Patricians Ancient sectaries who disturbed the peace of the church in the beginning of the third century; thus called from their founder Patricius, preceptor of a Marchionite called Symmachus. His distinguishing tenet was, that the substance of the flesh is not the work of God, but that of the devil; on which account his adherents bore an implacable hatred to their own flesh, which sometimes carried them so far as to kill themselves.