• on 9th May, 2020

The Baptismal Font in Holy Cross Church, Dundrum

Baptism is the gateway sacrament. By it we embark upon a pilgrimage of faith towards the Father’s house.

The location of the Baptismal Font reflects the Christian’s journey through the waters of baptism to the altar. It is surrounded by symbols of the four writers of the Gospels [Matthew (the angel), Mark (the lion), Luke (the bull) and John (the eagle)]. Through baptism we receive adoption into the family of God and as Jesus said: “my mother and my brothers are those who hear the word and do it” [Luke 7:21].

In the baptism area and on the font itself we see an octagonal shape. This reminds us that the Church celebrates the passion, death, resurrection and glorification of Jesus every “eighth day”, each Sunday, the day of the new creation of eternity. The font also has a circular shaped basin, the circle reminding us of God’s love which has no beginning nor end. The font is for us both tomb and womb. In baptism Christians die to sin and are given a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus [1 Peter 1:3].

At the base of the Font we see some symbols connected to Baptism and life.

The Chi-Rho [like a captial P with a cross, through it], which are the first two letters of the Greek word for “Christ.”

The Pilgrims’ Shell, as worn by those who have done the Camino to Santiago de Compostela. Baptism is the gateway sacrament. By it we embark upon a pilgrimage of faith towards the Father’s house.

The Droplets of Oil, remind us of the anointing’s with the Oil of Catechumens (OC) and Sacred Chrism (SC). The Oil of Chrism is also used at Confirmation.

The Three Waves of Water – into which Christians are Baptised into the waters of Baptism in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

The Baptismal Candle – The newly baptised person receives the light of the Risen Christ from the Paschal Candle and is told to “keep this flame burning brightly” throughout their lives.

 

By courtesy of Dundrum Holy Cross Church, Newsletter, January 7th 2018;

 

https://www.dundrumparish.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Dundrum-07-January-2018.pdf

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