262. Is it possible to be saved without Baptism?

Since Christ died for the salvation of all, those can be saved without Baptism who die for the faith (Baptism of blood). Catechumens and all those who, even without knowing Christ and the Church, still (under the impulse of grace) sincerely seek God and strive to do his will can also be saved without Baptism (Baptism of desire). The Church in her liturgy entrusts children who die without Baptism to the mercy of God.


Veja este tema no Catecismo

Paragraph 1258

1258. The Church has always held the firm conviction that those who suffer death for the sake of the faith without having received Baptism are baptized by their death for and with Christ. This Baptism of blood, like the desire for Baptism, brings about the fruits of Baptism without being a sacrament.

Paragraph 1259

1259. For catechumens who die before their Baptism, their explicit desire to receive it, together with repentance for their sins, and charity, assures them the salvation that they were not able to receive through the sacrament.

Paragraph 1260

1260. "Since Christ died for all, and since all men are in fact called to one and the same destiny, which is divine, we must hold that the Holy Spirit offers to all the possibility of being made partakers, in a way known to God, of the Paschal mystery."62Every man who is ignorant of the Gospel of Christ and of his Church, but seeks the truth and does the will of God in accordance with his understanding of it, can be saved. It may be supposed that such persons would have desired Baptism explicitly if they had known its necessity.

Paragraph 1261

1261. As regards children who have died without Baptism, the Church can only entrust them to the mercy of God, as she does in her funeral rites for them. Indeed, the great mercy of God who desires that all men should be saved, and Jesus' tenderness toward children which caused him to say: "Let the children come to me, do not hinder them,"63allow us to hope that there is a way of salvation for children who have died without Baptism. All the more urgent is the Church's call not to prevent little children coming to Christ through the gift of holy Baptism.

Paragraph 1281

1281. Those who die for the faith, those who are catechumens, and all those who, without knowing of the Church but acting under the inspiration of grace, seek God sincerely and strive to fulfill his will, are saved even if they have not been baptized (cf. LG 16).

Paragraph 1282

1282. Since the earliest times, Baptism has been administered to children, for it is a grace and a gift of God that does not presuppose any human merit; children are baptized in the faith of the Church. Entry into Christian life gives access to true freedom.

Paragraph 1283

1283. With respect to children who have died without Baptism, the liturgy of the Church invites us to trust in God's mercy and to pray for their salvation.


Acesse nossos estudos biblicos:

What is the divine nature of Jesus Christ, as described in Mark 1:1?

God’s Holiness and the Call to Holiness: What Does the Book of Leviticus Teach Us About God’s Holiness and Our Responsibility to Be Holy? (Leviticus 11:44-45; 19:2)

Jacob’s Wrestle with God: What is the significance of this story for us today?

How important is gratitude in the story of the healing of the ten lepers, described in Luke 17:11-19?

What is the story of Abimelech and forgiveness in Judges 9:22-57?

The Holiness of God’s People: How does the law of holiness in the book of Numbers teach us to pursue holiness in our lives and in our community of faith? (Numbers 19)

How to deal with anger and anger, according to Proverbs 15:1-2?