EarthwormExpress Special Feature, by Eben van Tonder, 6 June 2025

Introduction

On this day, 6 June 2025, a quiet moment in the Styrian calendar becomes a lasting milestone in the life of a young man. Armin, whose strength of character and clarity of thought have already marked him out among his peers, receives the Sacrament of Confirmation in a land where faith and tradition still run deep. This is not merely a family occasion, nor simply a rite of passage. It is a moment in which the living heritage of the Church converges with the personal journey of one soul. Set in the heart of Styria, where Roman roads once met monastic bells and where the mountains have long stood witness to both struggle and grace, this Confirmation invites us to look back through the centuries of theological development, ecclesiastical reform, and cultural resilience that have shaped the sacrament. And it asks us to look forward, as Armin steps across the threshold from baptismal promise into adult faith, surrounded by family, memory, and the sacred continuity of the Church.

All that being said, something deeper happened here. I have to reflect on it to do justice to this day! Armin’s Confirmation became an intersection point of love, pathos, celebration, family, drama, and becoming. Many years ago, I worked for Stocks Meat Market in Cape Town. I was their sales manager, but I remember getting up at 4:30 every morning and being at work by 5:30. I remember standing outside the gate, ringing the bell for someone to let me in, in the pouring Western Cape rain during the middle of a fierce storm hitting the Cape. I remember walking through the massive spice room. In the corner, from a small cubicle, sat Wynand Nel, who would later become the iconic production manager of arguably Africa’s biggest bacon company, Escort. Wynand would call out to me, “Welcome to the real world!” I will never forget that.

Many years later, decades later, I reflected on these words on the day of Armin’s Confirmation, and I whispered to him, “Welcome to the real world!” I knew he needed no introduction to it, as he has been experiencing the real world far too long. So I added my own prayer. I pray you will find that the real world is gentle and kind, full of mercy and abounding in lovingkindness, just like our Lord, whose Spirit you are celebrating today, to have received. Lime your amazing family! So much love!

Early Christianization and the Role of Confirmation

In celebration of this day, I searched the most ancient traditions that Armin stands in today!

Christianity reached the region of Noricum (which includes modern-day Styria) during the Roman Empire, with early Christian communities established by the 4th century. As the Church’s sacramental theology developed, Confirmation became recognised as one of the three Sacraments of Initiation, alongside Baptism and the Eucharist.

The sacrament of Confirmation evolved gradually in the early Church, founded upon the apostolic practices described in the Acts of the Apostles. In Acts 8:17, we read that “Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.” This passage reflects a pattern where newly baptised Christians received the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands, distinct from the moment of baptism itself. Another instance occurs in Acts 19:6, where “Paul had laid his hands on them, and the Holy Spirit came upon them.” Though the term “Confirmation” was not used at the time, these texts establish the scriptural foundation for the later sacrament.

By the beginning of the 3rd century, Christian thinkers began to reflect more systematically on the ritual. Tertullian, writing around 200 AD, gives us one of the earliest theological explanations of this post-baptismal anointing. In De Baptismo, he writes: “After coming from the bath of baptism, we are anointed with blessed oil according to the ancient discipline, by which people used to be anointed for priesthood and kingship” (De Baptismo, 7). He continues: “Then the hand is laid upon us, invoking and inviting the Holy Spirit through benediction” (De Baptismo, 8). These words make it clear that, even in Tertullian’s day, the Christian community understood this rite as distinct from baptism and essential for the reception of the Holy Spirit.

Shortly after Tertullian, Hippolytus of Rome, in his Apostolic Tradition (around 215 AD), offers a liturgical description of the rite that resembles the later sacrament of Confirmation. He writes: “The bishop shall lay his hand upon them and shall say: ‘O Lord God, who has made them worthy to deserve the remission of sins through the laver of regeneration, make them worthy to be filled with your Holy Spirit.’” This prayer, followed by an anointing with oil, further confirms that the early Church viewed this act as a separate and solemn moment in the Christian’s initiation.

Over time, particularly in the Western Church, the increasing prevalence of infant baptism led to the separation of Confirmation from baptism. Parish priests often performed baptism, while Confirmation was reserved for bishops, who would administer it later when the child was older. This pastoral adjustment led to a clearer understanding of Confirmation as a distinct sacrament. The Councils of Riez (439 AD) and Orange (441 AD) formally recognised Confirmation as a separate rite involving the bishop’s laying on of hands and invoking the Holy Spirit.

