A baptism is a trial or ceremony that welcomes someone into a group, usually a religion, and often uses water. In some cases, the person being baptized is given a name.

The process of baptism has come to symbolize admittance to the Christian faith. Many denominations of Christianity practice this ritual, though one does not have to be baptized in order to become a Christian.

The roots of baptism trace all the way back to the start of Christianity. The ritual is linked to Jesus, in the Bible, who is described as having baptized his followers. Jesus himself was baptized by John the Baptist, a preacher who led a baptizing movement at the Jordan River.

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Text: Clare Fogerty
Image: L’Art de bien Vivre et de bien Mourir, Paris 1492