Baptisms were
usually conferred at Easter and in the season of Pentecost which ensued,
and by the bishop or by priests and deacons commissioned by him.

Such are the leading features of the rite in Tertullian, and they reappear
in the 4th century in the rites of all the orthodox churches of East and
West; Tertullian testifies that the Marcionites observed the particulars
numbered one to six, which must therefore go back at least to the year 150.
About the year 300, those desirous of being baptized were (a) admitted to
the catechumenate, giving in their names to the bishop. (b) They were
subjected to a scrutiny and prepared, as to-day in the western churches the
young are prepared for confirmation. The catechetic course included
instruction in monotheism, in the folly of polytheism, in the Christian
scheme of salvation, &c. (c) They were again and again exorcized, in order
to rid them of the lingering taint of the worship of demons. (d) Some days
or even weeks beforehand they had the creed recited to them. They might not
write it down, but learned it by heart and had to repeat it just before
baptism. This rite was called in the West the _traditio_ and _redditio_ of
the symbol. The Lord's Prayer was communicated with similar solemnity in
the West [v.03 p.0365] (_traditio precis_). The creed given in Rome was the
so-called Apostles' Creed, originally compiled as we now have it to exclude
Marcionites. In the East various other symbols were used. (e) There
followed an act of unction, made in the East with the oil of the
catechumens blessed only by the priest, in the West with the priest's
saliva applied to the lips and ears. The latter was accompanied by the
following formula: "Effeta, that is, be thou opened unto odour of
sweetness. But do thou flee, O Devil, for the judgment of God is at hand."
(f) Renunciation of Satan. The catechumens turned to the west in
pronouncing this; then turning to the east they recited the creed. (g) They
stepped into the font, but were not usually immersed, and the priest
recited the baptismal formula over them as he poured water, generally
thrice, over their heads. (h) They were anointed all over with chrism or
scented oil, the priest reciting an appropriate formula. Deacons anointed
the males, deaconesses the females. (i) They put on white garments and
often baptismal wreaths or chaplets as well. In some churches they had worn
cowls during the catechumenate, in sign of repentance of their sins