II. О ТАИНСТВЕ MИРOПOMA3АНИЯ

§ 207. Connection with the previous one, the place of the sacrament of Confirmation among others, the concept of this sacrament and its names Through Baptism we are born into spiritual life, and clean from all sin, justified and sanctified, we enter the grace-filled kingdom of Christ. But just as in natural life, as soon as a person is born into the world, he already needs air, light and other external aids and forces, to maintain his being, to gradually strengthen himself and grow: so in spiritual life, suddenly after a person is born from above, he needs the grace-filled powers of the Holy Spirit, which would serve for him as spiritual air and light, and with the help of which he could not only maintain his new life, but also gradually strengthen in it and increase. These divine powers, even for life and piety (2 Peter 1:3), are given to everyone reborn in Baptism through another sacrament of the Church, through the sacrament of Confirmation. Why has the Orthodox Church since ancient times observed the custom of teaching this sacrament immediately after Baptism and even in connection with it 1006, so that Confirmation takes second place among other church sacraments, in the order in which they are performed. Confirmation is a sacrament through which the Holy Spirit is imparted to the baptized person; or, more fully and separately, are communicated to the Christian, when parts of his body are anointed with consecrated myrrh, with the utterance of the words: “the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit,” the grace-filled powers necessary for his strengthening and growth in spiritual life. According to its essence, Confirmation has been called since ancient times by different names, expressing either its external side, or its internal effects on a person, or both. In the first respect, it was sometimes called the laying on of hands: because it was originally performed by the Apostles through the laying on of hands on those who were baptized (Acts 8:14-16); and more often - by anointing 1007, sacramental unction 1008, sacrament of anointing 1009, anointing of salvation 1010: because from the days of the apostles it began to be accomplished through the anointing of those baptized with consecrated myrrh. In the second - the gift of the Spirit 1011, the sacrament of the Spirit 1012. symbol of the Spirit 1013, affirmation 1014, accomplishment 1015: because it communicates the gifts of the Holy Spirit, confirming and perfecting us in spiritual life. In the latter - the seal 1016, the seal of the Lord 1017, the spiritual seal 1018, the seal of eternal life 1019: because, when the parts of the body are sealed with the sanctified world, it seals together with the oil of joy (Psalm 44.8). that is, by the Holy Spirit, all the powers of the human soul. § 208. Divine establishment of the sacrament of Confirmation, its separation from Baptism and independence Although Confirmation has been performed in the Orthodox Church since ancient times in connection with Baptism, immediately after it: nevertheless, Confirmation is a special Divinely established sacrament, separate from Baptism. We are convinced of this from St. Scriptures, and from St. Legends. 1. Gospel History testifies that Christ the Savior had the intention and promised to give those who believe in Him the Holy Spirit. On the last day of the great holiday, says St. John the Theologian, Jesus stood and called: If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Believe in me, as the scripture says, rivers of living waters will flow out of his belly. This is what the faithful said about Dus, who the believers wanted to receive in his name: He did not have the Holy Spirit, for Jesus was not glorified (John 7:37-39). Here, obviously, we are talking about such gifts of the Holy Spirit that are offered, and so on. necessary in general to believers in the Lord Jesus, and not about extraordinary gifts, which are communicated only to some of the believers for special purposes (1 Cor. 12:29 et al.) - although it is not mentioned through what visible medium the necessary gifts of the Holy Spirit will be taught to all believers. 2. The Book of the Acts of the Apostles tells that the Apostles, after Jesus Christ was already glorified, actually taught the Holy Spirit to those who believed in Him, and taught precisely through the laying on of hands. Such, for example, was the following case: when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. Those who came down prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit. I didn’t even come to a single one of them, except to baptize them in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then he laid his hand on him and received the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:14-17). From here it is absolutely clear: a) that the apostles taught the Holy Spirit to believers not through baptism (in which believers are only reborn or created from the Spirit instantly, without receiving Him into themselves forever), but through the laying on of hands on those who were baptized; b) that through this conferment the Apostles taught believers the gifts of the Holy Spirit, necessary for all who have received Baptism, and not extraordinary gifts imparted only to some; c) that this is the laying on of hands, combined with a prayer to God for the sending of St. Spirit, constituted a special sacrament, separate from Baptism - and d) finally, that this sacrament, separate from Baptism, has a Divine institution: because the Apostles in all their words and actions during the dissemination of the Gospel teaching were inspired by the Holy Spirit, who guided them into all truth and remembered to them everything that the Lord Jesus commanded them (John 14, 26; 16, 13 ). We read the same about St. Apostle Paul: Paul spoke (to the disciples of John): if you have received the Holy Spirit by nature, having believed? They decided to him: but even if the Holy Spirit was present, we heard. I said to them: why are you being baptized? They also rekosha: in John's baptism. Paul said: John therefore baptize with the baptism of repentance, saying to the people, that in the one who comes for us they may believe, that is, in Christ Jesus. And when she heard it, she was baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And I will lay Paul’s hand on her, and the Holy Spirit will come upon her (Acts 19:2-6). 