How are the waters of baptism consecrated?

Since Christ was baptized in the Jordan River, the Apostles also started baptizing in rivers or in any running waters. Tertullian says that St. Peter the Apostle baptized those who accepted faith in the Tiber River in Rome: “The One Spirit sanctifies the waters everywhere. The Spirit grants the waters the power of sanctification through prayer and invocation.” However, baptism in public places exposed believers and priests to many troubles. It also

1358 Origen, Commentary on the Gospel of John (Books 13–32) 32.16 (FOTC 89:345).

exposed the holy rites to defamation by pagans, and therefore baptism was later performed only in baptisteries inside churches.

The Didache, which dates from the first century A. D., says, “The procedure for baptizing is as follows. After repeating all that has been said, immerse in running water ‘In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost’. If no running water is available, immerse in ordinary water. This should be cold if possible; otherwise warm. If neither is practicable, then pour water three times on the head ‘In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.’”¹³⁵⁹

St. Basil says, “Of the dogmas and proclamations that are guarded in the Church … we hold some from the teaching of the Scriptures, and others we have received in mystery as teachings of the tradition of the apostles … [for example], We bless the water of baptism …”¹³⁶⁰ The Fathers spoke of consecrating the waters of baptism by summoning the Holy Spirit, prayer, and the sign of the cross. They also explicitly revealed the efficiency of that in the baptized life. Here are some examples:

Tertullian says, “All waters … attain the sacramental power of sanctification for the Spirit immediately supervenes from the heavens, and rests over the waters, sanctifying them from Himself and being thus sanctified, they imbibe at the same time the power of sanctifying.”¹³⁶¹

St. Cyprian says, “But the water ought to be first cleansed and sanctified by the bishop that it may be able to wash away in its baptism the sins of the man who is baptized since the Lord says through Ezekiel: ‘And I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be cleansed from all your impurities and from all your idols. And I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you’ (Ezek. 36:25–26).”¹³⁶²

St. Cyril of Jerusalem says, “When going down, therefore, into the water, think not of the bare element (of the water), but look for salvation by the power of the Holy Spirit: for without both, you cannot possibly be made perfect. It is not I that say this, but the Lord Jesus Christ, who has the power in this matter: for He says, Unless a man be born a of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God (John 3:3). Neither does he that is baptized with water, but not found worthy of the Spirit, receive the grace in perfection, nor if a man be virtuous in his deeds, but receive not the seal by water, shall he enter into the kingdom of heaven. A bold saying, but not mine, for it is Jesus who has declared it.”¹³⁶³

1359 The Didache in Early Christian Writings , trans., Maxwell Staniforth and Andrew Louth (Penguin, 1987) 7: p. 194.

1360 St. Basil of Caesarea, On the Holy Spirit 27.66 (PP 42:104).

1361 Tertullian, On Baptism 4 (ANF 3:671).

1362 St. Cyprian of Carthage, The Epistles of Cyprian 70.1 (FOTC 51:259–260) amended.

1363 St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures 3.4 (NPNF II/7:15).

St. Augustine says, “Take away the word [of the consecration], and the water is neither more nor less than water. The word is added to the element, and there results the Sacrament.”¹³⁶⁴

The Euchology of St. Serapion says, “King and Lord of all and creator of all, through the descent of your only-begotten Jesus Christ you have graciously given salvation to all created nature. Through the coming of your inexpressible word you have redeemed that which is formed, having been created by you. Look now from heaven and gaze upon these waters and fill them with holy spirit. Let your inexpressible word come to be in them. Let it change their operation and make them generative, being filled with your grace, so that the mystery now being accomplished may not be found empty in those being born again, but may fill with divine grace all those who go down and are baptized.”¹³⁶⁵

Thus, the role of the Holy Trinity is manifested in the sanctification of the waters. We cannot forget also the role of the sign of the cross in this matter. St. Augustine explains that the sign of the cross is made on the waters of baptism as well as on the oil of the Chrism and on the Eucharist.¹³⁶⁶