BELIEVERS, an appellation given toward the
close of the first century to those Christians who had
been admitted into the church by baptism, and instruc-
ted in all the mysteries of religion. They had also ac-
cess to all the parts of divine worship, and were au-
thorized to vote in the ecclesiastical assemblies. They were
thus called in contradistinction to the catechumens,
who had not been baptized, and were debarred from
these privileges.