Catholic Symbolism in Baptism - Final Post

Parents, Priest, Godparents, and Child at baptism

Catholicism has many forms of symbolism ranging from the colors found throughout a church to the actions performed by priests and members of the congregation. I am going to focus on a specific sacrament and take an in depth look at the meanings behind the actions and objects used during the ceremony. Many of the symbolic items seen in a Baptism would hold similar meanings throughout the normal masses of the Catholic Church, in other words, these symbols are important within the Baptism and other masses. The sacrament of Baptism holds much significance for a newborn within the Catholic Church. 

Baptismal Gown

The first thing that may strike you when you attend a Catholic Baptism is the color white. The gown the baby wears is usually a white garment made of a fairly high quality fabric. The Church is usually decorated with white banners and flowers. The candles around the church are white. The white seen all around the church signifies the purity given through Baptism, the purity from sin. Babies are seen to be clean of sin because they cannot really make their own choices regarding sin. The color white is seen throughout other times of the year in the church. It is quite prevalent during the Christmas season especially.

Child being Baptized

The person is baptized in water in a baptismal font. The water is seen to wash away the “stain of Original Sin.” The water is poured over the baby’s head three times, representing the Trinity. The priest says “I now baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” Each splash of water is calling on a different part of the Trinity to rid the baby of Original Sin. During the baptism, water also symbolizes the Paschal Mystery, a central teaching of the Catholic Church. The water shows the person being baptized as dying to sin and being resurrected to new life in God.

Baptismal Candle

During a Catholic Baptism the godparents of the child light candles signifying the presence of the Holy Spirit. The flame is a sign that the person being baptized will be a light to the world and will spread the message of God to others.

Chrism

Another symbol seen in the Baptism is the oil put on the baby’s forehead. It is drawn on in the shape of a cross. This oil, officially called Chrism, is a symbol that ties the person being baptized to Jesus. He was the anointed one, and the Chrism represents his presence in the child’s life. The oil represents the person’s connection to Jesus’ roles during his time. It gives the person the right to share in the sacrament of Eucharist (37).

Casket Pall

Many of these symbols are seen at Catholic funerals as well as baptisms. While you would typically think of black when you think of death, a Catholic Church is decorated in white for a funeral. The presence of these symbols at the sacraments typically held at the beginning and the end of a person’s life mean that they are similar stages in life in the Catholic Church. Baptism is usually experienced at the beginning of your earthly life. A funeral is held at the end of that life but also the beginning of your eternal life with God. These symbols link birth and death as beginnings of life instead of an ending.

Catholicism is fairly similar to other Christian religions, but differs from most other religions in our world today. Rastafarians, for example, do not get baptized. This may be due to the act that the Rastafari movement is less organized than Catholicism. Where Rastafari is a religion that is firmly rooted in a specific location, it has no formal hierarchy of leaders that universally guide all Rastafarians. It is much more centered on individual groups and communities. There is no requirement to be accepted into these communities. The gathering where Rastas reason, are not controlled by strict guidelines of form and prerequisites, but the Catholic Church is different. In order to participate fully in the Catholic Church you should be baptized. The Eucharist is not supposed to be received by those who are not baptized within the Catholic Church. This sounds far more exclusive than the Rastas way of life.

Baptismal Font

Mormons also get baptized, but what is the difference between the two religion’s forms of Baptism? Not much. The Mormons are debatably Christian. They believe you must be baptized in order to reach Heaven after death. It is necessary to be saved. Catholics tends to be a bit more lenient by saying a person can go to heaven without being baptized within their church.

These symbols are important in Catholicism. They connect the new member of the church to Christ in more ways than one. The symbols bring deeper meanings regarding Jesus' ministry and teachings into the ceremony of Baptism. The ceremony itself brings the baptized person into the Church and allows them to receive the Eucharist which is one of the most important parts of the faith. The symbols bring together the actions and feelings of the Church.

So you may be wondering why I would focus this post specifically on Baptism. I chose this because many people who are not Catholic may find themselves attending a Catholic Baptism. I wanted to spend my time really focusing on a sacrament that many people outside of the Church may see. It’s is a way the church is seen by others. It’s not a website, but it is something that represents the Church to the outside world. Another reason I chose Baptism is because it is the beginning of one’s journey through the Catholic Church. It is a vital part of the Catholic faith. 

Together at Baptism By Joseph E. Payne, C.S.C.