Christian Confirmation | Early European History And Religion

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CONFIRMATION

Confirmation blessing
Confirmation marks membership in a church. Usually done with the application of a small amount of holy oil on the head of a believer, it is a reaffirmation of baptismal vows to remain in the church and follow its teaching. It is regarded by Catholics, Orthodox Christians and some other Christians as a sacrament. In the Catholic church after an individual reaffirms the vows a bishop lays hands on him or her, as the Apostles did with early Christians, as a sign of the Pentecost — which brought an end to the mysterious resurrection period and allowed the apostles to go forth and spread the word of their faith. Confirmation is an expression of salvation and “confirms” the existence of Christ.

Confirmation "confirms" the promises of faith made at baptism. Some groups that do not practice infant baptism, such as Baptists and Pentecostals, have a separate adult baptism for this ceremony. Children in the Catholic religion receive penance and First Holy Communion at age seven or eight, which is considered the "age of reason." Confirmation follows because they are now believed able to understand the promises made at their baptisms.

Catholic Confirmation is usually done to a child as he or she nears adolescence to signify they have become an adult in the faith or a grown Christian. It usually involve some “profession of faith.” In France, where there is a “solemn communion,” believers can be confirmed before making a profession of faith.

The holy oil (known as “chrism” in the Catholic church) is consecrated by a bishop and priest on Maundy Thursday (the day before Goof Friday). It is placed on the forehead and symbolizes the Spirit, which from the point of Confirmation forward is a guiding force behind everything the recipeint does. The person who offers Confirmation — usually a bishop accompanied by priests’says the recipient’s name followed by the words “be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit.” The confirmed recipient then replies: “Amen.” From that moment forward the confirmed person is regarded as a fully fledged member of the People of God, or layman in the church.

Websites and Resources on Christianity BBC on Christianity bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity ; Candida Moss at the Daily Beast Daily Beast Christian Answers christiananswers.net ; Christian Classics Ethereal Library www.ccel.org ; Sacred Texts website sacred-texts.com ; Internet Sourcebook sourcebooks.fordham.edu ; Christian Denominations: Holy See w2.vatican.va ; Catholic Online catholic.org ; Catholic Encyclopedia newadvent.org ; World Council of Churches, main world body for mainline Protestant churches oikoumene.org ; Online Orthodox Catechism published by the Russian Orthodox Church orthodoxeurope.org

Confirmation as a Sacrament

Christian confirmation is a sacrament or rite of passage in which a baptised person strengthens their relationship with God and becomes a full member of the Christian community. According to the BBC: Confirmation is “practised by several Christian denominations. The word means strengthening or deepening one's relationship with God. Confirmation is a popular practice in the Roman Catholic, Anglican and Orthodox Churches where infant baptism is also performed. It enables a baptised person to confirm the promises made on their behalf at baptism. It is also a sign of full membership to the Christian community. [Source: June 23, 2009, BBC |::|]

According to the Catholic Encyclopedia: “Confirmation is a sacrament in which the Holy Ghost is given to those already baptized in order to make them strong and perfect Christians and soldiers of Jesus Christ.It has been variously designated: bebaiosis or confirmatio, a making fast or sure; teleiosis or consummatio, a perfecting or completing, as expressing its relation to baptism. With reference to its effect it is the "Sacrament of the Holy Ghost", the "Sacrament of the Seal" (signaculum, sigillum, sphragis). From the external rite it is known as the "imposition of hands" (epithesis cheiron), or as "anointing with chrism" (unctio, chrismatio, chrisma, myron). The names at present in use are, for the Western Church, confirmatio, and for the Greek, to myron. [Source: New Advent, Catholic Encyclopedia]

“Confirmation can be held at any age. In the Eastern Churches, it is conferred on infants straight after baptism. In the West, most denominations insist that participants are old enough to understand the significance of their promises. Christians believe Jesus instituted the sacrament or rite of confirmation when he promised to send another counsellor to empower his disciples to bear witness. (John 14:16; John 15:26; John 16:13). |::|

The roots of the practice of confirmation are found in the Acts of the Apostles: |“Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, who went down and prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for it had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had only been baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.” — Acts 8:14-17 |::|

“Confirmation candidates attend a series of special classes to learn about the sacrament, their faith and Christian responsibilities. Confirmation preparation helps candidates to have a proper understanding of how to live as a follower of Christ. At one time, candidates were required to learn a series of questions and answers by heart known as the catechism. Today's classes are more comprehensive and the particular needs of candidates will be borne in mind.

