Italian Baptism
The first and arguably most important life-cycle ceremony or sacrament in the Catholic Church is Baptism. Although traditions vary from place to place, the main ceremony includes the participant (usually a month-old infant) being blessed in holy water by the priest and being reborn into the Church, free of the Original Sin of Adam and Eve. As the Catechism states: “Baptism is birth into the new life in Christ. In accordance with the Lord's will, it is necessary for salvation, as is the Church herself, which we enter by Baptism”. In Italy, they share much of the same traditions of catholic churches in North America. They normally occur a month after the baby is born and in the Church. On the day of the baptism, the guardian or parent of the child bring the baby to the Church. They hold the baby in the right arm if it is a boy, and in the left arm if it is a girl. The parent ensures that the baby does not look behind them, to make the child grow strong and brave. A mass is held, and at the end of it, the baby is brought to the baptismal font of the Church and blessed by the priest with Holy Water. Usually now the priest asks the Godparents of the child questions about bringing the child up into the Catholic faith, all of which are answered with a yes. Upon leaving, the parents throw sugared almonds into the assembled crowd.
Afterwards, a party is held, as baptism’s are a time of great joy and celebration. The main food is Italian cakes and pastries. It is considered bad luck to buy food for the celebration. Other foods include sugared almonds and tiramisu. |
An Italian Baptismal Font.
Italian sugared almonds.
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