affusion
Noun
Meaning
The act of pouring upon, or sprinkling with a liquid, as water upon a child in baptism.
The act of pouring water or other fluid on the whole or a part of the body, as a remedy in disease.
Source: Webster's dictionarySynonyms
Antonyms
Hypernyms
Phrases with the word
Examples
AD 256) explicitly stated that the amount of water was inconsequential and defended immersion, affusion, and aspersion practices (Epistle 75.12).
Aspersion is the sprinkling of water on the head, and affusion is the pouring of water over the head.
Doubt about the faith of the baptizer is thus no ground for doubt about the validity of the baptism. citation Some conditions expressly do not affect validity—for example, whether submersion, immersion, affusion or aspersion is used.
Latin Church Catholics generally baptize by affusion (pouring); Eastern Catholics usually by submersion, or at least partial immersion.
The rite used would be the same as that denomination's rite for adults, i.e., by pouring holy water ( affusion ) or by sprinkling water ( aspersion ).
The Didache 7.1-3 (AD 60-150) allowed for affusion practices in situations where immersion was not practical.