Laying of hands after baptism

ArmyMatt

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Does anyone know when the practice of laying hands after baptism turned into chrismation?

at some point when the bishop could not be present at all baptisms. since the bishop lays hands on the chrism and the priest, they function as the hands of the bishop
 
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buzuxi02

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For a time being both the laying on of hands and anointing with oil was practised in the first century into the second. But as christianity spread it became difficult to get apostles and bishops to lay hands on everyone being baptised, so the chrism became standard, as where in the early decades after Pentecost laying on of hands alone was the standard.

The elders of the early church always used (special) oil for various kinds of anointing (James 5:13-15).
It was a continuous practise from Judaism where from ancient times certain individuals were anointed to receive the Spirit of God ( 1 Samuel 16:12-13) It originated when Moses commanded the Jews to make a special sacred holy oil originally reserved for anointing holy temple objects, the priests and then extended to include the prophets and kings.(Exodus 30:31-33 )
Armenians and Assyrian Christian's believe the oil of chrismation dates back to Exodus when some was given to the apostles where they used it to consecrate the first batch of chrism/ oil.
We Orthodox believe wherever the New Testament speaks of 'anointing' of the Spirit and being 'sealed' with the Spirit are references that actual oil was applied by an elder or bishop at the time the person was baptized and prayed over hands laid on them and then sealed.
 
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Unquirer

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This is all very informative thank you. I suppose I wonder why the bishops couldn't or didn't authorize the priests to continue the tradition of laying hands after baptism. After all they give authority for priests to perform baptisms.
 
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ArmyMatt

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This is all very informative thank you. I suppose I wonder why the bishops couldn't or didn't authorize the priests to continue the tradition of laying hands after baptism. After all they give authority for priests to perform baptisms.

the priests do. watch an Orthodox baptism, one of the first (and most common) things the priest does is lay his hands on the illumined. and the priest is the one who applies the chrism.
 
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FenderTL5

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Aside, deacons can baptize but not perform the chrismation.. which gives clarity to the story of Philip in acts 8

When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria. 15 When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16 because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
 
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Unquirer

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the priests do. watch an Orthodox baptism, one of the first (and most common) things the priest does is lay his hands on the illumined. and the priest is the one who applies the chrism.
Thanks. I was trying to remember if he did this to me during my chrismation. It was kind of a blur!
 
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Unquirer

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Aside, deacons can baptize but not perform the chrismation.. which gives clarity to the story of Philip in acts 8

When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria. 15 When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16 because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
Yes thanks. Ithink its interesting that they both did this.
 
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prodromos

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In the Catholic Church, it is still the bishop who does the chrismation, so all the children who had been baptized since the last time the bishop visited, would all be chrismated together the next time he was there. Over time it began to be left until the children had reached their teens and it is the reason the Latin rite does not give communion to infants.
In the Orthodox Church when a child is baptised, they are also chrismated and can immediately begin receiving Holy Communion. They are full members of the body of Christ from the get go.
 
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ArmyMatt

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In the Catholic Church, it is still the bishop who does the chrismation, so all the children who had been baptized since the last time the bishop visited, would all be chrismation together the next time he was there. Over time it began to be left until the children had reached their teens and it is the reason the Latin rite does not give communion to infants.
In the Orthodox Church when a child is baptised, they are also chrismated and can immediately begin receiving Holy Communion. They are full members of the body of Christ from the get go.

the reception into the Church technically doesn't stop until the first communion as well
 
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prodromos

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the reception into the Church technically doesn't stop until the first communion as well
That's right. Entry into the Church is through the three fold sacraments of Baptism, Chrismated and Holy Communion.
 
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