a sect of Acephali (q.v.), which sprang up originally under the name of Barsanians at the end of the 5th century. They had no succession of priests, and professed to keep up the celebration of a valid eucharist by placing a few crumbs of the bread which had been consecrated by Dioscurus in a vessel of meal (σεμίδαλις, whence their name), and then using as fully consecrated the bread baked from it. See Damasc. Ad Hoeres. 3; Baronius, Annal. ad ann. 535; Neale, Patriarchate of Alexandria, 2, 22.