By Giuseppe Monno
In one episode of the Gospel according to Mark, Jesus rebukes his disciples, saying: “Let the little children come to me; do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these” (Mark 10:13–14).
The early Christian community likely understood this passage in a baptismal sense, recognizing in Jesus’ words an implicit invitation to allow even children to enter into communion with him through Baptism. In fact, the Greek verb kōlyō, translated as “to hinder” or “to prevent,” was often used in baptismal contexts (cf. Matthew 3:14; Acts 8:36; 10:47; 11:17).
Children, too, were included in the history of salvation. They passed through the sea along with the adults under the cloud, sharing in what Saint Paul presents as a prefiguration of Baptism (1 Corinthians 10:1–3). This foreshadows the Baptism of Christ, now the source of salvation for all. Paul also notes that he baptized entire households (Acts 16:15, 33; 1 Corinthians 1:16), using the Greek term oikos, which would naturally have included children.
For this reason, the baptism of children appears to have been practiced in the Church from the apostolic age. The first known figure to question it was Tertullian of Carthage at the end of the second century (De Baptismo, XVIII). He did not deny the validity of the sacrament, but suggested that it might be better to delay it until adulthood, when a person could consciously profess the faith. His view, however, remained isolated.
On the contrary, the practice of baptizing children is clearly attested by several early Church Fathers. Origen, for example, states that the baptism of infants was a tradition handed down from the Apostles themselves (Homilies on Leviticus 8:3; Commentary on Romans 5:9). He connects infant Baptism with the need for purification from original sin, which affects even newborns.
Saint Cyprian addresses the issue explicitly in his Letter 58, arguing that Baptism should not be delayed even until the eighth day after birth. Rather, it may be administered immediately, since through Baptism the child receives God’s grace and is freed from sin.
Saint Irenaeus, in Adversus haereses, speaks of the salvation brought by Christ to all people, including infants and young children, who are also recipients of baptismal regeneration.
Later, Saint Gregory of Nazianzus affirms that Baptism should not be denied to children. While he suggests administering it around the second or third year of life for pastoral reasons, he clearly acknowledges that even newborns may and should be baptized.
Saint Augustine, finally, stands as one of the strongest defenders of infant Baptism. He considers it a universal and longstanding tradition of the Church, closely tied to the doctrine of original sin. In works such as De peccatorum meritis et remissione et de baptismo parvulorum, he teaches that children are baptized precisely so that they may be freed from original sin and brought into the grace of Christ.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church summarizes this teaching:
“The practice of infant Baptism is an immemorial tradition of the Church. There is explicit testimony to this practice from the second century, and it is quite possible that from the very beginning of the apostolic preaching, when whole households received Baptism, infants may also have been baptized.” (CCC 1252)
Some people confuse the baptism of children with the catechumenate for adults, but these are two distinct realities that have coexisted from the beginning. The extended catechumenate was intended for adults, not children. When an adult converted from paganism, a long period of preparation—sometimes lasting several years—was considered normal, as the sources attest. Even today, the catechumenate for adults continues to exist without excluding the baptism of infants. The evidence from the second and third centuries clearly shows that infant Baptism was already practiced, and did not originate in later centuries.
The Didache recommends a period of instruction and testing before Baptism (Didache 7:1–4). Saint Cyprian refers to a structured process of preparation for adult catechumens, including fasting, moral instruction, and gradual participation in liturgical rites. Origen also emphasizes the importance of spiritual formation before Baptism. Tertullian likewise notes that adults might delay Baptism for moral and spiritual reasons, sometimes for years.
By the fourth century, the Rite of the Catechumens—attested in both Eastern and Western traditions—describes a process that could last months or years, involving instruction, fasting, exorcisms, and moral testing. In Rome, in particular, a three-year period of preparation was often required before Baptism at the Easter Vigil. All of this demonstrates that a lengthy catechumenate was the norm for adults, while children were baptized without such preparation. This distinction is clearly reflected in both patristic writings and liturgical sources.
In the New Testament, however, we sometimes see adult pagans being baptized immediately after conversion. To understand this, it is important to distinguish between exceptional cases and ordinary practice. For example:
– Cornelius and his household (Acts 10:44–48) are baptized immediately after receiving the Holy Spirit.
– Lydia (Acts 16:14–15) and the Philippian jailer (Acts 16:33) are baptized promptly upon professing faith.
These cases are exceptional, marked by a clear and immediate action of the Holy Spirit, a strong conviction of faith, and a public response. They are presented to highlight the saving power of God and the effectiveness of Baptism.
The catechumenate, therefore, was not required in every situation. It became the standard practice especially in larger urban communities, where converts often came from deeply rooted pagan backgrounds. In smaller communities or in special circumstances—such as direct apostolic preaching—Baptism could take place without a prolonged period of preparation.
Thus, there is no contradiction between the New Testament and later sources. The New Testament emphasizes the immediacy of God’s saving action, while the patristic sources reflect the more structured life of the growing Church. Over time, a longer catechumenate became the norm for adults, while the baptism of children continued without such stages, since children cannot yet make a personal profession of faith.
Some have pointed to the Edict of Theodosius as evidence that infant Baptism was a later development. In reality, the edict did not introduce the practice but simply contributed to its spread. As Christianity became established in the Roman Empire and adult conversions decreased, more children were born into Christian families. This explains the increase in infant Baptism, not its origin, which is rooted in apostolic tradition.
Opposition to infant Baptism reappeared in the twelfth century with Peter of Bruys and the Petrobrusians, who argued that only personal faith makes Baptism meaningful. During the Protestant Reformation, the Anabaptists rejected infant Baptism, including figures such as Felix Manz, Conrad Grebel, and Jörg Blaurock. Other groups that reject the practice include Baptists, Mennonites, Hutterites, Pentecostals, and certain non-Trinitarian movements such as Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses.
On the other hand, most historic Protestant traditions—such as Lutherans, Reformed (Calvinists), Anglicans, and Methodists—have continued to practice infant Baptism. The Catholic Church definitively rejected the denial of infant Baptism and any attempt to delay it unnecessarily at the Council of Trent (Session VII, Canons 12–14).
Baptism is effective even without an explicit personal act of faith on the part of the one being baptized, because it is God who acts through the sacrament. Through this free gift of grace, the child is incorporated into Christ and welcomed into the community of believers. That community, in turn, takes on the responsibility of nurturing the child’s growth so that he or she may eventually come to a mature and conscious faith.
As Saint Paul writes, Baptism is the “circumcision of Christ”:
“You were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.” (Colossians 2:11–12)