Chapter 55

1In the forty days of Pascha, let the people abide in the 10r: expectation. ? Or: asceticism. 5 dudvo.e translated. temple, keeping vigil and praying, hearing the Scriptures and hymns of praise and the books? of doctrine. But? on the last Saturday let them rise early 4 in he night, and ® when the catechumens are being exorcised till the Saturday midnight.© Let those who are about to be baptized not bring anything else with them except one loaf for the Eucharist.’ But let them be baptized thus. When they come to the water, let the water be pure and flowing. First the babes, then the men, then the women. But if any one desire to approach as it were to virginity, let him ° first be baptized by the hand of the bishop. Let the women, when they are baptized, loose their hair. Let all the boys who can answer in baptism make the responses ® and answer after the priest. But if they cannot, let their parents make the responses for them, or some one of their households.?° But when they who are being baptized go down [to the water], after they make the responses and say [the answers], let the bishop see if! there be any of them—either a man having a ring of gold, or a woman having on her gold; for no one should have with him any strange thing in the water, but let him deliver it to those who are near him.” But when they are about to receive the oil for anointing, let the bishop pray over it and give thanks, and let him exorcise another [oil] with an exorcism, the same as in the case of catechumens. And let the deacon bear that which is exorcised, and let the presbyter stand by him. Let him then who standeth by that [oil] on which a giving of thanks over * the oil [is said] be on the right hand; but him who standeth by that which is exorcised, on the left. 3S. resumes here, prefixing the words ‘‘ And after a little.” And when he taketh hold of each one, let him ask—he that is being baptized turning to the West—and let him say: Say, I renounce thee, Satan, and all thy service, and thy shows? and thy pleasures? and all thy works. And when he hath said these things and confessed, let him be anointed with that oil which was exorcised, he who anointeth him saying thus: I anoint [thee] with this oil of exorcism for a deliverance from every evil and unclean spirit, and for a deliverance from every evil. And also, turning him* to the Hast, let him® say: [Say,*] I submit’ to Thee, Father and ® Son and® Holy Ghost, before whom all nature trembleth and is moved. Grant me to do all Thy will® without blame. Then after these things let him give him over to the presbyter who baptizeth. And let them stand in the water naked. But let the deacon descend with him similarly. But when he who is being baptized goeth down into the water, let him that baptizeth him say, putting his hand on him, thus: Dost thou believe in God the Father Almighty? Let him that is being baptized say: T believe. Let him immediately baptize him once. Let the priest also say: Dost thou believe also in Christ Jesus the Son of God, who came from the Father, who is of old with the Father, who was born of Mary the Virgin by the Holy Ghost, who was crucified in the days of Pontius Pilate, and died and rose the third day,!° [who] came to life from the dead, and ascended into heaven and sat down on the right hand of the Father, and cometh to judge the quick and the dead? But when he saith: I believe, let him baptize him the second time. And also let him say: Dost thou believe also in the Holy Ghost, in the holy Church? And let him who is being baptized say: I believe; and thus let him baptize him the third time. Then when he cometh up let him be anointed by the presbyter with oil over which the giving of thanks has been said, 1Lit.: military service. ? Lit.: theatres. [the presbyter] saying over him: I anoint thee with oil in the Name of Jesus Christ. But let women be anointed by widows who sit in front, the presbyter saying over them [the words]. And let those widows in baptism also beneath a veil receive them by a veil, the bishop saying those Confessions, and so those? whom they: cause them to renounce.”