Nieszpory chrzcielne dawniej i dziś

Abstract

Baptismal vespers are a historic event and they are part of the liturgical treasure of the Church. Related to the annual Easter celebrations they are encouraged by the Vatican Council documents. The distinctive feature of baptismal vespers is a procession to the baptistery. In Rome exercising of these vespers is confirmed by the most outstanding sacramentaries. The exact order can be found in Ordo Romanus XXVII (67-94) which describes liturgy as it was held in the seventh century. The processional liturgy consisted of three stations: at St. John on Lateran, in the baptistery and at St. Andrew by the Cross. During subsequent centuries baptismal vespers spread throughout Europe, mainly in the area of today’s France and Germany. They were also known in other liturgical families of the Western Church. After the Vatican Council no precise pattern of the vespers was draw up. Local churches have their own formulas, e.g. Münster diocese. In Poland we have two proposals by bishop S. Cichy. The first one refers to the old baptismal vespers descriptions and anticipates three processions. The second takes into consideration the fact that the procession to the baptistery is not possible.