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| A small candle
is lit from the Easter candle and given to
the newly baptized as a reminder to them always
to walk as children of the light |
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The Holy Saturday Liturgy begins with the Service of
Light which includes the blessing of the new fire and
the Paschal candle which symbolizes Jesus, the light of
the World. The second part consists of the Liturgy of
the Word with a number of Scripture readings. |
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| The Sacred
Chrism, or oil, is a sign of the gift of the
Holy Spirit being given to the newly baptized.
It is also a sign of the close link between the
mission of Jesus and the outpouring of the Holy
Spirit, who comes to the person with the Father
in baptism. |
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After the Liturgy of the Word, the candidates are
presented to the members of the community, who pray for
them and join in the Litany of the Saints. After the
Litany and prayer for the elect, the water is
blessed. |
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| Those seeking baptism then renounce
sin and profess their faith after which the water may be poured over the head of
each candidate with the
words, "I baptize you in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." In
some situations they are
immersed into the baptismal water. |
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| After the baptism the newly baptized
are dressed in white garments and are presented with a
candle lighted from the Paschal Candle. The newly
baptized are then confirmed by the priest or bishop
whose imposes hands on their heads, and invokes the gift
of the Holy Spirit. He then anoints them with the oil
called Sacred Chrism
The Mass continues... Now the
newly baptized participate in the general intercessions,
they bring gifts to the altar. At the Communion
of the Mass, each of the newly baptized receives the
Eucharist, Christ's body and blood, for the first time.
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