On Saturday, January 25, we had the joy of experiencing a beautiful baptismal celebration in our district. In a time of increased materialism, lacking any spirituality, it truly is a miraculous event to witness a ceremony with eight disciples, of which four are youth.
Denis Codina, Billy Mandigma and Cristian Malpeli, from the Parma church; Alina Kobrak and her mother—Aurira Kilym—, Natascia Botica and her mother—Vasilisa Merlan—, and Quety Magdalena Medrano, of the multiethnic group from Modena. They all entered the baptismal waters, choosing to surrender their lives to Jesus.
The event was full of moments of great emotions, crowned by engaging songs and suggestive Bible readings. It was a particularly emotional experience for the elder of the Parma community, Giuseppe Breci, who officiated his first baptism, immersing Denis in the water.
The message, given by Pastor Daniele La Mantia, reminded listeners that baptism is more than just immersion by water, but rather an absorption of its essence, according to Paul’s imagery of the fabric that is saturated with the color into which it is immersed.
Well-wishes that were more than welcome were passed on to our neophytes by the city’s mayor, Federico Pizzarotti, who was also present at the ceremony. In a following interview, he expressed words of thanks to the church for its strong social commitment in the district where, often, “you arrive before other institutions”.
The celebration concluded in the late afternoon with some refreshments that attracted over 150 people. The joy experienced throughout the entire day accompanied us up to our arrival at our various homes.
To read the original article, go here.
