A Baptism on the Traditional Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord

by | Jan 15, 2012 | Baptisms, FSSP | 16 comments

This past Friday, on the traditional feast of the Baptism of Our Lord, following A Traditional Latin Mass and First Holy Communions, our little Bud was baptized, according to the Traditional Rite, by one of his uncles, my husband’s youngest brother, who was also the Best Man at our wedding!   Since his Godparents, Sean and Charlotte, were not able to attend the baptism (two of my siblings stood in as proxies), we wrapped him in the beautiful white baptismal blanket they gave him.  It was such a beautiful day filled with blessings!

The Rite of Baptism
Part I: Outside the Church

The priest (wearing a violet stole), sponsors, and the catechumen stand in the narthex of the church, symbolizing that at this point, the candidate is not a member of the Church.

.: The Questioning :.

Priest: N., what do you ask of the Church of God?
Sponsor/Catechumen: Faith.
Priest: What does Faith offer you?
Sponsor/Catechumen: Life everlasting.
Priest: If then you desire to enter into life, keep the commandments. ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart and with thy whole soul and with thy whole mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.’

.: The Exsufflation :.

The priest then breathes 3 times on the candidate in the form of a Cross, recalling the Spirit (breath, wind, “ruach”) of God.

Priest: Go forth from her, unclean spirit, and give place to the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete.

.: The Sign of the Cross :.

The priest now makes the Sign of the Cross with his thumb on the candidate’s forehead and breast.

Priest: Receive the Sign of the Cross both upon your forehead + and also upon your heart +; take to you the faith of the heavenly precepts; and so order your life as to be, from henceforth, the temple of God.
Priest: Let us pray: Mercifully hear our prayers, we beseech Thee, O Lord; and by Thy perpetual assistance keep this Thine elect, N., signed with the sign of the Lord’s cross, so that, preserving this first experience of the greatness of Thy glory, he may deserve, by keeping Thy commandments, to attain to the glory of regeneration. Through Christ our Lord.
Sponsor/Catechumen: Amen.

.: The Imposition of Hands :. 
The priest places his hands on the candidate’s head.

Priest: Let us pray: Almighty, everlasting God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, look graciously down upon this Thy servant, N., whom Thou hast graciously called unto the beginnings of the faith; drive out from him all blindness of heart; break all the toils of Satan wherewith he was held: open unto him, O Lord, the gate of Thy loving kindness, that, being impressed with the sign of Thy wisdom, he may be free from the foulness of all wicked desires, and in the sweet odor of Thy precepts may joyfully serve Thee in Thy Church, and grow in grace from day to day. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
Priest: Through the same Christ our Lord.
Sponsor/Catechumen: Amen

.: The Imposition of Salt :.
Now the priest puts a little blessed salt in the candidate’s mouth. Salt is the symbol of that wisdom which gives a relish for the sweetness of divine nourishment; preserves, by the teaching of the Gospel, from the corruption of sin, and prevents evil passions from growing in men’s souls. Adult catechumens might be signed on the brow, ears, eyes, nostrils, mouth, breast, and between the shoulders before the imposition of salt. If this procedure is followed, afterwards the candidate will kneel, recite the Our Father several times, and a Cross is made on his forehead, first by the sponsor and then by the priest.

Priest: N., Receive the salt of wisdom; let it be to thee a token of mercy unto everlasting life. May it make your way easy to eternal life.
Sponsor/Catechumen: Amen.
Priest: Peace be with you.
Sponsor/Catechumen: And with your spirit.
Priest: Let us pray: O God of our fathers, O God the Author of all truth, vouchsafe, we humbly beseech Thee, to look graciously down upon this Thy servant, N., and as he tastes this first nutriment of salt, suffer him no longer to hunger for want of heavenly food, to the end that he may be always fervent in spirit, rejoicing in hope, always serving Thy name. Lead him O Lord, we beseech Thee, to the laver of the new regeneration, that, together with Thy faithful, he may deserve to attain the everlasting rewards of Thy promises. Through Christ our Lord.
Priest: Through the same Christ our Lord.
Sponsor/Catechumen: Amen

