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Basilideans
A Gnostic sect founded by Basilides of Alexandria, that existed
during the second century, who claimed to have received his esoteric doctrines
from Claucias, an apostle of St. Peter. The Basilideans recognized Abraxas as the Supreme
Being whom they worshipped.
Their system had three grades: material, intellectual, and spiritual which
the initiates progressed through. Also, it possessed two allegorical statues,
male and female. Many points of their doctrine shared resemblance to those
of the Ophites
and the Jewish Kabbalah.
A.G.H.
Source: 9.