Source: http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf207.ii.iii.iv.html
Timestamp: 2019-04-20 20:43:50+00:00

Document:
Chapter IV.—Ceremonies of Baptism and Chrism.
Such appears to have been the custom of the Eastern Churches in general and of Jerusalem in Cyril’s time, although he mentions only those articles of the Creed which were commonly held to be indispensable to a valid profession of Christian belief.
It is evident that two separate parts of the Baptismal Service are here confused: the question to which Dr. Swainson alludes, and “the saving confession” of which Cyril speaks in Mystag. ii. § 4, belong, as we shall presently see, to a later stage of the ceremony.
According to the directions concerning this first unction in the Apostolical Constitutions184184 Lib. iii. c. 15., the Bishop was first to anoint the head only, the anointing of the whole body being then completed by the Deacon or Deaconess.
§ 4. Baptism. After this anointing the Candidates were “led by the hand to the sacred pool of Holy Baptism185185 Mystag. ii. § 4..” This pool (κολυμβήθρα) was supplied with water raised from the reservoirs, of which, as we shall see, the Bordeaux Pilgrim speaks in his description of the Basilica.
As great multitudes both of men and women were baptized at the special seasons, the Baptisteries were large buildings outside the Church, such as the Baptistery of the Lateran, said to have been originally built by Constantine. The font itself also was large enough for several persons to be baptized at the same time. In some places the men were baptized first, and then the women: in others different parts of the Baptistery were assigned to them, and curtains were hung across the Font itself186186 Bingham, Ant. VIII. c. 7, § 2; XI. c. 11, § 3..
While standing in the water the Candidate made what Cyril calls “the saving conxxxiifession190190 Mystag. ii. § 4..” The whole Creed having been already recited (Redditio Symboli) in the outer chamber immediately after the Renunciation, a short form was now employed containing only the necessary declaration of faith in the Holy Trinity, and in the Baptism of Repentance for the remission of sins.
Of certain minor ceremonies connected with Baptism, such as the “Kiss of peace,” and the taste of milk and honey administered to the neophyte200200 Bingham, Ant. XII. c. 4, §§ 5, 6., no mention is made by Cyril.
The ears, nostrils, and breast were each to be anointed, and Cyril explains the symbolical meaning in each case by appropriate passages of Scripture208208 Myst. iii. § 4..
In like manner the chrism is explained again, “The ointment is the seal of the covenants213213 Ib. vii. c. 43. Cf. Cat. iii. 17.,” that is, both of God’s promises, and of the Baptismal vows.
The whole ceremony was called by the Greeks “Chrism,” the “Unction” being regarded by them as the chief part. In the Latin Church the name Confirmation is of later date, and indicates that greater importance was then attached to the “Laying on of Hands” with prayer.
166 De. Cor. Mil. c. 3.
167 Myst. i. § 2.
172 § 9, note 3.
174 Creeds of the Church, p. 17.
175 Pseudo-Dionysius Areopag. Eccl. Hierarch. iii.
176 Mystag. ii. § 2.
177 This passage has recently (1891) acquired a special interest from the controversy concerning Mr. Calderon’s picture, representing St. Elisabeth of Hungary as kneeling naked before the altar. The word “naked” (γυμνός, nudus) is not in itself decisive, but here in St. Cyril’s account of Baptism absolute nakedness seems to be implied; for though women sometimes wore an under-tunic (χιτώνιον), men had nothing beneath the tunic proper (χιτών), which is here said to be put off. According to Theophylact, on Matt. v. 40, the chiton was properly τὸ παρ᾽ ἡμῖν λεγόμενον ὑποκάμισοε. See Dictionary of Biblical Antiquities, “Baptism,” § 48.
179 Const. Apost. vii. c. 42.
180 Ant. XI. c. 9, § 1.
181 Ephes. i. Hom. i. § 3.
183 Mystag. ii. § 3.
184 Lib. iii. c. 15.
185 Mystag. ii. § 4.
186 Bingham, Ant. VIII. c. 7, § 2; XI. c. 11, § 3.
187 De Baptismo, c. iv.
189 Cat. iii. § 3. See also Introduction, ch. vi. § 2.
190 Mystag. ii. § 4.
191 Pseudo-Ambros. de Sacramentis, II. c. 7.
192 Ant. XI. c. 7, § 11.
193 Mystag. iii. § 4.
196 De Baptismo, c. vi.
197 Mystag. ii. § 4, note 3.
199 Ad Smyrn. c. viii.
200 Bingham, Ant. XII. c. 4, §§ 5, 6.
201 Mystag. iii. § 1.
202 Mystag. iii. § 2.
204 De Bapt. c. 7.
206 De Resurr. Carnis, c. 8.
208 Myst. iii. § 4.
210 See the authorities in Bingham, Ant. xii. c. 2, §§ 1, 2.
212 Const. Apost. vii. c. 22.
213 Ib. vii. c. 43. Cf. Cat. iii. 17.
214 Cat. iv. § 14.
215 Ib. xii. § 8.
218 Const. Apost. vii. c. 44.

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