Adult baptism

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What do I wear to the Easter Vigil? Am I supposed to wear white like they do with infants?
 
It is customary in some places to wear white, but in others “something decent” is fine. You are beast off alking to your RCIA coordinator for those details.
 
At my parish they give the new members white robes thay they wear over their clothes. But that is specific to my parish, wearing your “Sunday best” will do just fine otherwise.
 
jmkm said:
What do I wear to the Easter Vigil? Am I supposed to wear white like they do with infants?
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No one should wear white TO their Baptism, even infants. They are clothed in white AFTER their Baptism. Wear a netural color,dark colors makes more symbolic sense. You should be given a white, robe or sash after your Baptism. If not you can always bring a white jacket to put on AFTER your Baptism.
 
This reminds me of our first Easter Vigil at the Cathedral. The rector decided to handle the RCIA program solo, but, he asked me to go over the dress requirements. We told the Elect to wear Sunday best. One young lady got to the Cathedral in a white strapless dress. :eek: My rector and I looked at each other. We knew the bishop was not going to be happy. Luckily, I had light peach sweater (she had to wear it open because of our different sizes) and a potential disaster was averted. Even though my little sweater got wet, I would rather that have happened than something else.

Other than that, everything else went well.
 
kermitz06 said:
At my parish they give the new members white robes thay they wear over their clothes. But that is specific to my parish, wearing your “Sunday best” will do just fine otherwise.
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That is what my parish did when I was baptized too.
 
I wore a white simple dress to my baptism. I also got the white sash put on me afterwards…

If you are a guy, I guess maybe light khakis and a white shirt?

Re: babies wearing white after baptism… in my parish, they don’t really do that anymore. The baby just wears his or her white gown and the priest baptizes with just water over the forehead.
 
jmkm said:
What do I wear to the Easter Vigil? Am I supposed to wear white like they do with infants?
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I take it you are going to be baptized? If so, it kind of depends on whether you get baptized by pouring on the forehead or if baptism will be by immersion.

Others have given you suggestions. This seems to be one of the most common questions that comes up here. Parishes must not do a very good job of telling people what to wear. They either say nothing or they manage to miss a large number of catechumens.
 
We baptize by pouring water over the person while they stand in the pool. Therefore they wear casual clothing which can take a soaking. Then they change to their Sunday best for the rest of the mass.

If you are going to get soaked do not wear white. It tends to become transparent when wet. :eek:
 
Thank you all so much for the replies. They have been helpful.
I’ll be seeing our RCIA director this Sunday, so I’ll ask about the specifics of the ceremony and wether or not I’ll be soaked.
I’m so excited, I just want to figure out all the details. I was at the Easter Vigil last year, but the only people coming in to our parish were already baptized and only reciving Confirmation and Communion. I have no idea how my baptism will be done, but I know it will be wonderful.🙂
 
for my baptism at the easter vigil i wore my good jeans and a nice top and afterwards changed into a white dress
 
Sina said:
Re: babies wearing white after baptism… in my parish, they don’t really do that anymore. The baby just wears his or her white gown and the priest baptizes with just water over the forehead.
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Unfortunately, that takes away from the “Presentation of the White Garment” that is part of the baptismal rite. It was a revelation to me to actually read the Rite and to realize that it presumes immersion (although it makes it quite clear that pouring is perfectly OK) and it presumes that the child is not dressed in white for the Baptism.

When explaining this to parents we compare it to the wedding rings which you don’t put on before you leave for the church but exchange as part of the Marriage Ritual. It’s the same for the white garment at Baptism.

In the 9 years since we adopted this practice in our parish we’ve only had one mother categorically refuse to follow our practice.
 
Now I know.
At our parish they present you with a white robe to wear after you are baptized. So I can wear normal church clothes.
I also won’t be given an imersion baptism, so I will only have the water poured over my head. No need to change.
Thanks again for the responses.
 
At our church the adults who are to be baptized wear bown robes which represent “sack cloths and ashes”. They have shorts and tops under the robes because we use immursion. They are given a white robe and then leave to change into their “Sunday Best.” under the white robes. The symbols are all there and the congreagation sees the transformation.
 
Phemie said:
Unfortunately, that takes away from the “Presentation of the White Garment” that is part of the baptismal rite. It was a revelation to me to actually read the Rite and to realize that it presumes immersion (although it makes it quite clear that pouring is perfectly OK) and it presumes that the child is not dressed in white for the Baptism.

When explaining this to parents we compare it to the wedding rings which you don’t put on before you leave for the church but exchange as part of the Marriage Ritual. It’s the same for the white garment at Baptism.

In the 9 years since we adopted this practice in our parish we’ve only had one mother categorically refuse to follow our practice.
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However, if you look at the infant baptisms done by the Holy Father, the children are wearing their white baptismal gowns and he simply pours water over their heads.
 
benedictgal said:
However, if you look at the infant baptisms done by the Holy Father, the children are wearing their white baptismal gowns and he simply pours water over their heads.
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This is going to sound bad but it’s probably more because it is a photo op and the logistics involved.
 
monicatfp said:
At our church the adults who are to be baptized wear bown robes which represent “sack cloths and ashes”. They have shorts and tops under the robes because we use immursion. They are given a white robe and then leave to change into their “Sunday Best.” under the white robes. The symbols are all there and the congreagation sees the transformation.
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YES!!
 
monicatfp said:
At our church the adults who are to be baptized wear bown robes which represent “sack cloths and ashes”. They have shorts and tops under the robes because we use immursion. They are given a white robe and then leave to change into their “Sunday Best.” under the white robes. The symbols are all there and the congreagation sees the transformation.
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This is how we will be baptized, but we will be in grey robes and then given white robes to change into.
 
monicatfp said:
At our church the adults who are to be baptized wear bown robes which represent “sack cloths and ashes”. They have shorts and tops under the robes because we use immursion. They are given a white robe and then leave to change into their “Sunday Best.” under the white robes. The symbols are all there and the congreagation sees the transformation.
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We do the same.
 
We had an interesting experience at our parish. Our baptism was conducted by immersion. The mother and her three children went in individually. They wore brown robes and crocs. Our pastor did something rather strange in that he removed his chasuble and stole. :confused:

After each had been baptized, they went into the area where the sacristy is to change. Unfortunately, it took a verrrrry long time, about 15-20 minutes. The choir ran out of versers of the hymn. Finally, my pastor had to send the husband/father to check on the family. When they finally emerged in their white outfits, my pastor proceeded to continue with the Rite. He confirmed everyone (including the husband), but, he did so without his stole and chasuble. Then, he convalidated the marraige of the mother and fahter :confused: while remaining sans stole and chasuble.
 
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