Consolamentum

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Consolamentum, known as heretication to its critics, was the baptismal sacrament of the Albigenses and other branches of Cathars. Unlike modern mainstream Christianity the Baptism that was used by the majority of Cathars did not involve water, only words, the laying on of hands, and the placing of the Gospel attributed to St-John upon the head of the consoled. According to the Albigenses and other Cathars, the consolamentum was the baptism of the Holy Spirit, reception of all the spiritual gifts, power to bind and loose, absolution, baptismal regeneration, and Ordination all in one. As in other strands of early Christianity with no central authority over the religion, the ritual took many forms. There were some that used the entire New Testament and as stated above some only used the book of John while consoling. There were even some remote cases where water was used during consolamentum being profusely poured over the recipient's head until he/she was completely wet (as opposed to sprinkling) while the name of Christ was mentioned in place of the mention of the members of the Trinity which was a doctrine Albigenses and Cathars did not profess (their Christology resembled modalistic monarchism in the West and adoptionism in the East). Laying on of hands were always part of the ceremony. Some historians have stated that incidences of estatic utterances during Consolamentum was actually glossolalia, or "speaking in tongues," which demanded that the rite be even more secretly guarded since this phenomenon occurring outside of the Church was considered witchcraft and was punishable by death.

There was only one rite of the consolamentum ceremony, though it was administered in two different circumstances. The first was for only the most committed of believers. It was administered to willing ascetic adults of either sex who, once baptized, became a "Parfait" (Perfect). Parfaits were required to be vegetarian, to be celibate, and to dedicate their lives to travelling and teaching Albigensian and Cathar doctrines. These Parfaits were the leaders of the Albigensian and other Cathar communities (Albigenses were a branch of Cathari in what was to later become southern France. Most people use the term Albigenses when referring to those that adhered to a branch of Cathari that was less dualistic and more closely resembled orthodoxy). The modern mainstream sacrament of Ordination seems to have evolved from a similar early Christian practice.

The vast majority of the population did not receive consolamentum until on the verge of death. Once given the consolamentum, the same rules applied to them, though they were obviously not expected to travel or preach from their deathbed. Again, the medieval mainstream sacrament of last rites appears to have evolved from something similar to the consolamentum. This allowed most believers to live somewhat normal lives and receive consolamentum shortly before passing away.

According to a few known cases in the latter years of Catharism, when terminally ill persons received consolamentum and it was certain that person was very close to death the consoled would voluntarily undertake a complete fast known as the endura which was an extreme form of self denial and separation from the material world which was controlled by the evil one. They believed that this final sacrifice ensured their reunification with the Good God.

[edit] References

• Cathar Beliefs and Ceremonies James McDonald, 2005.
• Emmanuel Le Roy Ladurie Montaillou