Bellarmine · De Controversiis · On the Sacrament of Baptism
Chapter 26: On the Ceremonies Which Accompany and Follow Baptism
Our translation, from the Latin of the Opera Omnia (Paris: Vivès, 1870–74), vol. III, De Sacramento Baptismi, the second general controversy on the sacraments. The Latin source text is public domain; this English rendering is released with the site. Scripture quotations follow Bellarmine's Vulgate citations, rendered in Douay-Rheims wording where he quotes exactly. Click “Show the Latin” for the original (raw OCR of the scan; scanning errors remain — the scan itself is the authority).
Chapter 26. On the Ceremonies Which Accompany Baptism
In Baptism itself these ceremonies are used. First, a name is given to the baptized; where Illyricus was truly ridiculous, Century 1, book 2, chapter 6, column 494, who proves from this that in the time of the apostles this ceremony was not in use, because the eunuch of Queen Candace, Acts 8, is always called the eunuch, both before Baptism and after; as if eunuch were the proper name of the person, and did not rather mark a defect of the body, which surely cannot be taken away by Baptism. This ceremony seems to be taken from the Old Testament. For in circumcision a name was given to the child, as is plain in Luke 1 of John, and Luke 2 of Christ. Dionysius the Areopagite mentions the same among Christians in the place cited. The ancients, who when they were baptized either at the end of life or at least well grown, did not change their names in Baptism, as is plain of Saul, Acts 9, and of Cornelius, Acts 10, and of Ambrose, Augustine and others; yet when infants were baptized, their fathers were accustomed to give them the names of saints, as we do now. This is plain from Dionysius of Alexandria, in Eusebius, book 7 of the History, chapter 25, according to the version of Christopherson. For this Dionysius writes that the children of Christians were often given the names of Peter, Paul, John and so on. The same is plain also from the very names of many of the ancients, as Peter of Alexandria, and Peter the brother of Basil, John Chrysostom, and John Cassian, and others, who had Hebrew names though they were Greeks. Nay, there is extant on this matter a canon too, among the canons of the Council of Nicaea lately turned from Arabic into Latin and published by Francisco Torres, in which Christians are ordered in Baptism to give their children the names not of Gentiles but of Christians.
The second ceremony is that they have sponsors, by whom they are lifted from the sacred font, and afterwards more carefully instructed in the faith. Dionysius the Areopagite, On the Church Hierarchy, the last chapter, calls them receivers; Tertullian in the book On Baptism calls them sponsors. Of the same see Augustine, sermon 116 de tempore, which is the third on Palm Sunday, and book 1 On the Merits and Remission of Sins, chapter 34.
The third is the consecration of the water, which Dionysius mentions in the chapter on Baptism: “The water of regeneration is first consecrated with holy invocations.” Cyprian has the same, book 1, letter 12; Ambrose, book 1 On the Sacraments, chapter 5; Basil in the book On the Holy Spirit, chapter 27, where he says that this is an apostolic tradition. Lastly Augustine, book 6 against Julian, chapter 8, and homily 27 of the book of fifty homilies, and tractate 118 on John, at the end.
The fourth is the threefold immersion, which Clement mentions, canon 49 of the apostles; Dionysius in the place cited; Tertullian, the book On the Soldier's Crown and the book against Praxeas; Cyril, catechesis 2; Basil, On the Holy Spirit, chapter 27; Chrysostom, homily 24 on John; Augustine, sermons 91 and 201 de tempore. But it is to be observed that the Arians began to abuse this ceremony (as Gregory writes, book 1, letter 41, to Leander) to establish their error. For since the threefold immersion was done by Catholics to signify the three divine persons and the three days of Christ's burial, as Gregory says in the same place, the Arians used the threefold immersion to signify three natures of the three persons. Wherefore it then seemed good to Gregory too that in Spain a single immersion should be done; and a little after the Fourth Council of Toledo confirmed the same, chapter 6. But now, according to the variety of regions, either one or three immersions are used; for neither is of the essence of the sacrament, as Gregory and the said council testify in the places cited.
