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
