It is said that Montanus was a recent convert when he first began to prophesy, he believed that he was a prophet of God and made proclomations in Pepuza and Tymion(Turkey). He gained two female coleagues Maximilla and Priscilla who were also inspired by the Holy Spirit. Their following grew and eventually became known as Montanism or 'New Prophecy'. IT has been compared to that of Pentecostalism.
His followers believed that he was part of a sacred line of prophets and that he was taught by Quadratus and Ammia who had in turn learnt from Agabus(and his daughters) and Philip the Evangelist. The movement gained momentum and spread to Africa and Gaul.
There was however a strong backlash from orthodox Christians who fought to suppress the movement, saying that it was possession by evil spirits and they even tried to carry out exorcisms on Maximilla and Priscilla but failed. Finally around 177 A.D. Montanism was condemned by the church and was then on regarded as heresy. The movement managed to survive in small groups of people until at least the 6th century, there is no recordings of the prophecies made as all records were sought out by the church to be destroyed.
However certain things are known about them, based upon sources of 'anti-montanists' and their beliefs included; that prophets could forgive sins, that females should be made bishops, that preachers should be paid, that prophets would stain their eyes and their hair and so on, but many of these things were forbidden by the early Catholic church.
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