Catechumen

Catechumen
The catechumens are those who have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ and are getting ready to Baptism.
In the early church, a new Jewish or pagan convert used to undergo a course of basic instruction and training in Christian doctrine and ritual.
Catechumens were classified according to their spiritual progress and achievement in assimilating Christian doctrine.
Those who were allowed to hear the word of God were called listeners or hearers (audiented).
Those of longer standing, who were allowed to stay and attend the sermon given by the bishop or priest and certain prayers during which they knelt, were designated as prostrate.
Those who had passed the two previous stages and were considered to be sufficiently trained in faith to receive the sacrament of baptism were called competents.
Catechumens studied various theological works.
Catechumens were kept under the close supervision and guidance of their catechists, and those of them who lapsed were subjected to strict disciplinary punishment.

Dictionary of church terms. — St. GEORGE'S COPTIC ORTHODOX CHURCH SPORTING - ALEXANDRIA EGYPT. .

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Synonyms:
(in Christianity), , ,


Look at other dictionaries:

  • Catechumen — • In the early Church, was the name applied to one who had not yet been initiated into the sacred mysteries, but was undergoing a course of preparation for that purpose Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Catechumen     Catechumen …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Catechumen — Cat e*chu men, n. [L. catechumenus, Gr. kathchoy menos instructed, from kathchei^n. See {Catechise}.] (Eccl.) One who is receiving rudimentary instruction in the doctrines of Christianity; a neophyte; in the primitive church, one officially… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • catechumen — index neophyte, novice Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • catechumen — new convert, 15c., from Fr. catéchumène, from L. catechumenus, from Gk. katekhoumenos one being instructed, passive prp. of katekhein (see CATECHESIS (Cf. catechesis)) …   Etymology dictionary

  • catechumen — [kat΄ə kyo͞o′mən] n. [ME cathecumine < LL(Ec) catechumenus < Gr katēchoumenos, person instructed < katēchein: see CATECHETICAL] 1. a person, esp. an adult, receiving instruction in the fundamentals of Christianity before baptism or… …   English World dictionary

  • Catechumen — In ecclesiology, a catechumen (IPAEng|ˌkætəˈkjuːmən; from Latin catechumenus , Greek κατηχουμενος , instructed) is one receiving instruction in the principles of the Christian religion with a view to baptism. The title and practice is most often… …   Wikipedia

  • catechumen — noun /ˌkæt.ɪˈkjuː.mɛn,ˌkæt.əˈkju.mən/ A convert to Christianity under instruction before baptism; a young Christian preparing for confirmation. Here in this room an old man had killed and boiled a catechumen, had committed sodomy with a rat, had… …   Wiktionary

  • catechumen —   n. person receiving instruction, especially in religion.    ♦ catechumenate,    ♦ catechumenism, n. status of a catechumen    ♦ catechumenical, a …   Dictionary of difficult words

  • catechumen — noun Etymology: Middle English cathecumyn, from Late Latin catechumenus, from Greek katēchoumenos, present passive participle of katēchein Date: 15th century 1. a convert to Christianity receiving training in doctrine and …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • catechumen — catechumenal, catechumenical /kat i kyooh men i keuhl/, adj. catechumenically, adv. catechumenate /kat i kyooh meuh nayt , nit/, n. catechumenism, n. /kat i kyooh meuhn/, n. 1. Eccles. a person under instruction in the rudiments of Christianity,… …   Universalium

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