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Not to mention the money you got at your confirmation party Honestly, I can't remember too much about my confirmation. Don't know if I was slapped or handshooken (what a word). I remember wearing a red robe.. can't remember if it was a cassock and surplice.

Dear Michael,

In the Eastern church, the infant is given one or two (at most) baptismal names and that is it. Sometimes here in the U.S. a parent might give a different name on the birth certificate.

My daughter's baptismal names were two and were a promise to God, but then I felt bad that we didn't name her for my mother-in-law (a well known saint's name and also the Greek custom), so I added that name too.

The priests (in Greece) baptized her with all three names, but when my husband went to the island's Town Hall to register the baptismal certificate, as is the norm, the clerk freaked out..."Three names...I have NEVER heard of such a thing!!!!" .....
to which my husband should have responded, "well, there is always a first time!"

In Christ,
Alice

The hug, while a bit overdone, is actually more authentic than the "slap"!

Note to Alice - if the clerk had never heard of three names being given in Baptism, your husband might with good sense have suggested that the clerk investigate the baptismal names of members of royal families. Some of them are as long as the average telephone book!

Happy Pentecost!

Incognitus

Nope! The diocese of Arlington, VA.

The priest I referred to was a naturalized US citizen, who had been born in Ireland (and in the Gaeltacht no less), served as a missionary in Africa for many years, and then in the US Marines. Although he could not remember people's names, he spoke 15 languages (including Swahili and three other African languages). Quite a man, and quite a life!

Happy Sunday,

LatinTrad

Beloved in Christ, Incognitus,

Thank you for your Pentecost wishes!

You are indeed correct about those royals and their lengthy baptismal names. :rolleyes:

Alice

Alice,
Happy Pentecost!
Had a wonderful time of worship with the local Greek Orthodox parish here. In the mindset of Pope Benedict XVI I decided to have some contact and extend a gesture of peace and reconciliation.

The response by the people was ammazing. They were truly happy that I was there and many were perplexed as to why we were not in communion with each other.

Stephanos I

That is wonderful news! Glory to God!

May God bless you abundantly in your ministry to Him and in your life!
Alice

Alice,
that reminds me of when we had our daughter Ava Frances baptized a little over a year ago in the Greek Orthodox church. When we were registering for the date we told the registrar that our daughter's name was Ava Frances.
The lady had not heard of Ava nor Frances before.
(I chose Frances after St. Frances of Rome 1384-1440)
My Jewish friend noted that Ava actually means Love in Hebrew, but when pronounced Ava (Ahh-Va) it mean Life.
Little did I know that St. Frances was not a Saint in the Orthodox church.
The lady suggested that Ava's baptismal name be "Fotini".
Then my wife suggested "Eya or Eve". So it was done, the priest baptized her the servant of God "Eya".

Brad

Dear Brad,

From what I see of the registry of baptisms occuring weekly in my GO church, 'Ava' would have probably been fine IF you had given her a middle name of a saint that predated the schism...

Most recent example from my Church bulletin:

Bailey Katherine

and then there is an altar boy in my parish named Harrison whose middle name escapes me now, but it is a Greek saint's name!

Now you know the trick for your next baby!

Warmest regards in Christ,
Alice

Hello,

I was baptised and christmated using the name St. Patrick. My mom chose that for me when I was a baby. Don't know why. But anyway, all my life without even thinking and without even knowing much about St. Patrick, my favorite number has always been three.

So when I got older, I was like "ah-ha!" when I read about St. Patrick. He must have been following me all my life, making sure I know more about the Holy Trinity.

A good priest friend of mine from the Roman Church, (he is Deaf, by the way) explained to me about the slapping. He said that it's a symbol that the Holy Spirit comes in a "spark" when the Bishop slaps, like "boom" the infusion of the Holy Spirit takes place.

Same idea as when the baby is born, the doctors slap the baby's butt or feet, then the baby wakes up. Same idea as slapping in the Confirmation, the waking up in full of Holy Spirit.

I was like "How interesting!"

SPDundas
Deaf Byzantine

Hello all,
I have a further question: my daughter is about the begin instruction in the Eastern Catholic church(our family is Evangelical Protestant). She was baptized in the Roman Catholic Church as an infant. The ECC priest who will be giving her instruction wants to know if she was chrismated. She was blessed with oil at baptism, but apparently this was not actually being sealed with the Holy Spirit and she would have to be chrismated upon entering the Church. Is this correct? She was never confirmed, nor did she receive the Eucharist,in the RCC as we left when she was about 6 yrs old.
Thanks,
Michele

Dear SPDundas,

Thanks for the interesting post.

Can we now call you Patrick when we address you?

(WHAT a great saint...the pride of the Irish, but also the undivided Christian world!)

May St. Patrick continue to intercede for you always!

In Christ,
Alice

SPDundas,
my middle name is John, but I chose Andrew as my Confirmation/Chrismation name. Not only is St. Andrew the patron Saint of Scotland (my birthplace), Greece and Russia, but the first called Apostle. He was martyred Patras, Greece in 70AD.
I sometimes feel that St. Andrew (the first Patriarch of Constantinople) is guiding me to look and appreciate the beauty of my Eastern brethren.

Brad

To Michele's question: Although the Roman Catholics do in fact annoint the baptized with Holy Chrism, they don't regard this as the sacrament of confirmation (and I don't understand it either, but never mind). Thus the child should indeed be chrismated anew.

Incognitus

In the Catholic Church - confirmation means that the bishop - confirms in public - that the person has a personal understanding of his faith. A rudimentary grasp of several items that are basic to the faith. It is a bit like Jesus in the temple when he was questioned by the rabbis at 13 years of age. They were astounded at his answers and understanding. This was his Bar Mizvah test. He passed with flying colors. In the RC the bishop slaps you as a reminded that to hold to Christ will often get you face slapped � even from other Christians.

-ray