The great prophet monk Joachim of Flores foresaw the Gugliemite heresy coming in visions around the year 1260 A.D.
Gugliema, the Italian Prophetess
In the city of Milan, Italy in 1270 A.D., the Gugliemite heresy began when Gugliema, the Italian Prophetess, began having ecstasies and visions. Her followers believed that she was an incarnation of the Holy Spirit. In their view, she would be ushering in the Third Age of the World.
The Gugliemites weren’t the first to believe that a woman would bring in an incarnation of the Holy Spirit. The Joachites believed this, as well as, the Beguines and even the Shakers who believed ‘Mother’ Ann Lee (1736 – 1784 A.D.) was the incarnation of the Holy Spirit.
Another less known woman followed her in her claim. Jemima Wilkinson (1752-1819 A.D.) was often considered by her own followers to be the return of Christ.
These women often started colonies of celibate utopian believers who tried to create communities based around their beliefs. They didn’t last because of the celibacy, and they didn’t procreate those who shared their beliefs. Thus, they died out.
Gugliema, the first and best known of these believed incarnations of the Holy Spirit is held out in tradition to be represented as the Female Pope, the High Priestess Card, in the Tarot Deck.
Heresy According to the Early Church Fathers
Perhaps Prophetesses at the head of heresies in the Holy Roman Catholic Church stood less of a chance against the Early Church Fathers and Hierarchy than any other. “Therefore, it behooves us to keep aloof from all such persons, and to adhere to those who, as I have already observed, hold to the doctrine of the apostles. It is these who, together with the order of presbyters, display sound speech and blameless conduct for the strengthening and correction of others.” (Irenaeus) A Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs: A Reference Guide to More than 700 Topics Discussed by the Early Church Fathers – Edited by David W. Bercot
A fascinating heresy which still holds the interest of religious seekers today is Gnosticism, but another heresy which is hardly ever heard of anymore would be the Hussites.
Sources:
- Encyclopedia of Heresies and Heretics - By Charles S. Clifton
- A Catholic Dictionary - By William E. Addis and Thomas Arnold, M.A.
- Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma - By Dr. Ludwig Ott
- A Short History of Christian Doctrine: From the First Century to the Present - By Bernhard Lohse
- The Church in Crisis: A History of the General Councils, 325 - 1870 - By Philip Hughes
- A Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs: A Reference Guide to More than 700 Topics Discussed by the Early Church Fathers – Edited by David W. Bercot
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