The fifth is the time of Easter and Pentecost. For although Baptism can be given at any time whatever if necessity presses, yet the ancients most carefully kept this ceremony, that they baptized ordinarily only on the Saturdays of Easter and Pentecost. There are extant on this matter the decretal letters of Siricius, letter 1, chapter 2, and of Leo I, letter 4 and letter 80, and of Gelasius, letter 1, chapter 12, where they most severely reprove certain bishops who dared, outside the case of necessity, to confer Baptism at the Epiphany or on the feast days of the martyrs; and they order the ancient custom to be kept, that Baptism be given only at Easter and Pentecost. That this was an ancient and universal custom is plain also from the catecheses of Cyril, which were therefore given in Lent, because they prepared for the Baptism to be celebrated at Easter. Likewise from Jerome in the letter to Pammachius against the errors of John of Jerusalem, and from those words of Augustine in the book On the Care to Be Had for the Dead, chapter 12: “Easter came; he gave in his name among the other competentes.” Lastly, that this ceremony pleased God can be understood from the miracle which Paschasinus, bishop, relates in the letter to St. Leo which is had before letter 61 of St. Leo. Where he says that in Sicily in his time there was a sacred font in a certain very small church set on a certain mountain, which stayed dry the whole year, and on the Easter vigil alone (at which time Baptism is given) overflowed with water at the hour of baptizing, though no channels, no pits, no water anywhere near were to be seen. And what Illyricus objects from the Acts of the Apostles, who did not keep these times in baptizing Paul, Cornelius and the like, is answered by Ambrose on chapter 4 to the Ephesians, where he says that at the beginning of the Church, that the Christian people might easily be spread, it was granted to all to baptize at every time; yet a little after, when churches had been established, the order was laid down that only certain men, that is, presbyters, should baptize, and on fixed days.
Chapter 27. On the Ceremonies Which Follow Baptism
The ceremonies which follow Baptism are five more. The first seems to have been the kiss of peace, as a sign that the baptized is our brother. Cyprian mentions this ceremony, book 3, letter 8, to Fidus: for he answers certain men who thought that infants newly born were not to be baptized, and brought as an argument that the kiss must be given to the baptized, and all shrink from kissing a newborn infant. And Cyprian answers that there is no reason why a Christian should shrink from kissing one whom God himself created.
The second is the anointing with chrism on the crown of the head; which indeed seems to have been brought in because the bishop is not always present who could give the sacrament of Confirmation at once after Baptism. Therefore meanwhile the baptized is anointed by a presbyter, not indeed on the forehead but on the crown of the head, with chrism consecrated by the bishop. Damasus mentions this ceremony in the Life of Sylvester; Innocent I, letter 1, chapter 3; Ambrose, book 3 On the Sacraments, chapter 1; and Jerome in the dialogue against the Luciferians, where he says that it is not lawful for presbyters to baptize without chrism. Where he speaks openly of the anointing with chrism which is given by a presbyter on the crown of the head; for in the same place a little before he asserted that the sacrament of Confirmation is not given except by a bishop.
The third ceremony is the lighted candle, which is given to the baptized as a sign of the faith and grace received, and that he has been carried over from the power of darkness to light and to the lot of the saints. Gregory Nazianzen mentions this ceremony in the oration on holy Baptism, and Augustine on Psalm 65, on that, “We have passed through fire and water.”
The fourth is the white garment, which they used to wear from Holy Saturday up to Low Sunday. Dionysius mentions it, On the Church Hierarchy, the chapter on Baptism; Ambrose, the book On Those Who Are Initiated into the Mysteries, chapter 7; and Augustine, sermon 157 de tempore, which is the first in the octave of Easter.
