Catholic Dictionary

Find accurate definitions of over 5,000 Catholic terms and phrases (including abbreviations). Based on Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.

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CHRISOM

The white robe put on a young child at baptism as a symbol of cleansing from sin. If a child died within a month of its baptism, the garment was used as a shroud and the infant was called a "chrisom child." Its use gradually disappeared in most places, but the recent baptismal rite refers to "white garment," which can be a full vesture similar to the ancient chrisom.