3. Finally, the saints themselves. The apostles in their epistles, which appeared after the book of their Acts, reminding believers of their acceptance of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, instructing them in the truths of faith and confirming them in piety, express that they accepted these gifts precisely through anointing. And you have anointing from the Holy One, and you know everything, wrote St. Apostle John, - and you have received the anointing from it, it abides in you, and you do not demand, but who teaches you: but as the anointing itself teaches you about everything, and is true and not false: and whatever it teaches you, abide in it (1 John 2:20.27). Likewise, St. Paul says: God, who has sealed (σφοαγισάμενος) us and has anointed (χρίσας) us in Christ and has anointed (χρίσας) us, and has given the betrothal of the Spirit into our hearts (2 Cor. 1:21.22). It cannot be denied that the Apostles speak here primarily about the internal action of the sacrament through which the Holy Spirit is taught; but on the other hand, it is natural to think that to express this internal action, wanting to be understandable to Christians, they used words borrowed from the well-known external action, which served as a visible sign of the first 1020; and one cannot help but notice that the Apostles even directly point to this external action: and you also partook of the anointing... God who anointed us... who baked us..., - as the ancient teachers of the Church explained both texts cited 1021. If so, then one of two things should be concluded: either St. The Apostles, teaching the believers the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands, at the same time inseparably used another visible sign - anointing, which is only silent about in the book of the Acts of the Apostles; or, what is much more likely, initially performing the sacrament through the laying on of hands, the saints themselves. The apostles soon replaced this visible sign, according to the instructions of the Spirit of truth, with another visible sacred rite - the anointing of those baptized. But in both cases it follows that the use of the world in this sacrament is of Divine origin. 4. The Holy Fathers and teachers of the Church do not leave the slightest doubt about the reality and Divine origin of the sacrament we are considering. These are those who lived in the first three centuries: St. Dionysius the Areopagite. Having outlined the sacred rite of the sacrament of the Eucharist, he clearly says; “there is another, equivalent to this (i.e., the Eucharist) sacred act, which our mentors (i.e., the Apostles) call the sacrament of peace" 1022, and then reveals in detail how the very sanctification of the world is performed, how Confirmation is taught to those who are baptized, what actions it has in them, and notes: “this perfect anointing with myrrh is taught to those who have been awarded the most holy sacrament of rebirth - outpouring of the Divine Spirit" 1023. St. Theophilus of Antioch: “The name of Christ means anointed, a decent, pleasant name and in no way worthy of ridicule... We are called Christians because we are anointed with Divine oil” 1024. Tertullian: “Coming out of the font, we are anointed with the blessed anointing, according to the ancient rite, as we were usually anointed for the priesthood with oil from the horn... The anointing is performed on us bodily, but it bears fruit spiritually, just as in Baptism itself the action is physical when we are immersed in water, but the fruit is spiritual when we are cleansed of sins. Behind this is laid a hand, calling and bringing down through the blessing of the Holy Spirit" 1025. Clement of Alexandria. Speaking about the followers of the heretic Basilides and their false teaching, he expresses that in this fatalistic system “there is no longer either blessed Baptism or blessed sealing” 1026, and thus clearly distinguishes the sacrament of sealing or Confirmation from Baptism, and places it on an equal footing with it. St. Cyprian. In one of his letters, he says: “the one who has been baptized must still be anointed, so that, having accepted Christ, that is, anointing, he can be the anointed of God and have the grace of Christ in himself” 1027. In one letter, proving that it is not enough to just lay hands on heretics who are turning into the bowels of the Church, but it is necessary to baptize them, he writes: “for then only they can be fully sanctified and become sons of God if they are reborn by both, by the sacrament - si utroque sacramento nascantur” 1028 - i.e., he not only separates the laying on of hands or Confirmation from Baptism, but equally calls it and another sacrament. The third letter testifies that just as the apostles Peter and John, through prayer, through the laying on of hands, sent down the Holy Spirit on the Samaritans, so in the Church from now on, everyone who is baptized, through the prayer of the primates, through the laying on of their hands, receives the Holy Spirit and is sealed with the Divine Seal 1029. Pope Cornelius. Having said that the heretic Novatus was baptized during his illness only through sprinkling, he continues: “having recovered, he did not accept other things that, according to the charter of the Church, he should have accepted, it was he who was not sealed from the bishop; and without accepting this, how could he receive the Holy Spirit? 1030. This means that sealing or Confirmation was then considered separate from Baptism; the performance of Confirmation on the baptized was required by the statutes of the Church, and only this sacrament was given the power to teach the Holy Spirit 1031. To these ancient testimonies about the sacrament of Confirmation, one can add the testimonies of the Fathers and teachers of the Church of the fourth century, for example: St. Cyril of Jerusalem: “Then (you will know) how you received from the Lord the cleansing of sins by the washing of water in the verb (Eph. 5:26) ..., and how you were given the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit, and about the mysteries of the new covenant performed on the altar” 1032. Also in another place: “You became anointed when you received the identity of the Holy Spirit; and everything was accomplished on you figuratively, that is, in likeness, because you are the image of Christ. He, having washed himself in the Jordan River, and imparting a Divine fragrance to the waters from his sweat, ascended from them; and there was a substantial influx of the Holy Spirit upon Him, when like rested upon like. So you too, when you came out of the font of sacred waters, were given an anointing corresponding to the one with which Christ was anointed...” “See, do not consider this world simple. For just as the bread in the Eucharist, upon the