When they came to baptize the child. Does a person have the right to be baptized at any age? What is needed for the baptism of a boy child: a detailed list

For Orthodox Christians, the baptism of children is one of the most powerful rites. It is believed that after this the baby receives protection from the evil eye and diseases, and you can show it to others. After the christening, candles are lit and church prayers are read for the baby’s health. Parents treat baptism with special trepidation. It is important to know how to organize a child’s christening and the rules for preparing for the ceremony.

The Church explains in great detail why a child should be baptized. Through the rite of baptism, the baby is introduced to spiritual life and accepted into the faith. Immersion in water is symbolic, because it is a symbol of life. This is how the baby receives protection from the evil one, temptations, sins, illnesses and misfortunes. It is believed that the Lord takes the baby under his care and gives him a guardian angel. This is following the example of the son of God Jesus Christ, who was baptized in the Jordan River. And, although the sacrament among the Orthodox of different churches has some procedural differences, its significance is the same for all believers.

The essence of the sacrament

The baptismal ceremony is carried out in a temple or in a special baptismal room with a font. The sacrament lasts about an hour. The priest reads prayers, carries out anointing, and dips the child three times in consecrated water. After the tonsure is performed, the baby is given a cross. The priest brings the boys to the altar, and the girls brings them to the icon of the Mother of God. The baptized person receives a second, church name, which is recommended to be kept secret from outsiders. The baby is given a baptismal certificate. The very next day, parents and the baby are invited to receive communion.

Ten Key Questions

Given the importance of the procedure, parents try to get all the clarification on the topic in advance. Here are ten key questions about baptism and their answers.

List of necessary things

A separate question: how can parents prepare for the sacrament and what is needed to baptize a child? First, about the formalities. You should come to the church in advance to sign up for the ceremony and discuss with the priest how the child will be baptized, ask for blessings for taking photos and videos if you want to capture the holiday. At the same time, the cost of baptism and the list of necessary documents and attributes are clarified. Basically, the passports of mom and dad are required, as well as the baby’s birth certificate. What else is on the list of things needed for baptism?

Rules for parents

There are rules for baptizing a child for parents and godparents. The dress code during baptism is a particularly important point. Both parents and guests must wear crosses. Women are required to cover their heads and wear closed, long dresses. Men's clothing is a formal suit, dark, but not black.

Mother and father's relatives are advised to confess on the eve of the sacrament and adhere to fasting. Godparents should be chosen according to their liking, and not for selfish motives. They can only be close people who are over 12 years old and must be baptized. Spouses should not become godparents. If twins are baptized, each should have their own godparents. You cannot refuse the offer to become a godfather.

It is customary to celebrate the christening of a child with family. After the ceremony, the family gathers at the festive table. It is better to do this in the house where the baby is growing up, and it is good to invite other older children. This way they will get an idea of ​​how a child is baptized - the greatest of the Orthodox sacraments - and will enrich their spiritual world.

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Baptism for the Orthodox is the second (but in a certain sense the main) spiritual birth of a person, his purification for subsequent existence, a kind of “pass” to heaven - the Kingdom of God. The newly enlightened person receives remission of previous sins. That is why Baptism, among all the Sacraments, is the first sacrament and is necessary for every person seeking salvation and the meaning of life.

Godparents: Who are godparents?

The sacrament of baptism is a special rite. This is the purification of the soul and the spiritual birth of a person. According to the tradition of the Church, an infant should be baptized on the eighth or fortieth day of life. It is clear that at this age it is impossible to demand from him faith and repentance - the two main conditions for union with God. Therefore, godparents are assigned to them, who undertake to raise their godchildren in the spirit of Orthodoxy. So the choice of godparents should be approached with all responsibility. After all, in theory, they should become a second mother and a second father for your baby.

How to choose godparents?

When choosing a godfather for your baby, find someone you trust completely. These could be your close friends or relatives with whom you constantly maintain good relationships. According to church tradition, if something happens to the parents, godparents are obliged to replace them with a godson.

