Catechumens, from the Greek κατηχούμενοι, meaning “instructed ones”, are those undergoing instruction in preparation for their baptism into the Christian church. In the early Church, catechumens were either assigned a special place during services or obliged to watch from the narthex,Porch or vestibule before the main entrance to a Christian church. but were dismissed before the eucharist proper began.[1] The first part of the eucharist, which the catechumens were allowed to witness, has therefore been dubbed the Mass of the Catechumens, or the ante-communion.[2]
References
Bibliography
Campbell, Gordon. “Catechumens.” The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, edited by Andrew Louth, Online, Oxford University Press, 2022, https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199642465.001.0001/acref-9780199642465-e-1295.
Louth, Andrew. “Catechumens, Mass of The.” The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, Online, Oxford University Press, 2022, https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199642465.001.0001/acref-9780199642465-e-1296.