Early Christian Beliefs About Catechumens
Early Christians treated catechumens as people being taught the faith before baptism. Writings from the Apostolic Constitutions, Cyprian, Archelaus, and Tertullian describe instruction, prayer, and then baptism. Some texts also show catechumens were kept outside certain prayers or mysteries until they were ready. The picture is clear on preparation, but details varied by author and church setting.
114 early-church witnesses · 251 source quotations · compared with Scripture
What did early Christians believe about catechumens?
Early Christians commonly taught that catechumens were people being instructed before baptism, prayed for in the church, and then baptized after basic teaching. Writers like the Apostolic Constitutions, Cyprian, Archelaus, and Tertullian describe catechumens as learners who were instructed first, then brought to baptism and fuller church life.
The evidence is broad and fairly consistent on instruction, prayer, and the move from catechumen to baptized member, though some sources are liturgical or later than the earliest apostolic writings. A few texts also suggest catechumens were kept from some church mysteries or prayers until after baptism, but that detail is more indirect and varies by author. Many more early Christian quotations, Bible passages, and source links are gathered below so you can study the evidence for yourself.
Key Takeaways
- Catechumens were usually taught first and baptized after basic instruction.
- Church prayers were often offered for catechumens while they were still learning.
- Some early writers say catechumens were not yet ready for full access to the church's mysteries.
Questions Answered by the Sources
Were catechumens instructed before baptism?
The supplied sources repeatedly describe catechumens as people to be instructed in the faith before baptism. This is stated plainly in the Apostolic Constitutions and is reinforced by a Bible passage about Apollos knowing only the baptism of John.
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Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Direct teaching
Receive the penitent, for this is the will of God in Christ. Instruct the catechumens in the basic elements of religion, and then baptize them. Avoid the atheistical heretics, who are past repentance. Separate them from the faithful, and excommunicate them from the Church of God. Charge the faithful to stay completely away from them, and not to take part with them either in sermons or prayers. For these are enemies of the Church, and they lay snares for it. They corrupt the flock and defile the heritage of Christ. They only pretend to wisdom, and they are the vilest of men. About them Solomon the wise said, "The wicked doers pretend to act piously." For he says, "There is a way that seems right to some, but the ends of it look to the bottom of hell." Proverbs 14:12 These are the ones about whom the Lord declared His mind with bitterness and severity, saying that they are false Christs and false teachers. Matthew 24:24 They have blasphemed the Spirit of grace, and done despite to the gift they had from Him after the grace of baptism. Forgiveness shall not be granted to them, neither in this world nor in that which is to come. Matthew 12:32 They are both more wicked than the Jews and
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Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Direct teaching
Instruct the catechumens in the elements of religion, and then baptize them.
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Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness
How the Catechumens are to Be Instructed in the Elements.
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Tertullian, On Prescription Against Heretics Supporting witness
Their catechumens are perfect before they are full-taught.
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Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Supporting witness
... by human faith and divine grace, our transgressions being taken away by one Paeonian medicine, the baptism of the Word. We are washed from all our sins and are no longer entangled in evil. This is the one grace of illumination, that our characters are not the same as before our washing. And since knowledge rises up with illumination, shedding its beams around the mind, the moment we hear, we who were untaught become disciples. Does this, I ask, happen at the coming of this instruction? You cannot tell the time. For instruction leads to faith, and faith with baptism is trained by the Holy Spirit. That this faith is the one universal salvation of humanity, and that there is the same equality before the righteous and loving God, and the same fellowship between Him and all, the apostle showed most clearly when he spoke in this way: "Before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up to the faith which should afterwards be revealed, so that the law became our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith; but after that faith has come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster." Do you not hear that we are no longer under that law which came with fear, but
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Acts 18:25 Background
He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John.
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Acts 19:4 Supporting witness
Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
More related quotations from this section 2 shown
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Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Background
Since also before the communication of the mysteries they think it right to apply certain purifications to those who are to be initiated;
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Hebrews 6:2 Background
of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
Did early Christians pray for catechumens?
The Apostolic Constitutions explicitly give prayers for catechumens and even name a liturgical bidding prayer for them. These texts show catechumens being included in church intercession before baptism.
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Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Direct teaching
You catechumens, pray, and let all the faithful pray for them in their minds, saying: Lord, have mercy on them. And let the deacon lead the prayers for them, saying: Let us all pray to God for the catechumens, that He who is good, He who loves mankind, will mercifully hear their prayers and their requests, and accept their petitions in such a way as to help them and give them those desires of their hearts that are for their good, and reveal to them the Gospel of His Christ. May He give them light and understanding, instruct them in the knowledge of God, teach them His commands and His ordinances, plant in them His pure and saving fear, and open the ears of their hearts, so that they may train themselves in His law day and night. May He strengthen them in piety, unite them to His holy flock and number them with it, grant them the laver of regeneration and the garment of incorruption, which is the true life, deliver them from all ungodliness, and give no place to the adversary against them. May He cleanse them from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, dwell in them, and walk in them, by His Christ. May He bless their going out and their coming in, and direct their affairs for their go
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Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Direct teaching
VI. You catechumens, pray, and let all the faithful pray for them in their mind, saying: Lord, have mercy upon them.
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Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness
The Divine Liturgy, Wherein is the Bidding Prayer for the Catechumens.