By the 12th and 13th centuries, Peter Lombard and Thomas Aquinas gave systematic theological expression to what had already been practised for centuries. In this scholastic framework, Confirmation was formally defined as one of the seven sacraments of the Church, alongside Baptism and the Eucharist as part of the Sacraments of Initiation. Aquinas, in particular, argued that Confirmation imparts the fullness of the Holy Spirit’s gifts, sealing the baptised Christian with strength to live a mature life of faith. We will look at how the church fathers viewed it in more detail in a moment.

Initially, these sacraments were administered together during the Easter Vigil. The Easter Vigil, also known as the Paschal Vigil, is the oldest liturgy in Christianity. It is held between sunset on Holy Saturday and sunrise on Easter Sunday. This celebration, which commemorates the resurrection of Christ, was the traditional moment when catechumens, those preparing for full entry into the Christian faith, were baptised, confirmed, and received the Eucharist in one unified rite. The rites of initiation were typically overseen by a bishop, affirming both apostolic succession and the authority of the Church.

Catechumens were individuals, often adults, who underwent a period of structured instruction known as catechesis. The term catechumen comes from the Greek word katechoumenos, meaning “one being instructed.” During this formation, they learned the essential doctrines of the Christian faith in preparation for the Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist. Although not yet baptised, catechumens were already considered spiritually joined to the Church through their commitment and intention to become Christian.

Let’s now return to how the early church fathers saw this.

• St. Augustine (late 4th–early 5th century)
  Augustine affirms the unity of the Sacraments of Initiation but recognises a distinct moment where the Holy Spirit is invoked after Baptism. He sees this not as repetition but as strengthening: “The laying on of hands is not done for the sake of baptism, but for the sake of the bestowal of the Holy Spirit.” (Epistle 98.5)

• St. Cyril of Jerusalem (4th century)
  In his Mystagogical Catecheses, Cyril describes the post-baptismal anointing (what we now call Confirmation) as conferring the Holy Spirit for strength and sanctification: “You were anointed with oil… and made partakers and fellows of Christ. Beware of thinking this is ordinary ointment. It is not so, but by a gift of Christ, and by the presence of His divinity, it becomes the instrument of the Holy Spirit.” (Catechesis 21, c. 3) Cyril distinguishes this anointing from the baptismal washing, seeing it as a completion that empowers the Christian.

• Tertullian (early 3rd century)
  One of the earliest Latin theologians, Tertullian makes an explicit distinction between the washing of Baptism and the subsequent bestowal of the Spirit through anointing and the laying on of hands: “The flesh is washed so that the soul may be made clean… then the hand is imposed, invoking and inviting the Holy Spirit.” (De Baptismo, ch. 8) This reflects the early practice of separating Baptism and the laying on of hands (Confirmation), and already suggests the theology of Baptism as cleansing and Confirmation as empowering.

• St. Ambrose of Milan (4th century)
  Ambrose also supports the distinction, particularly in how he connects the post-baptismal anointing to the strengthening role of the Holy Spirit: “You were anointed with chrism. God the Father has sealed you, Christ the Lord has confirmed you and has given the Spirit in your hearts.” (De Mysteriis, ch. 7) His use of the term “confirmed” (confirmavit) is one of the earliest theological bases for the name and function of the sacrament.

The doctrine linking Confirmation to Baptism was refined over centuries, drawing especially on the writings of Church Fathers like Augustine, and later formalised by medieval theologians such as St. Thomas Aquinas. In Summa Theologiae (III, q.72), Aquinas explains that Confirmation brings the fullness of the Holy Spirit and perfects the grace received at Baptism, just as growth follows birth. As stated already, the Council of Florence (1439) and the Council of Trent (1547) would later affirm this understanding in official Church teaching, defining Confirmation as a true sacrament distinct from Baptism, instituted by Christ and necessary for the fullness of Christian life.

Today, although Armin was baptised as an infant, his Confirmation completes what began at his baptism. Through it, he freely affirms the faith into which he was baptised and receives the strengthening grace of the Holy Spirit. This rite is not merely ceremonial but marks his conscious, personal entry into the responsibilities of adult Christian life, grounded in tradition that stretches back to the earliest centuries of the Church. The seriousness and depth of this process are preserved today in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, which continues to guide new believers in the same foundational steps of conversion, instruction, sacramental initiation, and full integration into the Church.

Confirmation and Pentecost: A Historical and Regional Tradition

In many Christian communities, the sacrament of Confirmation has become closely associated with the feast of Pentecost, not as a general liturgical convenience, but as a meaningful theological and pastoral alignment. Pentecost, which commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles in Acts 2, mirrors the spiritual essence of Confirmation: the strengthening of the baptised through the same Spirit for witness and mission. Over time, this parallel has led to a widespread tradition of celebrating Confirmation during the Pentecost season, especially in regions like Styria, where the Diocese of Graz-Seckau maintains the practice with remarkable consistency.

