In the first centuries of Christianity becoming a Christian was not a quick gesture. For adults who asked to enter the Church there was a long and structured path, the catechumenate, which culminated on a precise night of the year: the Easter vigil. Sources from the third and fourth centuries give us its stages in rich detail.
The main sources
Among the most important texts are:
- the so-called Apostolic Tradition, a church order traditionally attributed to Hippolytus of Rome, whose authorship is now debated;
- the Catecheses of Cyril of Jerusalem, from the fourth century, and the Mystagogical Catecheses attributed to him;
- the travel diary of Egeria, a pilgrim who visited Jerusalem at the end of the fourth century and described the local liturgy;
- the treatises De mysteriis and De sacramentis associated with Ambrose of Milan.
The first entry
Whoever wished to become a Christian was presented by sponsors, who vouched for their conduct. According to the Apostolic Tradition, their occupations were also examined: certain trades, considered incompatible with the faith, had to be abandoned. The candidate then became a catechumen, that is, "one who is instructed by word of mouth".
The catechumenate could last a long time; the Apostolic Tradition speaks of three years, while admitting exceptions. During this period catechumens heard the readings and instruction, but were dismissed before the most sacred part of the liturgy, the Eucharist, which they could not attend.
Lent: the elect
At the beginning of Lent those who were ready gave in their names to receive baptism at the coming Easter. These candidates took special names: competentes in the West, photizomenoi, "those being enlightened", in the East.
The Lenten period was intense:
- daily instruction: Egeria relates that in Jerusalem the bishop explained the Scriptures to the candidates every day;
- scrutinies: gatherings with exorcisms and prayers, to test and purify;
- handing over of the creed: the candidate was entrusted with the Creed, which had to be learned by heart and then "given back" by reciting it before the community.
Easter night
The heart of the rite was the Easter vigil. The ancient descriptions, despite local differences, agree on some fundamental gestures.
Renunciation and adherence
Cyril of Jerusalem explains that the candidate, in the vestibule of the baptistery, turned towards the west, the region of sunset and darkness, and renounced Satan and his works. Then he turned towards the east, the region of light, and professed his adherence to Christ. It was a spatial gesture of separation and new direction.
Stripping and anointing
The candidate laid aside his clothes, a sign of the old self being abandoned, and received an anointing with exorcised oil.
Immersion
He then entered the baptismal pool. At each question about the faith, Father, Son and Spirit, he answered "I believe" and was immersed: three times. Ancient commentators compared the bath to Christ's three days in the tomb: the water was both tomb and womb.
The white garment and the new entry
Coming out of the water, the neophyte received another anointing and a white garment, to be worn throughout the following week. He then entered the assembly of the faithful for the first time and took part in the Eucharist. The Apostolic Tradition also mentions a cup of milk and honey, recalling the promised land.
Mystagogy
After Easter the neophytes received a final instruction, mystagogy, the explanation of the mysteries in which they had taken part. The principle was clear: some things are understood only after they have been lived. For this reason the rites were not explained in advance, and scholars speak of a "discipline of the secret", a certain reticence about the sacraments towards the unbaptised.
A passage in three stages
Ancient Christian initiation corresponds strikingly to the pattern of rites of passage: separation from previous life, a long marginal period in the catechumenate, aggregation on Easter night with new clothing and admission to the common banquet.
The calendar itself takes part in the passage: Easter night, which celebrates death and resurrection, is the moment when the candidate symbolically lives his own death to the old self and his birth as one of the faithful.
In short
- In the early centuries the Christian initiation of adults was a long path called the catechumenate.
- Catechumens heard instruction but left before the Eucharist.
- In Lent the candidates underwent scrutinies, exorcisms and the handing over of the Creed.
- On Easter night came renunciation facing west, adherence facing east, triple immersion and the white garment.
- Mystagogy explained the rites only after they had been lived.
