Are you trying to decide between a baptism or a naming ceremony? What’s different about them? Why have a ceremony in the first place?
Perhaps you feel pressure to hold religious ceremony. Whether you decide on a religious ceremony or something less traditional, a spiritual life is important to the majority of people. Many feel the need to celebrate the arrival of their child with some form of celebration, surrounded by family and friends.
Which ceremony is right for you and your baby?
Traditionally, parents held a religious baptism or christening ceremony for their new baby in the days or early weeks after their birth to mark the start of their christian upbringing. Baptism focusses on welcoming the baby into the Christian faith while a non-religious naming ceremony the emphasis is on the family and community welcoming the baby as a new member. Both ceremonies bring the families together to celebrate but they differ in many ways.
What does each ceremony involve?
You may hold a non religious naming ceremony anywhere that is convenient or special to you and your family. Your home, garden, park, hotel, forest are all possible options. You may include anything you wish in your ceremony, keeping it quite traditional or be a little more quirky. Parents can always include prayers and readings if they wish.
This type of ceremony is very flexible and will suit your family’s and baby’s personality. www.babynamingireland.com are a fantastic service who will organise everything for you, ensuring your day is extra special.
Find a list of celebrants on http://www.humanism.ie/ceremonies-2/. They will take their lead from you and write the ceremony to suit your preferences.
The purpose of the religious ceremony is to cleanse the new baby of original sin. Baptism ceremonies differs in that the local Priest will preside over proceedings which is of course held in the parish church. If you happen to live in a large town or city, several babies may be baptised on the same day.
Parents and Godparents must renounce Satan and accept responsibility for the baby’s spiritual upbringing. The ceremony will include anointing the baby with oils and the culmination is the pouring of holy water over the baby’s head, surrounded at the holy water font by the parents and godparents.
It is, no doubt, a beautiful way
to come together as a community
To be chosen to be a godparent is considered quite the honour. Parents usually choose a close friend or family member, one male and one female. The godparents promise to take an active role in the spiritual upbringing of the child.
A baptism candle is required for the ceremony and this will be lit for the first time from the altar candle by the godfather. This candle will be kept for the child’s communion and confirmation ceremonies later in life. You’ll find some options here and more information about arranging a baptism by clicking this link.
A naming ceremony would also include vows from parents and ‘guide-parents’. The lighting of candles is also included to symbolise the joining of two families. You may include the giving of symbolic gifts, reading, poetry and music. Some families will have a memory book on display where guests can write down their wishes for the baby’s future.
Bring families together
Both ceremonies have the little one at the heart and are a wonderful way to mark the baby’s entrance to his new community. It is a very personal choice for a family and will depend of course on their own beliefs. But whatever you choose, baptism or naming ceremony, it is no doubt a beautiful way to come together as a tribe.
Some helpful tips for preparing for family photos or First Holy Communion can be found by following the link. Also see some examples of family sessions.
