At the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Adoration on Main Street across from Olvera Street, a little girl who was just christened, still wearing her white dress and rosary beads around her neck, plays in the courtyard. In Catholic teaching, christening (also known as baptism) plays an essential role in salvation. Catholics believe that baptism is necessary for the cleansing of the taint of original sin, and for that reason infant baptism is a common practice. Baptism, generally a purification ritual using water, is the Church's way of celebrating and enacting the embrace of God. The water represents life, death, cleansing and growth, and it recalls the flood waters of Noah's day and the saving waters of the Red Sea parted by Moses. The candle symbolizes status as an "Easter people" and signifies the way that the Church "passes the torch" of Christian commitment to those being baptized. The white garment represents the Church's belief that Baptism sets us free from Original Sin. Photo dated: April 2000.
Type
image
Format
1 photographic print :b&w ;21 x 31 cm. on sheet 28 x 36 cm. Photographic prints
Our Lady of Perpetual Adoration Church (Los Angeles, Calif.) Plaza Church (Los Angeles, Calif.) Rites and ceremonies--California--Los Angeles Catholic children--California--Los Angeles Courtyards--California--Los Angeles Children--California--Los Angeles Dresses--California--Los Angeles Baptism Olvera Street (Los Angeles, Calif.) Los Angeles Neighborhoods Collection photographs
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