Since my birth, I was raised as a member of the Catholic Church. I have always believed in the various scriptures, traditions and rituals that are part of my religion. One of these traditions involves a ceremony welcoming a new citizen into the kingdom of God. Becoming a member of the Church involves a set of rituals commonly called baptism by the Christian community. Baptism is a very important rite of passage and plays a relatively important role in the history of Christianity. During this ceremony, the baptized person must have a group of godparents, who help guide their godson or goddaughter in this quest for acceptance. If the baptized person is a young child, the parents choose who these godparents will be. As a symbol of purification and a new beginning for the person being baptized, water is poured over their head by the priest to show that the baptism is complete. When I was baptized, I was only 5 months old, so the initial decision to be a member of the Catholic Church was made by my parents. My godparents, who are also my uncle and aunt, played a major role in bringing me closer to God, because of their involvement in my baptism. Although this rite of passage was originally granted to me by my parents, I am glad that they chose this path for me. Even today, I continue to firmly believe in God and the Catholic Church. Being baptized also allowed me to experience other significant stages of Catholicism (communion, confirmation, etc.). Being baptized allowed my connection with God to strengthen, and I am grateful to those who put me on this path, which is now mine. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get the original essayA rite of passage is defined by Arnold van Gennep as a particular set of rituals that help reshape an individual's identity (Robbins et al. 2016, 61). In the Catholic religion, baptism is a very important sacrament that converts a person from an average individual into a citizen of the kingdom of God. Not only does a baptism fit Arnold van Gennep's definition perfectly, but a baptism also contains the three phases that constitute a rite of passage. These three phases include separation, liminality, and reincorporation. The first stage of a rite of passage is the separation of an individual from their current identity (Robbins et al. 2016, 61). In the Catholic religion, we are taught that everyone born into this world is a child of God, whether we choose to follow Him or not. Therefore, your identity before your baptism is that of a child of God, without any formal commitment to Him. The separation phase, of this particular rite of passage, is who you are before you take the first step in forming your new identity, as a member of the Catholic Church. Therefore, an individual must undergo a transition as part of the liminality phase in a rite of passage (Robbins et al. 2016, page). The transition in which the individual participates is led by the priest, with the help of parents and godparents. First, the priest recites a varied set of prayers and promises. Then, a special oil is applied to the person's head in the shape of a cross to bless them. Finally, water is poured over the person's head to symbolize a final purification of the individual, before welcoming them into the kingdom of God. The liminality phase of a baptism essentially includes all the rituals/prayers within the service that participate in the transformation of the subject's identity. Once the ceremony is complete, the individual enters the reincorporation phase. The reincorporation phaseis the way in which the baptized person maintains their new identity after the conclusion of the ceremony. Once baptized, they must live up to their title as a member of the Catholic Church. Continuing as a citizen of God's kingdom involves attending church regularly, striving to be more like Jesus, and spreading the teachings of the Church, through word and action. This reincorporation of their identity is not only physical, but also spiritual. Praying/communing with God daily, alone or in community, keeps their relationship with God strong. Overall, baptism is a rite of passage that fits Arnold van Gennep's definition. The subject begins separated from the kingdom of God, but after a brief transition phase, the person's identity is changed and the individual must continue to incorporate that identity into daily life. Baptism is a rite of passage in the Christian religion where a person becomes a member of the kingdom of God. However, if someone is baptized as an infant, the baptism may also become a baby naming ceremony. In many cases, the baptism takes place normally and, at the end, the parents announce the child's name to the priest to close the ceremony. Nevertheless, Christianity is not the only religion with a naming ceremony, which is also a spiritual journey for the subject. For example, in the Hindu religion, there is a naming ceremony that takes place 12 days after the birth of the child, known as Namakarana. During the 11 days before Namakarana, the baby has no contact with family or friends except the mother. Since the baby is considered very vulnerable during these first 11 days, he must be isolated so that he can comfortably adapt to the new atmosphere. On the 12th day, a priest, parents, grandparents, a few friends and a few relatives gather in the baby's house, where the ceremony can begin. Similar to a Christian baptism, the baby is dressed in clothes specially intended for the ceremony and his head is dipped in water to symbolize the purification of the child (Raj and Rao 2013, 377). Namakarana is a naming ceremony, and the parent who has the privilege of naming the child varies by location. In most places, including Bengal and Gujarat, the aunt has the responsibility of choosing a name, whispering it in the newborn's ear, and then announcing it to the group. In most cases, once the name is pronounced, a sacred fire is lit while the priest recites a series of sacred chants. These songs strengthen the relationship between the child and the gods, so that these multiple deities can bless the baby (Raj and Rao 2013: 377). Similar to the sacrament of baptism, Namakarana can also be performed on an adult (Iwasaki 1963:341). However, Namakarana is only performed on an adult if he or she converts to Hinduism (Iwasaki 1963, 341). In this case, the converting individual must renounce his previous religion and choose his own Hindu name to proclaim his loyalty to Hinduism. Once their Hindu name is declared, they must write this new name in a tray of raw rice. In Christianity, if an adult decides to be baptized, he or she may already be of the Christian faith before the ceremony. This difference between Christian and Hindu traditions can be explained by a number of other differences between baptism and Namakarana. For example, in the Christian faith, although it is common for a person to be baptized within the first year of life, there is no particular age for a person to participate in the ceremony . However, in Hinduism, Namakarana must take place 12 days after the birth of the child. Additionally, a baptism is a public event that takes place in a church where the,