How is the Baptism of a child carried out in the Orthodox Church?

Preparing for the sacrament - what you need to know

You can choose any date for baptism, since the sacrament is allowed to be performed on Great Divine holidays and during periods of fasting. Just take into account the following:

Before baptism, godparents must undergo public conversations, confession and receive communion. Three days before the sacrament, it is necessary to fast: do not eat food of animal origin, do not swear, do not engage in intimate intimacy.

Preparing for a girl's baptism

The main godmother for a girl is her godmother. She takes the baby from the font and holds her in her arms until the end of the ceremony. Her responsibility is to prepare a new white cloth (kryzhma) to wipe the child after dipping. In summer it can be a diaper, in winter it can be a terry towel or a warm flannel sheet. For newborns, it is better to choose models with a hood to cover the wet head more tightly and get wet hair wet.

The godmother also needs to buy a white baptismal shirt and headdress, which are worn after the font, as a symbol of the purity and sinlessness of the soul. For a girl, you can choose a dress. The cut of clothing should be made in such a way as to provide access to the chest, arms and legs for anointing.

The godfather is supposed to buy a pectoral cross. The product can be made of silver, gold or less precious metals and even wood. You need to pick up a rope or chain for the cross. For newborns, a lace with a clasp is preferable because it is more pleasant to the body.

Preparing for a boy's baptism

Preparation for the baptism of a boy proceeds in a similar way. The godmother buys the baptismal towel and shirt; the godfather must buy the cross.

After immersing himself in the font, the boy is taken to Kryzhma by his godfather, as the main recipient. After putting on the baptismal robe, the godfather also holds the child in his arms.

In addition, the godfather must be prepared to pay for the baptismal ceremony.

How to choose a godfather

To baptize a child, you need to choose godparents for him. There are some rules for this.

• According to church rules, it is necessary to choose a successor for the baby who will be of the same gender as the baby. Thus, it is necessary to choose a godfather for a boy, and a godmother for a girl. Few people know about this rule, and people choose 2 godparents for a child at once. This is also allowed according to the rules of the church.
• You should be very responsible when choosing godparents for your child. After all, they will subsequently have to engage in spiritual education.
• This must be an Orthodox person who knows well and often communicates with the child’s family. It is acceptable for this to be a friend or relative.
• People who are going to get married or are already a married couple cannot become godparents of one child. As godparents, you cannot choose a person with a disturbed psyche, a member of any sect, or a sinner in the opinion of the church. For example, an alcoholic or drug addict cannot become a godfather.

How does the baptism of a child take place in church - the main stages of the ceremony

The sacrament of baptism itself begins with the rite of announcement. The priest lays his hand on the person being baptized and pronounces the words of a prayer in which he asks God to allow the person being baptized to approach His name as the Lord and secure His protection.

Renunciation of the devil and union with Christ

According to church tradition, instead of a baby, the recipients renounce the devil and are united with Christ.

First, the priest asks the godparents and the person being baptized to turn to the west, with their backs to the altar (symbolically, this side is considered the abode of Satan) and utter words of renunciation of the devil and his evil deeds, then blow and spit as a sign of contempt for the unclean. Afterwards, the priest says to turn to the east, to the side of the Lord, and give consent to union with Christ. This stage ends with the reading of the “Creed” prayer, which godparents need to know by heart and understand its meaning.

Confirmation

Immediately after baptism, the sacrament of Confirmation follows, endowing the newly baptized with the grace-filled power of the Holy Spirit:

• With a brush dipped in sacred fragrant oil, the priest applies crosses to the face and other parts of the body, pronouncing the words “Seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit. Amen".
• Then the priest with the recipients and the newly baptized walk around the font three times, after which the priest washes and wipes the myrrh from the child’s body, saying: “You were baptized, enlightened, anointed, sanctified, washed, in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen".
• The rite of baptism ends with a cross-shaped tonsure of hair from the child’s head as a sign of service to God with the words: “The servant of God (servant of God) (Name) is tonsured in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” The priest cuts small locks of hair from four sides of the head, rolls them into a ball of wax, which he then lowers into the font.

In conclusion, a prayer is read for the recipient and the newly baptized, mentioning the name of the child’s heavenly patron, a special litany and dismissal.

Participle

Sometimes the sacrament takes place immediately after baptism, but most often the priest invites the parents to come with the child on another day, for example, in a week. On the appointed day, mother and baby are allowed to come closer to the end of the morning service, which is followed by Communion, where the baby is given communion with wine (the Blood of Christ).

How long does the baptism ceremony last?

The duration of the ceremony depends on the number of baptized people. An individual sacrament takes about 40 minutes, a group – up to 1 hour.

What to give a child for baptism

Traditionally, symbols of faith are given - a cross, an icon with the image of the patron saint - they are presented by godparents. They can also buy (or better yet, sew with their own hands) a baptismal diaper and shirt for a child’s baptism. By the way, it can then be passed on “by inheritance.”

But if you absolutely want to give something, choose gifts related to the Orthodox faith (Bible, rosary, amulet, icon) or traditional ones: a silver spoon, a rattle...

Christening gifts should be purely symbolic, because the main gift for your child is the sacrament itself, which opens a window to the righteous world and makes it possible to find a protector and patron.

Features of baptism of children of different ages

The baptism of a child aged 7 to 14 years (adolescent) is carried out in the same way as for adults. He also needs to go through public conversations, learn prayers, prepare for the ritual: attend a service in the temple, undergo a three-day fast (in the absence of medical contraindications).

Consent to the sacrament must be given by both the child himself and his parents. Children over 14 years of age can independently decide to be baptized. Parental consent is not required for this.

A set of baptismal accessories for a teenager includes:

• towel (kryzhma);
• shirt or chemise;
• headscarf (for girls);
• pectoral cross;
• slippers.

When can christenings be held?

Church rules do not stipulate a specific time and age when it is necessary to baptize a child, but recommendations still exist - early childhood. Orthodox parents usually strive to perform this ritual if the newborn’s age is from 8 to 40 days.

The fortieth day after the birth of a baby is a significant date from the point of view of the church. It was on this day that, even in the pre-Christian period, a child was brought to the temple.

Even now, mothers are not recommended to attend church sacraments, this is due to:

• with physiological characteristics of the postpartum period;
• workload, because the mother devotes all her attention and energy to the baby and her health.

Some parents postpone the child's christening until he is one year old, and even until he is of conscious age, when he himself decides at what age to be baptized and whether he needs this rite at all.

Of course, the last word about Baptism belongs only to the parents, but the priests warn that all this time the child’s soul is in danger, exposed to the harmful influence of the sinful world.

After baptism

After baptism, parents usually gather relatives and godparents at the festive table. You can do this at home, in a cafe or restaurant, in nature or in the refectory of a monastery. Focus on the age of the child and traditions in your family. The main thing is your comfort and convenience.

Don't forget to give your godparents at least symbolic gifts as a sign of gratitude for their responsibility.

That's all the basics that parents need to know before baptizing a child.