Only an Orthodox believer who is able to give an account of his faith can be a godfather. Actually, a boy needs only a godfather, and a girl only needs a godmother. But according to the ancient Russian tradition, both are invited. At your request there can be two, four, six...

According to the laws of the Orthodox Church, godparents cannot be:
parents cannot be godparents of their child;
husband and wife godparents of one infant;
children (according to the decrees of the Holy Synod of 1836-1837, the godfather must be no younger than 15 years old, and the godmother no younger than 13 years old), because they are not yet able to vouch for the faith of the person being baptized, and they themselves do not know enough about the laws of Orthodoxy;
people are immoral and insane: the former because their very way of life does not deserve to be godparents, and the latter because, due to illness, they are unable to vouch for the faith of the person being baptized or teach him the faith;
the non-Orthodox are the successors of the Orthodox.

What are the responsibilities of godparents?

Unfortunately, not every godparent understands why his new “position” is called that way. Visiting your godson and giving gifts on an angel’s or birthday day is, of course, good. However, this is far from the most important thing. Caring for a growing godson involves a lot.

First of all, this is a prayer for him. Learn to turn to God once a day - before going to bed. It's actually not difficult at all. Ask the Lord for health, salvation, help in raising your own children, the well-being of godchildren and relatives. It will be useful to master the path to the temple together with your child and take him to communion on a church holiday. It would be great to play educational games with your baby and read books to him. For example, many adults enjoy reading the children's Bible. It clearly describes all the main events of Sacred History.

In addition, godparents can make life much easier for young mothers who find it difficult to find time to spend with their baby. If everyone, to the best of their ability, spends their free hours communicating with the child, then they themselves will enjoy it.

Appearance of godparents

At the ceremony, the recipients (this is another name for the godfather) must come with crosses consecrated in the church. In the traditions of the Slavic peoples, women in the temple always had a covered head and a dress below the knees with covered shoulders (little girls may be an exception). You should not wear high-heeled shoes, as the baptism ceremony lasts from 30 minutes to 2 hours and most of the time you will have to stand with the child in your arms. As for men, there are no requirements for their clothing, but it is better to refrain from shorts and T-shirts. Such an outfit would look out of place in church.

Don't let the good old ways become a burden for you, because your nice trousers and new fashionable haircut can be shown off in other places. In church, it is better not to attract attention to yourself, focusing on the purpose of your parish.

Preparation for the ceremony

Currently, the ritual is performed mainly in churches. Only in exceptional cases, if, say, a child is very ill, can the sacrament be performed at home or in a hospital. Then a separate clean room must be allocated for the ceremony.

To baptize a child, you must first choose a church. Walk through the temples, listen to your feelings. But keep in mind that baptism does not always take place directly in the church. Most cathedrals have a baptismal chamber (or baptistery) - this is a separate room on the church grounds, specially adapted for this rite. In large churches, baptism usually takes place quite pompously and solemnly. But perhaps someone will like the secluded and calm atmosphere of small churches. Talk to the priest or the novices, they will tell you in detail about how the baptismal ceremony takes place in this church.

How to choose the day of baptism?

There is no church establishment of Baptism on the fortieth day; this is primarily due to the fact that until the fortieth day the Church keeps a woman-parent from entering the temple due to her postpartum infirmities and discharges that she experiences at this time. And the mother’s first entry into the temple after the break is accompanied by the reading of special cleansing prayers, before reading which she should not be present at the services.

But you don’t need to take the day of baptism literally; you can baptize the baby a little later, a little earlier. And now sometimes, at the request of the parents, a child is baptized before the fortieth day, especially when there is at least some danger to the child’s health (baptism in this case is considered as a protective rite).

