Since birth, my family has been Catholic. I believe in all the scriptures, traditions, and rituals of my religion. One tradition is a ceremony that welcomes new citizens into the kingdom of God. One of these rituals is baptism. Baptism plays an important role in Christianity’s history and is considered a passageway. A godparent set must be chosen for each baptism. This will allow the godson/goddaughter to follow their path of acceptance. The godparents are chosen by the parents if the child is young. To mark the end of baptism and to cleanse the body, the priest will pour water on the forehead. My parents were only five months old when I was baptized. My baptism was a direct result of the involvement of my godparents, who are also aunt and uncle. Even though this rite was initially bestowed to me by my parents, it is something I am thankful for. I still believe in God and the Catholic faith, even today. I have also been baptized and experienced other milestones in catholicism, such as confirmation, communion, and confirmation. My connection to God has grown stronger through being baptized. I am grateful for the people who helped me to find this path. Arnold van Gennep defines “rites of passage” as any set of rituals which help to transform an individual’s personality (Robbins et. al. 2016, 61). A baptism is a very significant sacrament in catholicism that transforms an individual from an ordinary person to a citizen God’s kingdom. Not only does a baptism perfectly match Arnold van Gennep’s definition, but it also includes the three phases of a rite-of-passage. These three phases are seperation and liminality as well as reincorporation. Robbins et. al., 2016. The first stage in a rite is the seperation of an individual from their identity. 2016, 61). We are taught in the Catholic religion that all people born into the world are children of God. Your identity before you are baptized is one of God’s children, without any formal commitment to him. This is your identity before you start to create your new identity as Catholic church member. Robbins et.al. (2005). 2016, page). With the help of the godparents and parents, the priest conducts the transition. The priest will first recite a variety of promises and prayers. The priest then applies special oil to the head of the person in the shape a cross. The final step is to pour water on the head of the person in order to cleanse them and welcome them into God’s kingdom. The liminality phase of a baptism is the culmination of all rituals/prayers that were part in the transformation of the subject’s personality. After the ceremony is over, the individual will enter the reincorporation stage. The reincorporation is the final step in the process of a baptized individual maintaining their new identity following the ceremony. They must live up their Catholic Church title once they have been baptized. As a citizen, you must go to church every week, try to be more like Jesus, spread the gospel through speech and actions. Reintegrating their identity is more than just physical. Praying/communicating with God on a daily basis, by their self or in a community, keeps their relationship with God strong. According to Arnold van Gennep, baptism is a rite that marks a person’s passage. The subject is separated from God’s kingdom at birth, but after a short transitional period, their identity is transformed and they are able to continue living in God’s kingdom. A baptism that is performed as a ceremony of naming a child, such as when they are baptized in their infant state, could be considered a baptism. The baptism usually proceeds as usual. At the end of the ceremony, the parents will announce the name of the child to the priest. Christianity isn’t only a religion that holds a ceremony for naming children. It also offers spiritual guidance to the subject. Namakarana, a Hinduism religion that names the child 12 days after his or her birth, is an example. The baby is separated from all family and friends for 11 days prior to Namakarana. The baby is vulnerable during the first 11 days and must be kept isolated to allow them to adjust to the new environment. The ceremony may begin at the baby’s home on the 12th. Similar to a Christian burial, the baby wears special clothing and is submerged in water for cleansing. Namakarana is a ceremony of naming. It varies from one location to the next. The aunt, in most cases, Bengal and Gujarat, is responsible for choosing the name and whispering it into the baby’s ear before announcing it to the rest of the family. Most times, the name is announced and a sacred fire is lit. The priest then recites a set chants. These chants strengthen the connection between the child (Raj and Rao 2013, 377). Namakarana, which is similar to baptism, can be performed on adults (Iwasaki 1963: 341). Namakarana cannot be performed on an individual who has converted to Hinduism. In this instance, the convert must repent of their previous religion and choose a Hindu name that reflects their devotion to Hinduism. Once they have declared their Hindu name, they will need to write their new name on uncooked rice. An adult can choose to be baptized in Christianity if they are already Christians. Namakarana and baptism are two of the many differences that explain this difference between Hindu and Christian traditions. The Christian faith allows for a person to be baptized at any age, but it is more common to do so in their first year. Namakarana, however, must be completed 12 days following the birth of the child in Hinduism. The baptism must be performed in public in a church that has the priest, parents, godparents, and other involved. Namakarana is a ceremony that takes place at the baby’s home. Only a small number of people are invited and there are no godparents. Furthermore, a baptism does not always include a naming ceremony. It primarily establishes a person’s citizenship in God’s Kingdom. Namakarana permits the Gods blessing the newborn, but it’s primarily a name ceremony. Every rite gives the subject a chance to regain their identity and to be brought closer to God. While each ceremony is similar in its destination, each journey takes the subject to a different place. These traditions/rituals are what make each religion unique. Cite this Work

Jha J.C. 1976 HINDU PASSAGE (RITES D PASSAGE), IN TRINIDAD ET TOBAGO. Caribbean Quarterly

Robbins Richard and Maggie Cummings. Karen McGarry. 2016. Anthropology 1AB3 Religion, Race, Conflict – Custom text Toronto: Canada: Nelson

Prasanna Na Rao, Arun Raj. 2013 The Childhood Samskaras and Its Scientific Evaluation. Ayurpharm International

Original: We provide natural solutions

Paraphrased: We supply natural remedies

S. 1963 Nama In Namakarana: Structures Of Personal Names Ruled by the Grihyasutras Journal of Indian and Buddhist Studies

elliotjones

Elliot Jones is a 29-year-old middle school teacher and blogger. He has been writing since he was a teenager, and his writings have been featured on various websites and in magazines. He enjoys writing about education, parenting, and lifestyle topics.