Confirmation Rite

Before the Confirmation service, candidates usually study their religion in small groups. At the service, the candidate answers a series of questions about his or her faith and promises to reject evil. According to Encyclopedia.com: Then, in the Catholic tradition, the bishop puts his hand on the person's shoulder, says the person's name (there may be a special confirmation name after a saint), and traces the sign of the cross on the forehead with holy oil to show this is a child of god. Methodist ministers also put a hand on the candidates. In the Baptist church everyone watching the confirmation extends his or her right hand. This shows acceptance and fellowship of the group. This ceremony formally accepts the candidate into the religion. [Source: Encyclopedia.com]

According to the BBC: “In Christian confirmation, a baptised person believes that he or she is receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit. A bishop usually conducts the service but there are variations in how it is carried out. In the Anglican Church, the sacrament of confirmation is conferred through the laying of hands. In the Roman Catholic Church, each participant is also anointed with oil. In Protestant denominations outside the Church of England, confirmation is seen as a rite of passage or initiation to full Christian discipleship. It is a symbolic act allowing the baptised person to make a mature statement of faith. Confirmation is not regarded as a sacrament or a means of conferring divine grace. [Source: June 23, 2009, BBC |::|]

According to the Catholic Encyclopedia: “In the Western Church the sacrament is usually administered by the bishop. At the beginning of the ceremony there is a general imposition of hands, the bishop meantime praying that the Holy Ghost may come down upon those who have already been regenerated: "send forth upon them thy sevenfold Spirit the Holy Paraclete." He then anoints the forehead of each with chrism saying: "I sign thee with the sign of the cross and confirm thee with the chrism of salvation, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost." Finally, he gives each a slight blow on the cheek saying: "peace be with thee". A prayer is added that the Holy Spirit may dwell in the hearts of those who have been confirmed, and the rite closes with the bishop's blessing. [Source: New Advent, Catholic Encyclopedia |=|]

“The Eastern Church omits the imposition of hands and the prayer at the beginning, and accompanies the anointing with the words: "the sign [or seal] of the gift of the Holy Ghost." These several actions symbolize the nature and purpose of the sacrament: the anointing signifies the strength given for the spiritual conflict; the balsam contained in the chrism, the fragrance of virtue and the good odor of Christ; the sign of the cross on the forehead, the courage to confess Christ, before all men; the imposition of hands and the blow on the cheek, enrollment in the service of Christ which brings true peace to the soul. (Cf. Summa Theologiæ III.72.4). |=|

“The bishop alone is the ordinary minister of confirmation. This is expressly declared by the Council of Trent (Sess. VII, De Conf., C. iii). A bishop confirms validly even those who are not his own subjects; but to confirm licitly in another diocese he must secure the permission of the bishop of that diocese. Simple priests may be the extraordinary ministers of the sacrament under certain conditions. In such cases, however, the priest cannot wear pontifical vestments, and he is obliged to use chrism blessed by a Catholic bishop. In the Greek Church, confirmation is given by simple priests without special delegation, and their ministration is accepted by the Western Church as valid. They must, however, use chrism blessed by a patriarch. |=|

Confirmation in the Bible

In Acts of the Apostles (8:14-17) we read that after the Samaritan converts had been baptized by Philip the deacon, the Apostles "sent unto them Peter and John, who, when they were come, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost; for he was not yet come upon any of them, but they were only baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus; then they laid their hands upon them, and they received the Holy Ghost". [Source: Catholic Encyclopedia |=|]

“Again (19:1-6): St. Paul "came to Ephesus, and found certain disciples; and he said to them: Have you received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? But they said to him: We have not so much as heard whether there be a Holy Ghost. And he said: In what then were you baptized? Who said: In John's baptism. Then Paul said: John baptized the people with the baptism of penance . . . Having heard these things, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had imposed his hands on them, the Holy Ghost came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied".|=|

“From these two passages we learn that in the earliest ages of the Church there was a rite, distinct from baptism, in which the Holy Ghost was conferred by the imposition of hands (dia tes epitheseos ton cheiron ton Apostolon), and that the power to perform this ceremony was not implied in the power to baptize. |=|