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Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Direct teaching
...d of the Lord. After this, let all rise up with one consent, and looking toward the east, after the catechumens and penitents have gone out, pray to God eastward, who ascended to the heaven of heavens to the east. Let them also remember the ancient location of paradise in the east, from where the first man, after he gave in to the persuasion of the serpent and disobeyed the command of God, was driven out. As for the deacons, after the prayer is over, let some of them attend to the oblation of the Eucharist, ministering to the Lord's body with fear. Let others watch the crowd and keep them silent. But let that deacon who is at the high priest's side say to the people, "Let no one have any quarrel against another; let no one come in hypocrisy." Then let the men give the men, and the women give the women, the Lord's kiss. But let no one do it deceitfully, as Judas betrayed the Lord with a kiss. After this let the deacon pray for the whole Church, for the whole world and its several parts, and for its fruits; for the priests and the rulers, for the high priest and the king, and for the peace of the universe. After this let the high priest pray for peace upon the people and bless the
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Early Liturgies, Divine Liturgy of St. James Supporting witness
XVI. Let none remain of the catechumens, none of the unbaptized, none of those who are unable to join with us in prayer. Look at one another. The door.
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Acts 2:42 Background
And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
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1 Corinthians 14:23 Background
If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?
Were catechumens kept out of the Eucharistic mysteries?
Several liturgical and doctrinal texts place catechumens outside the full mysteries. They are described as being sent out or not being told the mysteries plainly, which shows a boundary between catechumens and the initiated faithful.
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Cyprian, Epistles Direct teaching
...oning to cancel out the truth of the Gospel statement. They object to us by bringing up the case of catechumens. They ask whether, if one of them should be arrested and killed for confessing the name before he is baptized in the Church, he would lose the hope of salvation and the reward of confession because he had not first been born again by water. Therefore, let people of this kind, who help and favor heretics, know first that these catechumens hold the sound faith and truth of the Church. They go forward from the divine camp to fight against the devil with a full and sincere confession of God the Father, and of Christ, and of the Holy Spirit. Then let them know that such people are certainly not deprived of the sacrament of baptism, since they are baptized with the most glorious and greatest baptism of blood. About this baptism the Lord also said that He had another baptism to be baptized with. But the same Lord declares in the Gospel that those who are baptized in their own blood and made holy by suffering are brought to completion and receive the grace of the divine promise. He shows this when, in His very suffering, He speaks to the thief who believed and confessed, and p
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Cyprian, Epistles Supporting witness
If they have departed this life, they are reckoned in the number of those who have been catechumens indeed among us, but have died before they were baptized — no trifling advantage of truth and faith, to which they had attained by forsaking error, although, being prevented by death, they had not gained the consummation of grace.
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Cyprian, Epistles Supporting witness
But they who still abide in life should be baptized with the baptism of the Church, that they may obtain remission of sins, lest by the presumption of others they remain in their old error, and die without the completion of grace.
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Tertullian, On Baptism Supporting witness
They who are about to enter baptism ought to pray with repeated prayers, fasts, and bendings of the knee, and vigils all the night through, and with the confession of all by- gone sins, that they may express the meaning even of the baptism of John: They were baptized, says (the Scripture), confessing their own sins.
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Acts 2:38 Background
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
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1 Peter 3:21 Background
Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
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Romans 6:4 Background
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
More related quotations from this section 1 shown
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Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Supporting witness
...assions that were produced by bodily desire. For there is, so to speak, at the end of life a sudden repentance in action, and a true confession toward Christ, in the testimony of the voice. But if the Spirit of the Father bears witness in us, how can we still be hypocrites, who are said to bear testimony with the voice alone? But it will be given to some, if it is expedient, to make a defense, so that by their witness and confession all may be benefited: those in the Church being confirmed, and those of the heathen who have devoted themselves to the search for salvation wondering and being led to the faith, and the rest being seized with amazement. So confession is by all means necessary. For it is in our power. But to make a defense for our faith is not universally necessary. For that does not depend on us. But he that endures to the end shall be saved. For who among those who are wise would not choose to reign in God, and even to serve? So some confess that they know God, according to the apostle. “But in works they deny Him, being abominable and disobedient, and reprobate to every good work.” Titus 1:16. And these, though they confess nothing but this, will have done at the e
Did catechumens prepare through repentance and confession?
Some supplied texts connect catechumen preparation with repentance, confession, and a faith that is already turning away from error. The evidence is present but narrower than the instruction-and-dismissal theme.
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Archelaus, Disputation with Manes Direct teaching
...elieve. These mysteries, which the Church now declares to you who have been moved from the group of catechumens, it is not her custom to declare to the Gentiles. For we do not declare the mysteries concerning the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit to a Gentile. Nor do we speak of the mysteries plainly in the presence of the catechumens. Instead, we often speak in a hidden way, so that the faithful who have understanding may grasp the truths being referred to, while those who do not have that understanding may receive no harm.
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Archelaus, Disputation with Manes Supporting witness
These mysteries, which the Church now declares to you who are transferred from the lists of the catechumens, it is not her custom to declare to the Gentiles.
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Archelaus, Disputation with Manes Supporting witness
neither do we speak of the mysteries plainly in presence of the catechumens;
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Origen, Against Celsus Supporting witness
And when those who have been turned towards virtue have made progress, and have shown that they have been purified by the word, and have led as far as they can a better life, then and not before do we invite them to participation in our mysteries.
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Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Background
and there are some mysteries before other mysteries.
Common Questions
What were catechumens in the early church?
They were people being instructed in the Christian faith before baptism.
Did early Christians pray for catechumens?
Yes. The Apostolic Constitutions include prayers for catechumens and ask God to hear them and help them.
Were catechumens baptized right away?
No. Several early writers describe instruction first, then baptism after preparation.
Source Index for Catechumens
The guided sections above show the strongest quotations. This compact index highlights 160 ranked source links from 251 compiled sources for deeper study.
Source index 160 ranked links shown
Early Christian Writings 80 shown of 114
Primary-source quotations from early Christian writers and church documents.
Bible Passages 80 shown of 137
Related Bible passages saved for comparison with the early Christian quotations.