Many churches in the Christian faith have specific ceremonies - or sacraments - that mark important moments in the lives of their members. The three mentioned here are among the most common:
Baptism
The baptism is a Christian sacrament in which an individual sheds his or her past course of life and is "reborn" with a clean conscience. In the earliest forms of the ceremony, baptism involved either complete or partial immersion in water; both methods can be found in artistic depictions. In partial immersion, an individual can stand or kneel while water is poured onto them. While most Christians will baptize "in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit", some will baptize in Jesus' name only. Though the ritual is not intended to "wash away" sin, it is a vital part of living in harmony with Jesus' teachings and benefiting from His sacrifice.
Baptisms can vary from church to church. Some will use the terms baptism and christening interchangeably, while others consider them to be two distinctly different events. Some churches will practice the rite on infants, while many others believe the ceremony can only be practiced on those who are old enough to understand its spiritual significance. According to the Bible, God already views young children as being clean, pure, and holy, thus lessening the need for a baptism so early in life.
Confirmation
A Confirmation ceremony is performed on individuals who have been baptized - sometimes immediately after - as a way to "seal" their status as a renewed and dedicated Christian. For denominations such as the Methodist Church or Anglican Communion, the ritual grants full membership in their congregation. In others, like the Roman Catholic Church, Confirmation is seen as a means to make the recipient's bond "more perfect", as they are already viewed as a member of the congregation. For teenage members of the Roman Catholic, Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, Confirmation is a sacrament, often perceived as a "coming of age" practice. Many Western Catholics receive baptism as an infant, and Confirmation in adolescence.
To become confirmed, the Catholic stands or kneels before the church's bishop, accompanied by a self-appointed sponsor. The sponsor will place a hand on the individual's shoulder while they are anointed with Chrism Oil by the bishop. A prayer is said, and the ceremony is complete.
Communion
The term communion refers to the act of sharing, commonality, or participation in one's community. It is a time of remembrance and reflection of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Also called Eucharist, the communion ceremony is based upon the Last Supper, in which Jesus declared to his disciples that the bread and wine he gave them was his body and blood. As such, churches have adopted the ritual of giving bread (or wafers) and wine. Many churches believe the Last Supper rite only is undertaken by those who have already been baptized. As such, the First Communion of a new member or child of age is a moment of celebration and union with Christ.