The essence of pagan religion in the work of Pseudo-Melito

This article reviews the criticisms of the nature of pagan religion made by the early Syrian writer Pseudo-Melito. The main focus is on a critical analysis of the two main categories of Hellenic-Roman paganism: idolatry and polytheism, which form the “cornerstone” in the mater of understanding the essence of pagan religion. This early Syrian writer became one of the first authors to write of the “economic” reason underlying religious cults, dividing all pagan idolaters into two categories: “smart” or “rich”, and “unreasonable”. Criticizing pagan religions, Pseudo-Melito develops a point of view characteristic of early Christian apologetic thought, referring to the establishment of pagan cults at the instigation of evil supernatural forces, as well as to the worship of kings and “tyrants”. The author calls on Greco-Roman society to abandon the vicious way of life and end the “delusion” to render divine honors to corrupt, unconscious idols, and instead to seek knowledge of the Beginningless Being, the Creator of the universe