invocation of the Holy Spirit, is not simpler bread, but the body of Christ: so this holy ointment is not simpler, lower, if anyone would say, ordinary upon invocation: but the gift of Christ and the Holy Spirit, made real by the presence of His Divinity. Your forehead and other instruments of the senses are significantly anointed with it. And when the body is visibly anointed, then the soul is sanctified by the Holy and life-giving Spirit” 1033. St. Gregory the Theologian: “If you protect yourself with a seal, you secure your future with the best and most effective benefit, marking your soul and body with chrismation and the Spirit, like Israel of old with nightly blood and anointing protecting the firstborn (Isa. 12:13): then what can happen to you?” 1034. Fathers of the Council of Laodicea: “It is fitting for those who are enlightened after baptism to be anointed with the heavenly unction, and to be partakers of the kingdom of God” (right 48). And again: “those who are converting from heresy, that is, Novatians, or Photians, or Quaternates, both catechumens and those who are faithful in their opinion, should not be received before they have cursed any heresy, especially the one in which they were found, and then those who are already said to be faithful, after studying the symbol of faith, may be anointed with the holy myrrh, and thus partake of the holy mysteries” (right 7). We find the same teaching in St. Ephraim the Syrian, who calls Confirmation the sacrament of salvation 1035, in St. Ambrose of Milan 1036, St. John Chrysostom about 1037, St. Cyril of Alexandria 1038, blessed. Augustine, who also calls it a sacrament 1039, Blessed. Theodorit 1040, Vigilius of Thapsis 1041, Euthymius Zigabene 1042 and others. 5. It is also worthy of special note that Confirmation is considered among the divinely established sacraments not only in the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Church, which separated from it since the ninth century, but also in such societies that apostatized from Orthodoxy in ancient times, such as the Armenians 1043, Jacobites 1044, Nestorians 1045 and others 1046. § 209. The visible side of the sacrament of Confirmation The visible side of the sacrament of Confirmation is that those who have been baptized, through prayer to God for the sending of the Holy Spirit upon them, are anointed with the consecrated myrrh in a cross pattern, pronouncing the words: seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit. So here, in particular, they differ: I. Prayer to God for the sending down of the Holy Spirit on those who are baptized, preceding Confirmation itself. This prayer is still pronounced in the Church: a) following the example of St. the apostles Peter and John, who, having been sent to Samaria to bring down the Holy Spirit on those who were baptized, just before performing the mystery, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:15); and b) then, following the example of the ancient Church, as St. Cyprian and St. Ambrose 1047, and the Apostolic Constitutions, in which even a sample of the prayer that was said then before the celebration of Confirmation 1048 was preserved. II. The substance used to perform this sacrament is consecrated myrrh. Let's note about it: 1) The use of myrrh during the celebration of the sacrament of Confirmation undoubtedly originates from the Apostles themselves. Because – a) there are clear hints of this in St. The Scriptures we have already considered (1 John 2:20; 2 Cor. 1:21.22); b) the successors of the Apostles, who received from them such strict bequests to keep both their oral and written traditions (1 Tim. 6:20; 2 Thess. 2:15), would not have dared to arbitrarily allow a change in such an important matter as the performance of the sacrament, and instead of the laying on of hands, choose a new visible sign for bringing down the gifts of the Holy Spirit to believers; c) even if one of the ancient shepherds had decided to make such an important change, it could not have gone unnoticed by other guardians of the apostolic tradition, and in any case could not have become generally accepted in the Universal Church. Meanwhile, the use of peace in the sacrament in question has been ubiquitous both in the East and in the West since the first centuries of Christianity - and none of the ancients notices that this began in the Church only from a certain time or was introduced by such and such. Finally - d) St. Dionysius the Areopagite, as we have seen, says that the saints themselves. The apostles called this sacrament the sacrament of peace 1049, and, consequently, they themselves introduced the use of peace. Why did the Apostles, or, more precisely, the Holy Spirit, want to replace the laying on of hands, which they initially used, with the action of anointing: about this, since nothing is revealed to us, we can only make fortune-telling. From the book of the Acts of the Apostles it is clear that only the Apostles could bring down the Holy Spirit on those who were baptized (Acts 8:12–18): this was convenient for them at the very beginning of Christianity, when there were not so many baptized people. But soon, with the extraordinary spread of St. faith, when they began to turn to it in all countries of the world, neither the Apostles themselves, nor their immediate successors - bishops could appear everywhere and suddenly, after Baptism, bring down the Holy Spirit on all those who were baptized, through the laying on of hands. And therefore, perhaps, the Holy Spirit, who dwelt in the Apostles, deigned to replace the laying on of the apostolic hands on those who were baptized with another more convenient action of anointing, so that the consecration of the world would be performed by the Apostles themselves and after them by their successors - the bishops, and the anointing of the baptized with the consecrated world would be provided to all the elders. It was myrrh, and not another substance, that could be chosen in this case because in the Old Testament, anointing with myrrh was used as a visible means for bringing down on people the gifts of the Holy Spirit (Ex. 28:41; 1 Kings 16:13; 1 Kings 1:39; 19:16) 1050. 