NOVATIANS, a Christian sect which arose in the middle of the 3rd century. Their leader, Novatianus (or as Lardner prefers to call him, following the Greek writers, Novena), was a presbyter at Itoine, who, after the death of Fabian, bishop of Rome (A.D. 250), and the election of Cornelius as his successor (A.D. 251), refused to submit to the authority of Cornelius, and procured from three bishops his own onli nation as bishop of Rome. Upon this, Cornelius called a council at Rome, and excommunicated Novatian and hie adliereuts, who imme diately funned a distinct sect, and thus became echirenaties. But Novatian is also reckoned as a heretic, on account of his opinions respecting those Christians who after baptism had fallen into open sin, whom he declared that the Church had not the power to admit again to her communion, even though they should give satisfactory evidence of their repentance. In consequence of this strictness of discipline, his followers obtained from the Greek writers the name of Ctithari (caeapoli, that is, Puritans. In other points the opinions of Novatian did net differ from those of the Catholics. Some writers charge him with unsound opinions respecting the Trinity, but there is ample evidence to disprove this accusation. His later followers condemned second marriages. Novatian is highly spoken of by the ecclesiastical writers for his learning, eloquence, piety, and exemplary conduct. It is true that Cornelius accuses him of very disreputable conduct in the means by which he obtained ordination, and in other matters ; but these are the statements of a violent opponent, couched in very unmeasured language, and some of them are highly improbable.
Novatian was assisted in his proceedings by Novatus, a presbyter of Carthage, whom Cyprian calls the author of the schism ; and he num bered also among has followers some bishops and several presbyters.
Ilia sect spread widely, and embraced at various times some men of very high character and attainments. The Novatians were included in the severe edict which Constantine issued, about A.D. 331, against the Valentinians, Marcionites, Cataphrygians, and other heretics; but it is thought that, through the influence which some of their leaders had with the emperor, they suffered little on that occasion. Under the .Arian emperors they shared in common with the orthodox in the persecutions which they endured ; but under the Catholic emperors they appear to have enjoyed repose on account of their orthodox opinions on the Trinity. This sect declined in importance during the 5th century.
Novatian wrote several works, of which there remain a treatise,' Of Jewish Moats ; ' another, ' Of the Trinity,' or ' Of the Rule of Faith,' a letter of the Roman clergy to Cyprian, written during the vacancy of the see of Rome, after the death of Fabian, in August, 250. There is another letter to Cyprian, written in the same year, but it is not certain that Novatian was its author. Jerome gives a catalogue of Novatian's works, among which are two, 'Of Easter,' and ' Of Circumcision.' The Novatians asserted that their leader suffered martyrdom, but of this we have no proof.
(Eusebius, Hist. Ere. vi. 43 ; Hieronymus, De Fir. Must. chap. 70; Epiphanius, De Haresiis ; Lardner's Credibility, pt. ii. chap. 47 ; Mosheim's Ecclesiastical History, cent iii part ii. ; Neander's Kirehen gem-Airlift.)