Author: Rev. Associated Prof. PhD. Marin Cojoc (Faculty of Orthodox Theology in Craiova)
Keywords: child baptism, baptizatus, Roman-Byzantine Empire, gratiam baptisimi
Abstract:
In the early periods of Christianity, when Christianity was persecuted and outlawed, the Mysteries of the Church were considered secrets that should not be revealed to the profane, therefore there was a certain period of preparation (novitiate) with Christian rules and norms that were thoroughly learned and applied rigorously through an arcane discipline to those who wanted to enter Christianity. The Holy Sacrament of Baptism, the first of the six Sacraments of the Christian Church, was celebrated only when the respective Christians acquired thorough training and demonstrated strong convictions to enter Christianity. At the same time, the respective persons and families passing through this period of neophytes and catechumens benefited from the sacrament of baptism both as adults and their children. This historical truth is demonstrated by archaeology, which is the x-ray of history, where countless inscriptions from both the pars occidentis and the pars orientis demonstrate the baptism of children at quite early ages. Unfortunately, most such inscriptions are funerary in nature, where we are shown countless children who died baptized at certain ages of their childhood. This historical truth is demonstrated by certain formulas such as: accipere, reccipere or perccipere (which means receiving baptism) redidit spiritum or the more complete formula of gratiam baptisimi. For a better understanding of this phenomenon in the history of the early Church, several inscriptions were analyzed with the place and space where they appeared and with the rigorous translation to see concrete examples and peremptory arguments of the baptism of children. In this historical spectrum, in which inscriptions about children prepared for baptism or even baptized (neophytes/baptizatus) and who died in unfortunate circumstances appear, there are also a few cases from the Danube lands. From the provinces close to our country we have similar inscriptions in Dacia Ripensis, in Salona and in Serdica.
Pages: 53-82