Who is responsible for examining the candidates for baptism?

The bishop himself examines them immediately before baptism. It was mentioned in the Apostolic Tradition of St. Hippolytus : “When those who are to receive baptism are chosen their lives should be examined; whether they lived uprightly as catechumens, whether they honored the widows, whether they visited the sick, whether they were thorough in performing good works.”¹³²⁹ The examination does not check the behavioral side only but also the sincerity of his faith. Origen describes the level of stringency with which a catechumen should be examined, however they may have come to accept the faith, so that no one should be baptized without confirming the sincerity of his intentions.¹³³⁰ St. Cyril of Jerusalem compares this examination of the catechumens to soldiers who are enrolled in the army ready to fight the devil.¹³³¹