2) The use of myrrh during the celebration of the sacrament of Confirmation has always been considered essential, and not the laying on of hands, which is separate from the action of Confirmation. For, firstly, the ancient Councils, ecumenical and local, clearly mentioning this sacrament, speak only about the anointing with myrrh, completely silent about the laying on of hands, such as they were; the second and sixth ecumenical, who allowed the admission of some heretics into the Church through the sacrament of Confirmation over them 1051, and the local Laodicean, who confirmed that this sacrament should be performed over all believers immediately after their baptism 1052. Secondly, the majority of teachers of the Church, especially the Eastern ones, also mention only one use of the world in this sacrament, being completely silent about the laying on of hands 1053, for example: St. Cyril of Jerusalem devoted an entire conversation to explaining the sacrament of Confirmation to the newly baptized (Pouch, Secret Book. 3), and yet did not say a word about the laying on of hands. Thirdly, if in some private churches, mainly Western, as can be seen from the testimony of their pastors 1054, until some time the laying on of hands was combined with confirmation, as it is still combined in the Church of Rome 1055: then one can think that the latter was kept in place by the pastors of the Church, only as a rite, sanctified by the example of the Apostles, and not as an essential accessory of the sacrament. For, for example, St. Cyprian, who in one place mentions both confirmation and at the same time the laying on of hands during the performance of this sacrament, in another clearly says that it is actually necessary for everyone who is baptized to receive Christ or anointing so that he can have the grace of Christ in himself 1056. Finally, the high priests of the West themselves, Innocent 3rd 1057 and Eugene 4th 1058, as well as the entire local council of Western bishops, which was in Mainz in 1549 1059, openly testify that the place of the laying on of hands from the time of the Apostles themselves was replaced by anointing with chrism, which consequently alone remains essential in the sacrament 1060. III. The very effect of the sacrament is the cruciform anointing of certain parts of the body with consecrated chrism. This is how this action was performed from ancient times: about the custom of anointing St. the world of the cross clearly mentions St. Ambrose 1061 and Blessed. Augustine 1062. About the anointing of St. the world of the forehead, ears, nostrils and perseus speaks in detail to St. Cyril of Jerusalem 1063. The second and sixth ecumenical councils of 1064 testify to the anointing of the forehead, heads, ears, nostrils and lips. St. speaks about the anointing of the senses and members of the body in general. Ephraim the Syrian 1065. This is how St. the world, all the most important parts of the human body, like the organs of all the powers and abilities of his soul, and both parts of his composition are jointly strengthened by the forces of grace. It is remarkable that in ancient non-Orthodox societies existing in the east, such as the Jacobites, Copts and Armenians, Confirmation is performed not only on the forehead, as the Roman Church now does 1066, but also on other parts of the human body 1067. IV. The words spoken during the anointing of St. parts of the body known to the world: the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit. These words are apparently borrowed from the famous saying of St. Apostle (2 Cor. 1:21.22), and have been used in the Church during the celebration of the sacrament of Confirmation since ancient times. Indications of them can be seen in St. Cyril of Jerusalem 1068, and direct evidence of their use is found in Asterius, bishop of Amasia, who lived in the fourth century 1069, and in the seventh rule of the then-former Second Ecumenical Council. Here we read: “those who join Orthodoxy and part of those saved from heretics are acceptable according to the following rites and customs... We are acceptable by sealing, that is, anointing with St. with the world, first the forehead, then the eyes, and the nostrils, and the lips, and the ears, and sealing them, we say: the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit.” And, what is especially worthy of attention, the Fathers do not say: we define or command to pronounce at Confirmation the words: seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit, but only cite them as well-known and have long been used in the celebration of this sacrament, according to rites and custom. The Fathers of the Sixth Ecumenical Council also repeat it (in law 95). § 210. The invisible actions of the sacrament of Confirmation and its uniqueness I. The main invisible effect of the sacrament of Confirmation is that it imparts to the believers the Holy Spirit. In Baptism we are only cleansed from sins and reborn by the power of the Holy Spirit, but we are not yet worthy to receive Him into ourselves and become His churches: through Confirmation we are taught the Holy Spirit with all His grace-filled gifts necessary for spiritual life (Right. Confession, Part I. answer to question 105). This is absolutely clear from the story of St. Luke: When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, he sent Peter and John to them. Those who came down prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit. I didn’t come to even one of them, except to baptize them in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then he laid his hand on him and received the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:14-17; 19:6). This, as we have seen, was preached unanimously by the ancient teachers of the Church: Dionysius the Areopagite 1070, Tertullian 1071, Cyprian 1072; Pope Cornelius, Cyril of Jerusalem, Ambrose, Cyril of Alexandria, Theodoret 1073 and others 1074. But since the gifts of the Holy Spirit, in which He is communicated to believers through the sacrament of Confirmation 1075, according to the calculation of the prophet Isaiah, are seven: the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and strength, the Spirit of knowledge and piety and, finally, the Spirit of the fear of God (Is. 11, 2. 3), of which three primarily relate to the enlightenment of the mind. and four - to instruction and confirmation of the will in good (Right. Confession, part I, answer to questions 73–80): then, in particular, it is said that the sacrament of Confirmation - 1) Communicates to us the grace of the Spirit, enlightening and admonishing us in the truths of faith. And you have anointing from the Holy One and know everything, St. wrote to Christians. Apostle John. And if you receive the anointing from it, it abides in you, and do not demand, but who teaches you: but because that very anointing teaches you about all things, both true and not false: and whatever you have taught, abide in it (1 John 2:20.27). “This anointing,” St. also taught. Cyril of Jerusalem, preserve the newly enlightened children of the Church immaculately; for it itself teaches you about all things (1 John 2:27), if it abide in you, as you now heard blessed John speak, and much about this anointing of the wise" 1076. 