Not backwards.

The full initiation by water and the Holy Spirit into Christ's body, the church.

The rite of Christian initiation contains a series of vows, made by all present, called the baptismal covenant, regarded as the normative statement of what it means to follow Christ.

Lowercase. See also sacraments

Baptism is especially appropriate at the Easter Vigil, the Day of Pentecost, All Saints' Day or the Sunday after All Saints' Day, and the Feast of the Baptism of our Lord.

A missionary who traveled with Paul and founded the church in Cyprus, where tradition holds he was martyred in 61. Feast day: June 11.

One of the 12 apostles, also known as Nathanael, believed to have been martyred by being flayed alive. Feast day: Aug. 24.

A fourth-century Cappadocian monastic and bishop, and one of the earliest theologians to insist on the divinity of the Holy Spirit. Feast day: June 14.

See Book of Common Prayer.

A 12th-century archbishop of Canterbury and martyr. Tradition holds he was murdered after King Henry II said, "Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?" Feast day: Dec. 29.