The Pope baptizes 16 children in the Sistine Chapel: an example of innocence

Pope Francis baptized 16 children this Sunday in the traditional ceremony celebrated in the Sistine Chapel (7) and underlined the importance of the sacrament through which one receives the “most beautiful gift, that of faith”.

The boys and girls baptized by the leader of the Catholic Church are mostly children and relatives of Vatican employees.

Among some of the names chosen are Romeu, Cecília, Matteo, Vittoria, Bianca, Giulia, Leonardo and Francesco, including a pair of twins.

“They [crianças] They are the protagonists, because even today they give us testimony of how faith is received: with innocence, with an open heart”, he said in the homily before parents and godparents.

Francis underlined that everyone was there to “give the gift of faith to our children”. “And they are the protagonists of this ceremony: they can talk, walk, shout. They are the ones who command, because it is their celebration. They will receive the most beautiful gift, the gift of faith, the gift of the Lord”, he indicated.

During the ceremony, the Pontiff repeated the gesture he always made during these celebrations and allowed the mothers to breastfeed during the mass.

“If they cry – for now they are silent, but all it takes is for one to give the note and the concert begins – let them cry; if they are hungry, breastfeed them here, don’t worry. If they are hot, take off your clothes, because sometimes the heat hurts” , he added.

Addressing parents and godparents, Jorge Bergoglio hoped that everyone would help the children in their growth and accompany them, “because this is a way to also help their faith grow in them”.

Before imparting the blessing, the leader of the Catholic Church recommended that everyone know the date of baptism, because “it is the date of birth”.

“Think about it: the date of birth is like a birthday, the date on which I received the grace of the Lord, I became a Christian. Teach it to your children, to celebrate it every year,” he concluded. Subsequently, the children received the sign of the cross made by the Pope and their parents, while the anointing on the chest was done by the two concelebrants: the apostolic almoner, the Polish cardinal Konrad Krajewski, and the president of the Governorate of the State of Vatican City, the Spanish bishop Fernando Vérgez.

Immediately afterwards, the minors were baptized with water poured over their heads in the baptismal font. Everyone remained silent during the ritual. Finally, the little ones were dressed in a white tunic, symbol of their new life.

The tradition of celebrating the ceremony on the day of the “Baptism of the Lord” was started in 1981 by the then Pope John Paul II and has always been maintained by his successors. The rite celebrates the baptism of Jesus in the waters of the Jordan River. .

Source: Terra

Rose

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