Part II: Admission into the Church Building



.: The Exorcism :.
The priest makes the Sign of the Cross over the candidate three times and says:

Priest: I exorcise thee, unclean spirit, in the name of the Father + and of the Son, + and of the Holy + Ghost, that thou goest out and depart from this servant of God, N., For He commands Thee, accursed one, Who walked upon the sea, and stretched out His right hand to Peter about to sink. Therefore, accursed devil, acknowledge thy sentence, and give honor to the living and true God: give honor to Jesus Christ His Son, and to the Holy Spirit; and depart from this servant of God, N., because God and our Lord Jesus Christ hath vouchsafed to call him to His holy grace and benediction and to the font of Baptism.

.: The Sign of the Cross :.
The priest again makes the Sign of the Cross on the candidate’s forehead.

Priest: And this sign of the holy Cross, which we make upon her forehead, do thou, accursed devil, never dare to violate.
Priest: Through the same Christ our Lord.
Sponsor/Catechumen: Amen

.: The Imposition of Hands :.
For the final time, the priest lays his hand on the candidate’s head.

Priest: Let us pray: O Holy Lord, Father Almighty, Eternal God, Author of light and truth, I implore Thine everlasting and most just goodness upon this Thy servant N., that Thou wouldst vouchsafe to enlighten him with the light of Thy wisdom: cleanse him and sanctify him, give unto him true knowledge; that, being made worthy of the grace of Thy Baptism, he may hold firm hope, right counsel and holy doctrine.
Priest:Through Christ our Lord.
Sponsor/Catechumen: Amen.

.: Admission into the Church Building :.
The priest lays the end of his stole on the candidate as a symbol of his priestly authority, and admits him into the church building, which is the symbol of the Church of Christ. If the catechumen is an adult and was anointed in Part I above, he may be asked to lie prostrate before the Altar in adoration of Christ before this next step.

Priest: N., enter thou into the temple of God, that thou mayest have part with Christ unto life everlasting.
Sponsor/Catechumen: Amen.

.: The Credo and Pater :.

Sponsor/Catechumen: I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried. He descended into Hell. On the third day, He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence shall He come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy Catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

Sponsor/Catechumen: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation: but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Part III: In the Nave of the Church
.: The Solemn Exorcism :.

Priest: I exorcise thee, every unclean spirit, in the name of God the Father + Almighty, in the name of Jesus + Christ, His Son, our Lord and Judge, and in the power of the Holy + Spirit, that thou be depart from this creature of God N, which our Lord hath deigned to call unto His holy temple, that it may be made the temple of the living God, and that the Holy Spirit may dwell therein. Through the same Christ our Lord, who shall come to judge the living and the dead, and the world by fire.

.: The Ephpheta :.
The priest takes a little spittle and touches the ears and nostrils of the candidate with it. For health reasons, the use of spittle may be omitted. This rite comes from Mark 7:33-35, when Jesus healed the deaf-mute: “And taking him from the multitude apart, he put his fingers into his ears: and spitting, he touched his tongue. And looking up to heaven, he groaned and said to him: Ephpheta, which is, Be thou opened. And immediately his ears were opened and the string of his tongue was loosed and he spoke right.”

Priest: Ephpheta, that is to say, Be opened, for an odour of sweetness. Be thou, devil, begone; for the judgement of God shall draw near.

.: The Renunciation of Satan :.

Priest: Do you renounce Satan?
Sponsor/Catechumen: I do renounce him.
Priest: And all of his works?
Sponsor/Catechumen: I do renounce him.
Priest: And all his pomps?
Sponsor/Catechumen: I do renounce him.

.: The Anointing :.
The priest annoints the candidate with the oil of catechumens on the heart and between the shoulders in the form of a Cross, saying:

Priest: I annoint you + with the oil of salvation in Christ Jesus our Lord, that you may have everlasting life.
Sponsor/Catechumen: Amen.

Part IV: At the Font


The priest removes his violet stole and puts on a white one.