In ancient times, the celebration of the sacrament was most often timed to coincide with the greatest Christian holidays, for example Easter. But gradually baptism turned into a family holiday. And now, on the contrary, the ritual is carried out almost every day, with the exception of such major church holidays as Christmas, Easter, Trinity. These days, churches are usually overcrowded and priests advise postponing the ceremony. You can come to most temples without an appointment. Usually the sacrament of baptism begins at 10 o'clock, immediately after the service. True, in this case there is a high probability that several other people will be baptized besides you and you will either have to wait, or you will be baptized along with others. It is much more convenient to agree in one or two weeks with the priest who will perform the sacrament on a specific date and time. Then your baby will be baptized first and in splendid isolation. In addition, when choosing the day of baptism, try to ensure that it does not fall on the godmother’s critical days. The fact is that during this period a woman should not venerate shrines: kiss the cross, icons, or better not enter the temple at all.

Preparing godparents for the baptismal ceremony

If you want to follow all the rules, start preparing for the ceremony in advance. Godparents need to go to church to confess, repent of their sins and receive communion. It is advisable (but not necessary) to fast for three to four days before the ceremony. But on the day of baptism, as well as before communion, godparents are not allowed to eat or have sex. At least one of the parents must know the “Creed” prayer by heart. As a rule, when a girl is baptized, the Creed is read by the godmother, and when a boy is baptized, by the father.

And one more thing: according to the unspoken rule, godparents bear all the costs of baptism. In some churches there are no official prices; it is believed that after the ceremony, godparents and guests make donations as much as they can. These costs are optional and their amount is not specified anywhere. But the custom is, as a rule, respected.

According to church custom, the godmother buys the kryzhma or “rizka”. This is a special fabric, or just a towel, in which the child is wrapped when taken out of the font. In addition, the godmother gives a baptismal shirt and a cap with lace and ribbons (for boys - with blue ones, for girls - with pink ones, respectively). The baptismal shirt is kept for life. According to custom, the towel is not washed after the child’s baptism, but is used if the child is sick.

The godfather, again according to custom, buys a baptismal cross and chain. Some believe that the cross and chain should be gold, some – silver, and some are of the opinion that small children should wear a cross on a ribbon or string.

What prayers do you need to know?

Every conscientious Christian needs to know the basic prayers: “Our Father”, “Virgin Mother of God”, “Creed”. During baptism, the godparents say the “Creed” prayer for the baby. All these prayers are in a short prayer book, which can be purchased at the church store if desired.

What to bring to the temple?

As has already been said, baptism is birth into a new sinless life. Receiving the newly baptized person from the holy font, the godparents accept an absolutely pure being, without sin. A symbol of such purity is white clothing - kryzhma, which is brought to the temple along with a cross on a chain or thread. Who should buy a cross and who should buy a chain, let the godparents decide for themselves. At the end of the ceremony, the priest will bless them and put them on the baby.

The cover for a small child will be an openwork diaper, a baptismal shirt or a new towel that has not yet been washed.

What happens during the sacrament of baptism?

The priest, godparents and child are the main participants in the sacrament. According to ancient customs, the child’s mother and father should not be present when the sacrament is performed. Although recently the church has been more loyal to this prohibition and allows the father, and sometimes the mother of the baby, after saying a special prayer, to observe the ceremony together with those invited.

Throughout the entire ceremony, the recipients stand next to the priest and one of them holds the person being baptized in his arms. Before performing the ceremony, a priest in white robes walks around the baptismal room or temple and reads three prayers. After which he asks the godparents and godson to turn their faces to the west - symbolically this is the abode of Satan. And, turning to the person being baptized, he asks several questions.

Questions and answers are repeated three times. After this, the godparents must read the “Creed” - this is a brief summary of the fundamentals of the Christian faith, which all Orthodox Christians must know by heart. Then the anointing takes place. Having dipped the brush into a vessel with myrrh, the priest anoints the forehead, eyes, nostrils, mouth, ears, chest, arms and legs of the person being baptized with a cross. And with each anointing he says: “The seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit. Amen". The godparents and the priest repeat: “Amen.”

After anointing, a lock of hair is cut from the head, which remains in the temple as a pledge of dedication and a symbol of sacrifice to God. If a child is being baptized in the cold season or conditions do not allow him to undress (low temperature in the baptism room), free the baby’s arms and legs in advance.

