Summarizing The Facts On Baptism Of Blood

As stated already, the theory of baptism of blood has never been taught by one pope, one council or in any Papal Encyclical.  At least 5 dogmatic councils of the Catholic Church issued detailed definitions on Baptism, and not one ever mentioned the concept or the term baptism of blood.  The Council of Trent had 14 canons on Baptism, and baptism of blood is mentioned nowhere.  And, in fact, various infallible statements from the popes and councils exclude the idea.

Pope Eugene IV, “Cantate Domino,” Council of Florence, ex cathedra:  “No one, whatever almsgiving he has practiced, even if he has shed blood for the name of Christ, can be saved, unless he has persevered within the bosom and unity of the Catholic Church.”[1]

Pope Eugene IV explicitly excludes from salvation even those who “shed blood for the name of Christ” unless they are living within the bosom and unity of the Church!  And, as proven already, the unbaptized are not living within the bosom and unity of the Church (de fide)!  The unbaptized are not subjects of the Catholic Church (de fide, Council of Trent, Sess. 14, Chap. 2);[2] the unbaptized are not members of the Catholic Church (de fide, Pius XII, Mystici Corporis # 22);[3] and the unbaptized do not have the mark of Christians (de fide, Pius XII, Mediator Dei # 43).[4]

 If “baptism of blood” truly served as a substitute for the Sacrament of Baptism, God would never have allowed the Catholic Church to understand John 3:5 as it is written in its infallible decrees, as He has (Pope Eugene IV, The Council of Florence, “Exultate Deo,” Nov. 22, 1439, etc.).  This is certain, because the Church’s official understanding of the scriptures cannot err. 

Furthermore, God would never have allowed the infallible Council of Trent to completely pass over any mention of this “exception” in its canons on baptism and its chapters on justification as an alternative way of achieving the state of grace.  He would never have allowed all of the infallible definitions from popes on only one baptism to avoid any mention of “the baptism of blood.” 

And God would not have allowed Pope Eugene IV to define that nobody, even if he has shed blood in the name of Christ, can be saved unless he is in the bosom and unity of the Catholic Church, without mentioning the exception of “baptism of blood.”  God has never allowed the theory of baptism of blood to be taught in one council, by one pope, or in one infallible decree, but only by fallible theologians and fallible early Church fathers.  All of this is because baptism of blood is not a teaching of the Catholic Church, but the erroneous speculation of certain fathers who also erred frequently in the same documents.