ILLUMINATI, a name given by the Ante-Nicene ChurchFathers to those who submitted to Christian baptism (Gr. phiomegatauiotasigmamuomicronvarsigma, ``illumination'').They were called ``illuminati'' (phiomegatauiotasigmamuomicroniota), or ``illuminated ones,''on the assumption that those who were instructed for baptism in the Apostolic faith had received thegrace of illumination in an enlightened understanding. Clement of Alexandria speaks thus of such baptismallight: ``This is the one grace of illumination, that our characters are not the same as before ourwashing. And since knowledge springs up with illumination, shedding its beams around the mind, themoment we hear, we who were untaught become disciples. ... This work is called ... illumination bywhich that holy light of salvation is beheld, that is, by which we see God clearly.''

Among the societies subsequently adopting the name ``illuminati''were the Alumbrados or Alombrados, a mystical sect existing in Spain from the early 16thcentury and appearing in France as the Guerinets during the period from 1623 to 1635. Later, the title``illuminati' ' was adopted by a secret society founded by Adam Weishaupt, [Jewish] professor of canonlaw at Ingolstadt, on May 1, 1776, with the aim of combating religionand fostering rationalism.