catechumens

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church | 2000 | 700+ words | Copyright

catechumens. In the early Church those undergoing training and instruction preparatory to Baptism. They were assigned a place in the church, but solemnly dismissed before the Eucharist proper began. There was an elaborate ritual of preparation in the preceding Lent, with the candidates finally being admitted at the Paschal Vigil.

In 1962 the catechumenate was restored in the RC Church when provision was made for the elements surviving in the Rituale Romanum (enrolment, exorcisms, pre-baptismal anointings) to be administered separately. The 1972 Order for the Christian Initiation of Adults made the restored catechumenate a necessary prelude to all adult Baptisms. Various ceremonies, spread over several weeks, mark the different stages.

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

MLA
Chicago
APA

E. A. LIVINGSTONE. "catechumens." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. 30 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

E. A. LIVINGSTONE. "catechumens." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. (May 30, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O95-catechumens.html

E. A. LIVINGSTONE. "catechumens." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. 2000. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O95-catechumens.html

Learn more about citation styles