Apelles (Gnostic)

Apelles (Greek: Aπελλής) was a second-century Gnostic Christian thinker. He began his ministry as a disciple of Marcion of Sinope, likely in Rome. However, at some point, Apelles either left or was expelled from the Marcionite church.

According to Tertullian, this separation occurred because Apelles became involved with a woman named Philumena, who claimed to be possessed by an angel that revealed 'revelations' to her. Apelles publicly read these revelations, which was seen as controversial. Since Marcion preached that Christians should practice celibacy and abstain from marriage, Apelles' relationship with Philumena was deemed unacceptable by the Marcionite church.

After his departure from the Marcionite community, Apelles traveled to Alexandria, where he developed his own distinctive theological doctrine — a modified form of Marcionism.