Then the priest takes the child from them and directly performs the rite of baptism - immersing the person being baptized three times in the font. If the baptismal room is warm, then most likely your baby will be dipped naked. But when it is cold in the temple, only the neck, arms and feet are exposed for anointing. Then one of the godparents takes the baby from the hands of the priest. That is why godparents are also called godparents. It is believed that, having accepted the baby in their arms after the ceremony, parents undertake the obligation to raise their godson in the Orthodox spirit throughout their lives and to be held accountable for this upbringing at the Last Judgment. If they cannot see their godson often, they should at least mention him in their daily prayers.

Nowadays it has become firmly established in everyday life. Almost all parents, regardless of whether they are church-going Christians - parishioners of a particular church, or not, try to baptize their children.
It happens that children are baptized in families that are completely far from church life and Orthodox values. However, most clergy see more advantages than negative aspects in this phenomenon.

By accepting holy Baptism, a person becomes a full member of the Church and can participate in other sacraments. The grace of God received in the sacraments, that is, the special power of God, strengthens a person in the desire for goodness, truth, helps to comprehend not only spiritual truths, but also in the study of secular sciences, and contributes to the development of the best human qualities. Grace can heal even serious illnesses.

In favor of the arguments about infant baptism, the outstanding Orthodox missionary, Deacon Andrei Kuraev says the following:

“Yes, the child does not know what the Church is and on what principles it is built. But the Church is not a philosophical circle, not a simple meeting of like-minded people. Church is life in God. Are children separated from God? Are they alien to Christ? Isn’t it absurd to leave children outside of Christ (and baptism is understood by all Christians as the door leading into the Church of Christ) only for the reason that the norms of Roman law do not see signs of “capacity” in them?

Parents

Of course, conscious faith and repentance are not required from children; they are baptized according to the faith of their parents and recipients. But even the fact that the parents are unbaptized or unbelievers, or baptized in another Christian denomination, is not an obstacle. If there are believing relatives or close friends who are ready to become godparents and help the child join the church, the child can and should be baptized.

The Church calls on parents to take the Sacrament responsibly and seriously. - not a tribute to fashion or tradition, but a spiritual birth.

If we baptize a baby, his development and upbringing are entirely in our hands - in the hands of his parents and closest relatives. How the fate of this little person will turn out largely depends on the values ​​​​instilled in the family circle.

The task of parents is to do everything so that the seed of divine truth and purity in the child’s soul gives its first sprouts, and does not die in the thorns of everyday, empty worries.

“There was once a baby inside each of us; if he is still alive, if the soul is still full of sensitivity, receptivity,will to good - we will rejoice, ... we will begin to look at the children around us, marvel and rejoice at them, learn from them, because if we are not like children, there is no way for us to the Kingdom of God."(Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh)

At what age is it better to baptize a child? Time and place of baptism

There are no strict rules for baptizing a child in Orthodoxy. Parents have the right to choose at what age it is best to baptize their child. It is believed that a baby can be baptized already forty days after birth, but there are cases that they are baptized earlier. Considering the spiritual importance of the Sacrament, it is better not to delay Baptism. In most cases, children are baptized in the first year of life.

For children under seven years of age, parental consent is required; starting from the age of seven, in order to baptize a child, the child’s consent is required.

From the age of fourteen, parental consent is not required; a teenager can be baptized independently, even if there are no godparents.

Baptism can take place on any day - fasting, ordinary or holiday, but each church has its own schedule of services, so the day and time of baptism must be agreed upon in the church where you want to be baptized. The baptism of a child at home can only be performed under some special circumstances that prevent people from coming to church, for example, in the case of a serious illness of the child.

Choosing a name for a child

In the Russian Orthodox Church, it is customary to baptize children with the name of one of the saints who are mentioned in the Orthodox Saints (list of saints' names). If the name given by the parents is not in the Saints, then at Baptism the child is given the consonant name of one of God's saints. For example, Dina - Nina, Alina - Alla, Robert - Rodion.

