The Livian Heresy
Perhaps the most persistent and widespread of all Sanctified heresies still extant, the Livian heresy takes its name from Livia, who is identified in Malediction as a Roman harlot who gave birth to Longinus. Supporters of the heresy point out that, while Longinus did not feel the need to give his own birth name in Malediction, he did feel compelled to identify his mother and talk about her at some length. Livians also point to interpretations of the passages surrounding Longinus’ conception and birth (interpretations rejected by mainstream Sanctified) that suggest that it may have been contemporaneous with that of Jesus. In fact, while Livia quite clearly was not a virgin when she conceived Longinus, one verse of Malediction can be interpreted to mean that Longinus did not have a mortal father. According to the Livians, all of this means that the mother of Longinus is much more important to the creation of The Lancea Sanctum than is commonly believed. Such heretics argue that Livia actually performed a role similar to that of Mary, and that both Christianity and The Lancea Sanctum rely on the simultaneous existence of both Madonna and Whore, each giving birth to sons who would meet at the Cross in fulfillment of prophecy. As such, according to followers of the Heresy, Livia deserves veneration as the “Mother of Vampires.”
Indeed, the most pernicious adherents of the Livian heresy go beyond merely elevating Livia above Longinus to suggesting that both Livia and Mary are aspects of a single archetypal goddess figure. Some such heretics go so far as to attempt to reconcile the beliefs of The Lancea Sanctum with certain tenets of the Circle of the Crone. Thus, the Livian heresy is actually a double heresy: Faithful members of both covenants look on Livians with horror for their efforts to combine “the true faith” with a “false religion.” As if this were not bad enough, Livians who formerly followed the Crone and Livians who formerly followed Longinus occasionally teach each other Crúac and Theban Sorcery, revealing the most important mysteries of each religion to members of its chief spiritual rival. One of the few things that can induce Sanctified and Acolytes to put aside their differences is the possibility of Livian heretics active in their domain.
Indeed, the most pernicious adherents of the Livian heresy go beyond merely elevating Livia above Longinus to suggesting that both Livia and Mary are aspects of a single archetypal goddess figure. Some such heretics go so far as to attempt to reconcile the beliefs of The Lancea Sanctum with certain tenets of the Circle of the Crone. Thus, the Livian heresy is actually a double heresy: Faithful members of both covenants look on Livians with horror for their efforts to combine “the true faith” with a “false religion.” As if this were not bad enough, Livians who formerly followed the Crone and Livians who formerly followed Longinus occasionally teach each other Crúac and Theban Sorcery, revealing the most important mysteries of each religion to members of its chief spiritual rival. One of the few things that can induce Sanctified and Acolytes to put aside their differences is the possibility of Livian heretics active in their domain.
Type
Religious, Cult
Parent Organization
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