2) Communicates to us the grace of the Spirit, confirming and increasing us in piety. This is indicated by St. the Apostle Paul, saying: proclaim (βεβαίων, confirming) us with you in Christ, and God, who anointed us and sealed us, and gave betrothal, the Spirit into our hearts (2 Cor. 1, 21. 22; 4, 30). He pointed out to his listeners and St. Cyril of Jerusalem: “You are anointed on the Persians, so that having put on the armor of righteousness, you will stand against the wiles of the devil (Eph. 6:14, 17). For just as Christ, by baptism and by the influx of the Holy Spirit, came forth and defeated the adversary (Matthew 4:1ff): so you, by holy Baptism and the sacramental Confirmation, having put on all the armor of the Holy Spirit, stood against the power of the adversary, and you conquer it, exclaiming: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13)" 1077 . It must be added that the Apostles, through the laying on of hands, that is, through the sacrament of Confirmation, sometimes communicated to believers the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as: the gift of tongues and prophecy (Acts 19:8). But these were extraordinary actions of the sacrament of Confirmation, in accordance with the needs of the primacy of the Church, and not constant actions, connected with its very essence: and in the primal Church, extraordinary gifts were not imparted to everyone, but only to some (1 Cor. 12:29.30), while the laying on of hands or Confirmation was considered necessary for all those baptized, so that they could receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:17 ). II. Since the sacrament of Confirmation marks or seals us with the “seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit” 1078 (Eph. 1:13; 4:30; 2 Cor. 1:29), and since God announces (affirms) and anoints us, he also seals us and gives through this sacrament the betrothal of the Spirit into our hearts (2 Cor. 1, 22), remains faithful: he cannot deny himself (2 Tim 2:13): the sacrament of Confirmation, like the sacrament of Baptism, has always been considered 1079, and is now considered unique (Orthodox Confession, part 1, answer to question 105). The only difference is that Baptism, if done correctly, is not repeated for anyone, even if someone has denied the name of Christ and then turned again to the Orthodox Church; and Confirmation for those who have renounced the name of Christ is repeated if they convert to Orthodoxy (Orthodox Confession, part 1, answer to question 105). As for the sacred rite, when the Orthodox Church anoints St. the world of the most pious Sovereigns when they were crowned kings, in accordance with how the Kings were anointed with holy oil in the Old Testament Church, according to the command of God himself (Ps. 88:21; 1 Samuel 10:1; 15, 3.12.13), - from which they were called His Christs or anointed ones (1 Samuel 12:3.5; 24, 7, etc.): then this is not a repetition of the sacrament of Confirmation, through which the grace-filled powers that are strictly necessary in spiritual life are communicated to all believers. But - there is only a different, higher degree of communication of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, required for a special, extremely important, indicated by God himself (Dan. 4, 22. 29), royal ministry. And when Samuel received the horn of oil, it is narrated about the anointing of King David for the kingdom, and his anointing among his brethren. And the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day onwards (1 Samuel 16:13). It is known that the sacrament of the Priesthood is not repeated; however, it has its own degrees, and the ordination again and again performs clergy for higher ministries: so the anointing of Kings for the kingdom is only a special, highest degree of the sacrament, bringing down the special Spirit on the anointed of God 1080. The very prayers read at this great sacred rite indicate the special gifts that the Orthodox Church requests for God's chosen Monarch. “For the anointing of the all-holy myrrh to receive Him from heaven,” proclaims, among other things, the protodeacon, “for rule and justice, power and wisdom, let us pray to the Lord.” And the high priest, performing the sacrament, then cries out: “Lord our God, King of kings and Lord of lords, who through Samuel the prophet chose your servant David and anointed him king over your people of Israel! Even now, hear the prayer of us unworthy... and of your faithful servant, the great Sovereign... anoint Him with the oil of gladness, clothe Him with power from on high..., seat Him on the throne of righteousness, protect Him with the whole armor of Your Holy Spirit, strengthen His arm..., show Him as the famous guardian of Your holy Catholic Church dogmas..." 1081. § 211. Who has the right to perform the Sacrament of Confirmation, over whom and when should it be performed? I. According to the teachings of the Orthodox Church, the power to perform the sacrament of Confirmation belongs not only to bishops, but also to presbyters, with the only difference that the former have the right to consecrate the chrism itself for the sacrament, and the latter can only anoint with chrism consecrated by the bishop (Right. Confess. Part 1, answer to question 105) 1082. This has been the case since ancient times. 1) Since ancient times, the right to consecrate the chrism for the sacrament belonged to the bishops alone. This can be seen from the rules of the Council of Carthage (318), where we read: “let the presbyter not do the perfection of the world” (right 6), and from the rules of other subsequent Councils and teachers of the Church 1083. 