MESSALLIANS, mss-stA'li-anz (from Aram. mezallin, participle of zela, " to pray "): A Syrian sect of the fourth century, also called Euchites, Euphi=mites or Choreutes.

Epiphanius tells of assemblies of pagans who were neither Jews nor Christians but were strongly influenced by both. They worshiped only one God, the Almighty, meeting for this purpose in the evening and at dawn and directing their prayers and hymns to God. On this account they suffered persecutions and therefore called themselves Martyrians. A close connection between these pagan Euchites and the Christian Messalians can not be shown. From the name Messalians it is plain that the Christian sect arose in Mesopotamia, which sect Epiphanius is the first to mention, their heresy being the last described in his Panarion. He knows nothing of their origin and affirms that they can not be called a definitely organized sect. They declared themselves to be Christians in the fullest sense since they had renounced the world and forsworn the possession of private property. They had no scruples in calling themselves prophets, patriarchs, angels; they even applied to themselves the name of Christ. They considered it fitting to their perfection as Christians to abjure all work and to live wholly upon alms. They did not fast, but devoted themselves to constant prayer. The men and the women slept in the same apartment, during the summer in the open air.

Later Theodoret and Timotheus give an account of them. Amphilochius, who presided at the Synod of Side, convicted them of heresy on account of their writings, and Theodoret relates that Flavian, the patriarch of Antioch, induced them to expound their views on religious themes. Evidently they were a sect of enthusiastic mystics, who had, however, no intention of separating themselves from the Church. They believed they could attain to a perfect realization of Christianity, without reliance on the Church's means of grace, though still within her fold. They taught that through Adam's fall human nature acquired such a strong bent toward evil, that every one from his very birth is the dwelling-place of a devil. Baptism removes former sins, but it can not destroy the root of sin. That can be done only by constant prayer. Through prayer, to which therefore they devoted themselves, especially at night, they believed they could drive out the devil, and Augustine tells of their assertion that they saw swine issuing from their mouths and instead shining unconsuming fire entering. In perceptible fashion did the Holy Spirit enter the worshipers and accomplish the betrothal of their souls with the heavenly bridegroom. Thereby they were enabled to become prophets not only of the future but also of the secrets of the Trinity. Even the body of Christ had to be purified from devils by the Logos, but through its glorification he became like unto the Father. So the man who has been united to God needs no longer ascetic practises nor inatruotion, but assumes the divine nature. No longer is it necessary for him to partake of communion; he can sin no more. Women were teachers among them.

Their origin was certainly in Mesopotamia, whence they spread to Syria. Their progress may be followed in the acts of several synods. Flavian brought them from Edessa to Antioch and gained in an underhand way the confidence of their leader Adelphius. When from him he had learned their teachings, he condemned them, and refused to receive them again into the Church. From Antioch they removed to Pamphylia. Some decades later the Synod at Ephesus condemned their writings and threatened them with excommunication. Later still Lampetius was accused of heresy and was removed from office by Hormisdas, and two bishops, both named Alphteus, who defended him were likewise degraded. In the fifth century in Armenia proceedings were instituted against the sect. Priests and deacons who were convicted of this heresy were branded and forced to become hermits in expiation. Those who fell into their errors a second time were hamstrung, even the laity being treated in this way. In Greece in the time of Justinian a certain Marcian became their leader whence they were called Marcianites, just as before they had been called Adelphians and Lampetians. Gregory the Great vindicated an elder, accused of being a follower of Marcian, from the charge of heresy. As time went on their doctrines became more spiritual and less purely ascetic. On the Messalians of a later time See Paulicians; New-Manicheans.

(N. Bonwetsch.)

Bibliography: The sources are Epiphanius, Har., lxxx.;

Cyril of Alexandria De adoratione in MPG, lxviii. 282; Theodoret, Hist. eccl., v. 10; Augustine, De ha'reeibus, mi. Consult: DCB, ii..258-261 (best); J. H. Blunt, Dictionary of Sects arid Heresies, pp 150-151, Philadelphia, 1874; Karapet Ter-Mkrttachia, Die Paulikianer im byzantinischen Kaiaerreiche, Leipsic, 1893; F. C. Conybeare, The Key of Tm.th, Oxford, 1898; H. Achelis, Virpines sub.. introducta, Leipsic, 1902; K. Hall, Amphilochius von Iko. nium in seinem Verhdltnis zu den priechiaden Kappado. ziern, pp. 30 sqq., Tübingen, 1904.

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