Lucian is called "antistes" and "minister" by Celerinus; however, he responds by Letter 22, nothing in which suggests him being a cleric. Even more explicitly, Letter 23 is signed by Lucian “in the presence of the members of the clergy: an exorcist and a lector” (“Praesente de clero et exorcista et lectore Lucianus scripsit”; ed. Diercks 1994: 120). Nevertheless, Celerinus clearly believes that Lucius gained some priestly powers, especially that of reconciliation, by the virtue of his confession.