Contents
- Civil baptism: what is its origin? What is the difference between a civil and religious baptism?
- What is a republican baptism?
- Republican baptism: what obligations for godparents?
- Procedure: what files and documents must be provided to the town hall?
- How to do a civil baptism ceremony: who to contact?
- Procedure: How is the civil baptism ceremony going?
Civil baptism: what is its origin? What is the difference between a civil and religious baptism?
It is a decree of 20 Prairial Year II (June 8, 1794), so in the years following the French Revolution, which instituted the ceremony of civil baptism. The goal ? Celebrate the entry of children into the republican community, and transmit civic values to them. For more than two centuries, it has been brought up to date from time to time. It still exists today, even if it is not practiced in all town halls.
What is a republican baptism?
It is a way to celebrate the birth of Baby without giving it a religious character. A good compromise when the parents are of different religions, or atheists, and they want a baptism for their child. We are free to organize civil baptism as we see fit. Up to us determine the number of godmothers that we want to give. It is also up to us choose the speech and the speakers during the ceremony.
Republican baptism: what obligations for godparents?
Civil baptism has no legal or legal value, and does not bind the godparents and / or godmothers by a contractual link. The commitment they make is symbolic and moral vis-à-vis the godchild. The agreement made by the godfathers and / or godmothers to replace the parents in the event of default or disappearance is purely symbolic.
Procedure: what files and documents must be provided to the town hall?
Civil baptism is practiced at the town hall. However, as it has no legal value, town halls are not obliged to celebrate it.
The documents that must be provided are different from one town hall to another. Generally, we ask for the family record book, a receipt for rent, electricity or other, and a copy of the identity document of the godparents.
How to do a civil baptism ceremony: who to contact?
There is no official text that provides for civil baptism. We must therefore address our mayor, and it is he who will decide whether he agrees or not, because nothing obliges him to do so.
Usually, they take place on the Saturday after the wedding ceremony.
In Paris, it was only since the 1995 elections that civil baptism was re-established. Today almost all the district town halls celebrate it.
According to the regions, this tradition has more or less been perpetuated. It all depends on municipal policy and the mayor’s will.
To find out if civil baptism is performed at the town hall of our home, we ask the general secretariat.
Procedure: How is the civil baptism ceremony going?
Parents and children are welcomed by the mayor or his deputy in the Wedding Hall. The mayor gives a historical reminder on the origin of the civil baptism ceremony, then a speech on the child, and recalls the republican values.
Just before the mayor invites interested parties to sign the civil sponsorship certificate, he asks the sponsors to solemnly commit andaccept their new “responsibilities”.
A certificate is given to parents as well as godparents, and a copy is intended for the child.
At what age to organize a republican baptism?
There is no age to have a child baptized! It is up to parents to choose whether they prefer to do it in the first months, or with a child who is already a little older.