Scholarly Reflections
Daniélou, Jean, S.J. "Chapter One: The Preparation." The Bible and the Liturgy." Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press, 1956, pp. 19-34.
Daniélou first discusses baptism as the start of the Christian life. By the fourth century, preparation for baptism normally started at the beginning of Lent (Daniélou 1956, 19). At that time, the routine catechesis became more intense, creating a deliberate forty day move toward baptism. The candidate and others would be questioned and either move toward baptism or be temporarily removed from the list (Daniélou 1956, 20).
According to Daniélou, Theodore of Mopsuestia allegorized the process, making the forty days' time a parallel to Christ's temptation in the wilderness (Daniélou 1956), 21). The candidate is to spend the forty days trying to escape from Satan's power. The writing of the names of the candidates in a registry is symbolic of God's writing the names of his people in the Book of Life (Daniélou 1956, 22).
The forty days of prepration for baptism involved a daily church service, first thing in the morning (Daniélou 1956, 23). The candidates would receive exorcism. Daniélou finds this as an indication that baptism was seen as a culmination of a genuine spiritual battle with life and death consequences (Daniélou 1956, 24). After the daily exorcism, the bishop would engage in teaching for the catechumens but also for any other Christians who wished to attend (Daniélou 1956, 25). The teaching typically reviewed all the Scriptures, culminating in a study of "the Symbol" (The Apostles' Creed). At the end of the Lenten period, in the Easter Vigil, the renunciation of Satan would occur, setting the candidates in a position to be publicly dedicated to Christ (Daniélou 1956, 26). Daniélou describes the renunciation in some detail. Particularly the specific denials of Satan, the corresponding acknowledgement of Christ, and the orientation of the candidate, facing east or west, has drawn interpretive comments over the years.
Unfortunately, the foruc os Daniélou's work is significantly later than my focus. The scant evidence we have from the period of about 30-150 A.D. is a hindrance.