The fifth ceremony was of old the tasting of milk and honey, or of wine, which yet at this time is not in use. Tertullian mentions this ceremony, book 1 against Marcion, and Jerome in the dialogue against the Luciferians, where he says that it used to be done as a sign of the new infancy in Christ. Hence too in the Mass of Low Sunday, because of the newly baptized, that is read from the letter of Peter: “As newborn babes, desire the milk.” But this does not seem to have been general, since Jerome writes that it was in force only in the West, on chapter 55 of Isaiah, on that, “Buy wine and milk.” And so it is no wonder if it was at last left off; as also that other, which Ambrose mentions, book 3 On the Sacraments, chapter 1, of washing the feet of the newly baptized straight after Baptism, was particular to certain churches, and therefore easily fell out of use.
Show the Latin (Vives edition, OCR)
CAPUV XXVI.
De caercmoniis, quae Baplismum comi-
ianiur.
In ipso autcm Baplismo hae caeremoniac adhi-
benlur. Primo imponilur nomcn baptizato; ubi ri-
diculus sanc fuit Illyricus, Cent. 1. lib. 2. cap. 0.
col, U)l. qui cx 00 probat apostolorum lcrapon^
non fuissc in usu hanc cacrcmoniam, quia cunu-
chus reginao Candacis, Actor. 8. scmper vocatur
Eunuchus, lam antc Baplismum, quam post: qua-
si Eunuchus sit nomon proprium personac, cl non
potius designet vilium corporis, quod sanc Baptis-
rao loUi non polest. Sumpla vidctur haec caore-
monia ex Testaraento voleri. Nam in circumcisio-
ne imponohalur noinon parvulo, ut palet Luc. 1.
de Joanne; ol Luc. 2. dc Christo. Iljusdem apud
Christianos mominit Dionys. aroopagila loco cila-
to. Volercs, qiii qiiando ba[)lizabanlur vel in lino
vilae, vel ccrtc valde adiilli, non rautabant nomina
in Baptismn. ut palot do Saulo, Actor. 0,ct do Cor-
nclio, Actor, 10. ol do Amhrosio, Auguslino, et a-
his: tamon cum ba[)tizal)aiilur intantcs, snlobant
palrcs corum iniponorc nomina sanclorum, iit mo-
do facimus. Id patel ex Dionysio aloxandr. apiid
Eusohium lib, 7, hisloriao, rap. 20. socnndum
vorsioiu^m Cliristophorsoni. Scrihit onim is Diony
siiis, liliis Christianorum sacpe imponi consuovis
so noraina Polri, Paiili. Joannis olc, Idom oliam
[latol ev ipsis noiuinibus multorum votonira, iil
Pctri alcxandrini, el Pelri Iralris Basilii: Joannif^
27
20f.
DK 5;\r.nAMi-:Nro HAnisMi
('lu-ysnslomi. cl Joannis Cnssiani, ot nlioriim. (jui
nomiiKi liol)raioa lial)iioroiil, oiiin ipsi (iraeci es-
sonl. Inunu oliiim i\c liac ro oxslal oliani oanon.
M). mter oaiionos nioaoni conoilii nn|)or o\ arahi-
co in lalinum conversos.el ciiilos a Kranoisoo Tur-
riano; in (ino jnhonlnr (^hrisliimi in Haiilismo no-
niina imponorc liliis suis.non (ioiiliiinm. s(>il Chri-
slianorum.
Soomuia caoromonia osl.nl liaboanlsnscoplores.
a qnilius de saoro foiilo JovtMiliir. ol poslca diligon-
lius in lido inslituanlnr, Kos vocil IHonysins areo-
pas?ila de ccclosiaslioa liierarcli. cap. iilt. Suscc-
ptores: Tcrtull. in lih. <le naplismo.sponsons ap-
pcllat. De iisdom vide Au},nisliniim sorm. IK». do
lemporc. qui cst terlius de dominica paliiuirum. cl
lib. I. oap. :Vt. do peocal. meril. et remiss.
Tertia est. consocralio aqiiae. cujns mominil
Dionysius cap. de Haplismo: Jicfioneralionis (iqiia
sucris iniocalionihiis prius consecratur.](\(im lia-
bont Cypriaii. Iib. I. opisl. iiil. Ambros. lib. I.do
sacram. cap. 5. iJasil. lib. dc Spiriln sanclo cap.
21. ubi dicil. hnnc esse apostolioam Iradilioncm.
