The prayers that accompany the Explanatory Rites during the sacrament of baptism are:
Clothing With a White Garment
“N., you have become a new creation and have clothed yourself in Christ. May this white garment be a sign to you of your Christian dignity. With your family and friends to help you by word and example bring it unstained into eternal life."
Handing On of a Lighted Candle
“Receive the light of Christ. Parents and godparents, this light is entrusted to you to be kept burning brightly, so that your child, enlightened by Christ, may walk always as a child of the light and, persevering in the faith, may run to meet the Lord when he comes with all the Saints in the heavenly court.”
These two prayers remind us that baptism is not just a 20-minute ceremony at church followed by cake and ice cream, but rather that which causes us to act with grace our entire life. At our baptisms we became Christians, we put on Christ, we were Christ-ened. Christening describes how we live. We follow Jesus, which challenges us and gives us the responsibility to act as the hands and feet of Jesus.
At a funeral liturgy a white pall is placed on the coffin as a reminder of the white garment that was given to the deceased at baptism, signifying life in Christ.
The baptismal candle is lit from the Easter Candle and given to a parent or godparent. It symbolizes that the newly baptized person shares in the light of Christ.