The Western \"three rituals\" **folk customs

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Baptism Baptism is a ceremony held for newborn babies by European and American families who follow the **faith. It originates from the legend that Jesus was baptized by “St. John the Baptist” in the area of the Jordan River, where he was preached to repent. It is said that when Jesus came out of the water, the Holy Spirit descended from heaven and rested upon him. Thus, **believers think that dipping newborn babies in holy water can wash away dirt and sins, purifying them so that they can enter heaven after death. 　　A baby’s baptism is held in a church at the invitation of the baby’s parents, with relatives and friends also attending; the date is usually determined through consultation between the parents and the priest. The preparatory step involved the baby’s parents first finding godparents for the child; these godparents should be believers among relatives and friends, with good moral character. Those chosen generally consider it a matter of trust and honor, thereby establishing a religious parent-child relationship with the baby. Godparents are to testify in the church at the baby’s baptism and naming, and to oversee its healthy growth in the future. Generally, boys have two godfathers and one godmother, while girls have two godmothers and one godfather. It’s a bit similar to how children in China choose godfathers and godmothers. 　　During the baptism ceremony, the priest assigns a Christian name/baptismal name to the baby. The baby is carried by a godmother to the basin of holy water, and the priest says, “I believe in God the Father Almighty” (I believe in my Almighty Father). ) At the beginning of the baptism, he drops a few drops of holy water on the baby’s head or dips the baby’s body in the water, then says the name given to the baby, reciting \"I baptize you in the name of the Trinity\" (I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit). ) After the ceremony, the relatives and friends present should offer generous praise and good wishes to the baby. According to custom, godparents are supposed to give the baby a silver spoon with an image of an apostle engraved on its handle, as a symbol of having enough food and clothing for life. This is similar to the celebration events held for Chinese babies on their 100th day. 　　Next, the baby’s parents will hold an afternoon tea party, with the priest also in attendance. Before the meal, the priest delivers a prayer of thanks, and then everyone sits down to eat. 　　As the child grows up, the given name may be included in their full name. For example, the middle name Foster in John Foster Dulles could be his baptismal name. As one grows up, birthday parties are held; among these, birthdays at 16, 17, 18, and 21 are the most important, as one gains more rights legally at these ages. In particular, turning 21 signifies the ability to take control of one’s own destiny (You can get the key to the door of life). In the UK, if one reaches 100 years of age, the Queen will send a telegram to offer congratulations. 　　Wedding A wedding is the most joyful and solemn ceremony in a person’s life. In China, people usually choose an auspicious day for getting married, and Europeans also have this tradition; it is generally in June, as the month is named after Juno, the goddess of marriage in Roman mythology – she is the protector of women and marriage. Moreover, June has the longest days of the year, which symbolizes a lasting marriage, so it is a popular time for weddings, and brides are often referred to as “June brides”. 　　Weddings usually send invitations to relatives and friends. The wedding ceremony is held in a church and usually lasts 20–40 minutes. The bridegroom, accompanied by the groomsmen, stands in front of the altar in advance. The bride, dressed in a white wedding gown, walks slowly toward the altar, holding her father’s right arm and guided by the bridesmaids, to the tune of the Wedding March. Another tradition is that the bride must wear 4 special items: one old, one new, one borrowed, and one blue. It is said that this can bring good luck to the bride. 　　The priest takes the bride’s right hand from her father and places it in the groom’s hand, after which the couple recites the marriage vows with the priest. The common vow is: “From this day forward, regardless of circumstances whether good or bad, whether we are rich or poor, sick or healthy, we vow to love each other and never part until death.” ”(I take thee to be my wife/husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God’s holy ordinance; and thereto I give you my word.) ) Next, the groom puts the wedding ring on the bride’s finger; it is usually made of gold and seamless, symbolizing endless happiness. Or exchange rings, usually worn on each other’s left ring fingers, which is an ancient custom. 　　After the priest finished praying, the newlyweds went to the prayer room to sign the registry book. Finally, the bride walked slowly out of the church, holding the groom’s right arm, to the sound of the wedding march, as friends and family threw rice grains or colored paper confetti at the newlyweds as a blessing. 　　A wedding reception is then held at the bride’s home. The guest said it would be more appropriate for the groom to say “Congratulations!” to wish him well for having won the bride’s heart through his efforts. It is more appropriate to say “I wish you every happiness!” to the bride. 　　There was a large wedding cake at the celebration, and with the groom’s help, the bride cut the cake for the guests. As the wedding reception came to an end, the newlyweds left, put on their travel clothes to say goodbye to everyone, and set off on their honeymoon. This stems from an ancient British custom of bride kidnapping*, whereby once a man had captured his bride, he would take her to a remote place to live there for about a month, drinking sweet wine made from honey every day in the hope that their future life would be sweet. By the time the rice is cooked, the bride is no longer at risk of being taken back by her family. 　　With the passage of time and the blending of different ethnic groups, weddings have become increasingly diverse and innovative; for example, there are weddings held on mountaintops, where guests walk up the hill barefoot ； Some are also held underwater, with guests entering the water wearing oxygen tanks; but no matter how they change, certain traditional customs are always followed. 　　Western couples have many anniversaries. Among these, the notable ones are the silver wedding on the 25th anniversary, the golden wedding on the 50th anniversary, and the diamond wedding on the 75th anniversary. 　　Funerals are filled with a sad atmosphere; in Europe and the United States, funerals strive to maintain a solemn and respectful tone. 　　No invitations are sent for funerals; sometimes an obituary can be published in the local newspaper, and anyone who wishes to attend may do so, with the service usually led by a priest. 　　Those attending the funeral are seated by the reception staff, with closest friends usually sitting in the front seats*. According to custom, those attending a funeral wear black or dark-colored clothes, and no gifts other than flowers are given. 　　At funerals, people tend to refrain from showing sadness as a way to show respect and mourning for the deceased, filled with fond memories of their life. This is very different from China’s custom of the relatives of the deceased crying loudly to express their sorrow. 　　Those attending the funeral should avoid showing excessive grief to prevent distressing the deceased’s relatives. There is no need to talk to the relatives of the deceased; if you happen to be close by, a handshake or a few words of comfort and sympathy are sufficient. It is impolite to stare fixedly at the relatives of the deceased. Reposted from Hai Ci Happy English, for sharing among Hai friends