Donique Auguslinus lib 0. in Julianum oa|). 8. et
bom. 27. ex lib. oO. liomiliarum, ct Iracl. 118. in
Joannem in iinc.
Quarta est, Irina mersio. cujus mcminil Clo-
niens can. 19. aposlolorum, Dionysius looo cilato,
Terlull. lib. dc corona miliUim. el lib. conlra Pra-
leam. Cyrillus catech. 2. Dasilius de Spirilu san-
clo cap. 27. Chrysostomus bom. H. in Jonn. Au-
.cnstinus serm. 01. el 201. de lempore. Obscrvnn-
dum cst aulem Arianos nbuli coepissc hac oaere-
nionia (ut Grcgorius scribit lib. 1. cpist. II. ad
Lcandrum) ad suum crrorom slabilicndum. Nam
ciim Irina mersio iicrct a oallinli,Ms ad siijiiinoan-
das tros personas divinns. el Iri.luum sepullurae
Christi. ut Gregorius ibidem dicit: Ariaiii Irina
mersione ulebanlur ad significandas tres naluras
inum porsonnrura. Quarc ct lunc Grcgorio visnm
651, ut in Ilispania una mersio liprcl: ci idem pan-
lo post confirmavil concilium tolelanum IV. cap.
.». .>unc aulcm pro rogionum variclale. vcl nna vol
trina mersio adhibeliir:nciilrum enim ost dc osscn-
iia sacramenli, ul Gregorius, ct dicluin concilium
locis citalis lestanlur.
Quinta esl, tempus paschalc el pcnlcoosIos.Elsi
cnira quovis lcmpore dari possil Raplismus 'Ji nc-
cessitas nri,'ent: tamen veteres diligentissime ser-
vabanl banc cacremoniam. ut soium in snbbalhis
paschae el penlecostes ordinarie baplizarenl. Ex-
slant de bac rc epislolae decrclnlos Svricii 1 oap
-. cl Leonis I. epist. 4. et episi. 80.*ei Gclnsii c-
pi^l. 1. cap. I2.ubi severissimereprohenduntepi-
^copos quosdam, qui audebant exlra casum neoes-
Hlaiis I .iplismum conlerrc in epiphania, aut ffi-
slis dicbus marlyrum. ot jubcnt, ul servclur nnli-
qua consucludo. ul sol.im in paschale el penteco-
sic dr.iir Laplismus. Esse item hnnc anliquam ct
univcrsaleiu consucludincm.palel ex oalcchcsibus
Cyrilli. quae idco in qundrngcsima hnbilae sunt,
quia praeparnbant ad B;.;.|ismum in pnschale cele-
brandum Item ex H.eronymo in episl. ad Pamraa-
cliiuin adversus errorcs Jonnnis hicrosolvmilnni,
eiexillis verbisAugusliui lib. de cura pro mor-
luis cap. 12. Ycnil pascha. tlcdil noino.u inlcr
alios c.ompctcnlcs. Doiii(|U(i placuissc Dco hnnc
on(>romoniam inlolligi polcsl ex miraculo, (|uod
iiarral P.isohasinus opisoopus in opislol.ad s.I^eo-
ncm, (piac liabclur anlc opist. (»1. s. Lcoiiis. IJbi
dioil.in Sicilia suo tcmpori! biisse sacrum fontiim.
in (piadam per(!\igua ccclosia, in (luodain moiilc
sita, (pii lolo aiiiio aridiis manobal, ol in sola pa-
sohalis vigilia (ipio tcmporc datur napiismusjaquis
rodiindabat liora bapli/.aiuii, ciim nulii canalcs,
niillac fovcac. nuiiupiam a(pia vicina coiispicerc-
tur. Quod aulcm lllyricus objicit ex Aclis nposlo-
lorum, qui non scrvnrnnt liacc liMiiporc in bapti-
zando Paulo, Cornclio, ct similibus; solvilnr ab
Ambrosio in cap. i. ad Kplics. ubi dicil.iniiio Ec-
clesiao, ut pojuilus chrislianus facile propagare-
lur. oonocssum luis>c omnibus, iit omni biiuporo.
ba|)lizarcnl: lamcii paiilo post Ecclcsiis consiilu-
tis, ordincin slntutum fuisse. ut solum (]uidam,
idcsl, prcsbylcri, et ccrtis dicbus baplizaroiit.
