Sacrificati

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

Christians who, to avoid condemnation before a heathen tribunal, had offered sacrifice to an idol. When such persons, after the persecution was over, returned to the Church, they were obliged to undergo a very rigid penance before they could be readmitted into its fellowship. Sacrificati is their denomination as penitents, after their return to the faith. Those who continued in idolatry were simply apostates. (See Libellatici).