I was raised as a member of the Catholic Church from birth. I have always believed in the various scriptures, traditions and rituals that are part of my religion. One such tradition involves a ceremony that welcomes a new citizen into the kingdom of God. Becoming a member of the church involves a series of rituals commonly known by the Christian community as baptism. Baptism is a very important rite of passage and has a relatively significant role in the history of Christianity. During this ceremony, the person being baptized must have a set of godparents, who help guide his or her godson or goddaughter in this search for acceptance. If the person to be baptized is a small child, the parents choose who these godparents will be. As a symbol of purification and a new beginning for the person being baptized, the priest pours water on his head to demonstrate that the baptism is complete. When I was baptized, I was only 5 months old, so the initial decision to belong to the Catholic Church was made by my parents. My godparents, who are also my uncles, played an important role in bringing me closer to God through their involvement in my baptism. Although this rite of passage was originally bestowed upon me by my parents, I am happy that they chose this path for me. Even today I continue to firmly believe in God and in the Catholic Church. Being baptized also allowed me to experience other significant stages of Catholicism (communion, confirmation, etc.). Being baptized has allowed my connection with God to grow stronger, and I am grateful to those who set me on this path, which is now my turn to walk. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay A 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 transforms a person from an average individual to a citizen of the Kingdom of God. A baptism not only perfectly corresponds to Arnold van Gennep's definition, but also contains the three phases that make up a rite of passage . These three phases include separation, liminality, and reincorporation. The first phase of a rite of passage is the separation of an individual from his or her current identity (Robbins et al. 2016, 61). In the Catholic religion, we are taught that every person 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 made to Him. The separation phase of this particular rite of passage is about who you are before taking 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 conducted by the priest, with the help of parents and godparents. First, there are a series of prayers and promises that the priest recites. Next, there is a special oil that is put on the person's head in the shape of a cross to bless them. Finally, water is poured over the person's head to symbolize the final purification of the individual, before welcoming them into the kingdom of God. The liminality phase in a baptism essentially includes all the rituals/prayers within the service that are involved in the transformation of the subject's identity. Once the ceremony is completed, the individual enters the reincorporation phase. The reincorporation phase is theway in which the baptized person maintains his new identity after the closing of the ceremony. Once baptized, they must live up to their title as members of the Catholic church. Persevering as a citizen of the kingdom of God involves going to church regularly and striving to be more like Jesus and spread the teachings of the church, through word and deed. This reincorporation of their identity is not only physical, but it is also spiritual. Praying/communicating 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 individual begins separated from the Kingdom of God, but after a brief transitional phase the person's identity changes and the individual must continue to incorporate this identity into everyday life. Baptism is a rite of passage in the Christian religion in which a person becomes a member of the kingdom of God. However, if someone is baptized as an infant, the baptism could also become a naming ceremony for the child. In many cases, the baptism takes place normally and at the end the parents announce the child's name to the priest to complete the ceremony. However, Christianity is not the only religion with a naming ceremony, which also represents 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 baby and is known as Namakarana. In the 11 days preceding Namakarana, the child has no contact with family or friends, except the mother. Since in these first 11 days the baby is considered very vulnerable, it is necessary to isolate him in order to adapt comfortably to the new atmosphere. On the twelfth day, a priest, parents, grandparents, some friends and some close relatives gather at the child's home, where the ceremony can begin. Similar to Christian baptism, the child is dressed in specific clothing for the ceremony and its head is immersed in water to symbolize the purification of the child (Raj and Rao 2013, 377). Namakarana is a naming ceremony and the relative who has the privilege of naming the child varies depending on the location. In most places, including Bengal and Gujarat, the aunt is given the responsibility of choosing a name, whispering it in the newborn's ear, and then announcing it to the group. In most cases, after the name is announced, a sacred fire is lit while the priest recites a series of sacred songs. These songs strengthen the relationship between the child and the Gods, so that these multiple deities can bless the child (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 performed on an adult only if the adult is converting to Hinduism (Iwasaki 1963, 341). In this case, the converting individual must renounce their previous religion and choose their Hindu name to proclaim their allegiance to Hinduism. Once they have declared their Hindu name, they have to write the new name on a tray of uncooked rice. In Christianity, if an adult decides to be baptized, the individual may already be of the Christian faith before the ceremony. This difference between the 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 someone to be baptized in the first year of life, there is no particular age at which an individual must participate in the ceremony. However, in Hinduism, Namakarana must take place 12 days after the birth of the child. Furthermore, baptism is a public event that takes place in a church where the,