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Q&A

Was Jesus baptized by immersion?

Catholic Answers Staff

Question:

Mark 1:9-10 reveals that Jesus was baptized by immersion. How do you square this with Catholic tradition?

Answer:

This passage doesn’t say Christ was baptized by immersion, only that after his baptism, Jesus “came up out of the water.” This phrase could refer to immersion, but needn’t. Jesus could have stepped into the shallows and had John the Baptist pour water on his head. Even if Christ had been baptized by immersion, this wouldn’t present a problem for Catholics; we accept baptism by immersion as a valid mode of receiving the sacrament.

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