2) Likewise, from ancient times, the power to perform the very sacrament of Confirmation was acquired both by bishops, as the successors of the Apostles, who directly performed this sacrament (Acts 8:14-17; 18:6), and by presbyters, as those who received it through ordination from the bishop, together with the power to generally perform all the sacraments, except for the priesthood alone. For example, the Apostolic Constitutions say: “about baptism, bishop or presbyter, we have already said before and now we will say... - first you anoint with holy oil, then you baptize with water, and finally you seal with myrrh” 1084. St. Ambrose repeatedly testifies that the anointing with chrism is performed by the priest, and through the prayer of the priest the Holy Spirit is poured out 1085. And St. John Chrysostom and Blessed. Jerome unanimously expresses that a bishop (in relation to sacred rites) is no different from a presbyter except by consecration, that is, the power to perform the sacrament of the priesthood 1086. In addition, it is known that in all non-Orthodox Christian societies that have existed since ancient times in the East, Confirmation is taught by both bishops and elders 1087. Therefore, the teaching of the Roman Church is unfair that the right to perform the Sacrament of Confirmation belongs to the bishops alone, and does not belong to the presbyters 1088. In support of this doctrine they cite 1089: a) In the case mentioned in Scripture, that although St. Philip baptized the Samaritans, but the saints themselves deliberately came to teach them the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands. apostles Peter and John (Acts 8.14–16). But we must remember that St. Philip was not a presbyter, but a deacon, and so on, if he did not perform the sacramental ordination of those who were baptized, this does not mean that the elders did not do it and did not have the right to do it 1090; in the same way, from the fact that the Apostles once and twice, as mentioned in Scripture (Acts 8, 14-16; 19. 4. 7), directly performed the sacrament of Confirmation, it does not follow that they alone performed it and always, as if bishops and presbyters did not and could not perform it in other places. b) To the words of St. Cyprian and St. Chrysostom, that in their time, following the example of the Apostles, the celebration of Confirmation was granted only to the primates of the Churches, praepositis, κορυφαίοις 1091. But the name primates could mean both bishops and presbyters, each of whom is truly the primate in his own private church or parish, especially since both saints. The Father in the indicated places is contrasted with the primates of the deacons, who even in their time, like Deacon Philip, could not perform the sacraments of Confirmation. To clarify the thought of St. Chrysostom must remember his other words, that bishops have no advantage over presbyters except by consecration alone, i.e. authority to perform a priesthood ordinance 1092 c) For the testimony of the blessed one. Jerome, who says that bishops have the custom of visiting small towns in their diocese to impart the gifts of the Holy Spirit to those who have been baptized by presbyters and deacons. But the same teacher directly continues that this is done more for the honor of the priesthood than out of necessity of the law, and that if only through the prayer of the bishop the Holy Spirit had descended, then it would be necessary to mourn those who, having been baptized by presbyters and deacons in chains, fortresses, or distant places, died before they were visited by the bishops 1093. The question of the blessed one is also known. Jerome: “What, besides consecration alone, does a bishop do that a presbyter would not do?” 1094. The following remarks should also be added: d) It is not surprising if in the early times of Christianity, the celebration of the sacrament of Confirmation, in some places, was adopted primarily by bishops: then the celebration of other sacraments, namely Baptism and even the Eucharist, was learned, in places, primarily by bishops, and by elders only with the permission of bishops 1095. All this was very natural and convenient in the circumstances of that time, when the members of the churches that made up the bishoprics were not so numerous, and the boundaries of the dioceses were often limited to one city or village. However, from this the papists themselves do not draw the conclusion that in the first centuries the elders did not have the right to perform the sacraments of Baptism and the Eucharist: why do they conclude that they did not and should not have the right to perform only the sacrament of Confirmation?... e) The Roman Church itself, having assigned the power of confirmation to bishops alone, more than once found it necessary to allow ordinary priests to perform this sacrament 1096. And now the whole disagreement lies in the fact that the Orthodox Church grants the right to perform Confirmation, as well as other sacraments, except the priesthood, to all elders once and for all upon their very ordination to the priesthood 1097; and the Roman one allows only certain presbyters to anoint with chrism, and then not at their ordination, but later in time, as circumstances require, and calls bishops permanent celebrants (ministri ordinarii) of this sacrament, and presbyters - extraordinary (extraordinarii) 1098. f) The Roman theologians themselves disagree among themselves as to whether by Divine right, or only by ecclesiastical right, the power to perform Confirmation belongs to the bishops alone, and the best of these theologians follow the latter opinion 1099. And in this way they themselves show the fragility of the establishment of their Church, which has assigned the said power to the bishops alone. II. The Orthodox Church performs the sacrament of Confirmation over all those who are baptized in the name of the Holy One. Trinity, and, moreover, immediately after their Baptism (Right. Confession, part 1, answer to question 105). And this is completely consistent: 1) With the example of St. Apostles. Yes, St. Paul, having baptized some in Ephesus, immediately taught them the Holy Spirit through the mysterious laying on of hands on them (Acts 19:5.6), and in his letter to the Ephesians he commands them not to offend the Holy Spirit, with whom they were marked on the day of deliverance, that is, on the very day of Baptism (Eph. 4:30). Likewise, the other Apostles, as soon as they heard that St. Deacon Philip baptized the Samaritans, to whom, due to his rank, he could not teach the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands, they immediately sent Peter and John to Samaria to perform this sacrament over those who were baptized (Acts 8:14-17). 2) With the example of the entire ancient Church. This is evidenced by: a) Tertullian: “coming out of the font, we are anointed with the blessed unction...” 