Pope baptizes 20 children, stresses importance of baptizing newborns

January 11, 2026

Pope Leo XIV celebrated the Mass of the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord this morning in the Sistine Chapel and baptized 20 children of Vatican employees (booklet, video).

Christ “is the Holy One among sinners, who wants to dwell among us without keeping his distance,” Pope Leo preached. “The baptism of Jesus brings about our justification: in his infinite mercy, the Father makes us righteous through his Christ, the one Savior of all.”

The Pope continued, “How does this happen? The one who is baptized by John in the Jordan makes this gesture a new sign of death and resurrection, of forgiveness and communion. This is the Sacrament that we celebrate today for these children of yours: because God loves them, they become Christians, our brothers and sisters.”

“The children, whom you are now holding in your arms, are transformed into new creatures,” he added. “Just as they received life from you, so now they receive the meaning to live it: faith.”

Pope Leo then emphasized the importance of baptizing newborn children:

When we know that a good is essential, we immediately seek it for those we love. Who among us, in fact, would leave newborns without clothes or without food, waiting for them to choose how to dress and what to eat when they grow up? Dear friends, if food and clothing are necessary to live, faith is more than necessary, because with God life finds salvation.

“May Baptism, which unites us in the one family of the Church, sanctify all your families in every age, giving strength and constancy to the affection that unites you,” the Pope added, concluding:

The gestures that we will soon perform are beautiful testimonies of this: the water of the font is the washing in the Spirit, which purifies from all sin; the white robe is the new garment that God the Father gives us for the eternal feast of his Kingdom; the candle lit at the Paschal candle is the light of the Risen Christ, who illumines our journey. I hope that you will continue it [the journey] with joy throughout the year that has just begun and throughout your life, certain that the Lord will always accompany your steps.

The Pontiff celebrated Mass in Italian, with a Latin offertory chant. The Mass concluded with “Adeste, Fideles,” the beloved Christmas hymn.

 

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Further information:

• Feast of the Baptism of the Lord – Holy Mass and administration of the Sacrament of Baptism to some new-born Babies (Dicastery for Communication - Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1/11/26)
• Pope baptizes 20 children: Now they have the meaning of life (Vatican News, 1/11/26)