Another way to choose a name for a child is when the birthday coincides with the memory of a saint, then at Baptism the person is given that name. For example,January 25 - Holy Martyr Tatiana, July 18 - St. Sergius of Radonezh, July 24 - Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Princess Olga, August 1 - St. Seraphim of Sarov.

There are no strict requirements for choosing a name at Baptism; you can baptize a person with any name, choose a name according to the Saints - only the pious Russian tradition.

With the name given at Baptism, a person participates in the Sacraments of the church all his life; it is written in notes of remembrance at the liturgy, at prayer services, etc.

God-parents

The issue of choosing godparents is extremely important during the Baptism of a child.

Both a teenager over 14 years of age and an adult can have godparents, but in this case the person being baptized himself professes faith and desires to be baptized. When godparents vouch for him, they undertake the obligation to instill faith in their godson, teach the basics of Orthodoxy - talk about what church is, prayer, what it means to “sin.”

Godparents also bear part of the responsibility for the child’s misdeeds. Undoubtedly, in order to teach a little person to believe, pray, and repent of sins, you yourself need to have experience in spiritual life, to be an educated person knowledgeable in these matters. And besides, be a respectable, honest Christian.

Godparents must be believers and take an active part in church life - attend church on Sundays and holidays, participate in the Sacraments, and observe fasts.

The participation of godparents in the spiritual education of children should be real, not nominal. They should have the opportunity to regularly meet with the child, communicate, and visit church together. You should not choose a godfather, even if he is a very good, pious person who lives in another city, or for other reasons is not able to see the child.

Godparents can be close and distant relatives - aunt, uncle, sister, grandmother, family friends. There are several categories of people who, according to the canons of the church, cannot be recipients.

These are monks and nuns, parents for their own children; spouses cannot baptize one child together, since with spiritual kinship, married life is unacceptable. Non-believers, unbaptized people or baptized in another faith, mentally ill people, minors under 15 years old cannot be godparents.

It is better to take a well-known, reliable person or relative as godparents; it is advisable that he has experience in raising his own children, and be guided, first of all, by how good a mentor he can become for your child. According to church tradition, one godfather is enough, of the same gender as the godson, for a boy - a godfather, for a girl - a godmother. But in the Russian Orthodox Church the tradition of having two godparents has taken root.

What is needed for a child's Baptism? How should you prepare for it?

In some churches, public conversations are held, and parents will be immediately invited to attend them; this is necessary; in such classes you can learn a lot of useful things, as well as clarify all practical issues related to Baptism. Both biological parents and future godparents are invited.

If parents have not been to such conversations, you need to obtain the necessary knowledge yourself from Orthodox literature, you can talk with a priest and ask all the questions that concern you.

To baptize a child, you need to prepare a baptismal set, which includes: a baptismal cover (a white, new towel or baptismal diaper for a newborn), a baptismal shirt for a boy or a girl, a pectoral cross and several candles. You will be much calmer on the day of the Sacrament if everything you need is prepared in advance.

Clothes for baptism can be bought in church shops or in ours. You can also sew clothes yourself. The christening shirt should have a simple loose

cut so that the godmother or godfather can easily and quickly dress the baby after the bath. Small children are often capricious, scared and scream during Baptism, so the collar of the baptismal robe should be spacious enough and the cut should be comfortable for the baby.

Godparents usually give the godson a personalized icon (you can give a dimensional icon) of his heavenly patron and a pectoral cross.

How is the rite of Baptism of a child carried out?

The rite of Baptism of a child is preceded by the rite of announcement - that is, a special sequence of prayers, chants and sacred rites. First, prayers for banning evil spirits are read, after which the ritual of renouncing Satan is performed - the person being baptized turns his face to the west, the priest asks him questions, and he must consciously answer. Godparents are responsible for infants (up to seven years old).

Then there is a confession of fidelity to Christ (combination with Christ), now facing east, the baptized person (or godparents) again answers the questions of the priest. These recipients must know the questions. The announcement ends with the confession of the Creed - the most important Orthodox prayer, containing in a condensed form the entire Orthodox doctrine.

