HIERACAS. - An ascetic in Egypt (near Leontopolis), who lived in the 3rd century. The principal source of current knowledge is Epiphanius (Haeres., 67; cf. also 55, 6; 69, 7; Ancor., 82; Augustine, De haer., 47). He was acquainted with the Greek and Egyptian language and literature; that he was a disciple of Origen is an insinuation of Epiphanius. He knew by heart the writings of the Old and New Testament. He wrote biblical commentaries (e.g., on the Hexaemeron) in Greek and Coptic and composed new psalms. The novelty of Jesus' doctrine in relation to the Old Testament was, according to H., encratism. He denied the Resurrection of bodies and the beatitude of children, even of the baptized, because they were not yet in possession of ascesis.

According to Epiphanius (the Coptic sources do not speak of it) he would have taught strange speculations on the Holy Spirit, based on the Ascension of Isaiah (ch. 9). Melchizedek would be the representation of the Holy Spirit. Probably H. was an heir of the tradition of the encratites, in Egypt (Gospel of the Egyptians, Julius Cassianus). In Egypt he was opposed by Athanasius (?), De virginitate (Coptic writing); cf. Th. Lefort, in Le Muséon, 42 (1929), pp. 250, 252 and in the longer recension of the Historia Lausiaca (Revue de l'Orient chrét., 3rd series, 5 [1925-26], p. 263). Epiphanius leaves open the question whether H. was a magician.

Bibliography3 works

BIBL.: A. Harnack, s. v. in Realencyclop. f. protestantische Theol. und Kirche, VIII, p. 38 ff.; C. Schmidt, Die Urschrift der Patris Sophie, in Zeitschrift für die neutestum. Wissenschaft, 24 (1925), p. 221 ff.; Th. Heussi, Der Ursprung des Mönchtums, Tübingen 1936, p. 58 f. A psalm in the Coptic language was attributed to H. by E. Peterson, in Le Muséon, 60 (1947), p. 257 ff.

Erik Peterson

@incollection{ec6_ieraca, author = {Peterson, Erik}, title = {Ieraca}, booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica}, volume = {VI}, pages = {1584--1585}, note = {Cited by column}, publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico}, address = {Città del Vaticano}, year = {1951}, url = {https://azioneromana.com/article/ieraca} }

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Hieraca

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