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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
A 16 page paper that discusses the historical, Scriptural, cultural, symbolic and magisterial aspects of the rite of prebaptism of initiation into the church. The focus and emphasis for this essay is the works of Cyril of Jerusalem in the fourth century. Cyril believed in imitation and symbols, for instance, Cyril had prebaptismal students turn to the West to renounce Satan because the West is a symbol of darkness and Satin represents darkness. The changes during the fourth century were so dramatic, they literally changed the rite of baptism. Bibliography lists 8 sources.
Page Count:
16 pages (~225 words per page)
File: MM12_PGcyril.rtf
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the tradition in the East, was it to be anointing on the head only with holy oil or anointing of the entire body, is there anointing before baptism or as
part of the baptism ritual and when exactly does the Spirit enter the person.1 Winkler comments that one thing we do know is that the anointing prior to baptism lost
its "impact as an independent, even central element within the whole ritual."2 It is also known that, according to the writings of St. John Chrysostom, Cyril of Jerusalem and others,
prebaptism was perceived as a struggle against demonic powers and preparation for the anointing is a "battle with Satan."3 Some writers report that in the very early tradition, children
were baptized, at least in some regions.4 By the middle of the fourth century, this practice was changed but then seems to have been revived towards the end of the
fourth century.5 When baptism began taking place later in life, the church designed a ceremony, of sorts, that admitted an individual to the catechumenate,6 which was like a holding pattern.
Prior to the conversion of Constantine, prebaptismal catechumenate is estimated to have lasted for as long as three years.7 When Constantine converted and changed Christianity from first a persecuted sect
to a tolerated religion and finally to the legal and preferred religion, the length of prebaptism catechumenate changed primarily because of the numbers of individuals following Constantines example of converting.8
People were baptized within weeks instead of years. Another dramatic change at the time was the number of people who delayed baptism as long as possible due to the belief
in canonical penance, which, in effect, forgave the individual of all past sins and guaranteed salvation.9 In fact, Constantine himself delayed baptism until he was dying.10 The Council of Nicea
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