Agnoe'tae (from ayvoUo, to be ignorant of), a sect which appeared about A.D. 370, adopting the opinions of Theophronius of Cappadocia. They questioned the omniscience of God, alleging that He knew things past only by memory, and things future only by uncertain prescience. Ecclesiastical historians mention another sect, which in the sixth century followed Themistins, deacon of Alexandria. They maintained that Christ was ignorant of man}- things, and particularly of the day of judgment (see Colbe, Agnoetismus, Giess. 1654). Eulogius, patriarch of Alexandria, ascribes this opin- ion to certain solitaries in the neighborhood of Jerusa- lem, who cited, in vindication of their opinion, Mark xiii, 32 : " Of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father." — Baronius, A.D. 535 ; Mosheim, Ch. Hist. cent, vi, pt. ii, ch. v, § 9 ; Walch, Hist, der Ketzereien, viii, 644.
Agnus Dei (Lat. Jamb of God). (I.) A hymn gen- erally supposed to have been introduced into the Ro-
man Mass service by Pope Sergius I in 688. It is more probable that before his time it had been sung by the clergy alone, and he only required the laity to join. The hymn is founded on John i, 29, begins with the words Agnus Dei, and is sung at the close of the mass. For a full account of the hymn and its varieties, see Pascal, Jiturg. Cathol. p. 51.
(II.) A cake, of wax used in the Romish Church, stamped with the figure of a lamb supporting the ban- ner of the cross. These cakes, being consecrated by the pope on the Tuesday after Easter in the first and seventh years of his pontificate, are supposed by Ro- manists to possess great virtues. They cover them with a piece of stuff cut in the form of a heart, and carry them very devoutly in their processions. From selling these Agni Dei to some, and presenting them to others, the Romish clergy and religious officers de- rive considerable pecuniary advantage. The practice of blessing the Agnus Dei took its rise about the 7th or 8th, according to others, about the 14th century. Though the efficacy of an Agnus Dei has not been declared by Romish Councils, the belief in its vir- tues has been strongly and universally established in the Church of Rome. Pope Urban V sent to John Palaiologus, emperor of the Greeks, an Agnus fold- ed in fine paper, on which were written verses ex- plaining all its properties. These verses declare that the Agnus is formed of balm and wax mixed with chrism, and that being consecrated by mystical words, it possesses the power of removing thunder and dis- persing storms, of giving to women with child an easy delivery, of preventing shipwreck, taking away sin, repelling the devil, increasing riches, and of securing against fire. See Lamb.
(III.) It also signifies, like the Greek word Poterio- calymma (7ror»/pio-/c«Ai>/(ju«), a cloth embroidered with the figure of a lamb, with which, in the Greek Church, the cup at the Lord's Supper is covered.
See generally Fabricius, Bibliogr. Antiquar. ed. Schaffhausen, p. 522; Pope Sixtus V, Breve de more benedicendi et consecrandi ceream qua; Agnus Dei vaca- tur, in the Giornale de1 Jetterati d' Italia, xvii, 435 ; Heine, Dissertt. Sacrar. (Amst. 1736), 1. ii, c. 12; Munter, Sii.nbilder d. ersten Christen, i, 80 sq. ; Ger- bert, De caniu et musica saci-a, i, 454 sq.
Agobard (Agobertus, Agobaldus, or Ague- baudus), archbishop of Lyons, was bom in 779, but whether in France or Spain is uncertain. In 813 he was appointed coadjutor of Leidradus, the archbishop of Lyons, who was very far advanced in years ; and in 816 the archbishop retired into the monaster}' of Soissons, having appointed Agobard his successor in the episcopal chair. Agobard was driven from his see by Louis-le-Debonnaire for having taken an active share in deposing him in the assembly of bishops, held at Compiegne in 833. "When peace was restored be- tween Louis and his sons, Lothaire and Pepin, Ago- bard recovered his see. He died at Saintonges, June 5th, 840. He was considered a man of much genius, and of no small learning in theological questions. He held liberal views with regard to inspiration. He wrote against the Adoptionists, against Ordeal by duel, and against various superstitions of the time. (See Hundeshagen, De Agobardi vita et scriptis, Giess. 1831.) His works have been preserved to us by a singular accident. Papyrius Massonus, happening to enter the shop of a bookbinder at Lyons, as the latter was on the point of tearing up a MS. which he held in his hands, asked permission to look at it first, which he did, and, soon perceiving its value, he rescued it from its impending destruction, and shortly after pub- lished it. The MS. itself is preserved in the Bibli- otheque du Roi at Paris. His works were edited Paris, 1606, and again by Baluze (2 vols. 8vo, Paris, 1666), and by Masson (Paris, 1605). They may also be found in Bib. Max. Patr. torn. xiv.
Agonistici, a branch of the Donatists who spread
AGOXIZANTS
104
AGONY
themselves through Africa to preach the opinions of Donatus, and committed many crimes under pretext of doing justice at fairs and such places. Desirous of becoming martyrs, they exposed themselves to the greatest dangers, and sometimes even killed them- selves. They were forcibly suppressed under Emperor Constans, but existed till the inroad of the Vandals. See Donatists.