Sacred Chrism at Baptism

[runningdude]

At the numerous Baptisms over the years, I’ve noted that after the Baptism proper, the priest will bless the child with sacred oil. I’m curious as to when this practice began.

If I’m not mistaken, the form and matter for Confirmation are the same basic action. So did blessing with oil only arise after Confirmation was held off until the age of reason? Does does the blessing with oil differ in form from Confirmation, other than obviously not conferring sacramental grace? Why bless with oil at all if not to confirm with the Holy Spirit!

Thanks!

 

[Phemie]

At the numerous Baptisms over the years, I’ve noted that after the Baptism proper, the priest will bless the child with sacred oil. I’m curious as to when this practice began.

If I’m not mistaken, the form and matter for Confirmation are the same basic action. So did blessing with oil only arise after Confirmation was held off until the age of reason? Does does the blessing with oil differ in form from Confirmation, other than obviously not conferring sacramental grace? Why bless with oil at all if not to confirm with the Holy Spirit!

Thanks!

The prayer that accompanies the Anointing after Baptism:
God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has freed you from sin,
given you a new birth by water and the Holy Spirit,
and welcomed you into his holy people.
He now anoints you with the chrism of salvation.
As Christ was anointed Priest, Prophet, and King,
so may you live always as a member of his body,
sharing everlasting life.
Amen.

The baptized receive the Holy Spirit at Baptism so it’s not surprising that there is an anointing there. The form at Baptism differs from that of Confirmation in the location of the anointing. The anointing at Baptism is on the crown of the head while at Confirmation the anointing is on the forehead.

 

[mswood]

Also when adults are brought in to the chruch and baptized and confirmed at the Easter Vigil they are only annointed at confirmation, since confirmation immediately follows their baptism.

 

[AJV]

At the numerous Baptisms over the years, I’ve noted that after the Baptism proper, the priest will bless the child with sacred oil. I’m curious as to when this practice began.

If I’m not mistaken, the form and matter for Confirmation are the same basic action. So did blessing with oil only arise after Confirmation was held off until the age of reason? Does does the blessing with oil differ in form from Confirmation, other than obviously not conferring sacramental grace? Why bless with oil at all if not to confirm with the Holy Spirit!

Thanks!

This is actually a pretty detailed question. The basic answer is not exactly, it did not come about to replace the anointing with the chrism. In the early Church, there were several rituals in practice. To oversimplify: there were those with a prebaptismal anointing only, those with one postbaptismal anointing, those with one before and two after. The last was the sequence of the Church at Rome, and the second anointing separated off into a separate rite of Confirmation. If you are interested in a more detailed history of the baptismal rites, I can recommend a few books.