Baptism on the line, also called equatorial baptism, is an initiation ritual sometimes performed as a ship crosses the Equator, involving water baptism of passengers or crew who have never crossed the Equator before. The ceremony is sometimes explained as being an initiation into the court of King Neptune.
The ritual is the subject of a painting by Matthew Benedict named The Mariner's Baptism and of a 1961 book by Henning Henningsen named Crossing the Equator: Sailor's Baptism and Other Initiation Rites.
Read more about this topic: Line-crossing Ceremony
Famous quotes containing the word baptism:
“This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
—Bible: New Testament Matthew, 3:17.
A “voice from heaven,” following the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist.