A scourge or severe critic of Christianity and Christians; literally 'a whip of Christians.'
From Greek 'Χριστιανο' (Christiano-) + 'μάστιξ' (mastix, whip). A compound term created to describe someone who savagely attacks Christian faith and practice, implying they figuratively whip the Christian body.
This word was actually applied to real historical figures like Celsus (ancient critic of Christianity) and Porphyry—it was a serious accusation in the medieval period suggesting someone posed an existential threat to Christian society.
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