Featured Term (selected at random):LAPSI Third-century Christians who relapsed into heathenism by sacrificing to the gods or performing other acts of apostasy. There were three classes: sacrificati, who had actually offered sacrifices to idols; thurificati, who had merely burned incense to the gods; and libellatici, who certified in writing that they had offered sacrifice to idols without having actually offered sacrifice. After the edict of Decius (250-25) the lapsi who had apostasized through weakness often wished to repent and return to Christian worship. Pope Cornelius and St. Cyprian favored their return, and the synods of that time felt that after...