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Menymeni

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

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Menzel, Karl Adolph

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(Μενυμένοι , the initiated) was the name given, especially in the 4th and 5th centuries, to full members of the Church of Christ. It originated in the supposed analogy between baptism and the rites of initiation into the sacred mysteries of the heathen. The phrase ἴσασιν οἱ μεμυημένοι, "the initiated know," occurs about fifty times in the works of Augustine and Chrysostom. In like manner μώσται, μυσταγώγητοι, μυσταγωγοί, and other terms borrowed from the heathen mysteries, are applied to the Christian rites. All these expressions, which came into general use in the 4th century, mark the prevalence of that system of secret instruction or doctrine which we noticed in the article (See ARCANI DISCIPLINA). See Riddle, Christian Antiquities, p. 195.