Baptism

Holy Baptism is the sacramental rite of full initiation, by way of water and the Holy Spirit, into membership in the Christian Church. Baptisms take place in the context of the Eucharist at any Sunday or feast day of the year. We do baptisms at the Cathedral at the Great Vigil of Easter, the Second Sunday of Easter, Pentecost, All Saints’ Day, and the Feast of the Baptism of our Lord.

At the service, all the members of the congregation renew their own baptismal vows and welcome the newly baptized into the community of faith. If the baptized person is too young to make the baptismal promises, they are made in the name of the child by sponsors, the child’s parents and godparents. Baptism may take place by immersion or by pouring water over the head of the baptized (which is our custom at the Cathedral), and, in the Anglican tradition, is accompanied by the celebrant making the sign of the cross on the forehead of the baptized, often anointing with the oil of chrism (olive oil that has been blessed by the Bishop) at the same time.