Statute 35

1Statute 35. Concerning the order of baptism, the profession of faith, the confession of sin at baptism, the offering, and the milk and honey.

2At cockcrow they shall first pray over the water. It shall either be water flowing into the baptismal tank or water caused to flow down upon it. This shall be done unless there is a scarcity of water. If water is scarce, they shall draw water from a well and carry it to the tank.

3They shall remove their garments and be baptized naked. They shall baptize the little children first. If the children can speak for themselves, let them speak; but if they cannot, their parents or one of their relatives shall answer in their place.

4Afterward they shall baptize the grown men. Then all the women shall loosen their hair. They shall be forbidden to wear their ornaments or gold when they are baptized, and none of them shall go down into the water carrying anything alien.

5Whenever they baptize, the bishop shall give thanks over the oil that is in a vessel; this is called the mystic oil. He shall take other oil and exorcise Satan in it; this is called the oil exorcised from every unclean spirit.

6A deacon shall carry the oil in which Satan was exorcised and stand on the presbyter’s left. Another deacon shall take the mystic oil and stand on his right.

7The presbyter shall take each of those who are to be baptized and command them to renounce and say, “I renounce you, Satan, and all your angels and all your unclean works.”

8When the candidate has made this profession, the presbyter shall anoint him with the oil purified from every evil, saying, “Let every unclean spirit depart from him.” He shall then deliver the one who is to be baptized, naked, to the bishop or to the presbyter—to the one standing at the baptismal water.

9The deacon shall go down into the water with him and instruct him to say, “I believe in one God, the Father Almighty; in his only Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; and in the Holy Spirit, the giver of life to all creation: the Trinity equal in Godhead, one Lord, one kingdom, one faith, and one baptism, in the holy catholic Church and eternal life. Amen.”

10The one who is to be baptized shall answer, “Yes, I believe.” Then he shall baptize him and lay his hand upon him and upon the one who answers for him. He shall immerse him three times, and the one being baptized shall make the declaration each time he is immersed.

11Afterward he shall ask him again, “Do you believe in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, the only Son of God the Father: that he became man through an incomprehensible miracle, by the Holy Spirit and by our Lady Mary the virgin, without the seed of a man; that he was crucified in the time of [Pilatos Pantenawi]; that he died by his own will for our salvation; that he rose from the dead on the third day, released the captives, ascended into the heavens, and sat down at the right hand of the Father; and that he shall come to judge the living and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom? Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, who is good and sanctifies, and in the holy Church? Do you believe in the resurrection of the body, which shall happen to all people, the kingdom of the heavens, and eternal judgment?”

12The one being baptized shall answer concerning all these things, saying, “Yes, I believe this.”

13When he has come up from the water, the presbyter shall anoint him with the mystic oil, saying, “I anoint you with holy oil.” Afterward they shall put on their garments and enter the church.

14The bishop shall lay his hand upon them and pray, saying, “God, you have made these worthy of the washing of new birth and the forgiveness of sin. Make them worthy to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and send forth upon them the grace of the Holy Spirit, so that they may serve your will. Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit in the holy Church, from now to the age of ages.”

15Afterward the presbyter shall pour the mystic oil into his hand and pour it upon the head of each one, saying, “I anoint you with holy oil in the name of God the Father Almighty, Christ Jesus his only Son, and the Holy Spirit.”

16After signing each of them on the forehead, he shall kiss them and say, “The Lord be with you all.” The one who has been signed shall answer, “And with your spirit.”

17After this, when everything has been completed, they shall pray with all the people. Before they have done what we have described, they shall not pray with the full Christians. When they have finished praying, they shall greet one another with their mouths.

18The deacons shall bring the offering to the bishop, and he shall give thanks over the bread and the cup: over the bread, that it may become the body of our Lord Christ; and over the cup of mixed wine, that it may become the blood of our Lord Christ, which was shed for us and indeed for all who believe in him.

19The milk and honey shall be mixed together, and he shall have them drink from the mixture because of the fulfillment of the promise made to our fathers: “I will give you the land flowing with milk and honey.” This is the body of our Lord Christ, which he gave to us who believe in him, as food for little children begotten by him—those who believe in him—so that by the sweetness of his word he may make every bitter heart sweet.

20The bishop shall go through all these things with those who have been baptized. He shall also show the water of the offering in the bread, like the inward part of a human being, who is soul as well as body. The bishop shall give this entire explanation to all who have been baptized.

21The bishop shall then break the bread of life, give a piece to each person, and say, “This is heavenly bread, the body of our Lord Christ.” The one who receives it shall answer, “Amen.”

22If there are not enough presbyters, the deacons shall take the cups and stand in order: first the one who has the honey, and second the one who has the milk. The one administering shall say, “God, the Father Almighty.” The third shall be the one who has the wine. The one administering it shall say, “This is the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The one receiving shall say, “Amen and amen.”

23When he receives the body, he shall say, “Amen,” and at the blood he shall say, “Amen and amen.” This is a trinity; therefore, so it shall be.

24Each of them shall take care to do good works that please God, living in the right way, remaining united to the Church, carrying out this instruction, and advancing in the service of God.

25This is what we have taught you to say openly concerning baptism and the ordinance of the offering. See, we have completed the instruction we give you concerning the resurrection of the body and the rest, as it was written.

26If there is anything else that ought to be told, the bishop shall tell it and give it to those who receive communion. They shall accept it, and no one except believers shall know it, and only after they have received communion.

27They shall first receive this holy blessing, of which John says in Revelation, “A new name is written upon it, which no one knows except the one who receives the blessing.”

28On the Sabbath and the first day of the week, if possible, the bishop himself shall distribute to all the people with his own hand while the deacons break the bread. The presbyters shall also break the bread that has been handed to them.

29Whenever a deacon approaches a presbyter, he shall hold out his robe. The presbyter himself shall take the bread and distribute it to the people with his own hand. On other days they shall distribute it according to the bishop’s command.