(urth) Baptism and Confirmation: Shadow of the Torturer: Chapter I

[Gerry Quinn]

On 22/08/2014 08:10, marcobadie at katamail.com wrote:
> My third post at the Urth list.
> Thanks you, Gerry Quinn and Lee, for your comments and observations at 
> my first posts.
>
> My point: the double resurrection in Chapter I of Shadow of Torturer 
> states a connection between Severian and the the dark-haired woman, 
> just dead.
>
> Next.
> When Severian is resurrected from water by the Undine, he is baptised 
> in the form of a baptism by immersion, unconsciously entering the 
> congregation of the subjects of Abaia.
> In the same day, Severian is confirmed in the allegiance to Abaia when 
> he accepts the coin with the face of the Autarch from Vodalus, this 
> time consciously making definitive the choice the Undine made for him 
> at the baptism.
> The Confirmation administered by Vodalus makes Severian  a "Soldier of 
> Abaia" (Severian thinks himself a Vodalarius). Soldier is a derivation 
> of Solidarius, Latin meaning someone who works for money. Solidare in 
> Latin means "to pay" and the Roman soldiers were paid in "Solidi". 
> Severian instead is paid in chrisos (only one).
>
> Later, in the Claw of Conciliator, Severian will receive the sacrament 
> of Eucharist in the form of the flesh of Thecla.
> The succession of sacraments follows the tradition of the Eastern 
> Orthodox Church rather than the Roman Catholic Church (where Eucharist 
> is very close to Confirmation).

I'm not convinced by the connection between Severian and the woman - 
might she not simply be the mother of the peasant who wanted to guard 
her corpse that night?

The rest works for me; Severian was arguably baptised, confirmed and 
received the Eucharist of the Church of Abaia/Vodalus as you say - but 
in the end he abjured that faith...

- Gerry Quinn
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