Agapetae noun[plural only]3 •(historical) Women of the early Christian church who cohabited in a state of "spiritual love" with clergy or laymen who had vowed chastity.It describes the Agapetae as virgins who consecrated themselves to God with a vow of chastity and associated with laymen who like themselves had taken a vow of chastity. — 2007 •(historical) Monks or clergy who cohabited with virgins and widows of the church. •(historical) A 4th century Spanish sect founded by Agape and her husband Elpidius that rejected the institution of marriage and was deemed heretical for its perceived hedonism. Considered also to be a forerunner of Priscillianism.
