In a solemn ceremony held within the hallowed walls of the Sistine Chapel on Sunday, Pope Leo XIV baptized 20 infants, marking a revered Vatican tradition that commemorates the close of the Christmas festivities. The event transpired beneath the exquisite frescoes by Michelangelo, an iconic artistic backdrop befitting this sacred observance.
Addressing the congregation gathered later in St. Peter's Square, the pope extended his blessings to all infants receiving baptism during this period. He offered special recognition to those born under challenging conditions, including fragile health or external dangers, underscoring the Church's care for the most vulnerable.
This baptismal ceremony was Pope Leo XIV's inaugural one since ascending to the papacy. He emphasized the significance of faith as a divine gift that imbues life with meaning. The pontiff posed rhetorical questions highlighting human nature's instinct to provide essentials for newborns, such as clothing and nourishment, asserting that faith is an even greater necessity because it guides souls towards salvation.
“When we recognize something as indispensable, we seek it immediately for our loved ones,” the pope remarked to parents and families assembled in the chapel. “Who among us would abandon a newborn without clothing or food, expecting them to decide later how to dress or eat?”
He further explained that while sustenance and clothing are fundamental for living, faith transcends these needs by rescuing life through a connection with God. Throughout the rite, Pope Leo XIV personally administered the sacrament to the infants, who are children of Vatican employees. Families, including godparents and siblings, gathered close to the baptismal font, which rests within a symbolic bronze base shaped like the Tree of Life.
The ceremony unfolded peacefully, marked by calm and minimal distractions from the infants, reflecting the reverence and tranquility of the occasion.
This annual celebration is observed on the feast day commemorating Jesus’ baptism in the River Jordan, a tradition established in 1981 by Saint John Paul II and visually represented on the nave's northern wall of the Sistine Chapel in a fresco by Pietro Perugino.
During the sacramental ritual, each family’s father received a lit candle symbolizing the Christian light that guides believers on their spiritual journeys. Pope Leo XIV concluded by wishing the newly baptized and their families joy throughout the coming year and a lifelong assurance of divine companionship.