Chrismation

The mystery that in the Orthodox rite immediately completes baptism: the sealing of the newly-baptized with the holy myron for “the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit” — the believer’s personal Pentecost.

Tradition: Pan-Orthodox

Chrismation is the second of the mysteries of initiation and, in the unbroken Eastern order, follows baptism at once. This section treats its theology and its history. The first file, the-seal-of-the-gift-of-the-holy-spirit.md, reads chrismation as the personal Pentecost by which the baptized receives the indwelling Spirit, and treats the holy chrism (myron) and its solemn consecration. The second file, chrismation-and-reception-into-the-church.md, takes up chrismation’s use in receiving converts and the divergence between the Eastern chrismation and the Western sacrament of confirmation, linking the hub essay on Baptism and Chrismation.

Contents

File Description
the-seal-of-the-gift-of-the-holy-spirit.md The personal Pentecost; the holy chrism (myron) and its consecration
chrismation-and-reception-into-the-church.md The reception of converts; the East–West divergence from confirmation

See Also