General Information
Baptism (“baptismos”, meaning immersion) contains as a seed the entire mystery of salvation, which through God’s grace and the mediation of the Church is realized in a person’s life until it reaches its fulfillment in the kingdom of heaven. Its many names – illumination, the sacrament of faith, the washing of regeneration – point to the initiation of divine life in the soul. “Faith” in this sense is the burning presence of Christ, which God ignites in the human heart, as the baptismal candle beautifully expresses. Through the waters of baptism, the Church leads a person along the path of rebirth towards new life in Jesus Christ, our Lord. Having renounced all sin in baptism and received complete forgiveness for them, a person becomes one spirit with Christ in baptism, a temple of the Holy Spirit, and a member of God’s family. In baptism, the Church expresses its motherhood and, relying on God, promises its care for its own children, who through baptism also receive the right to be nourished from the sources of salvation (to receive instruction and spiritual support, to participate in the sacraments of confession and the Eucharist, to marry under the guidance and blessing of the catholic Church if they so desire, and to receive spiritual assistance in cases of illness or at the deathbed).
Parents and Godparents
The Church’s first expression of care towards those ho receive baptism is to guarantee their suitable conditions for growth in the life of faith. In the case of infant baptism, the first transmitters of faith are the parents, who, after receiving brief preparation for it, solemnly commit to raising their child in the catholic faith. To support the parents at least one godparent must be chosen. Their role is to represent the entire Church as the guarantor of that person’s faith. There can be several godparents, but at least one must be a confirmed catholic who is 16 years of age or older. In addition to them, the person being baptized can have non-catholic witnesses, who must, however, be christian.
Adult Baptism
Those who wish to be baptized as adults receive special care. In this case, the Church accompanies them for a longer period (1-2 years), which is called the “catechumenate.” During this time, they delve deeper doctrinally, spiritually, and liturgically into the mysteries of Christianity before, usually on Easter Vigil, a solemn baptism is celebrated in the midst of the assembled community. Everything begins with a planning meeting with the parishpriest (or a priest designated by him), during which the upcoming baptism is planned. Please do not hesitate to contact us, and we will see how we can help.