Confirmation slap

[rista]

I remember that we kids who were confirmed in the early 60s worried about that slap, which turned out to be nothing more than a caress of the cheek. This is no longer done in the new Rite of Confirmation.

yes it is! i was confirmed yesterday as a matter of fact, and i got my little slap on the cheek from the archbishop. they even warned us about it at practice last week, and all the adults in the room started laughing. it was pretty funny.

 

[Lujack]

I don’t remember being slapped, but I may have been patted on the cheek. I’m not sure. I wasn’t questioned by the bishop, but my entire confirmation class at my Catholic school took five tests throughout the year with stuff we needed to know (four twenty-five question tests and one big 100 question test at the end of the year, with confirmation coming the next fall).

 

[LDNCatholic]

Nowadays, Confirmation is usually given around the age of 14. Prior to Pope St. Pius X, First Communion was usually not given until that age. Back when Communion was given at an older age, was Confirmation given at the same time?

When was it removed? I was slapped by the bishop at my confirmation in 2003. And those recieved into the Church on Holy Saturday this year got a slap too.

 

[COLOS]

I’m kind of glad to see this topic.

There was no slap for me, and I had been wondering about what the deal was. I wasn’t really concerned enough to do any research about it, honestly. I just trust my Priest and Bishop, so no big deal there for me. Just kind of been wondering about it a little bit.

Some good info here, thanks folks.

 

[Jsmith17]

I got a hug… guess I got away easy.

 

[Tsuwano]

I was confirmed in the 60’s and was both questioned and slapped (very gently) by our Bishop.

 

[maryjk]

yes it is! i was confirmed yesterday as a matter of fact, and i got my little slap on the cheek from the archbishop. they even warned us about it at practice last week, and all the adults in the room started laughing. it was pretty funny.

My son’s Confirmation class got warned about “the slap.” So it must still happen around here.

I remember mine. It was a very gentle pat on my cheek. It was in 1984.

 

[mysticalrose7]

+J.M.J+

I was confirmed in 1983. No quizzing, no slap, not even a tap. We were told at the time that “They don’t do that anymore.” Instead, the bishop shook the hand of each candidate right after anointing him or her with chrism. I don’t remember him saying anything in connection with the handshake, but it kind-of felt like, “Congratulations, you’re Confirmed!”

My husband just told me today that his younger brother got a light tap on the cheek at his Confirmation back in 1990. He was his brother’s sponsor so he witnessed it firsthand. I was surprised, since I still thought they “don’t do that anymore.” I guess the practice persists in some places. Now I almost feel cheated… cheated out of a slap.

Almost, that is…