A pagan Druidry Naming Ritual for a New Child

"NAMING CEREMONY" for a new child.

This Ceremony is performed after the usual Rituals of Cleansing, Invocation, and Energy Raising have set the stage.

ITEMS NEEDED:

*Votive candles/saucers.
*Large candle.
*Matches/gas-stick.
*Paper & pens to write Blessings upon.
*Gifts for the Child.
*Box or bag to contain Blessings, or to bury them in.
*Salted water for Blessing.

RITUAL:

The Priest/Priestess, after bidding the Parent/s of the Child to stand (together) holding it in the East, outside of the Circle, greets all participants (after the usual invocation of God and Angels/Energy raising, etc.):

Blessed be!

All participants respond:

Blessed be!

The Priest/Priestess says:

We are come to Celebrate the Arrival of a Soul Incarnate,
who has chosen to
Be with us on Our Path in the Life of the Mortal World.
We are come to Greet Divinity in a New Manifestation.

The Priest/Priestess says:

Who presents this Soul to Life in our World?

The Parent/s answer:

I/We bring our Child to be Honoured and Named.

The Priest/Priestess says:

Your Child has chosen you to be His/Her Parents.
Your task is to Protect and Nurture His/Her Life
until His/Her True Path to Destiny is revealed.
You must Guide, even though you know
not what Path you guide to.
You must Teach, even though you know
not the utter Truth of what you teach.
You must Inspire, even though you know
not what will Activate.
For Parenthood is a Path of Learning,
not only for the Child, but for Yourself/ves.
Do you accept the Task ahead of you in Good Faith,
to Live and Grow
Together as best you can, and
to neither smother your Child nor let him/her smother you?

The Parent/s assent/s.

The Priest/Priestess says:

Then enter our Circle with your Offspring and
Present him/her to each of us.

The Parent/s enter the Circle from the East and move around the Circle, sun-wise (North, then West) presenting the Child to each Participant, who kisses or touches it with love.

When the Circle has been traversed, the Child is given to the Priest/Priestess, who carries it around the Circle in the opposite direction, saying:

Out of the Womb of the Great Mother, God the Integral,
we welcome you, Child.

He/she stops in front of the Altar, and says:

We greet you, and thank those who guide you,
for your safe return into this World.

He/she dips his/her fingers into the Salted Water and touches the child’s forehead with it.

I give you the Blessing of the Great Father, God the Infinite,
who seeded you.
I give you the Blessing of the Great Mother, God the Integral,
who gave you form.
I give you the Blessing of the Creative Divine Spark,
that it’s Strength and Tranquillity
might always be with you.

He/she dips his/her fingers again into the Salted Water, and asks:

What name do/es your Parent/s give to you to
begin your journey through this Life?

The Parent/s speak/s aloud the Name:

The Priest/Priestess names the Child, touching his/her watered fingers to its forehead, and says:

I give you the Name that will be with you throughout Life, and which forms many components of your Destiny this day: (name)

The Priest/Priestess hands the Child back to the Parents, saying:

We hand you, (name), into the safe-keeping of
those who brought you to birth in the physical world.
May Mother-Father God, and their Angels, guide and Bless them.

There are others who wish to welcome you now.

The other participants file past the Child with their Blessing Papers, gifts, and cards.
They invoke special Blessings upon the Child. They then go to the Altar and light a candle for the Child before returning to their place. (These small candles are allowed to burn until they go out.)

Once all are back in place, the Blessing Papers are gathered and placed in a box or bag for safe-keeping or burying (possibly beneath a tree or in a garden).

Feasting closes the Ceremony, (after thanking Divinity for it’s presence.)