“No distinct mention is made as to the origin of this rite; but Christ promised the gift of the Holy Ghost and conferred it. Again, no express mention is made of anointing with chrism; but we note that the idea of unction is commonly associated with the giving of the Holy Ghost. Christ (Luke 4:18) applies to Himself the words of Isaias (61:1): "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, wherefore he hath anointed me to preach the gospel". St. Peter (Acts 10:38) speaks of "Jesus of Nazareth: how God anointed him with the Holy Ghost". St. John tells the faithful: "You have the unction (chrisma) from the Holy One, and know all things"; and again: "Let the unction [chrisma], which you have received from him, abide in you" (1 John 2:20-27). |=|

“A striking passage, which was made much use of by the Fathers and the Schoolmen, is that of St. Paul: "He that confirmeth [ho de bebaion] us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God, who also hath sealed [sphragisamenos] us, and given us the pledge [arrabona] of the Spirit in our hearts" (2 Corinthians 1:20-21). No mention is made of any particular words accompanying the imposition of hands on either of the occasions on which the ceremony is described; but as the act of imposing hands was performed for various purposes, some prayer indicating the special purpose may have been used: "Peter and John . . . prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost". Further, such expressions as "signing" and "sealing" may be taken as referring to the character impressed by the sacrament: "You were signed [esphragisthete] with the holy Spirit of promise"; "Grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed [esphragisthete] unto the day of redemption" (Ephesians 1:13; 4:30). See also the passage from Second Corinthians quoted above.” |=|

Confirmation Defined in 1439

According to The Decree for the Armenians, Council of Florence 1439: “The second sacrament is confirmation. The material is the chrism made from oil, which signifies purity of conscience, and from balsam, which signifies the odor of fair fame; and it must be blessed by the bishop. The form is: " I sign thee with the sign of the cross and confirm thee with the chrism of salvation, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." [Source: James Harvey Robinson, ed., Readings in European History: Vol. I: (Boston:: Ginn and co., 1904), 348―54, = Denzinger-Schönmetzer, Enchiridion, 1310-27, sourcebooks.fordham.edu ]

“The proper ministrant of this sacrament is the bishop. While a simple priest avails to perform the other anointings, this one none can confer save the bishop only ― for it is written of the apostles alone that by the laying on of hands they gave the Holy Ghost, and the bishops hold the office of the apostles. We read in the Acts of the Apostles, when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard how Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John ; who, when they were come, prayed that they might receive the Holy Ghost; for as yet it was fallen upon none of them, ― they were only baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands upon them and they received the Holy Ghost. [Acts 8:14-17] Now, in place of this laying on of hands, confirmation is given in the Church. Yet we read that sometimes, for reasonable and urgent cause by dispensation from the Holy See, a simple priest has been permitted to administer confirmation with a chrism prepared by a bishop.

“In this sacrament the Holy Ghost is given to strengthen us, as it was given to the apostles on the day of Pentecost, that the Christian may confess boldly the name of Christ. And therefore he is confirmed upon the brow, the seat of shame, that he may never blush to confess the name of Christ and especially his cross, which is a stumbling-block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles [cf. 1 Cor 1:23], according to the apostle. Therefore he is signed with the sign of the cross.

Catholic Confirmation

According to the BBC: “The majority of Catholics are baptised as babies before they are old enough to understand what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. Their parents and godparents promise to bring them up in the Christian faith following Jesus's example. When they reach an age where they are able to understand the difficulties and challenges of living out the Christian faith, they are invited to confirm the promises made on their behalf at baptism through confirmation. [Source: June 23, 2009, BBC |::|]

“In most Catholic churches today, Catholics are confirmed when they are about 14 years old. The sacrament of confirmation is often held on Pentecost Sunday when Christians celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles. |::|

“Catholics believe confirmation is one of seven sacraments instituted by Christ. The effect of the sacrament of confirmation is a special outpouring of the Spirit as granted to the apostles on the day of Pentecost. A bishop usually confers confirmation although a priest is sometimes allowed to administer the sacrament if a person has already been baptised into another Christian Church and is entering into full communion with the Catholic Church through confirmation. A priest is also allowed to confer the sacrament if a person (adult or child) is in danger of death. (Code of Canon Law, canon 884) As the sacrament is usually reserved to a bishop, it is common in the Catholic Church to confirm large groups of older children and young adults together during Mass. |::|

“The bishop lays his hands on the head of each candidate. This is a sign that he is appointing them to be true witnesses to Christ. The bishop prays that each person will receive the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: reverence, understanding, courage, knowledge, wisdom, awe and wonder and right judgment. He makes the sign of the cross on their foreheads with holy chrism oil. This is a sign of strength and a reminder of their commitment to follow Christ even to the cross. In many English-speaking countries, candidates will take the name of a saint. The saint will act as a patron and guide to the person seeking confirmation. Candidates will usually devote time during their confirmation classes to choosing a saint who particularly inspires them. |::|

“Catholics are usually confirmed after they have received their first Holy Communion. However, this is not the traditional order for conferring the three sacraments of Christian initiation. When an adult is initiated into the Catholic Church, he or she must receive baptism, confirmation and Holy Communion in that order. In some parts of the world, Catholic dioceses are returning to the traditional order, allowing children to be confirmed before they receive their first Holy Communion for the first time at the age of seven or eight. |::|

Orthodox Confirmation

Confirmation is also known as Chrismation, or Christening. Orthodox Christian children are confirmed with a sacred oil that has been elaborately prepared in a ceremony presided over by a Patriarch. It represents the sacrament of the Pentecost: when a Christian receives the gift of the Holy Spirit, which enables him or her to receive all other sacraments and elevates them to a kind of “special order” status that allows them to teach, and take part in governing a Christian community.

Orthodox Christianity differs from Catholicism in that baptism and christening are performed together. Orthodox Christian children are baptized and christened around the age of ten months or earlier to signify salivation. Having this done at such an early age means that their life as a religious participant begin very early.

According to the BBC: “Eastern Churches refer to confirmation as Chrismation. They confer Chrismation at the same time as baptism. This is also the practice of Eastern Rite Catholics. (An Eastern rite Catholic is in union with the Pope but is not a member of the Roman Catholic Church). The special relationship between Roman Catholics and members of the Eastern Churches means that the Catholic Church does not confirm converts from the Eastern rite. By contrast, when Roman Catholics and Protestants convert to Orthodoxy, they are usually received into the Church by Chrismation but without baptism. However, some bishops require converts to be admitted through baptism. Protestants, in particular, may have to be baptised again. |::|

Protestant Confirmations

According to the BBC: “The Methodist Church offers the rite of confirmation for any member who wants to make a public statement of faith as a committed Christian. Like Anglicans and Catholics, Methodists confirm the promises that were made on their behalf as a baby. A minister conducts the confirmation service through the laying of hands and the following prayer: "Lord, confirm your servant by your Holy Spirit that he/she may continue yours forever." [Source: BBC, June 23, 2009]

“Confirmation does not take place in the Baptist Church where believers are baptised as adults through full immersion. A core belief is that the baptised makes a firm commitment to discipleship and the church. Some Baptist churches may also be willing to re-baptise a person who has embraced the Christian faith although they were baptised as a baby into another denomination.

Some of the practices surrounding confirmation in the Church of England are similar to the Roman Catholic Church but only the bishop can confer the sacrament. |Traditionally, confirmation was part of a wider ceremony of Christian initiation in the Church of England. It only became a separate rite when bishops were no longer able to preside at all baptisms. Anglicans who choose to be confirmed make a further commitment to the Christian journey that began with their baptism. It marks their decision to live a responsible and committed Christian life. |::|

“Through prayer and the laying of hands, the bishop asks God to send his Holy Spirit to give them the strength to live as disciples of Christ. Like baptism, there are two different types of confirmation services in the Church of England. There are those that follow the confirmation rite in The Book of Common Prayer and those that follow the confirmation rite from the Common Worship.

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Text Sources:Internet Sourcebook sourcebooks.fordham.edu ; “World Religions” edited by Geoffrey Parrinder (Facts on File); “ Encyclopedia of the World’s Religions” edited by R.C. Zaehner (Barnes & Noble Books, 1959); King James Version of the Bible, gutenberg.org; New International Version (NIV) of The Bible, biblegateway.com; Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ccel.org , Frontline, PBS, Wikipedia, BBC, National Geographic, New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Smithsonian magazine, The New Yorker, Time, Live Science, Encyclopedia.com, Archaeology magazine, Reuters, Associated Press, Business Insider, AFP, Library of Congress, Lonely Planet Guides, Compton’s Encyclopedia and various books and other publications.

Last updated March 2024