Consolamentum - Definition and Overview

Consolamentum, known as heretication to its critics, was the baptismal sacrament of the Albigensians. Unlike standard Christianity the Baptism did not involve water, only words; according to the Cathars, the consolamentum was the baptism of the Holy Spirit. With no central authority over the religion the ritual took many forms.

There were two main types of consolamentum. The first was for only the most committed of believers. This was administered to willing adults who, once baptized, became a "Parfait" (Perfect). The Parfaits were required to be vegetarian, to be celibate, and to dedicate their lives to travelling and teaching Cathar doctrines. These Parfaits were the leaders of the Cathar community.

The vast majority of the population did not receive consolamentum until on the verge of death, conflating it with the Catholic last rites. This allowed most believers to indulge in worldly pleasures during their life and receive absolution on the verge of death. In some communities, especially in the latter years of Albigensianism, after the taking of consolamentum the dying person had to begin a complete fast, known as the endura, essentially a form of ritual suicide ensuring their quick demise.