Baptism consist of immersing someone in water or pouring water onto the head of a person to signify emergence to a new life. It symbolizes death and new birth. It is the entrance into the Christian community.

• Is Christian baptism different from the baptisms of other religions?

There are baptism in other religions but to the usual symbolism (of death and purification and new life). Baptism adds a link with a person and Jesus. It unites us to Him, immerses us in his death and resurrection and gives us entry to the church. The baptized person becomes a follower of Jesus and a member of the Christian community

• Is baptism the same in all Christian Churches?

The main Christian churches- Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Anglican recognize the same baptism . Hence the Christians of these Churches acknowledge each other as brothers and sisters in Christ.

• What does it mean to say that baptism unites us to the death and resurrection of Jesus.

This means that baptized person join with Jesus. They choose the way of life which Jesus live and will if necessary face suffering and death to be faithful to Jesus. They will rise with him from death just as baptized person comes out of the water into new life.

• What does it mean to say that baptism makes a person a member of the church?

It means that a baptized person becomes a member of the Christian community, the Body of Christ, receiving life from the community and bringing life to the community. Every baptized person each in his or her own way becomes responsible for the church.

• What else is there to say about baptism?

Baptism is our rebirth into God's own life, it empowers us to reject evil. It enables us to continue the work of Jesus and it makes us conscious of the fact that we are now sons and daughters of God . In baptism all our past sins are forgiven.

• Why is it said that baptism wipes out our sin?

Every human being is given total freedom by God. Because of this great gift, however we know ourselves to be divided, fragile open to both good and evil and sinful. The whole of humanity individually and collectively is marked by this deathly sinfulness. In baptism we are immersed in the saving life of Christ who has overcome death and sin no longer has a hold on us.

• Why is baptism called the sacrament of conversion?

At baptism a person is committed to following Jesus. There is a "turning round" a conversion a beginning of a different life. All the sacraments call us to renewal to change our lives and make them more conformed to the life of the risen Jesus. Baptism is the sacrament that opens us up to this life -long process of conversion.

• Who can baptize?

Normally it is a priest or a deacon, as a formal representative of the community, but in cases of necessity any person can baptize if he or she really intends to do what the Church wants.