After someone is Baptized by Triple Immersion in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, the Priest proceeds to anoint the newly baptized on the top [crown] of the head with Holy Chrism, saying:“God Almighty, the Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who hath regenerate thee by water and the Holy Ghost, and Who hath granted thee remission of all thy sins, it is He that anointeth thee with the Chrism of salvation in the Same His Son Our Lord Jesus Christ, unto life everlasting. Amen.”
In the 5th century treatise “De Sacramentis”, traditionally attributed to St. Ambrose [though, nowadays, attributed to the mysterious figure known as “Ambrosiaster”], the following is said likewise:
“Therefore thou didst dip, thou camest to the priest. What did he say to thee? ‘God the Father Almighty,’ he saith, ‘Who hath regenerated thee by water and the Holy Ghost, and hath forgiven thee they sins, Himself anoint thee unto eternal life.’ See whereunto thou art anointed; ‘unto eternal life,’ he said. Do not set this life before that life. For example, if any foe arise, if he wishes to take away thy faith, if he threatens death to make some one transgress, see what thou choosest. Do not choose that wherein thou wast not anointed, but choose that wherein thou was anointed, so as to prefer eternal life to temporal life, through Christ Our Lord. Amen.” [De Sacramentis, Chapter 7, sec. 24]
Reading through the “De Mysteriis” of St. Ambrose, and the “De Sacramentis” of Ambrosiaster, we can see that the texts and prayers of our ancient Baptismal rite are relatively unchanged.