The origins of this association reach back to the early medieval Church. During the Carolingian era (8th–9th centuries), the structure of sacramental practice shifted: baptism was increasingly administered in infancy, while Confirmation, requiring the bishop’s presence, was deferred. Bishops often travelled infrequently to rural areas, so local communities began to group Confirmations around major feast days when bishops were already visiting or when parish life was most vibrant. Pentecost, with its strong scriptural focus on the outpouring of the Spirit, became a natural choice for this sacramental act.

While early medieval liturgical sources do not explicitly prescribe Pentecost as the exclusive time for Confirmation, episcopal visitation patterns, particularly from the 9th and 10th centuries onward, often coincided with key liturgical seasons, including Pentecost. This practical arrangement found reinforcement in theological teaching. The Catechism of the Catholic Church later summarised the theology of Confirmation as a “special outpouring of the Holy Spirit as once granted to the apostles on the day of Pentecost.” Thus, what began as a practical scheduling decision soon evolved into a spiritually and catechetically rich tradition.

In Styria, this link between Pentecost and Confirmation has become a deeply embedded part of diocesan life. The Diocese of Graz-Seckau routinely schedules Confirmations for Pentecost Sunday and the weeks surrounding it. Graz Cathedral (Graz Dom), along with major parishes such as Herz-Jesu and St. Vinzenz, holds large Confirmation celebrations during this period, often led by the diocesan bishop. Official diocesan communications describe Pentecost as a “very popular time for Confirmation,” and the numbers support this: approximately 40,000 young people are confirmed across the region during the Pentecost season each year.

This practice is more than logistical convenience. It reflects an intentional spiritual formation. Catechetical materials in the diocese frame Confirmation during Pentecost as a “personal Pentecost,” drawing on the symbolism of Acts 2 to emphasise the Spirit’s empowerment in the life of each confirmand. The timing reinforces the theology, making the experience not just a rite of passage but a liturgical and communal echo of the Church’s birth.

From its roots in early medieval pastoral adaptations to its modern expression in Styria, the association between Confirmation and Pentecost demonstrates how theology, liturgy, and community life converge. Graz and the surrounding region continue to honour this tradition, affirming that Pentecost is not only a commemoration of the Church’s beginning but also an ideal moment to strengthen its youngest members with the same Spirit that once ignited the apostles.

Confirmation and Reform: Continuity Beneath Conflict

The 16th century brought religious upheaval to Styria. Lutheranism spread rapidly, particularly among the nobility and merchant classes who resonated with its call for reform and its critique of perceived abuses within the Catholic Church. In response, Duke Karl II of Inner Austria (r. 1564–1590) launched a vigorous Counter-Reformation. He invited the Jesuits to Graz in 1573 and established the Catholic University of Graz in 1586 as a centre of theological formation and renewal. His son, Ferdinand II, intensified these efforts with sweeping measures: by 1628, all Protestant worship was outlawed, and the nobility were compelled to return to Catholicism. Within this context, Confirmation was re-emphasised by the Jesuits as both a personal sealing with the Holy Spirit and a public declaration of loyalty to the Catholic Church. Catechesis became more systematised, and Confirmation was presented as the sacrament that equipped the faithful with strength, courage, and clarity in the face of spiritual and cultural division.

Yet, in a remarkable irony, many of the Protestant reformers who so vigorously opposed Catholic theology retained the very structure and terminology of the sacramental system they rejected in name. Martin Luther, while rejecting Confirmation as a sacrament instituted by Christ, nonetheless maintained the practice of laying on of hands and affirmed its value as a rite of blessing and strengthening. Later Reformed theologians, especially those shaped by covenant theology, went further. Though they denied the sacramental status of Confirmation in the strict Catholic sense, they introduced rites of public profession of faith that functioned in almost identical fashion. These rites confirmed and completed infant baptism, affirmed the individual’s integration into the covenant community, and often involved prayers for the Holy Spirit, paralleling the Catholic theology they claimed to oppose.

Covenant theology, which emerged within the Reformed tradition, developed a robust framework for understanding the relationship between God and the believer, closely resembling Catholic sacramental theology in both intention and effect. Both traditions affirm that the Christian life begins with incorporation into a divine family through baptism and matures through a public affirmation of faith, accompanied by the internal work of the Spirit. The key difference lies not in the structure, but in the vocabulary and theological emphases. Where Catholics speak of grace conferred ex opere operato through a sacrament, Reformed theologians speak of covenant promises ratified through faith, but both ultimately point to divine initiative and human response.