.: The Profession of Faith :.

Priest: N., do you believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth?
Sponsor/Catechumen: I do believe.
Priest: Do you believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son our Lord, Who was born and Who suffered?
Sponsor/Catechumen: I do believe.
Priest: Do you believe in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting?
Sponsor/Catechumen: I do believe.

.: Baptism (Matter and Form of the Sacrament) :.
If the one to be baptized is a baby, the godparents (or proxies) take him to the font (the godmother holds him in her arms, the godfather touches the baby’s shoulder with his right hand); if he is an adult, the sponsor puts his right hand on the shoulder of the one to be baptized.

Priest: N., will you be baptized?
Sponsor/Catechumen: I will.

The priest pours water over the head of the candidate three times, once after each mention of the Divine Persons. The water he uses will have been consecrated during the Easter Vigil or on the Eve of the Pentecost. As he pours the water, the priest says these words (or the words of a conditional Baptism):

Priest: I baptize you in the name of the Father + and of the Son + and of the Holy + Ghost.

.: The Annointing with Chrism :.

Priest: May the Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who hath regenerated thee by water and the Holy Ghost, and who hath given thee the remission of all thy sins, may He Himself + anoint thee with the Chrism of Salvation, in the same Christ Jesus our Lord, unto life eternal.
Sponsor/Catechumen: Amen.
Priest: Peace be with you.
Sponsor/Catechumen: And with your spirit.

.: The White Linen Cloth :.
This priest takes a white linen cloth — symbolizing the purity of a soul cleansed from all sin, and a relic of the days when the newly baptized wore white albs for 8 days — and places it on the head of the candidate.

Priest: Receive this white garment, which mayest thou carry without stain before the judgment seat of our Lord Jesus Christ, that thou mayest have life everlasting.

.: The Lighted Candle :.
The priest gives the candidate or the sponsor a lighted candle.

Priest: Receive this burning light, and keep thy Baptism so as to be without blame: keep the commandments of God, that when the Lord shall come to the nuptials, thou mayest meet Him together with all the Saints in the heavenly court, and mayest have eternal life and live for ever and ever.

.: Last Words of Good Will :.

Priest: N., go in peace and the Lord be with you. Amen.

Our Newly Baptized Baby

Deo Gratias!

16 Comments

  1. Lazywife
    Lazywife on January 15, 2012 at 3:27 am

    WOW! Thank you for sharing! Our youngest son was Baptized in the Tridentine rite. (Our parish has Tridentine Mass daily and on Sundays, too!) Our son screamed the whole Baptism except when they put salt in his mouth and Holy Water on his head! So Beautiful!!

    Reply
  2. Patty
    Patty on January 15, 2012 at 3:30 am

    Just beautiful and lovely job explaining it all !

    Reply
  3. Lovey Dove
    Lovey Dove on January 15, 2012 at 5:45 am

    Happy Baptismal Day! Happy 1st Holy Communion too!

    Reply
  4. Lena
    Lena on January 15, 2012 at 6:38 am

    i'm joining you in prayers of thanksgiving.

    Reply
  5. Barbara in NY
    Barbara in NY on January 15, 2012 at 11:05 am

    Dear Jessica, Thank you so much for these pictures. Your BIL was my confessor at his previous assignment. I am praying for vocations to the priesthood and religious life from among your children.

    Reply
  6. Mom2Seven
    Mom2Seven on January 15, 2012 at 12:46 pm

    More tears! So beautiful… your family is blessed! Annita +JMJ+

    Reply
  7. Cheryl
    Cheryl on January 15, 2012 at 2:47 pm

    Such a beautiful ceremony, and so full of symbolism. What a happy day for all of you — first communions and a baptism!

    Reply
  8. Lorie
    Lorie on January 15, 2012 at 8:08 pm

    Jessica,
    I have my 2 and 1/2 year old on my lap and she points to your daughters and says, "What's that, angels!?". I thought it was so cute that I had to share it! Congrats for their first Communion and Bud's baptism! Saying prayers for them!

