Marcellina was a very beautiful Egyptian woman who strove for freedom in an unusual way. She might be any of the women from the below picture. Not so much is known about her, with the only exceptions from Christian authors like Irenaeus and Origen, but it turned out that they disliked her life style and teaching. No way they could like her, because she was against the state and laws. She was a kind of Christian who disliked the way how the Church was developing its institutions and dogmas around the Bishop centers around Europe, North Africa and Middle East.
She was from Alexandria, which at that time was one of the greatest centers of civilization. There she met Carpocrates and became her student. She learned from him that a captive soul, in order to progress to God, must go through all possible conditions in earthly life.
This philosophy had also a sexual component, which resulted in them (as one Christian theologist complained) “doing all those things that we dare not neither talk nor hear about. “
Marcellina learned from her master different forms of “magic art”, but remains unclear what they mean. What we know is that, while she was in Alexandria, she revered along with images of Plato, Pythagoras and Aristotle, a picture of a naked Jesus, supposedly dating from the time of Pilate.
She learned from Carpocrates, that class differences are unnatural. His students divided property and women among themselves. Marcellina was also one of such women who came to be shared among the members, but as she did not bother, she probably enjoyed it. Female members could also share men.
The Church writer Clement says that they had intercourse with whomever they wanted during their Agape (Christian congregations). What really was happening at the time of their ceremonies, we can only imagine.
Carpocrates appointed women as priestesses on a par with men. So, he decided to sent one of her priestesses Marcellina to preach in Rome, about 160.
She came to Rome in the days of Pope Anicetus. No wonder that the pope did not like Marcellina. The pope banned priests to have long hair, because Marcellina’s supporters had long hair. They were called Marcellians in Rome. Like in Egypt, they rejected all the laws of the state and shared everything, including their husbands and wives.
Marcellina, according to some later Christian authors, deceived many people to the wrong way. Having in mind her beauty, her lust and her life style, no wonder why she was so successful.
But she also had great spiritual knowledge to offer. She had received a secret knowledge about Mary, Mary Salome and Martha of Bethany. Those three women were the role of Marcelline and her companions. They could be recognized by a small mark behind the right ear.
Accoridng to her teaching. The soul had to obtain its redemption, through various births. Jesus was the example to follow during the process of personal evolution. Only faith and love were needed in order to be saved, and laws and regulations had a neutral meaning on the path to salvation.
So much is known about Marcellina. I added a few things, which may or not may be true.
Talerman
