Initiation. (Photo at left) A Squire keeps an all-night vigil in church to dedicate himself before receiving his arms and being initiated into Knighthood. Christian baptism and religious "conversion" have been spoken of as initiatory experiences. In the New Testament, there is a passage that possibly refers to this; in Jesus' response to a question from Nicodemus, 'Verily, Verily I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.' (St. John 3,3) The word Initiation means "beginning." It conotates an entry into a new state of being, a fundamental change in one's life, and the possible development of otherwise latent spiritual faculties. The undergoing of initiatory experiences, however, pre-dates Christianity. It is found universally among many different cultures, religious groups and societies. It is sometimes used as a way to develop a conscious boundary between those who have membership and those who do not. The themes of death and rebirth characterize the features of most initiation rites, however, the form and content of the ceremonies differ and the content of the rites themselves are secret. See: Percival, The Grail and Initiation