Bobbio Missal: Order of Baptism (Gallican) (c. 700)

The Making of a Christian

¶ For making a Christian.

[O God, in whom the whole fabric] of love is established and founded, who didst make the stains of the world [a means] of putting death to flight: we pray and beseech thee to guard the soul of thy servant N., that, the devil being trodden down, thou mayest strengthen him; that, as the darkness of our first parents is wiped away, he may receive in faith the Christian name.

¶ Another.

[O God,] who restorest what was lost and preservest what is restored; O God, who didst command the reproach of heathenism to be sealed under the title of thy name, that they might be found worthy to come to the font of baptism:

¶ Another.

O Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God, who madest heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is: vouchsafe to look upon the prayers of my lowliness for thy servant N. By the calling upon of thy name strengthen him; make the light of thy countenance shine upon him; vouchsafe to bless and sanctify him, as thou didst bless the house of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Appoint for him an angel of peace, an angel of mercy, to lead him to eternal life, with the help of the Holy Spirit; and deliver him from the jaws of the enemy by the sign of Jesus Christ, that all the time of his life he may abide in true religion. Through.

¶ [Another.]

O God, who art, and who wast, and who abidest unto the end of the world, whose beginning is unknown and whose end cannot be comprehended: we pray and beseech thee to guard the soul of thy servant N., whom thou hast delivered from the error of the heathen and from a most wicked way of life. Vouchsafe to hear him who bows his neck before thee. May he come to the baptism of the font, to new birth of water and the Holy Spirit, who with the Father and the Son lives and reigns.

¶ Thou shalt make the sign ✠ upon him and say the Creed.

Receive the sign of the cross, as well on the forehead as on the heart. Be ever faithful; enter the temple of God; forsake idols; worship God the Father almighty, and Jesus Christ his Son, who shall come to judge the living and the dead and the world by fire, with the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever.

¶ After this thou shalt breathe three times into his mouth and say:

Receive the Holy Spirit; mayest thou keep him in thy heart.

The Order of Baptism: the Blessing of the Font

¶ Here begins the order of baptism.

I exorcise thee, creature of water, in the name of God the Father almighty, and in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ his Son, and of the Holy Spirit; that every power of the adversary, every army of the devil, every assault, every phantom may be rooted out and put to flight from this creature of water; that it may be to all who shall go down into it a fountain of saving water unto eternal life; that whoever is baptized in it may become a temple of the living God, for the forgiveness of sins; in the name of God the Father almighty and of Christ Jesus his Son and of the Holy Spirit, who shall judge the world by fire; by this sign which abides for ever and ever.

¶ A prayer.

Almighty and everlasting God, be present at the mysteries of thy great loving-kindness, be present at thy sacraments; and send forth the Spirit of adoption to create the new people whom the font of baptism brings forth for thee; that what is to be done by our humble ministry may be fulfilled by the working of thy power. O God, who by invisible power dost wonderfully work the effect of thy sacraments; and though we are unworthy to perform such great mysteries, yet do not forsake the gifts of thy grace, but incline the ears of thy loving-kindness even to our prayers. O God, whose Spirit in the very beginning moved upon the waters, that even then the nature of water might conceive the power of sanctifying:

¶ A collect follows.

O God, who washing away by water the crimes of a guilty world didst by the outpouring of the flood signify the figure of new birth: [may this water be] free from every assault of the adversary and cleansed by the departure of all wickedness. May it be a living water, a water that regenerates, a wave that purifies; that all who are purified in this washing, by the Holy Spirit in them, may obtain the grace of perfect cleansing.

Wherefore I bless thee, creature of water, through ✠ the living God, through ✠ the holy God, who in the beginning by his word separated thee from the dry land and commanded thee to water the earth in four rivers; who in the desert made thee, being bitter, fit to drink by putting sweetness into thee, and brought thee out of the rock for a thirsting people. I bless thee through Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord, who in Cana of Galilee by a wonderful sign of his power turned thee into wine; who walked upon thee with his feet, and was baptized by John in the Jordan; who brought thee forth from his side together with his blood, and commanded his disciples to baptize believers in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit; who lives and reigns.

¶ Lift up your hearts.