    Reply
  9. Katherine
    Katherine on January 15, 2012 at 9:47 pm

    Beautiful! Such a happy and blessed day for your entire family!!

    Reply
  10. Hayu Maselli
    Hayu Maselli on January 15, 2012 at 9:58 pm

    Oh so beautiful moment, sacred moment for our children.Remembering me my second baby boy with tredetine rite.FINALLY!The real baptism rite that should be!.The excorsim prayer that should be!. unfortunately my first baby girl, she didn't received it because we found the 'TRUTH' 3 months after.Blessed you all Ladies, so easy to find the Real Mass.Here in Italy the followers need to take more then 80 km and only once a week and very small chapel (strange right?) sometimes i asked my self why ;(.Blessed also your family all.
    congratulation again Jessica
    Best wishes

    Reply
  11. Anshi
    Anshi on January 16, 2012 at 1:22 am

    That is a beautiful post on the tiny tiny things done at a Baptism. I've never really witnessed a Baptism this close, specially not the details. You are such a darling. Wish you all very bright and happy days ahead. Thank you so much for this post. May be one day when I get married, and have babies, I will revisit to this POST 🙂
    God Bless

    Reply
  12. Erin
    Erin on January 16, 2012 at 3:00 am

    congratulations!! what a beautiful baptism!

    Reply
  13. Anonymous
    Anonymous on January 16, 2012 at 10:23 pm

    Congratulations on bringing another little Catholic into the Church! Don't you just feel a huge relief once baby is baptized? I do! Beautiful pictorial descriptions of the Sacrament of Baptism in the Extraordinary Form. Your blog is a treasure! (And that means you are too!)

    Reply
  14. Unknown
    Unknown on January 17, 2012 at 1:52 pm

    Tu familia es preciosa, te felicito, por haberte abierto a la vida y por tener una familia cristiana. Por dar testimonio con tu apego a la fe y a la tradición. Eres una persona bendecida. Dichosos tus hijos que pueden guardar el recuerdo de servir al altar junto a su padre. Dichosas tus hijas que guardan en su corazones la memoria de una madre devota y fiel. El Señor quiera que muchas familias sigan su ejemplo.

    Reply
  15. Blue Wing
    Blue Wing on January 18, 2012 at 12:01 am

    Jessica,
    First, I need to thank you for sharing your days and years with me. You have inspired me to keep homeschooling and have helped me in very tough times these last few years.
    So many times I sought solace through your precious blog. Your pictures comforted me and made me feel like my world still made sense in the midst of chaos. And, by you sharing your curriculum, you helped me tremendously doing all I could not do when I fell short. Thank you, Jessica.

    God is faithful and the true joy of my life.

    I wanted to comment on the picture of your baby's baptism–Baptism (Matter and Form of the Sacrament) It simply is one of the most beautiful pictures I have ever seen. And, if I look at it too much I tear up. Thanks so much for sharing it:)

    Reply
  16. Ellen
    Ellen on February 19, 2012 at 2:58 pm

    Hello Jessica,

    I too wanted to thank you for posting such a detailed account of your little son's baptism, so beautiful. I am new to your blog and feel so blessed to have found it at this time in my life. I have just begun homeschooling my eldest and feel so out of my depth, not academically, but in the Faith. I returned to the true Church about 2 years ago and have spent alot of that time necessarily re-learning my Catholic faith (and still with so much yet to learn). Here in Australia, getting a TLM can be extremely difficult and we were truly blessed when we almost literally stumbled upon it in our home town.
    In early December last year we had our 3rd child baptised in the traditional rite. She was but 2 weeks old! Sadly for us, the day was tainted by the upset it caused among our families (not the baptism, just the latin rite), so to see yours, to be offered a chance to re-visit the words, the meaning and the sacred tradition, is simply lovely.
    While you intimidate me with with all you seem to accomplish (!), I know that you are doing it with the help of God's grace and mercy.

    The photos are amazing, so are the ones from your daughters First Holy Communion.

    God bless you and your family.

    Reply

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