CAPUT XXVII.
De caercmoniis, qnac sequunlur llaptismum.
Cncremoniac, quae sequunlur Baplismuin, sunt
aliae quinque. Prima vidctur fuisse osculum pacis,
iu signum, quod baptizatus est iraler nosler. Me-
minit luijus cacremoniae Cyprianus lib. 3. cpist.
8. ad Fidnm: respondet cnim quibusdam, qui cx-
islimabant non esse bapliznndos inlanles reccns
nalos. el in argumentum adfercbant, quin oporlct
osculum dari baptizato; omncs aulcm horrenl in-
fanlem recens nalum osculari. Kespondct auteni
Cyprianus.nihil esse cur horrcal Chrisliauus oscu-
lari cum, qucm Deus ipse crcavil.
Socuuda csl, unctio Clirismalis in vcrlice: quac
quidcm inlroductn videtur. qiiia noii semper adest
opiscopns, qui possit coiitinuo darc posl Bapti-
smum sacrnmentum Confirmationis. Idco eniiu in-
terim ungilur a prcsbylero baplizalus,uon quidcni
iu fronlo, sed in verlice, Clirismate nb episcopo
consccrnto. Meminil hujus cacremoniae Damasus
in vita Sylvestri. Innoccnlins I. episl. I.cap. 3.
Ainbros. lib. 3. de sacramcnlis cap.l. ct Ilierony-
mus in dialogo contra Lucif(Mianos, ubi dicil, pre-
sbyleris non licerc sino Clirismnlc baplizarc. l'bi
apcrlc luquilur dc unclione Chrismalis, quae da-
lur a prcsbylcro in vertice: iiam ibidera pauloanle
asscruit, sacramciilum Confirmationis non dari,
nisi ab episcopo.
Terlia cacremonia est, cereus accensus, qui da-
tnr baplizalo in signum fidci, et gralinc acccplnc,
et quod sit translalus a potcstale tencbrarurn ad
lumen et sortem sanclorum, Meminil hojuscaere-
moniae Gregorius nazianzenus in oralioue in san-
clurn lavacrum, el Auguslinus in psalm. G5. in il-
lud: Transivimus perignem ei aquam.
Ouarln est, veslis candida, quara fcrre solebant
a sabbalho sancto, usque ad dominicnm in nlbis.
Moniinil liujus Dionysius dc ecclesiast. hicrarcb.
LIBER PRI.MLS Dtl S.VCKAMElNTO BAPTISMI
2()7
cap. de Bnplismo. Ambrosius Iib.de iis, qui myst.
init. cnp. 7. et Auguslinus serm. J57. dc tempore,
qui csl 1. in octiiva pascliatis.
Quinta cacrcmonia olim fuit, dclibalio laclis et
mellis, scu vini, quae tamcn hoc lempore non est
in usu. Mcminit hujus cacrcmoniae Tcrlull. lib.l.
contra Marcionem, et Ilieronym. in dialogo contra
Lucifcrianos, ubi dicit, id fieri consucvisse in si-
gnum novae infantiae in Christo. Unde etiam in
missa doniinicac in albis legitur propter iicophy-
tos illud ex epistola Potri: Quasi modo genili in-
fanles lac concupiscite. Sed haec non videlur fu-
isse generalis, cum tantum in occidenle eam vi-
guisse scribat Hieronymus, in cap. 55. Isaiae, in
illud: Emile vinum et lac. Itaque non mirum, si
practcrmissa tandem fuit; sicut etiam illa, cujus
meminil Ambrosius lib. 3. de sacramenlis cap. 1.
lavandi pedcs neophytis mox a Baplismo particu-
laris erat qnarundam Ecclesiarum,ct idcirco facile
exolevil.