The most solemn and majestic part of the service begins - the celebration of Holy Baptism. The priest dresses in white robes - a symbol of the new life brought to earth by Jesus Christ. Three candles are lit on the eastern side of the font, and candles are also given to the recipients. The priest stands in front of the font, behind him are the godparents holding children in their arms, older children stand on their own, the godparents are behind them.

The sequence of sacred rites is as follows: first, the water for baptism is consecrated, then the oil is consecrated, the priest anoints the person being baptized with the consecrated oil, and then baptizes him in the font by three times immersion in water with the baptismal prayer. Baptism is the spiritual birth of a person. Immersion in the font symbolizes death, leaving the font symbolizes resurrection. After the third immersion, the priest hands the godson over to the recipient, who wipes him dry with a baptismal towel. Then the baptized person is dressed in white clothes - a baptismal shirt or an elegant baptismal dress for a girl.

The priest puts a pectoral cross on the person being baptized.

This concludes the Baptism of the child.

How is it customary to celebrate christenings?

Usually the child’s parents invite godparents,
relatives and friends to celebrate this event.
But the holiday of Epiphany is not usually celebrated with secular entertainment. In the memory of family and friends, and of course, the baby himself, there should remain a special atmosphere of spiritual joy that always accompanies such a wonderful event as the baptism of a child. After all, Baptism is a great and unique Sacrament.

After the birth of a child, many families raise the question of his baptism. Why is this Sacrament performed, what does it mean, who are the godparents and what role they play in the baby's life? How soon should the ceremony be performed, what should I buy and what necessary preparations should I make? You will learn about all the intricacies of this ritual from this article.

Child baptism: what you need to know?

Baptism is a church Sacrament, which comes from God. This is not just a ritual obligatory for every believer. At Baptism, a child or adult is given special grace from the Holy Spirit. This is an invaluable gift from our Heavenly Father, which is given to a person regardless of his virtue, any qualities or position in society, but only because of the boundless love of the Creator for all His children.

Immersion of a person in water signifies renunciation of all attachments to sinful life. The few seconds he spends underwater signify the transience of life and its inevitable end. This is a reminder of the sacrifice Christ made for the benefit of the entire human race and for the sake of its salvation. And the exit from the font symbolizes the resurrection of the Lord, reminds that after everything on earth, the Kingdom of Heaven and eternal life await believers.

Coming out of the water, the baptized person promises to live righteously and observe the laws of God. From this day on, he is allowed to receive communion and other church sacraments, through which the Savior sends blessings to Orthodox people, helping them to walk the difficult path of life.

When is the best time to baptize a child?

The first question that arises for parents is: at what age should a child be baptized? The Church does not have any specific rules on this matter. Theoretically, your child can join the sacrament at any age. However, most often Orthodox families try to baptize a baby in the first forty days from the moment of his birth.

Long thoughts about whether it is worth carrying out Baptism at such an early age only indicate that the parents are not firm in the faith or they do not fully understand the meaning of the ritual. While a child is small, he is more susceptible to negative influences than ever before - especially his soul. After all, you cannot educate and raise a person, caring only about the development of his body. It is necessary to cultivate the spiritual principle in a child from early childhood. And this is impossible without going to church and receiving communion. That is why it is recommended to hold christenings as early as possible.

Many people wonder whether it is worth waiting for the time when the child grows up and can independently make the choice in favor of baptism? Those who doubt it should draw a simple analogy with conventional vaccinations, which are given to a baby almost immediately after birth. When we take our child to the hospital, no one asks whether he wants it or not. We just know that vaccinations will benefit him in any case. So it is with the Sacrament of Baptism. It will spiritually enrich the baby and, most importantly, help him find a guardian angel who will protect him from various misfortunes.

The rite of baptism of a child in Orthodoxy: rules

First, you should familiarize yourself with the schedule in the church where the ceremony will be held. Usually parishes have different schedules, which are always connected with the busyness of a priest. You need to contact the temple servant and find out in detail about the time of Baptism, as well as whether a record is kept. If there is a line, be sure to take it. After all, it will be unpleasant if you come to Epiphany without an appointment, and there will be so many people that you have to return another day.

