The Baccalaureate Celebration

In a little over a week, the Ritzville Ministerial Association will host its annual Baccalaureate for the Lind-Ritzville Class of 2018.

While some might be familiar with this long-standing ritual, there are others who have never heard of it.

Curious about how it all got started, I decided to do a little digging.

According to a claim, the first Baccalaureate was held in 1432 at the University of Oxford in England. During this ceremony, each bachelor was required to deliver a sermon in Latin before the commencement.

In 1760, America followed in this custom when the College of New Jersey, which is now Princeton University, hosted a Baccalaureate service to honor their senior class.

Today the tradition continues.

This year’s Baccalaureate will take place on Thursday, May 31, at 7 p.m., at the Ritzville Nazarene Church.

It will be a gathering to bless the graduates as they move on to the next stage in their lives. It will be an opportunity to reflect, encourage, and say farewell.

My hope is that many will come to be part of this special celebration.