Ears, Touching The

Ears, Touching the an ancient ceremony in the baptism of catechumens, which consisted in touching their ears and saying Ephphatha, "Be opened." This was joined with the imposition of hands and with exorcism, and is supposed to have signified the opening of the understanding to receive instruction on the faith. Ambrose derives the custom from our Savior's example in saying Ephphatha, when he cured the deaf and dumb. The practice never became general. Bingham, Orig. Ecclesiastes book 10, chapter 2, § 13.