medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Dear Diane,
Thank you for your contribution re: the life of Bridget. I have indeed come across this reference in addition to some
other references suggestive of a pagan ritual of washing that involved the use of milk. It would not surprise me at all
if this earlier ritual survived (or became fused with) later baptismal practices. It is attested on many occasions that
the Irish have a tendency to perform many of their baptisms at home (this was a problem right up to the sixteenth
century). This gave an added opportunity for them to indulge in native ritual.
In addition to this a sixteenth century account of baptism by Edmund Campion alludes to the practice of baptising
every part of the child except the right arm which is left 'unchristened so that it might deal a deadlier blow' (the right
arm was customarily known as the sword arm and presumably it was thought that its potential for combat would be
weakened by being baptised!) - note, of course, that as late as the first half of the seventeenth century, Irish baptisms
involved full immersion.
Regards,
Salvador Ryan
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