- what does the term dual sacrament refer to?
- when did the early church celebrate the sacrament of Confirmation?
From RCIA in Ramona
For the Apostles, Christian initiation meant being Baptized in the name of Trinity, and then being prayed over with the laying on of hands. The laying on the hands was the giving of the Holy Spirit. Later an anointing with oil was added to further symbolize the anointing received with the laying on of hands. Baptism and Confirmation constituted [a] two fold dual sacrament. It was traditionally performed by the Bishop. In the West ([Roman] Rite) the demands of large dioceses let to the separation of the two, with the Bishop performing Confirmation. The East, and in the West for adult converts, the two are still given together.
As it says, Eastern Catholics (and Orthodox) as well as Roman adult converts such as myself do receive both sacraments at once.