Baptismal clothing for RCIA catechumen on Easter vigil

[yellow8yellowM]

What should be worn before and/or during the actual baptism for an adult catechumen getting baptised on Easter vigil?

I know some will wear the white gown after baptism, but what about during the actual immersion?

 

[Joannm]

We don’t do immersion so they where the white gown only, but I do know of a church where they wear a brown gown over a bathing suit or shorts and a top. Just don’t let ladies where white when getting immersed…we don’t need a wet t-**** scandal at the Easter Vigil.

 

[odile53]

We don’t “do” immersion, either. Just pouring. Long-haired women ought really consider securing their hair back and off their faces, and use waterproof makeup if they want to look good for pictures!

 

[maryjk]

Someone from your parish RCIA will go over it with you before Easter.

Every parish is different. We don’t do immersion either. The ladies wear a nice dress/skirt/dressy pants and the men wear suits/sport coats/dress pants. They don’t get wet enough to change.

 

[KarenElissa]

Like others have said, the best source is your parish as their advice will fit the exact circumstances of your parish.

That said, at my parish, they knelt in shallow pool and had water poured over their head, so they got fairly wet, but not soaking. We had them wear decent “church clothes” but nothing white, especially for the ladies. They then changed afterwards, into what if they wanted, and had a white alb (think poncho shaped) for their baptismal garment.

 

[CB_Catholic]

Those catechumens in my parish wear something under their white garment they don’t mind getting wet (but not their underwear alone or a bathing suit). They change afterward. They wear flip-flops usually when they step into the pool, or they can go barefoot. The priests or deacons roll up their pants legs, hitch up their vestments (they may remove the outer ones), remove their shoes and socks (one Deacon wears a pair of basketball shoes) and step in the pool.The catechumens kneel in the pool and are either “dunked” or water is poured over their heads. They do have a choice, though, of just having water poured over their heads and not being in the pool since the pool is attached to a large fountain of running water, from which infants are baptized. Many choose immersion; I think this may be because many come from Protestant churches where that was the tradition and they are used to seeing that.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

We don’t do immersion so they where the white gown only, but I do know of a church where they wear a brown gown over a bathing suit or shorts and a top. Just don’t let ladies where white when getting immersed…we don’t need a wet t-**** scandal at the Easter Vigil.

Right. This can’t be repeated often enough.

 

[MissRose73]

When my sister’s 2 kids were baptized at the ages of 7 and 9, they had the immersion style baptism. They wore tan coverups over a tee shirt and bathing suit with sandals for that part. After baptism was done, they changed in dressy clothes for Confirmation and First Communion that were set aside in a separate room for them: my niece in a knee length white dress with a floral headpiece and dress shoes, my nephew a dress shirt and pants and dress shoes. All those who were baptized that year wore the same robe with swim suit/tee shirt combination underneath.

 

[SMHW]

At my parish they wear a bathing suit and sandals. They are provided with a brown robe to wear over their suits. After they are baptized they change into their own light colored clothing and white albs.

 

[yellow8yellowM]

So it seems like a light brown robe or long gown should do the trick? Do most people sew their own?

I will ask my pastor as well since the RCIA coordinator has not brought it up yet.

 

[paperwight66]

It would be so interesting to know the proportion of Catholic churches worldwide who do total immersion.

Given the practical problems, I’d imagine it’s the minority, but I can see the symbolism being attractive.

I’ve never come across it in the UK, apart from the Anglican Archbishop of York installing a temporary pool one Easter - I don’t know if it became an annual practice there.

 

[anonymous_in_fl]

At our parish we do full immersion (dunking). Those getting baptized wear shorts and shirts, plus a white baptismal gown over all of it. They step into the pool fully clothed (shorts, shirts, gown on top) and get dunked.

When they step out they are given towels to dry off with and are escorted to a changing area where they then put on their “Sunday best” to come back to have the chrism oil of confirmation put on their heads.

 

[paperwight66]

With full immersion, I’ve always wondered about the delay while the newly-baptised get dressed. And what do the ladies do about drying their hair? Are there indivdual hair-driers provided, or do they bring their own?

Surely there must be delay of at least ten minutes, if not more?

 

[centurionguard]

At my parish they wear a bathing suit and sandals. They are provided with a brown robe to wear over their suits. After they are baptized they change into their own light colored clothing and white albs.

