The line-crossing ceremony, also known as Crossing the Line, is an initiation rite in some English-speaking countries that commemorates a person's first crossing of the equator. The tradition may have originated with ceremonies when passing headlands, and became a "folly" sanctioned as a boost to morale, or have been created as a test for seasoned sailors to ensure their new shipmates were capable of handling long, rough voyages.
The line-crossing ceremony, also known as Crossing the Line, is an initiation rite in some English-speaking countries that commemorates a person's first crossing of the equator. The tradition may have originated with ceremonies when passing headlands, and became a "folly" sanctioned as a boost to morale, or have been created as a test for seasoned sailors to ensure their new shipmates were capable of handling long, rough voyages.
Source: Wikipedia "Line-crossing ceremony" · CC BY-SA 4.0
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