Confirmation

 

The acts of baptism and confirmation have a complicated history and relationship, but, put simply, while baptism was believed to turn a heathen into a Christian, the saving ordinance wasn’t complete until the baptism was confirmed, when the person obtained sufficient knowledge to comprehend its meaning and know how to live a Christian life. Confirmation was also a prerequisite to receiving communion. Confirmation was called by different names throughout Swedish history, and the required age of the participants changed as well.

The knowledge needed prior to being confirmed usually consisted of memorizing various religious texts. In the 1500s, children or young people would memorize the Apostles’ Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, and be able to recite basic knowledge of Christianity. Through the Church Act of 1686, it became required to memorize and recite Martin Luther’s little catechism and explain its meaning. Personal repentance and expressions of faith were, at times, also attached to the process. The Church Act of 1686 also mandated that local priests were responsible for the religious education of their parishioners, resulting in annual household “interrogations” in which priests would visit every household in the parish and test the required religious knowledge of every previously confirmed resident.

Traditionally, children were taught at home by their parents, but as primary schools became more prevalent, especially after the Basic School Reform of 1842, children would gather together to receive religious education, which, by the way, was the primary purpose of public schooling. Education was practically synonymous with religious education, and often it was an assistant priest who acted as the teacher and/or schoolmaster. Initially, school attendance was not mandatory, but public schooling became very popular as it gave children an opportunity to make friends and build relationships in ways that had not been possible previously.

The confirmation lessons culminated with the much-feared examination which took place at church in front of the entire congregation. It normally occurred on a Saturday. The children would line up in the aisle and answer questions. Should they pass the examination, they would receive their first communion the next day. But should they fail, they would have to continue their studies and wait to try again the following year. Obviously, social shaming was prevalent within this type of system.

Prior to being confirmed, a child was not considered to be a person in his/her own right, but was always referred to in relation to the father. For example, a child’s death record would identify a deceased child as, “farmer Nils Jonsson of Norgården’s son Pehr, 11 years old.” The youngest age at which a child could be confirmed was at age fifteen. Once confirmed, he/she was considered to be an adult. They were responsible for any crimes they committed, they could hold a job, and they could be taxed. Employers were obliged to pay them wages according to the law. Many children, however, remained at home for a year or two before they entered the public workforce.

The transition from unconfirmed child to adult was marked by clothing. Unconfirmed girls wore dresses that hung slightly below the knee, usually topped with a bib-type apron, and boys wore above-the-knee trousers. Generally, very little money was spent on children’s clothing, and it was common practice to recycle worn-out adult clothing into children’s clothes as often as possible. “No obvious holes and passably clean” was an acceptable standard for children’s clothing.  Although traditions varied in rural and urban areas, for the most part, confirmation was the event when children would instantly transition into adult clothing. Boys were dressed in dark, heavy woolen suits with long trousers, and girls would wear long, fashionable dresses with long sleeves and a high neckline. Girls’ confirmation dresses were usually a dark color, often black, until the end of the 19^th century when white became a popular color. 

In many parts of Sweden, once a young lady was confirmed she was allowed to wear her hair up and received her first bindmössa, a heavily embroidered silk cap or bonnet. Some parishes had very strict rules, but generally speaking, a young, unmarried girl wore a light colored bindmössa (light blue used to be a very popular color), and a darker colored bindmössa, even black, was worn by an older, married woman.

Confirmation was a day of celebration. Family, friends, and relatives would gather to celebrate this important rite of passage. A large, celebratory meal was usually part of the festivities. Gifts from parents and extended family members were expected and often included cash. Girls could also receive such things as a silver pin or a silk scarf, and boys could receive silver cuff links or even a watch. Godparents were expected to give generously. In some written correspondence and other preserved records, godparents complained that they were forced to live in “abject poverty” from providing those expensive, culturally-expected gifts.

Confirmation was never mandatory, but in practice it was required for anyone who wanted to maintain their social acceptance. In 1862, church influence was completely separated from Swedish law, and people were free to engage in the religious practice of their choice. However, in 1995, depending on the jurisdiction, as many as 80 percent of Sweden’s 15 yr-olds were confirmed.

https://www.svenskakyrkan.se/alvdalen/tradition-och-historia

http://www.kyrkanicentrum.se/Kyrkan/konom.php

http://hig.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:158302/FULLTEXT02.pdf

https://www.wikiwand.com/sv/Konfirmation

https://www.dengamleby.dk/viden/der-var-engang-foer-1900/artikler-og-film/konfirmationens-historie/

Next Post - Courtship and Marriage