Audaeans, Audeans, or Audians

Audaeans, Audeans, Or Audians followers of Audseus or Audius (A.D. 340 or 350), a native of Syria, who boldly castigated the luxury and vice of the clergy, and who finally left the church. He and his followers afterward deviated from the usages of the church, especially on the date of Easter. He was charged with anthropomorphism. He had himself irregularly consecrated as bishop; was banished to Scythia, and died before 372. His personal character was remarkably pure. The sect died out in the fifth century. See Schroder, De Audeo et Audianis (Marburg, 1716); Lardner, Works, 4, 176; Mosheim, Ch. Hist. 1, 309; Neander, Ch. Hist. 2, 705.