Why taking new names at Baptism and Confirmation? - Rev. Fr. PiusRalph Effiong, SMMM

CATHOLICSM: What we Believe, Teach and Practice.

Dearest friend(s) in Christ, wishing you a wonderful Sunday from this One, Big and Happy family: The Archive. In our second edition of our catechesis – CATHOLICISM: What we Believe, Teach and Practice, we bring to your insight what we as Catholics believe, teach and practice. In this edition, join with me your E-Catechist, as we journey together on the part of faith as we try to explain why new names are taken at the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation respectively. Therefore, in the course of this class, feel free to reach out to me for explanation if any through my WhatsApp number +2348 0668 90324. Feedback and question bothering you on Catholic faith are highly welcome. Feel free, as we are working together to lead aright. 

Thanks, and remain blessed in the Lord.

Your E-Catechist,

Rev. Fr. PiusRalph Effiong, SMMM

General Editor 

CATHESIS #2 – 13062021 

Why taking new names at Baptism and Confirmation?

Answer:

Within the catholic faith, it is permissible to take a new name either at Baptism or Confirmation, at times different names at the reception of these two sacraments of initiation. The custom of taking new names at reception of these sacraments (baptism and confirmation) can be traced back to the early church. Church historians maintained that, the custom of conferring a new name on the candidate for these sacraments was of Apostolic tradition.

However, from the camp of some of the ecclesiastical scholars, there is an argument that some of the names of the early Christians were names of pre-Christians gods and goddesses which is inscribed on the Catacombs of Rome. A reference to the Epistles of St. Paul indicates that the names of pre-Christian gods and goddesses were used by his converts after their conversion as before. Hermes occurs in Romans 16:14, with a number of other purely pagan names, Epaphroditus in Phil. 4:18, Phoebe, the deaconess, in Romans 16:1. During the synods of Nicaea or Ancyra, similar names were found in the Christian inscriptions of the earlier period and in the signatories; also on the list of martyrs. 

In the history of the early Church, some names were derived from pagan mythology, religious rites, colours, agriculture, etc. Below serves as major references: 

* derived unchanged or but slightly modified from pagan mythology, e.g., Mercurius, Bacchus, Apollos (I Corinthians 16:12), Hermogenes (Romans 16:4), etc.

* from religious rites or omens, e.g., Augustus, Auspicius, Augurius, Optatus;

* from numbers, e.g., Primus, Primigenius, Secundinus, Quartus, Octavia, etc.

* from colours, e.g., Albanus, Candidus, Rufus, etc.

* from animals and birds, e.g., Agnes, Asellus, Columbia, Leo, Taurus, Ursula, etc.

* from agriculture, e.g., Agricia, Armentarius, Palmatinus, Stereorius, etc.

* from flowers, e.g., Balsamia, Flosculus, Narcissus, Rosula;

* from jewels, e.g., Chrysanthus, Margarites, Smaragdus;

* from military life or the sea, e.g., Emerentiana, Navigia, Pelagia, Seutarius, Thalassus;

*from countries, cities, rivers etc.; Afra, Cydnus, Galla, Jordanis, Macedonius, Maurus, Sabina, Sebastianus, etc.

from the months e.g., Aprilis, Januaria, Junia, etc.

* from personal qualities, etc., e.g., Aristo, Hilarius, Modestus, Pudens, etc.;

from servile condition, e.g., Servus, Servilianus, Vernacla;

* names of historical celebrity, e.g., Caesarius, Cornelia, Pompeius, Ptolemaeus, Vergilius.

While the ones with Christian origin and significance are as follows: 

apparently suggested by Christian dogmas, e.g. Anastasia, Athanasia, Christophorus, Redemptus, Restitutus, etc.

* from festivals or rites, e.g., Epiphanius, Eulogia, Natalis, Pascasia, Sabbatius and the frequently recurring Martyrius;

* from Christian virtues, e.g., Agape, Elpis, Fides, Irene, with such derivatives as Adelphius, Agapetus, Caritosa, etc.

pious sentiment, e.g., Adeodata, Ambrosius, Benedictus, Deogratias, etc., and possibly such names as Gaudentianus, Hilarius, Sozomen, Victorianus, Vincentius

BIBLICAL CUSTOMS ON TAKING OF NEW NAMES

In the Holy Scriptures both in the Hebrew (Old) Testaments and Christian (New) Testaments, there were events where people take up new names as a sign of a new life, beginning of another state, encounter, etc. Some of these events are:

- Abram was renamed “Abraham” when God appointed him to be the father of all nations (Genesis 17:3-8)

- Sarai took the name “Sarah”, when God chose her to be the mother of kings of the people (Genesis 17:15-16)

- Jacob was renamed “Israel” after his encounter with the angel of God with the mission to mediate God’s blessings for humanity (Genesis 32:23-30).

Another such event was when Moses changed the name of his aide from Hosea which meant “salvation” to “Joshua” meaning “the Lord gives” (Numbers 13:16) etc.

In the Christian Testaments, the following events at different point in time led to the take of a new name. 

- Jesus changed the name of one of His apostles Simon Bar-Jonah which meant “Simon Son of Jonah” to “Cephas” which is the Aramaic form of English meaning “Peter” when He mandated him to be the head of the Church (Matthew 16:16-18; John 1:42).

