quartodeciman circles in Asia. Alongside this is an extensive introduction and annotation pointing out not only the parallels to Jewish practice, but also offering an analysis of the work in terms of classical rhetoric. Further, in this edition the translator has included an expanded selection of Melito’s fragments, testimonia to Melito, and other material vital for understanding the Quartodeciman liturgies from Rome, Syria, and Asia.