Thus, the divergence between the Catholic and Protestant views of Confirmation is, in many respects, more cosmetic than substantive. Despite deep theological disagreements and historical antagonism, both traditions preserved a common intuition: that Christian life requires not only initiation, but strengthening; not only membership, but maturity. Both groups call it Confirmation, but whether conferred by a bishop or affirmed before elders, the rite serves the same human and spiritual purpose, an outward moment to mark inward grace, and a solemn passage from dependence to responsibility within the household of faith.

Traditions of Confirmation in Austria: Family, Mountains, and Memory

In Austria, and particularly in Styria and the Wechsel mountain region, the Sacrament of Confirmation is not only a spiritual milestone but a deeply cherished cultural event. Grounded in centuries of Catholic life and shaped by the memory of Reformation and Counter-Reformation tensions, Confirmation grew into a celebration that brought together liturgy, kinship, and regional identity. Especially in mountain communities, where generations have lived close to the land and to one another, Confirmation came to symbolise the passage from childhood into moral and communal responsibility. It is a solemn moment of becoming.

The tradition of appointing a godparent for Confirmation, usually a Firmpate or Firmpatin, has deep roots in Austrian life. While the godparents at Baptism commit to nurturing the faith of the child, the Confirmation sponsor stands at the moment when that faith is publicly affirmed by the young person. It is customary for the sponsor to be someone admired within the family or community, often a godparent from Baptism, an older sibling, or a respected family friend. In many Styrian villages, this role is seen as a lifelong spiritual responsibility, not a symbolic gesture but a continuing presence. During the Confirmation rite, the sponsor stands beside the confirmand at the altar, often resting a hand on the shoulder in a quiet sign of strength and support as the bishop anoints the forehead with sacred chrism.

Throughout the Wechsel region, local traditions add beauty and depth to the celebration. Families often prepare for months in advance. The confirmand may wear traditional Austrian clothing such as a Dirndl or Lederhose, linking the moment not only to faith but to heritage. Villages are decorated with flowers and greenery, and some families create banners bearing the confirmand’s name along with a chosen verse of Scripture or the name of a patron saint. In many places, church bells ring out over the valleys on Confirmation day, their sound reaching across forests and meadows, carrying the joy of the community.

The Confirmation Mass is followed by a family meal where several generations come together. Grandparents, godparents, and extended family members attend, often sharing in a meal that includes regional specialities and homemade desserts. It is common to give gifts that carry meaning and continuity, such as a silver cross, a prayer book, or a letter with personal reflections and blessings. In some families, a pilgrimage is made in the days or weeks after Confirmation, often to a nearby Marian shrine or a monastery such as Seckau or Mariazell. These pilgrimages reinforce the connection between Confirmation and Austria’s wider Catholic heritage, drawing the newly confirmed into the long and living history of faith in the region.

In the Wechsel mountains, where life has always required strength, closeness, and quiet perseverance, Confirmation carries a particularly deep resonance. It is more than a ceremony. It is the moment when a young person stands in their own name within the Church, supported by family, surrounded by tradition, and prepared to carry forward something greater than themselves. In this sacred hour, the mountains stand still, and the hearts of ancestors and grandchildren alike are united in prayer and in blessing.

But this symbolic entry into maturity does not end at the altar. In everyday Austrian culture, particularly in rural and traditional communities, Confirmation also marks a social threshold. It is the day a young person is quietly permitted to begin adult habits, such as having a morning coffee or asking for a small sip of beer in the company of adults.

These customs are not codified but widely recognised. Kristi, who grew up in Styria, notes that after his Confirmation, her son Armin could now drink a coffee at breakfast and, when adults were enjoying a beer, politely ask for a sip. This practice aligns with broader German-speaking norms, where youth aged 14 and older are legally permitted to consume beer or wine under parental supervision. As one observer on a European forum noted, *“It is quite common for parents to allow their kids to start taking a beer or Somersby here and there after their Confirmation.”*¹

In this sense, Confirmation is not just a religious sacrament; it is a ritual marker of the threshold into adulthood. The Church confers spiritual authority, and the family or village affirms it by welcoming the youth into moderated adult privileges. The symbolic touch on the cheek and the first taste of beer are two sides of the same social logic: you are now one of us, spiritually and communally.

Thus, the Austrian Confirmation rite, with its ancient gestures and quiet customs, connects theology, law, folklore, and daily life into a single, coherent rite of passage. It embodies the continuity of sacred and social order—binding the individual to God, the community, and the responsibilities that come with both.