- Saul now “Paul” after his encounter with Christ to be the apostle of the Gentiles (Acts 9:15; 13:15)

- The apostles renamed Joseph, one of the disciples of Jesus, “Barnabas” meaning “son of encouragement” when he received the call to encourage people in their faith experience (Acts 4:36)

Conclusion

Having gone through “thick” and “thin” of taking of new names right from time immemorial. It is therefore pertinent to answer the question: Why taking new names at Baptism and Confirmation?

The rite of taking new names at these sacraments calls to mind a new beginning in the life of the candidate receiving the sacraments. Since the sacrament of baptism and confirmation are encounters at different point in time, they point to “new relationship with God.” The tradition as we have seen, is not strange to the scripture, it is from there that the Church derived her inspiration. 

Finally, taking a new name preferably after a saint encouraged one to model his or her life after the saint in question and then seek his or her intercession always.

See you next class!

Further Reading

- Herbert Thurston, Christian Names, in Charles Herbermann (ed.) Catholic Encyclopedia, New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1913. 

- Eusebius, Hist. Eccl. VII, XXV

- https://en.m.wkikpedia.org/wiki/Christian_name

Why making the sign of the Cross?

CATHOLICISM: What we Believe, Teach and Practice.

Dearest friend(s) in Christ, from this One, Big and Happy Family – The ARCHIVE we bring to you glad tidings on this great day of festival of the Church, the Solemnity of the Sacred Body and Blood of Christ. With joy, we wish to officially bring to your doorstep our long-awaited catechesis of our faith. “CATHOLICISM: What we Believe, Teach and Practice”. It is the second publication of The ARCHIVE – your one-stop E-Catholic Platform where Jesus remains “The Way, Truth and Life.”  The publisher of your favourite daily spiritual tonic – Divine Whisper.

In this first publication, we will make effort to answer the thought-provoking question: “Why the sign of the Cross?” The very identity of every Catholic brethren. Other publications will feature Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about what we as Catholics believe, teach and practice. Stay click on us, and we promise you a smooth ride round our faith – Catholicism.

Thank you, and remain blessed in the Lord. Together with you in prayers! 

I remain your E-Catechist, 

Rev. Fr. PiusRalph Effiong, SMMM

General Editor/Founder -The ARCHIVE

(June 6, 2021 Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ)

CATHESIS #1 – 05062021

Question: Why making the sign of the Cross?

Answer: The tradition of making sign of the cross at prayer, or marking it on objects goes back to the very early years of Christianity. This sign was done both at the beginning and end of prayers, as it is today, together with marking on the object as a sign of blessing. History has it that, in the first century the Christians then used thumb to sign only the forehead. While Tertullian one of the influential Fathers of the Church, in his writing dated 202 A.D., said: “At every step and movement, whenever we come in or go out, in dressing or in putting on our shoes, at the bath, at table, at the lighting of lamps, in going to rest, in sitting down, whatever employment occupies us, we mark our forehead with the sign of the Cross.”  

The current way of marking oneself with sign of the Cross by raising the right hand to the forehead, then to the breast, then from the left shoulder to the right while saying: “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,” began in the 4th century. This was developed alongside marking one’s forehead, lip and breast with the Trinitarian formula when the deacon or priest announced the gospel reading. The custom which is still invoke till date. In doing this, he or she is symbolically surrendering these parts of the body to Christ as a sign that he or she belongs to Christ who died on the Cross. As prophet Ezekiel utters, one is inviting God through the salvific power of the Cross to transform the stubborn mind (cf. Ezekiel 3:7). So as to be willing to listen to the Word; to circumcise (cf. Jeremiah 4:4); the stubborn heart (cf. Ezekiel 3:8) so that it can properly receive the word, proclaim it and then live it out. 

The Biblical Implications on the custom of making the sign of the Cross

Biblically, Cross is seen in the light of what is painful and mortifying to the flesh, trails and misfortune, a test of Christian faith, etc. Thus, Christ urged us to carry our crosses to follow Him. Then promising to lift it off from our shoulders (cf. Matthew 16:24).

However, when the scripture makes reference to the Cross, it refers to that which Christ died. And through this same “Wood of the Cross” that man was reinstated into “original grace” which he lost after the great fall (cf. Genesis 3:1ff.).

The biblical implication of the Cross is that, through it (the Cross) Christ paid the debt for our sins in full (cf. Colossian 2:14). Also, through the Cross, He got mankind reconciled to God, and the Jews and Gentiles united. (cf. Ephesians 2:16). Cross is also seen as an instrument of God’s salvation, which Jesus died and it remains till date a place where sin has been nailed and atoned for and pledges a new life in grace and virtue (cf. Romans 6:6; I Peter 1: 23)

With the above biblical passages, we can now see why the making of the sign of the Cross is a necessity as it reminded us of the symbol of our salvation and reconciliation to God through Christ’s paschal mystery of passion, death and resurrection. As St. Paul says: “Cross is the power of God to those who are being saved.” (I Corinthians 1:8); and destruction to those who are enemies of it (cf. Philippians 3:18-19).

Finally, even though it is not written in the Bible that Christians should mark themselves with the sign of the Cross. The tradition evolved right from the early time in the Church’s history, as a response to what Jesus had done for mankind through Cross. Therefore, we as Catholics identify with this icon of salvation as a mark of ownership to Christ who gave Himself to humanity. With the death of Jesus Christ on the Cross, the sign of Cross becomes the “sign of victory” and the principal symbol of the Christian religion.

Further Reading 

1.  Michael Bassey Scriptural Foundation for Church Practices, Ibadan: St. Pauls, 2008 p. 37

2. https://www.britannica.com/topic/sign-of-the-cross

3. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sign_of_the_cross

See you next week Sunday!