1100; b) Council of Laodicea: “It is fitting for those who are enlightened by baptism to be anointed with the heavenly unction, and to be partakers of the kingdom of God” (right 48); c) St. Cyril of Jerusalem: “When you came out of the font of sacred waters, you were given an anointing corresponding to the one with which Christ was anointed” 1101, and many other teachers of the Church 1102. The Roman writers themselves admit that, for twelve centuries, Confirmation was taught to those baptized immediately after Baptism, even in the Roman Church, not only throughout the East 1103. Consequently, this Church deviated from the truth when, from the 13th century, it began to separate the celebration of Confirmation from Baptism, and now teaches in its Catechism that baptized infants should be anointed with Confirmation no earlier than when they reach adolescence, that is, between the 7th and 12th years of their life, so that they can approach this sacrament with full consciousness and with sufficient information in the fundamental truths of the faith 1104. But if we follow such reasoning, then the baptism of infants should be postponed until the same conscious age. And, however, the Roman Church itself baptizes infants according to faith and vows for them, their adopters and parents: why does it deprive infants for several years of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, necessary for strengthening in spiritual life? Tertullus. deBapt. c. VII. VIII; Cyprian. Epist. ad Jan. LXX; ad Jubaian. LXXIII; Ambros. de Myst. c. VII; Chrysostom on Acts conversations 1, n. 5; Cathedral. Laodice is right. 48. Unctio, Tertullus. deBapt. c. VII; Cyprus. Epist. ad January. LXX. – Χρίσμα, Kirill. jerus. Ogl. instructive XIII, no. 1; Theodorite. in Is. LXI, 2. (1008) Evsev. In Is. XXV, 7; Demonstr. Evang. 1, 10. (1009) Sacramentum chrismatis, Augustine. Contr. lib. Petil. 11, 104; Kir. alex. in Is. XXV, 6. Ή τοΰ πνεύματος ούσις, Isis. Pelus. lib. 1, epist. 450. Sacramentum Spiritus, Tertullus. de praescr. haeret, c. XXXV; Ilar in Math. comment. c. IV, no. 27. Kup. jerus. Pouch. secret breeder III, n. 1. Βεβαιωσις, Constit. Apostol. III, 17. Confirmatio, Ambros. de init. c. VII; JIev. led epist. ad Nicet. c. VII. Τό τέλειον, Klim. alex. Paedag. 1, 6. Perfectio, Ambros. de Sacram. III, Consummatio, Kunpian. Epist. ad Jnbaian. LXXIII. Σφραγις, Klim. al. Strom. II, 3; Cyrus. Hier. Ogl. instructive ХVIII, n 33. Signaculum Dominicum, Cypian epist. ad Jubaian. LXXIII. Signaculum spirituale, Ambros. de Sacram. III, 2, n. I; VI, 2, n. 8. Signaculum vitae aeternae, Lev. led Serm. XXIV, 6. This is what the apostles did when they spoke to Christians about the internal action of baptism, that is, they borrowed for this expression from the external sacred rite of the sacrament. Simi ubo (sinners) were not quick, but they were washed, wrote, for example, St. Apostle Paul to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 6:11). And in another place: according to his mercy, you saved us by the washing of regeneration (Tim. 3:5; demolished Eph. 5:26; Heb. 10:22). Dion. Areopagus. about the church hierarch. VII, 4.5; Cyrus. jerus. instructive secret breeder III, 6. 7; Chrysostom on 2 Corinth. Ch. 1, art. 23; Ambros. de his, qui initiantur, c. 7; Theodorite. on 2 Corinth. Ch. 1, art. 23. Αλλ · έστι ταύτης ομοταγής έτερα τελεσίουργία , Μύρου τελετήν αυτήν οί καθηγεμονες ήμών όνομάζουσι . About the church. hierarch. Ch. IV, 1. Ibid., ch. IV, § 11. Demolished. Ch. 11, § 8. ? Ἐλαίω Θεου. Ad Autol. 1, n. 12. De bapt. c. VII; Cfr. de praescr. haeret, c. 37; contr. Marcion. III, 22. Όυδέ βάπτισμα ετι εύλογον, ουδέ μακάρια σφραγις. Strom. 11, 3. Ungi quoque necesse est eum, qui baptizatur, ut accepto chrismate, id est unctione, esse unctus Dei et habere in se gratiam Christi possit. Epist. ad Jannuar. LXX. ... Quod nune quoque apud nos geritur, ut, qui in ecclesia baptizantur, praepositis ecclesiae offerantur, et par nostram orationem et manus impositionem Spiritum Sanctum consequantur, et signaculo Dominico consummentur. Epist. LXXIII. See y Evsev. Church Histor. book VI, ch. 43. It is impossible here to remain silent about the testimony of the Apostolic Constitutions, where it is said: Lib. VII, c. 43; Cfr. III, c. 16, VII, p. 22. ...... Ogl. instructive ХVIII, n. 33, pp. 432–433. Pouch. secret breeder III, n. 1, p. 449; clause 3, neg. 451. Word on St. Baptism, on TV. St. Father III, 285. “Noah’s Ark predicted that he would come to build the Church in the waters, its members in the name of St. Trinity lime to freedom; and the dove depicted the Holy Spirit, who has to perform anointing - the sacrament of salvation" (Adv. Serat. Serm. XLIX, Opp. Syr. T. III, p. 90). Sequitur (post baptismum) spirituale signaculum..., quia post fontem supereat, ut perfectio fiat, quando ad invocationem Sacerdotis Spiritus Sanctus infunditur Spiritus sapientiae et intellectus, Spiritus consilii atque virtutis, Spiritus cognitionis atque pietatis, Spiritus Sancti timoris: septem quasi virtutes Spiritus (Esai XI, 2). De Sacrament. III, c. 2, no. 8. In Philipp. homil. III, n. 4. Το δέ γε μύρον ήμΐν κατασημήνειεν εύ μάλα τήν του αγίου πνεύματος χρίσιν...In Jes. XXV, 6, I. III, T. 1; in Joel. II, 23. Unctio spiritualis ipse Spiritus S. est, cujus Sacramentum est in unctione visibili (in 1 Joan. Tract. III, n. 5). Sacramentum chrismatis – in genere visibilium signaculorum sacramentum est, sicut et ipse baptismus... (contr. Iit. Petiliani II, p. 104). In Jes. LXI, II. 2. Asseman. Biblioth. Orient. I, 573; II, 121. 239. 300. Assem. Ibid. T. IV, diss. de Syr. Nestor, p. 272; Cod. Liturg. T. III, p. 136. Renaudot. Perpetuite de la foi. T. V, p. 147. See note above. 1029. 1036. “After this, having baptized him (the man) in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, let (the priest) anoint him with chrism, saying: “Lord God, the self-existent and supreme Ruler of all, who has spread the fragrance of the Gospel knowledge to all nations! Grant now that this ointment may be effective in the one who is baptized, so that the fragrance of your Christ may remain strong and lasting in him, and he, having been buried in Christ, will rise up and be alive with Him.” Let him say this and the like: for “this is the power of laying hands on everyone (εκάστου γάρ ή δύναμις της χειροθεσίας ’ εστιν αυτη)” Lib. VII, c. 43. 44. “You should know that the prototype of this Confirmation is found in the Old Scripture. For when Moses conveyed God's command to his brother (Leviticus 8:1.2) and appointed him as high priest, then after washing with water he anointed him (Leviticus 8:6.12): and this one was called anointed (Leviticus 4:5), that is, from the educational anointing. So Solomon, elevating him to the kingdom, was anointed by the bishop after he was washed away in Gion (1 Kings 1:39.45). But these images are taken lightly (1 Cor. 10:11). We are not figurative, but truly: because you are truly anointed by the Holy Spirit” (Cyril. Hierus. Instructional Secret Book. III, paragraph 6, pp. 452–453). Deut. everyone personal right 7; pole. everyone right 95. See note above. 