I suppose every priest and liturgical committee has their own idea’s of pressing the envelope to the extreme on symbolism or at least their own fancied idea of Baptismal symbolism.

Not trying to be disrespectful but I find the bathing suits, bathing caps etc used in Full Immersion Baptisms is far too much of a show display, whether the Adult RCIA candidates are wearing a gown or not. Sadly; IMHO the Spiritual Aspect of Baptism gets lost and pushed aside to a lesser importance in place of the spectacle of full immersion that often brings giggles in the congregation.

I mean really are officials in the Church trying to replace the Baptismal Font for the River Jordon? Sadly that would seem apparent in some parishes.

Thankfully; my parish doesn’t do Full Immersion. RCIA candidates being Baptized in my parish on Easter Vigil don’t wear white gowns either, they wear their best Sunday Dress and to symbolize their new baptism they naturally get a baptismal candle and wear a White Baptismal Stole.

 

[Castello]

Find out if you will be immersed or not. If you will be immersed, then, it would be a good idea to wear a 1 piece swimsuit (solid color) covered by shorts or pants and a T-shirt.

If you will not be immersed, “Sunday Best” clothes, comfortable dress shoes, no bare shoulders, no plunging necklines or bare backs, no suuuper short skirts, etc.

 

[SMHW]

With full immersion, I’ve always wondered about the delay while the newly-baptised get dressed. And what do the ladies do about drying their hair? Are there indivdual hair-driers provided, or do they bring their own?

Surely there must be delay of at least ten minutes, if not more?

At my parish we usually schedule the sprinkling rite for when the newly baptized are getting dressed. And the choir sings lots of “water” songs.

And remember that those who are baptized first have the time it takes to baptize the rest to get dried and all that. The last few persons might be a bit late in coming back but so are those who have to get in the pool to assist in the “dunking”. Our pastor gets in the water too. (We have a full walk-in immersion pool, not one of those kneel-and-get-a-jug-of-water-poured-on-you pools.) The people to be baptized usually bring their own hair dryers. The bride’s room and our fairly large restrooms are all utilized. The women who have long hair generally have to come back with damp hair.

In a way it works out as something of a “break” for the whole congregation. Since the Easter vigil is long, it is a time that everyone has a chance to use the restroom, take a sip of water, stretch their legs a bit, etc. Since the baptisms are somewhat “messy” already it’s not so obvious if the rest of the people have to slip out to take care of personal needs.

 

[SMHW]

Sadly; IMHO the Spiritual Aspect of Baptism gets lost and pushed aside to a lesser importance in place of the spectacle of full immersion that often brings giggles in the congregation.

I mean really are officials in the Church trying to replace the Baptismal Font for the River Jordon? Sadly that would seem apparent in some parishes.

I believe that in the United States most churches built after about 1980 or 1990 are constructed with baptismal pools. They are usually located near the entrance to the church. (Renovated churches often have them in the sanctuary.)

I have never seen anyone wear a swimming cap.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

…
And remember that those who are baptized first have the time it takes to baptize the rest to get dried and all that. The last few persons might be a bit late in coming back but so are those who have to get in the pool to assist in the “dunking”. Our pastor gets in the water too. (We have a full walk-in immersion pool, not one of those kneel-and-get-a-jug-of-water-poured-on-you pools.) The people to be baptized usually bring their own hair dryers. The bride’s room and our fairly large restrooms are all utilized. The women who have long hair generally have to come back with damp hair…

We do the same. Also, baptize the women first which gives them a bit more time. The celebrant, who is in the pool to do the baptisms is last out. The deacon and the other priests do the sprinkling. It comes out about right.

 

[MissRose73]

We do the same. Also, baptize the women first which gives them a bit more time. The celebrant, who is in the pool to do the baptisms is last out. The deacon and the other priests do the sprinkling. It comes out about right.

When my sister’s kids were going through the process as they were the youngest ones, they went first as youngsters tend to take longer to get changed into their dress clothes for the rest of Mass even with the help from adults. The older kids went after them then the adults if I recall right but there were about 4 or 5 baptisms total that year.

 

[EvelynEVF]

My parish immerses, and people just wear simple regular clothes, nice enough to be wearing at the first half of the Vigil. Women have it easier if they have their hair in a secure up-do. After they change into dry clothes (while we sing a lot!) they come out and are given white robes. One cute little boy was dunked in his froggy swim trunks and a tshirt, and then he came out in a little suit.