ANTHROPOPHAGI

ANTHROPOPHAGI, Cannibals; or such as feed on Human Flesh. See CANNIBAL. The Word is compounded of the Greek ἄνθρωπος, Man, and φαγεῖν, Edo, I eat. The primitive Christians were accused by the Heathens of being Anthropophagi; as appears from Tatian, Tertullian in his Apologetics, Cap. VII, and Salvian de Provid., Lib. IV. They affirmed that the Christians, in the Mysteries of their Religion, killed a Child, and feasted on its Flesh. This Calumny was grounded on what they had heard of the Eucharist, and the Communion. See EUCHARIST, COMMUNION, ALTAR, etc.

ANTHROPOPHAGI