The sacrament of confirmation completes the baptismal graces and the baptized receives an outpouring of the Holy Spirit which helps the baptized to continue their journey with Christ and His church more intimately.

The sacrament of the confirmation is attributed to the distinctive anointing of the Holy Spirit the disciples received during the Pentecost. “When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2: 1-4)

Baptism and laying of hands by the apostles are two separate sacraments. This can be observed from the passage in Acts 8, though the people at Samaria had been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, the people received the Holy Spirit by the laying of the hands.

“Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samar′ia had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit; for it had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 8:14-17)

Similarly in Acts 19, Paul baptized the disciples of Ephesus in the name of the Lord Jesus and when Paul laid his hands on them, the disciples received the Holy Spirit.

“On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.” (Acts 19:5-6)