There are a number of Holy Rites or Sacraments within the form of worship in Celestial Church of Christ which are of utmost importance. Members shall avail themselves of the opportunity to partake in these Rites or Sacraments:-

(a) BAPTISM

This is by immersion. Before being accepted as a member of the Church one must be baptised or re-baptised into the faith of Celestial Church of Christ. Reference is made to Acts 19:1-6.

(b) HOLY COMMUNION

The important rite of the Holy Communion is generally held Quarterly as well as on Holy Thursday (Pre-Easter), and on Christmas Day at the Porto Novo Beach. It may also be held on other special occasions such as Marriage, Funeral, Mass in remembrance of Departed Souls etc.

(c) ANNUAL WASHING OF FEET

This is held on the Thursday of the Holy Week (Passion Week). It is in commemoration of the event when Jesus Christ washed the feet of His disciples during the last supper. For this purpose, it has been laid down that representatives of each parish shall congregate at the Diocesan Headquarters, Makoko on Saturday preceding the Palm Sunday. After a short service the representatives would return to their

respective parishes on Sunday (i.e. the Palm Sunday) and would perform the washing of feet to members of their respective parishes on the following Thursday-John 13:5-9

(d) ANNUAL CONVOCATION AT PORTO NOVO CHRISTMAS EVE

It is ordained by the Holy Spirit that all members of the Celestial Church of Christ, wherever they may be, shall convocate for Christmas at the sea side in Porto-Novo, Republic of Benin. This is in remembrance of the birth of Christ during the census decreed by Caesar Augustus – Luke 2: 1.

(e) ANNUAL EASTER CONGREGATION AT MAKOKO

This is a Congregation of all members of Celestial Church of Christ Nigeria Diocese at Makoko from the morning/ afternoon of Good Friday_ until Easter Sunday. Three services are held in Celestial Church of Christ on Good Friday to celebrate the anniversary of the arrest, trial, conviction, crucifixion and burial of our Lord Jesus Christ. These are at 9.00 a.m., 12.00 noon and 3.00 P.m. local time. Representatives of each parish in the Diocese are enjoined to attend the 3.00 p.m. service at Makoko and thereafter partake of the feast of fruits and water at about 5.30 p.m. The day’s celebrations will be considered over thereafter as from about 6.00 p.m.

The following day, Saturday, in the evening, there will be a procession to the Cemetery for a devotional service there at twelve midnight.

Then on Easter Sunday morning, there will be a full devotional service of joy and victory in the Church.

(f) ANNUAL HARVEST THANKSGIVING SERVICE

It is also laid down that each Parish of the Celestial Church of Christ shall annually observe the Harvest by holding Harvest Thanksgiving. Service followed by Harvest Sales. This will be celebrated in two parts – Juvenile and Adult. The Juvenile Harvest will be celebrated by all parishes on the first Sunday in June each year, while for the Adult Harvest, parishes shall inform and agree their respective dates with the Diocesan Headquarters in Lagos, always provided that no parish shall hold its Harvest Thanksgiving Service on the Ist Sunday in October, which is the date fixed for the Supreme Headquarters in Porto-Novo or Ist Sunday in August, which is the day set aside for the Diocesan Headquarters, Makoko in Lagos.

(g) HOLY MARY’S DAY

This is in commemoration of the appearance of Holy Mary to the Pastor on the 15th day of July 1977.

The significance of Holy Mary to the Celestial faith can be traced to the earliest days of the Celestial Church of Christ; for the very first spiritual hymn that was given to the Church through one of the early prophetesses of the Church (WOLISATA) was the hymn which reads thus

(Hymn No. 762 CCC Hymn Book):

“Enyin ara ‘nu Kristi : s: s: m: 1: s: –

E gbe orin soke d:m-s:-f:m:r:-:-

K’ e si gbo ohun ti d:s:-m:l:s:-d:

Jehovah nso m:s:-f:m:r:-.-

Ere di re te fi wa s:d:d:t:l:s:s

Ninu Ijo Mimo yi? iii:m:f:m:r:f:m:-:-

Ere di re t’e fi wa s:d:d:t:l:s:s:

Ninu egbe nla yi? m:m:f:m:r:f:m:-:-

Ki Maria iya wa s:d:d:t:l:s:-

Le e wa sin wa lo M:s:f:m:r:f:m:-:-

K’Eni Mimo rere yi s:d:-t:l:s:-m:s:

Wa ma sin wa lo ‘.’ f:til:r:r:d:-:-

Significantly, thirty years later, on 15th day of July 1977, the Pastor, in a trance, saw himself climbing a number of steps until he got to a plane full of fallen leaves and sighted a fair white lady clad from top to toe in blue apparel and standing in a posture as if shielding something away from him.

Then the Pastor found himself descending steps until he sighted a Church from which a Reverend Father emerged and bowed in homage to him repeatedly. Then the Pastor found himself ascending again back to the spot where he earlier saw tile fair lady. This time, the fair lady opened up to show that what she was shielding away earlier was a baby having a crown on His head and she said, pointing to the baby:

“Jesu, Emi , mimo ni, d:-s:-:-:-d: iii:rn:m:r:-:-:- Okan Mimo ni, r:d:m:M:r:-:-:-

Oba iye ni, r:r:d:d:r:-;-:-

Eni ba fe sin Jesu a m:s:s:s:r:ni:d:d:s:

tona to mo rekete”. s:r:r:d:d:d:-:-:

Continuing, she told the Pastor that he should remain undaunted by the color of his skin because race is of no significance in things of the Spirit. She added:

“Okan mimo re la nwo ti a fi ngbe inu re.”

meaning: “It is because of your clean mind that we dwell in you”.

meaning in English

“This is Jesus Christ,

He is Holy in Spirit,

He is Holy in Mind,

He is Life everlasting.

Tell people that those who would worship Him must tread the path of spiritual cleanliness”.

At this juncture, the Pastor realized that the fair lady was Holy Mary. She repeated the injunction in song thus:

Continuing, she told the Pastor that he should remain undaunted by the color of his skin because race is of no significance in things of the Spirit. She added:

“Okan mimo re la nwo ti a fi ngbe inu re.”

meaning: “It is because of your clean heart that we dwell in you”.

Continuing, she told the Pastor that he should remain undaunted by the color of his skin because race is of no significance in things of the Spirit. She added:

“Okan mimo re la nwo ti a fi ngbe inu re.”

meaning: “It is because of your clean mind that we dwell in you”.

Almost exactly a year after the incident described above, the Pastor fell ill during which it was spiritually revealed (also in trance) that due recognition shall be accorded to Holy Mary in the Celestial Church of Christ by commemorating the above incident annually. In consequence, the Pastor declared the first Friday of July every year as Holy Mary’s Day to be observed by full congregational Service throughout the Celestial Church of Christ all over the world. The first observance of Holy Mary’s Day took place on Friday 7th July 1978.