Christianity & Coming of Age Ceremonies (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Religious Studies): Revision Note

What is confirmation?

• The Catholic and Anglican churches both practice infant baptism, in which a person joins the Christian church as a baby

• Confirmation is the ceremony in which a person who was baptised as an infant becomes an adult member of the church

• During the ceremony:

  • They make for themselves the same promises that their parents and godparents made for them at their baptism

  • They take responsibility for their own faith

  • Their connection to their church, established at baptism, is strengthened and deepened

• Confirmation generally takes place once a person is in their early teens

  • At this time, they are considered old enough to be able to confirm the promises made at baptism for themselves

  • There is no set age, and people can be confirmed at any stage of life

• In the Catholic Church, Confirmation is one of the seven sacraments and one of the three sacraments of initiation into the Church (the other two sacraments of initiation are baptism and the Eucharist)

• In the Anglican Church, confirmation is considered an important rite but is not seen as a sacrament

• Confirmation is a sacrament that recalls the events of Pentecost

  • At Pentecost, Jesus promised the Holy Spirit to his followers

  • The Holy Spirit came upon the disciples to strengthen them

  • In the same way, through confirmation, a believer receives the gifts of the Holy Spirit to help them in their adult faith journey

Rituals of confirmation

• There are four main rituals carried out at the confirmation ceremony:

  • Presentation of the candidate: Those being confirmed are summoned by the bishop, who is present to send them out into the world to spread the Good News of Jesus, just as Jesus sent the apostles

  • Renewal of baptismal vows: Those being confirmed renew the promises made at their baptism

  • Laying on of hands: The person kneels before the bishop, who reads out the candidate’s chosen confirmation name (a saint who will be their role model in faith). The bishop lays his hands on the person’s head to call down God’s blessing

    • A sponsor places their right hand on the shoulder of the candidate to support them

  • Anointing with chrism: The bishop anoints the person with chrism (holy oil) on the forehead to symbolise the presence of the Holy Spirit and says the words, “be sealed with the gifts of the Holy Spirit” 

Sponsors in confirmation

• A sponsor is a trusted adult who supports a candidate preparing for confirmation

• The sponsor acts as a spiritual mentor, helping the candidate grow in their Christian faith and commitment

• The sponsor stands with the candidate during the confirmation service and presents them to the bishop

• After confirmation, the sponsor will continue to be a guide, support and positive example for the person as they live their life as a committed Christian

First Communion ceremonies

• First Communion ceremonies in some Christian denominations are the celebration of the first time a person receives the bread and wine in Holy Communion

  • This rite is also known as the Eucharist

• For all Christians, it symbolises sharing in the Last Supper, when Jesus shared bread and wine and instructed his disciples to “Do this in memory of me” (Luke 22:19)

• For Catholic Christians, First Communion is one of the three sacraments of initiation or joining, along with baptism and confirmation, and is a particularly significant occasion

  • This is because Catholics believe in transubstantiation — that the bread and wine actually become the body and blood of Jesus Christ through the words and actions of the priest in the Mass

  • This means that they believe the person is meeting Jesus in a new and special way through their First Communion 

• First communion ceremonies usually take place when children are aged about seven, when they are old enough to understand the meaning of the sacrament

  • Christians can receive their First Communion at any stage of life

• Children who are attending their First Holy Communion dress in smart clothes

  • Girls often wear white dresses, and boys wear suits

• Children prepare for their First Holy Communion in school or in classes at church with the help of teachers and the priest, but the sacrament takes place in church

• The ceremony is usually followed by a party

• Although their First Holy Communion marks the first time children are allowed to share the communion bread, it is unusual for children receiving Holy Communion to be offered wine

Importance of being a full member of a church community

• Becoming a full member of a church community through baptism, confirmation and Holy Communion is important for several reasons

• Spiritually, it brings the person benefits, such as:

  • A sense of identity and belonging within their faith community. The person feels rooted in their faith

  • The ability to take part in all of the sacraments

    • Once a person is a full member of the church, they can take part in all church ceremonies and receive Holy Communion as often as they would like

  • The ability to learn more about their faith and become closer to God

• Practically, it offers many benefits too, such as:

  • Pastoral care and support from the priest or minister and the community during difficult times

  • Friendship and fellowship with other believers who share the same faith and values

  • Encouragement and prayer, with others praying for them and with them

• It also helps a believer to fully live out their life according to gospel values:

  • It offers many chances to serve others through church activities, volunteering and charity work

  • It gives an opportunity to take part in outreach, sharing the gospel message with others

  • It offers support and accountability to help the person stay focused on living a good Christian life