Historical Note: The Cheek-Touch in Austrian Confirmation as a Ritual of Binding and Authority

In Austrian and southern German Catholic tradition, the cheek-touch or formerly a light slap on the cheek during Confirmation (Firmung) is more than a quaint gesture—it is the residue of an ancient symbolic tradition linking sacramental initiation to rituals of authority, magical binding, and legal transformation.

In its classical Roman form, the bishop would give the confirmand a light blow to the cheek while saying “Pax tecum” (“Peace be with you”). This was understood as a symbolic enlistment of the Christian into the ranks of the “milites Christi”, the soldiers of Christ, who were now sealed with the Holy Spirit to publicly defend and live the faith. In Austrian practice, this developed into a gentler touch, but it retains its symbolic power, especially in regions such as Styria and Carinthia.

This gesture is not isolated in Christian sacramental practice. Rather, it belongs to a wider Indo-European legal and ritual system in which touch, particularly a ritualised strike or symbolic contact, conveys meaning. According to the Handwörterbuch des Deutschen Aberglaubens, edited by Hanns Bächtold-Stäubli and Eduard Hoffmann-Krayer:

“Because physical blows can be used to exercise power over another person, the strike also comes to represent an act of domination. The first blow given to someone marks the acquisition of power, and the final blow marks the release from it. In this context, the strike at the Carinthian ducal installation, at Confirmation, in artisan guild customs, in feudal investiture, in wedding rituals, in the accolade of knighthood, and even in Roman manumission all reflect the same symbolic structure.”
(Handwörterbuch des Deutschen Aberglaubens, vol. 6, 1987, p. 1218)

Thus, Confirmation in Austria, with its symbolic cheek-touch, functions analogously to the knighting ceremony, the handshake in legal exchanges, and oath-taking rituals. Each involves public, bodily gestures that signify an invisible but powerful transformation: entrance into adulthood, honour, spiritual or social responsibility.

This interpretation is reinforced in studies of magical binding rituals (Bannzauber), which have persisted from antiquity through Christian sacramental forms. As described in the same work:

“The belief in magical binding is very ancient and widespread. It appears among nature and cultural peoples: in Egypt, India, Greece, among Jews, Germanic peoples, in early Christianity, in the Middle Ages, and re-emerges in the Renaissance and in the 19th century through the theory of animal magnetism. Even today, it is by no means extinct.” (Handwörterbuch des Deutschen Aberglaubens, vol. 1, 1987, p. 1108)

The act of binding through touch, a laying on of hands, a slap, or even the grasp of a sacred object, was seen to transfer power, initiate obligation, or mark subjection to divine or communal authority. In oath-taking, the swearer touched an object imbued with sacred power and thereby bound themselves to truth under penalty of death or divine punishment.

Within this context, the cheek-touch during Confirmation is a sacramental vestige of these older binding rituals. It seals the confirmand not only with Chrism and words, but through a tactile act that encloses them within the structure of Church authority and spiritual adulthood. As such, it stands at the intersection of theology, anthropology, and folklore—a bodily act carrying layered meaning, from military metaphor to magical binding.

Conclusion: A Legacy Continued

Today, Armin stands not alone, but within a great procession of the faithful. Those who, over the centuries, have received the Holy Spirit in the sacrament of Confirmation and gone forth to live with courage, joy, and purpose. From the early catechumens of Roman Noricum, through the councils and reforms of medieval Christendom, to the families gathered now in the Wechsel mountains, this rite has marked not only the maturity of the individual but the strength of the community. In his Confirmation, Armin joins that lineage. He receives more than a blessing; he receives a calling. His name is spoken, his forehead anointed, his future entrusted to grace. And in that moment, surrounded by mountain air, ancient prayers, and the warmth of those who love him, the voice of the Church, the rhythm of the land, and the quiet resolve of a young Austrian man come together in one enduring act of faith.

In all these amazing photos, one image is missing. His mum. It is often the image that is missing that carries the most power, because in the end, for her, the day was never about herself, but entirely about him. I am a father myself to Trista and Lauren, and I know that while we celebrate the children on days like this, in the background are the parents who, in a way, deserve to stand front and centre with their children. But as mums are, at least the very best kind, they never wish to be. I share the rest of these beautiful images with you, knowing that the bond between Armin and his mum is one of the most remarkable I have ever seen. And when all is said and done, I do not doubt that as Armin was commended to the care of our Lord, and his name echoed in heaven, Mother Mary smiled, thinking of Christa, Armin’s mum.

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¹ See also cultural threads on Reddit r/AskEurope and references to Austrian youth alcohol law under §9 JuSchG.

References

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