It is meet and right, almighty God, who hast opened to us the fountain of eternal life, and hast regenerated us by thy Holy Spirit, whom thou hast willed to be the guide of this holy washing for the forgiveness of sins, and hast made it a washing of water in the Holy Spirit, through whom thou takest away every stain from us, strippest us of death and clothest us with life, as we stand before thee in glory. We praise thee, Father ever in heaven, who from the beginning receivest power, through our Lord Jesus Christ; through whom we beseech thee, God the Father almighty, that thou wouldest vouchsafe to send down the Holy Spirit upon this water; that whomsoever we baptize in thy name and in the name of thy Son, God and our Lord Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit, thou mayest purify and regenerate, receive them into the number of thy saints, and perfect them in thy Holy Spirit unto eternal life, for ever and ever.

¶ While the chrism runs down into the font, thou makest the sign ✠ and sayest:

The pouring in of the saving chrism of our Lord Jesus Christ, that this may become a fountain of living water springing up unto eternal life for all who come to it.

¶ After this thou shalt say:

[Lead], we beseech thee, almighty God, thy family to the fountain of eternal salvation, that none of those whom thou hast bidden return from darkness to light may be deceived by the frauds of the enemy.

The Exorcism, the Effeta and the Anointing

¶ Here begins the exorcism of the person before he is baptized.

I exorcise thee, unclean spirit, by God the Father almighty, who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is; that every power of the adversary, every army of the devil, every assault, every phantom may be rooted out and put to flight from this creature, that he may become a holy temple of God; in the name of God the Father almighty and of Jesus Christ his Son, who shall judge the world by fire, in the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever.

¶ Thou touchest his nostrils, saying:

Effeta, it is an offering for an odour of sweetness.

¶ Thou anointest him with sanctified oil, saying:

I anoint thee with sanctified oil, as Samuel anointed David to be king and prophet.

¶ Thou touchest his nostrils, ears and breast [saying]:

Work, creature of oil, that no unclean spirit may lie hidden here, neither in the members, nor in the marrow, nor in any joint of the members; but may the power of Christ the Son of God most high and of the Holy Spirit work in thee, through all ages.

The Renunciation and the Profession of Faith

¶ Thou askest his name, saying: What is he called? [Answer. N.]

Dost thou renounce Satan, his pomps, his luxuries, and this world?

¶ He answers: I renounce. This thou shalt say three times.

¶ Thou askest his name: What is he called? [Answer. N.]

Does he believe in God the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth?

¶ He answers: He believes.

Does he believe in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord, conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, who suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified and buried, descended into hell, the third day rose again from the dead, ascended into heaven, sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty, from thence he shall come to judge the living and the dead?

¶ He answers: He believes.

Does he believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the flesh, to have life after death, to rise again in the glory of Christ?

¶ He answers: He believes.

The Baptism, the Chrism and the Washing of Feet

¶ Thou baptizest him and sayest:

I baptize thee in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, who are of one substance, that thou mayest have eternal life, a part with the saints.

¶ Thou pourest chrism on his forehead, saying:

God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath regenerated thee by water and the Holy Spirit, and who hath given thee forgiveness of sins through the washing of new birth and through blood, himself anoint thee with his holy chrism unto eternal life.

¶ Thou puttest the garment upon him, saying:

Receive a white garment, which thou mayest bring spotless before the judgement-seat of Christ.

¶ A collect at the washing of feet.

I wash thy feet, as our Lord Jesus Christ did to his disciples; so do thou to guests and strangers.

Our Lord Jesus Christ wiped the feet of his disciples with the towel with which he was girded; and I do it to thee: do thou do it to strangers, guests and the poor.

After Baptism

¶ After baptism.

Let us give thanks to the Lord, dearly beloved brethren, that he has vouchsafed to increase the congregation of his Church through our dear ones who have now been baptized. Let us therefore ask the mercy of the Lord that they may bring the holy baptism which they have received unblemished, inviolate and spotless before the judgement-seat of Christ.

¶ Another.

O Lord God almighty, preserve in thy servants, whom thou hast bidden to be born again of water and the Holy Spirit, the holy baptism which they have received, and vouchsafe to perfect it in the sanctification of thy name; that thy grace may ever increase in them, and that what they have received by thy gift they may keep by the integrity of their lives.