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Book of Christening

Anonymous · betmas

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machine-draft · no human review 3 passages · 245 words

Work dossier · summary and historical context

Summary

The Book of Christening is a liturgical manual for the baptismal rite in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo tradition, preserved in Geʿez manuscripts. It contains prayers, rubrics, and scriptural readings that structure the ceremony, including anointing, exorcism, and naming. The text survives in manuscripts from the 15th–16th centuries, though it is traditionally linked to the Aksumite period. It remains in liturgical use today and is cited in modern catechetical works. The source edition lacks a critical apparatus, limiting its value for textual criticism.

The Book of Christening is a key witness to the development of baptismal liturgy in the Ethiopian Orthodox tradition, preserving prayers and rubrics that have been in continuous use for centuries. It illuminates the adaptation of early Christian baptismal theology—such as exorcism and anointing—within an African context. The text also provides insight into the liturgical language and manuscript culture of medieval Ethiopia.

Historical context

The Book of Christening belongs to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo tradition, which developed in the Aksumite kingdom (1st–7th centuries CE) and later in the Solomonic period. The text is written in Geʿez, the classical liturgical language of Ethiopia. Although tradition attributes the work to the Aksumite era, the earliest extant manuscripts date from the 15th–16th centuries, a period of liturgical consolidation under Emperor Zara Yaqob. The manual is often appended to larger collections like the Mashafa Qeddase or the Senkesar, indicating its integration into the broader liturgical corpus. The rite reflects early Christian baptismal practices, including exorcism and anointing, adapted to Ethiopian contexts. The text's survival in multiple manuscript families suggests ongoing use and transmission, though the lack of a critical edition hinders precise dating and provenance.

Apparatus · what the pipeline recorded

Annotation and terms

16 commentary units 3 structure3 term3 background3 caution2 reception1 scripture1 parallel 0 derived notes 5 open questions 3 narrative
What the kinds mean

Pipeline notes

  • limitThe English is a machine draft produced passage by passage from the transcribed Coptic; no human has verified it. The commentary is model-written and cites only keys the pipeline could resolve.
  • registerRegister: liturgy in Geʿez; the English keeps the liturgical formulae and the vocatives rather than normalising them.
  • structurePassages: 3 narrative.
  • sourceSource edition: betmas — CC BY-SA 4.0 (per file); site footer states NC-SA - treat as NC

Term index

CopticRenderingCountFirst
no glossary terms recorded
LIT3948MashafaKrS:1 · narrativehigh
Source
Rite of baptism Title and introduction, Ps 50, Prayer of Thanksgiving, Asking for the names of those to be baptised በስመ፡ አብ፡ ... ጸልዩ። እግዚእነ፡ ኢየሱስ፡ ክርስቶስ፡ ዘአጽነነ፡ ሰመያተ፡ ወወረደ፡ ... ወለመንፈስ፡ ቅዱስ፡ ማሕየዊ፡ ይእዜኒ፡ ወዘልፈኒ፡ ወለዓለመ፡.... ኦእግዚኦ፡ እግዚአብሔር፡ አምላክነ፡ አኃዜ፡ ኵሉ፡ ... ወናስተበቍዕ፡ እምነ፡ ኂሩትከ፡ ኦመፍቀሬ፡ ሰብእ፡ በእንተ፡ ኵሎሙ፡ ... አሜን። Prayer over the oil vessel እግዚአብሔር፡ አምላክነ አቡሁ፡ ... ዘተሰቅለ፡ በእንቲአነ፡ በመዋዕለ፡ ጲላጦስ፡ ... አሜን። Other Prayer over the oil vessel ኦእግዚእ፡ እግዚአብሔር፡ አምላክነ፡ ... ነጽሮ፡ ዲበ፡ ዝንቱ፡ ዘይት፡ ወረስዮ፡ ዘይስዕር፡ ኵሎ፡ አጋንንት፡ ... አሜን። Anointing of front, breast, heart, shoulders and hands
English
In the name of the Father ... pray. Our Lord Jesus Christ, who established the heavens and descended ... and to the Holy Life-giving Spirit, now and always and forever.... O Lord, Lord God, our God, ruler of all ... and we beseech from your freedom, O Lover of mankind, for the sake of all ... Amen. Lord God, our God, his Father ... who was crucified for us in the time of Pilate ... Amen. O Lord, Lord God, our God ... look upon this oil and accept it, that it may drive out all demons ... Amen.
LIT3948MashafaKrS:2 · narrativemedium
Source
After anointing, the priest speaks a prayer of thanksgiving, bends the knees of those to be baptised and says another prayer Prayer Prayer for those who gave their names for baptism Prayer while putting the hand on those to be baptised Those to be baptised put off their clothes and reject Satan Confession of faith Our Father Prayer over those to be baptised Rite of Confirmation Prayer of thanksgiving Prayer of Blessing while imposing the hands Those who were anointed are dressed in white clothes and crowned, dressed in red clothes and receiving palm branches
English
After anointing, the priest speaks a prayer of thanksgiving, bends the knees of those to be baptised and says another prayer Prayer Prayer for those who gave their names for baptism Prayer while putting the hand on those to be baptised Those to be baptised put off their clothes and reject Satan Confession of faith Our Father Prayer over those to be baptised Rite of Confirmation Prayer of thanksgiving Prayer of Blessing while imposing the hands Those who were anointed are dressed in white clothes and crowned, dressed in red clothes and receiving palm branches
LIT3948MashafaKrS:3 · narrativehigh
Source
Prayer over the crown Second prayer on the crowns AnotherPrayer over the crown, while imposing the hands Rite of Communion Receiving of the Eucharist and of milk and honey Prayer for the worthiness of those who have been baptised Prayer for the growth of wisdom and supplications to Mary and Saints
English
Prayer over the crown Second prayer on the crowns AnotherPrayer over the crown, while imposing the hands Rite of Communion Receiving of the Eucharist and of milk and honey Prayer for the worthiness of those who have been baptised Prayer for the growth of wisdom and supplications to Mary and Saints
Citation. Tergwame, “Book of Christening”, LIT3948MashafaKrS:1, machine-draft, 2026. https://naxiai.com/christian/works/LIT3948MashafaKrS#s1
Colophon. Source: betmas · licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 (per file); site footer states NC-SA - treat as NC · model: deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor · provider: Relace · cost: $0.0015 · generated 2026-11-15.