Rémy, soon to be baptized, sought protection in the cross

“I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” These are the words that thousands of catechumens around the world are preparing to hear on Easter night when they are baptized. Throughout Lent, Aleteia is sharing with you the stories of some of these men and women, who are happy to become children of God. Read all of the testimonies here. 

On Easter night, Rémy will swap his military fatigues for white clothes. At the age of 22, he will be baptized on April 19 in Tallard, in the diocese of Gap. Originally from Tours, this light cavalry alpine trooper enjoys cycling, climbing, animals, and nature. He arrived in the Hautes-Alpes department of France with the army, which he joined in 2020.

Being a Christian wasn’t a foregone conclusion for him, as his parents don’t attend church. Nevertheless, as a teenager, he asked himself questions “without really looking for the answers in the right way,” being slightly afraid of the subject.

Once he joined the army, he quickly left for a four-month mission in Mali. Shortly before leaving, during a move, he found a small cross at the back of a cupboard. He picked it up, and since then, it has never left him.

“In Mali, I always had it with me in my uniform. Whenever things got tough, I’d take it in my hand and squeeze it tightly.” During the mission, he spoke a lot with Gauthier, his lieutenant—and future godfather. They had many fascinating conversations about faith.

Gauthier, a practising Catholic, answered his questions, which only increased the young soldier's curiosity. Thanks to the presence of a chaplain, Masses were celebrated at the base. One day, Gauthier decided to attend.

“I don't know why, but I felt the need to go,” he says. It was the first Mass he’d ever attended, and the experience set his soul on fire. At the end of the celebration, he picked up a copy of the New Testament that had been made available and began to read it. And he was hooked!

He didn’t understand everything, but his future godfather was available and attentive to the questions of the young soldier, who was eager to understand. “There are passages that I didn't understand well, but I had real confidence in him and I told myself that he was the right person to talk to, that he would know how to guide me.”

After returning from the mission, Rémy began to attend Mass more and more often. He discovered celebrations that were different from those he had known in Mali, “well organized, with the organ and everything.”

At first, he participated timidly. But then, thanks to a friend who explained the meaning of the songs, the texts, and the different gestures, his attraction to the Christian faith grew. “By dint of going back, I understood everything it meant and I said to myself, ‘Okay, this is what I need, this is what I want.’”

At the beginning of 2022, he was deployed again due to the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. The young mountain scout was sent to Constanța, a city in Romania on the shores of the Black Sea. Gauthier gave him a rosary: well hidden under his weapons and his fatigues, this rosary and this small cross accompanied him constantly. And although he couldn’t attend mass this time, he continued to nourish himself with the New Testament.

Once back from Romania, his choice was made: he wanted to become a Christian. He was put in touch with Fr. Mickaël and in 2023 he began his two years of catechumenate. Full of gratitude, he asked his former lieutenant, who had since been transferred elsewhere, if he would be his godfather. “He really got me on the road to baptism!” he said gratefully.

Although they don't share his faith, his family members are happy for him. His sister has even started to ask questions herself. “On Sundays, she attends Mass, and I answer her as best I can.”

What does the Christian faith bring to Rémy? “Peace of mind. Today I feel much better,” says the young man. He adds that he can't wait to “finally become an integral part of the Christian family.”