Vatican City, Jan 8, 2006 / 22:00 pm
As the Church celebrated the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord on Sunday, Pope Benedict XVI personally baptized ten newborn infants--a first for his pontificate and a continuation of a custom begun by the late John Paul II.
In a spontaneous homily delivered in the Sistine Chapel following the baptisms, the Pope said that in receiving the Sacrament, each of the infants "are introduced to a company of friends that will never abandon them, in life or in death.”
“This company of friends”, he said, “is the family of God which carries within itself the promise of eternity."
His comments were addressed to the parents and godparents of the newly-baptized children - five boys and five girls, all of whom were Italian.