After you have signed up, you need to carefully read the list of things you will need for the procedure:

• pectoral cross (you should choose a cross with rounded ends so that the child does not get hurt);
• special shirt;
• a handkerchief or small towel to wipe the baby's face;
• an icon of the saint whom you have chosen as the patron of your child and in whose honor he is named;
• a large towel to immediately wrap your baby up.

Many parents take with them child's birth certificate, but it is never required in the church.

And of course, do not forget to choose godparents for the baby. There is no need to make hasty decisions and immediately offer this role to close friends. It is important to evaluate the capabilities of everyone you would like to see on site second parent of your child, find out for yourself what candidates can give your child for spiritual growth, what they can teach and whether they will have enough time to raise a child. These should be calm, reasonable people from whom you can follow an example. After everything is determined, the recipients should undergo certain training. So, godparents must:

• take a course of conversations, the schedule of which can be obtained from the priest;
• within a few days of the event, give up all carnal pleasures;
• memorize the Creed, which they will have to read during baptism;
• observe strict fasting for a week;
• go to confession and receive communion.

Choice of godparents

Godparents play such an important role in a person’s life that it is worthwhile to dwell on it in more detail. Under no circumstances should you treat this as a formality. Also, there is no need to choose godparents just for the ceremony and then part with them.

Without them, it will be much more difficult for your child to develop spiritually, so you should show maximum responsibility in this matter.

The following persons cannot become godparents of a child:

• nuns and monks;
• people with mental health problems;
• believers of other religions and denominations;
• girls under 13 years of age and boys under fifteen;
• atheists;
• unbaptized;
• people whose behavior does not correspond to moral standards;
• spouses.

If an unbaptized person wants to become the spiritual parent of a child, then this is possible only if he is also baptized and receives communion.

As we have already said, recipients have many responsibilities. It is not surprising, because they are the ones who will vouch for the baby before the Creator. Godparents should familiarize themselves with the Holy Scriptures and the life of the saint after whom the child was named.

Becoming a good godmother or a worthy godfather is quite difficult if there is no true faith in your heart. Understanding whether the person you choose can carry his cross properly can sometimes be problematic. If you are not sure about the correctness of the decision you have made, it is strongly recommended that you ask the priest to talk with potential recipients. The priests are people with extensive experience in such matters, so their advice will be very useful. In addition, it will not hurt you to explain to applicants what responsibilities fall on them.

How is the Sacrament of Baptism performed?

The essence of baptism is to immerse the baby three times in the font. These three immersions, which are the main part of the entire ritual, symbolize the two days during which the savior was in the tomb, and the third, when Christ was resurrected. Baptism is the first serious event in the baby's life. It occurs in strict accordance with certain rules.

At the first stage, the priest says prayers aimed at protection from the evil one. During this, the clergyman blows on the child exactly three times, blesses the same number of times, and then, placing his hand on the baby’s head, reads several prayers. This stage is called the rite of announcement.

Following him is prohibition against unclean spirits . From the name of the second stage you can understand that in it the priest drives away all spirits and pests, asks for blessings and protection for the child, and also prays to strengthen the faith of all those present at the sacrament.

At the third stage, the main characters are the godparents. They read the Creed, and then, in the face of the Lord, they renounce all their sinful habits and passions, promise to lead a prudent life, follow the commandments of God, after which they receive a blessing from the priest. They read a prayer that talks about the importance of Baptism in the life of a child and that an unbaptized person is more vulnerable to evil spirits and more easily succumbs to earthly passions and sinful impulses.

After these three, one might say, preparatory stages, Baptism itself begins.

• The first step is to consecrate the water. The priest walks around the font and reads prayers, immersing the cross in the water.
• Then the oil, called oil, is blessed. After this, a little oil is added to the font and the resulting liquid is anointed with the baby’s arms, legs, forehead and chest.
• The baby is immersed in water three times while a prayer is recited. As soon as the baby is taken out of the bath for the last time, a cross is immediately placed on him and a baptismal shirt is put on.
• And at the end of Baptism, the priest proceeds to the Sacrament of Confirmation.

