“Don’t forget that the greatest inheritance you can give to your children is the faith. Try to see that it is not lost, nurture it and leave it as an inheritance”

 Pope Francis

The ceremony of Baptism

Water, Catechumens Oil, Holy Oil, the White Cloth and the Burning Candle give newborns something that will guide them throughout their whole life, this is why understanding their spiritual and deep meaning is essential. If verbal language in the Sacrament of Baptism is hard to understand, signs and their spiritual meaning are even more difficult to codify.

Water

Is Baptism’s primary element. The use of water in this ceremony and during the Liturgy has a symbolic meaning as it links them to the grace and love of God. It also represents spiritual purification and cleansing.
You can have your personal Holy Water bottle, blessed in the Vatican by Pope Francis, by shopping it at Savelli Religious or clicking on the image below.

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Catechumens Oil

This element recalls the oil athletes use to warm their muscles before a challenging competition to gain strength, agility, and peace. Saint Paul states that a Christian is comparable to a professional runner who competes to reach a goal. The good Christian has to prove his strength and pureness of spirit to follow in Christ’s footsteps without falling in discouragement and overcoming misleading temptations.

Holy Oil

This scented oil - consecrated during Easter – converts the Baptised newborn in a good Christian and welcoms her or him in God’s family. Through Baptism, God forgives the original sin and enshrines the baby by means of the Holy Oil of Salvation.

The White Cloth

The Sacrament of Baptism confers character and seals a strong bond between the Christian and God. The White Cloth is associated with cleanness, dignity, and pureness of the Spirit helped and guided by the Word of God.

The Burning Candle

Given to godparents, this candle reminds them that the light of Christ will brighten the baby’s spiritual path and that they will always give their luminous example to help and support the newborn. The godparents must always preserve the faith of the child.

As Baptism represents the beginning of a spiritual path the child will follow for life, seal this important date with one of our gifts!

 

Related Articles:

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On the Sacrament of Baptism: Advice from Pope Francis→