1022–1024. 1032–1036. 1038–1040. See note. 1025. 1029 etc. However, the opinions of Roman theologians themselves about the meaning of these two actions in the sacrament of Confirmation are different. Some consider the laying on of hands alone to be essential here; others – only anointing with myrrh; still others think that both are equivalent, and therefore it is enough to use either one or the other; the fourth, finally, recognize both of these signs as equally necessary when performing the sacrament (Vid. apud Perrone Prael. Theolog. de Confirmat. c. III, n. 67; Klee, Catholic. Dogmat. III, 169, Mainz. 1845). Per frontis chrismationem manus impostio designatur, quae alio nomine designatur Confirmatio (cap. cum venisset, Extra – de sacra unctione). Loco manum impositionis datur in ecclesia Confirmatio (Decret. pro unione Armenor., apud Harduin. Act. Concil. T. IX, coi. 458). Diligenter populum instruant, cur hoc sacramentum, ab initio sola mannum impositione exhibitum, mox sub ipsis temporibus Apostolorum ex eorundem traditione adhibita chrismatis unctione, coepisse conferri... (Apud Harduin. Ibid. col. 2118). There is a private opinion, worthy of attention, however, that the laying on of hands, through which the Apostles initially brought down the Holy Spirit on the believers, in the strict sense has not been abolished, but still takes place during the celebration of the sacrament of Confirmation. For in the very act of anointing with chrism, which the shepherd of the Church performs with his hand on the forehead and on other parts of the person being baptized, lies the laying of this anointing hand on the person being anointed. Next, the Apostles, having chosen, according to the direction of the Holy Spirit, another sign for teaching His grace-filled gifts to the believers, did not cancel the previous one, also chosen by God, but, on the contrary, wisely combined both. This opinion is found in the 7th century writer, the Venerable Bede (Asin. alm. XXIX), and in the 8th century writer. – Rabbah Mavra (De instit. cleric. lib. 1, p. 28), as well as others (see note 1048). Unxit te Deus, signavit te Christus. Quomodo? Quia ad crucis ipsius signatus es formam, ad ipsius passionem (De Sacrament. VI, c. 2, n. 7). In Johann. Tract. CXVIII. Pouch. secret breeder III, n. 4, pp. 451–452. Deut. all right 7; pole. all right 95. “All the entrances to your soul are sealed with the seal of the Holy Spirit; all your members are sealed with the seal of testimony. The king, as it were, placed his letter on you, put the seals of fire on it (Matthew 3:11; Luke 3:16), so that strangers would not read it and spoil the writing” (Orp. Syr. T, II, p. 332). Catechism. Roman. Part. II, p. 3, n. 23. Asseman. Cod. liturg. T, III, p. 83–84. 111–112: rite of chrismation. Armenians Churches, ed. Joseph, Archbishop Armenian, St. Petersburg 1799. Apud Phot. Biblioth. Cod. CCLXXI, col. 1499. See note above. 1023. Του μύρου τελειοτιχή κρίσις (ο Church Hier. Chapter II, § 8). Above note. 1025. Caro signatur, ut et anima muniatur (De resurr. carn. p. 8). Non quod in aquis Spiritum Sanctum consequamur, sed in aqua emundati, sub angelo Spiritui S. praeparamur… (De baptism. p. 6). Above note. 1027 and 1029. Above note. 1030–1034, 1035–1040. Lavacro peccata purgantur, chrismate spiritus infunditur. Pacian. de baptism. n. 6.Cfr. Didym. de Trinit. II, 1. 14. Pouch. secret breeder III, n. 7, p. 453. Ibid., paragraph 4, page 452. Demolished. note 1071. See note above. 1026. 1030. 1075. Augustine, Contr. lit. Petil. II, 13; Optat, Schism. Donat. VII, 4; Photius, Epist. encycl. 11. Ignatius, Archbishop. Voronezhsky, about the sacraments. Churches – page 143, St. Petersburg. 1849. See the rank of priest. coronation of His Imperial Majesty Sovereign Emperor Nikolai Pavlovich trans. into the Hellenic language, pp. 16 and 30, St. Petersburg. 1827. In our Russian Church, the chrism is consecrated only at two departments - Kiev and Moscow, from where it is sent throughout Russia. Cathedral. Carthage. II (390) right. 3; Carthage. III (397) right. 36; nana Gelas. I, Epist. IX ad Err. Luc. c. VI. Lib. 7, p. 22. A in 43 and 44 ch. in the same book, as the performer of both baptism and confirmation, only one priest is mentioned - ό ίερεύς. Post haec (post baptismum) utique ascendisti ad Sacerdotem considera, quid secutum sit. Nonne illud, quod ait David: sicut unguentum in capite, quod descendit in barbam, barbam Aaron (Ps. 132:2)? Hoc est unguentum... (De myster. c. VII). For other evidence, see above in the note. 1036. Τη γάρ χειροτονία μόνη ύπερβεβήκασι , και τοΰτω μόνον δοκοΰσι πλεονεκτεΐν τους πρεσβυτέρους (Chrysostom in 1 Timoth. homil. X, n. 1). Quid facit, excepta ordinatione, episcopus, quod presbyter non faciat? (Jerome. Epist. ad Evangel. CXLV, n, 1). Asseman. Cod. liturg. III, p. 187. Concil. Trident. Sess. VII, de confirm. can. 3; Sess. XXIII, can. 7. Cle, Perrone, Brenner and other theologians in the treatise on confirmation. “Why did they (the Samaritans) not receive the Holy Spirit when they were baptized? Either because Philip did not teach it to them out of respect for the Apostles, or because he did not have this grace (χάρισμα): for he was one of the seven deacons, which seems more just” (Chrysostom, on Acts of the Apostle, conversations XVIII, paragraph 3). For Cyprian's words, see above in the note. 1029. And St. Chrysostom, in the same conversation on the Acts of the Apostles, having said that Philip did not communicate the Holy Spirit to the Samaritans precisely because he was a deacon, continues: “for this was left to the Apostles - why even now, as we see, this is not done by other persons, but by the primates (κορυφαίους).” … Multis in locis idem factitatum reperimus ad honorem potias sacerdotii, quam ad legis necessitatem. Alioquin si ad episcopi tantum imprecationem Spiritus S. defluit, lugendi sunt, qui..., quam ab episcopis inviserentur (Dialog. adv. Lucifer. n. 9). Ignat. Bogonos. last to Smyrna. paragraph 8; Tertullus. de monog. c. 2; de bapt. c. 7.17. Vid. apud Harduin. Collect. Concil. T.IX, p. 438. See stavlanich. letter to priests. Perrone, Praelect. Theolog. vol. VI, p. 114: de confirmationis ministro. Trombell. De ministro confirm. dissert. X, sect. 1,quaest. II, § 6 et squ. Pouch. secret breeder III, n. 1, p. 450. Cyprian. Epist. ad Jan. LXX; Ambros. de myster. c. 7; Augustine. In Johann. Epist. trac. VI, no. 10; Leo nana, Serm. IV de natal. Domini. Perrone, Praelect. Theolog. vol. VI, p. 132, Lozan. 1841. Cat echism. Roman. Part. II, cap. 3, 17. Cfr. Perrone loc. quote. You might be interested in: