# Melaine
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{{Short description|6th-century Bishop of Rennes}}
{{About|the Bishop of Rennes|the 4th-century, possibly legendary, Bishop of Rouen|Mellonius}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2015}}
thumb|A statue of Melaine at the Chapelle Saint-Philibert et Saint-Roch de Moëlan-sur-Mer.
Saint '''Melaine''' (Latin: '''Melanius''' or '''Mellanus'''; Breton: '''Melani'''; Cornish: '''Melan'''; Welsh: '''Mellon''') was a 6th-century [Bishop of Rennes](/source/Bishop_of_Rennes) in [Brittany](/source/Brittany) (now in France).
==Traditional history==
Melaine was born at near [Redon](/source/Redon%2C_Ille-et-Vilaine) in Plaz in [Brain](/source/La_Chapelle-de-Brain), to a Gallo-Roman family.[[https://nominis.cef.fr/contenus/saint/380/Saint-Melaine-de-Rennes.html "Saint Melaine de Rennes", Nominis]] He became a [monk](/source/monk) and then [abbot](/source/abbot) of a small monastery he established near his home. He was nominated the successor to Bishop Amand of Rennes. Traditions recounted by [Baring-Gould](/source/Sabine_Baring-Gould) state that on the death of Amand, he was compelled by the local population to become the next Bishop, accepting the role with great reluctance; that he performed many miracles and put an end to heathen practices; and that following his death at La Vilaine, his body was placed on a boat which then returned to Rennes against the current without the assistance of rowers or sails.[[https://archive.org/stream/livesofsaints01bariiala#page/85/mode/2up Baring-Gould, Sabine. ''The Lives of the Saints'' - Vol. I, 1914]] (However, [Louis Duchesne](/source/Louis_Duchesne) is of opinion that the [Amandus](/source/Amandus) reckoned among the bishops of Rennes at the end of the fifth century is the same as Amand of Rodez. He therefore excludes him from his list of authentic bishops of Rennes.[Duchesne, Louis (1910). Fastes épiscopaux de l'ancienne Gaule: II. L'Aquitaine et les Lyonnaises. Paris: Fontemoing (1910), pp. 344–345.])
During his rule, [Clovis](/source/Clovis_I) took over the area and Melaine became his trusted advisor.[[https://catholicsaints.info/book-of-saints-melanius/ Monks of Ramsgate. “Melanius”. ''Book of Saints'', 1921. CatholicSaints.Info. 12 April 2015]] He opposed immigration from [Britain](/source/Sub-Roman_Britain) and attended the [First Council of Orléans](/source/First_Council_of_Orl%C3%A9ans) in 511.[ He died at Plaz in 530][ and was buried in the [Abbey Church of Notre-Dame en Saint-Mélaine](/source/Pro-cath%C3%A9drale_Notre-Dame-en-Saint-Melaine_de_Rennes) in [Rennes](/source/Rennes).][[Doble, G. H.](/source/Gilbert_Hunter_Doble) (1962). ''The Saints of Cornwall Part II''. Truro: Dean and Chapter; pp. 109–119]
==Veneration==
Melaine quickly became revered as a [saint](/source/saint), especially after the wooden tower above his grave burnt down and his [tomb](/source/tomb) miraculously survived. Saint Melaine is the principal patron saint of the Diocese of Rennes.[[https://rennes.catholique.fr/annuaire/services/la-peiniere/copie-de-sanctuaire-notre-dame-de-la-peiniere/saint-goulven-pres-la-peiniere/3143-eglise-saint-melaine-a-saint-melaine/ "Eglise Saint Melaine à Saint Melaine", Diocese de Rennes, October 12, 2015]] The abbey church of Notre-Dame-en-Saint-Melaine in Rennes was dedicated to him.
His feast day is 6 November.[''Martyrologium Romanum'', 2004, Vatican Press (Typis Vaticanis), page 609.]
In the English translation of the 1956 edition of the [Roman Martyrology](/source/Roman_Martyrology), he is listed under 6 January with the citation: At Rennes, in France, St Melanius, Bishop and Confessor, who displayed innumerable virtues, and with his thoughts ever fixed on heaven, passed from the world in glory.[''The Roman Martyrology'', 1961, The Newman Press, Westminster & Maryland, page 5.] In the [Diocese of Quimper](/source/Roman_Catholic_Diocese_of_Quimper) his feast is celebrated on 6 January.[[https://www.diocese-quimper.fr/les-saints/saint-melaine/ "Saint Melaine", Diocese of Quimper and Leon]]
In [Cornwall](/source/Cornwall), he is the patron of the villages of [St Mellion](/source/St_Mellion) and [Mullion](/source/Mullion%2C_Cornwall), where there is a tradition of his visit.