The feast of the Baptism of the Lord commemorates Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan River by St. John the Baptist.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes baptism as the “basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit … and the door which gives access to the other sacraments.”
St. John Paul II began the papal tradition of baptizing children in the Sistine Chapel on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord on Jan. 11, 1981.
The ceremony initially took place in the Pauline Chapel of the Apostolic Palace but was moved to the Sistine Chapel in 1983.
The event was reserved at first for babies of Swiss Guards but later expanded to include the children of Vatican employees.
To qualify, children have to be under one year of age and their parents must be married in the Church. Each child is accompanied in the Sistine Chapel by his or her parents, siblings, godfather, and godmother.
The family groups attend a rehearsal before the ceremony. During the event, the Vatican provides baby-changing tables in a nearby room in the Apostolic Palace.
Pope Francis reminded the godparents present of their responsibility to help the newly baptized babies to grow in faith.
“I ask you to accompany them as they grow because this is a great way to help so that faith grows in them,” he said. “Thank you so much for your witness, for bringing them here to receive the faith.”
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At the end of the Mass, Pope Francis encouraged the parents to have their children celebrate the date of their baptism each year like a birthday.
“Let them know the date of the baptism. It is the date of birth. The date of birth is like a birthday. At baptism, I became a Christian. Teach this to children to celebrate it every year,” he said.
Courtney Mares is a Rome Correspondent for Catholic News Agency. A graduate of Harvard University, she has reported from news bureaus on three continents and was awarded the Gardner Fellowship for her work with North Korean refugees.
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