Ecclesia Gnostica Alba

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Ecclesia Gnostica Alba

The Ecclesia Gnostica Alba (White Gnostic Church) had its beginning in the mid-1970s in Chicago, Illinois, where Michael Bertiaux claimed to have made contact with a number of higher spiritual intelligences, among them an entity named AIVAS (the same name of the entity contacted by Aleister Crowley when he channeled The Book of the Law early in the twentieth century). Bertiaux had become a thelemic magician and the leader of a collection of magical and Gnostic organizations, including a branch of the Ecclesia Gnostica Cattolicae. The Gnostic Catholic Church had its origins in the visionary experiences of Jules-Benoit Doinel, its first bishop, and one line of apostolic succession passed to Bertiaux through Haiti.

From AIVAS Bertiaux received knowledge of occult methods that were claimed to be the deepest Gnostic initiations and was told to prepare a set of adepts to spread the new Gnostic awareness. Among the people he began to train was Zivorad Mihaijlovic-Slavinski, a Yugoslavian psychologist and writer on occult topics. Bertiaux invited Mihaijlovic-Slavinski to Chicago and for a month in early 1978 Mihaijlovic-Slavinski underwent the new training. He emerged ready to return to Yugoslavia as a prophet of Gnosticism. He was also consecrated as the patriarch of the new Ecclesia Gnostica Alba. Two years later, while in California, Mihaijlovic-Slavinski experienced his own personal enlightenment.

Following his experience, Mihaijlovic-Slavinski returned to Yugoslavia and began to teach a method of group enlightenment. He initiated a number of people, among whom were several masters designated to continue the dissemination of Gnosticism in Yugoslavia and Italy. As these people followed the spiritual practices being taught to them, they experienced a new level of fellowship and moved to create a visible community. The White Gnostic Church came to exist beyond the person of its bishop.

The Ecclesia Gnostica Alba has members in contemporary Serbia, the other countries of the former Yugoslavia, Italy, and the United States. It may be contacted through its website at http://www.newciv.org/ncn/ega.html.