Sandra - Many would not allow "nicknames" either. i.e. "Beth" instead of "Elizabeth" or "Peggy" rather than "Margaret", "Bill" instead of "William", etc, etc. As for your Baptism name, the choice may have been made by the Church calendar...which of the Saints' days were you born on or near. Karen Heiser, Weed, Siskiyou, CA ----- Original Message ----- From: <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, May 10, 2005 3:45 PM Subject: Re: [CROATIA-L] [Croatia} Baptism > In a message dated 5/10/2005 8:11:51 AM Pacific Daylight Time, > [email protected] writes: > > > The monther did not go to church then because she was not > > 'purified/cleansed' from childbirth, and could not go into the church until she was. This > > usually occurred 6 weeks after the baby's birth, when her body returned to > > 'normal'.... sort of a thing left over from before christianity with the same > > thinking that the monthlies made a woman 'unclean'.... Interesting, isn't it! > > > > Thank you for the explanation ... all these years, I always thought that my > mother was not at my baptism because it might have been mother-in-law trouble. > :)) My two godparents, father and grandmother (his mother) were there for the > ceremony. Plus ... I was not given the name my mother wanted (birth > certificate name) ... still don't know who wanted the Baptism name. When I asked years > later, I was told the priest said my birth name could not be used because it > was Greek and not a Christian name!!! > > I'll say, it's interesting! > Sandra > >