It should be noted that there are some minor differences in the christening of a girl and a boy.

• The girl is not brought into the altar, since women are not allowed to enter there.
• For the baptism of a boy, the presence of his godfather is sufficient, but only her godmother can be present at the Sacrament of a girl.
• If the shirt and all other accessories are bought by the parents, then the cross is purchased by the child’s successors. For a girl, she is the godmother of the newborn, and for a boy, she is the godfather.

To baptize or not to baptize a baby is an eternal question and everyone decides for themselves what will be best for their child. On the one hand, the baby cannot yet decide which faith to join and whether he will be a believer at all, and on the other hand, the rite of baptism cleanses the child’s soul from the sins of a past life and from original sin. From the moment of baptism, the baby joins the church, you can pray for him in difficult life situations and the Almighty will help in resolving them.

If the parents decide to baptize the baby, it is worth knowing how the rite of baptism of a child takes place in Orthodoxy, the rules of the ritual, so that this sacrament does not become a banal procedure that is passed through because everyone does it.

First of all, set a date for it. Traditionally, babies are baptized on the eighth or fortieth day after birth. There are no strict rules about when to baptize your child, but there is no need to delay it. The baby does not yet understand where his friends are and where the strangers are, and therefore will not be afraid of the priest or godparents; the process itself will be less painful for him from a psychological point of view. In addition, up to the age of three months, babies still have reflexes, thanks to which they can hold their breath while plunging into the font.

If a child was born weak and sickly, then he is baptized as soon as possible after birth, so that the Almighty will help the baby get stronger and recover. Children can be baptized on the first day after birth. If we talk about choosing the date of baptism itself, then there are no strict restrictions here either. The sacrament can be performed on any day, even on fasting and holidays. Just don’t forget to discuss the date with the priest in advance so that he can find time for the ceremony, because sometimes the church service goes on for a long time and he simply won’t have time to baptize the baby.

What is needed for baptism?

The list of items is small. Let's look at each of them in more detail:

• Cross. It must be Orthodox, that is, with a crucifix on the front and with the inscription “Save and Preserve” on the back. This is what the rules for conducting the Orthodox baptismal rite say. If it is just a piece of jewelry with stones, then such a cross is nothing more than an ornament and cannot be baptized with it. If you are not sure that you can choose a suitable cross, buy it in a church shop, then you definitely won’t go wrong. The material from which the cross is made does not matter at all, so it is not at all necessary to buy a gold cross.
• Kryzhma. This is essentially a piece of fabric in which the baby is wrapped after the bath. This tissue is preserved in the future and is taken out when a person is sick or has some troubles in life. Kryzhma is a talisman. Today, the role of kryzhma is increasingly played by a terry towel with embroidered crosses, which is not prohibited by the church. In some churches they write this on the list of necessary things - a towel with crosses.
• Christening shirt. An optional attribute, but the sacrament lasts at least half an hour and the person being baptized cannot be naked during this entire time. In addition, baptismal shirts are very elegant and add solemnity to the whole event. It is also customary to keep the shirt after the ceremony, although it does not have the same power as the kryzhma.
• Candles. The priest will first tell you how many and what kind of candles will be needed for the sacrament. Their number depends on how many godparents you take.
• Icon of the saint after whom the baby is baptized. In some churches it is customary to donate such an icon, and in others it is consecrated and it becomes a talisman for the person being baptized.

This is just an approximate list of what is needed for the ceremony. A more accurate list will be given to you in the temple where you are going to baptize the baby.

How to prepare for future godparents

Three days before the sacrament, fasting is required. If the future godparents are not sufficiently churched, then it is also worth confessing and receiving communion. In addition, the receiver must know the “Word of Faith” prayer, which is read during the sacrament. It is likely that the priest will ask his godparents to read it. An Orthodox person must not only memorize this prayer, but also be able to explain its meaning.

Also, before the ceremony, a conversation is held in which the priest tells the future godparents about their important mission, because today not everyone knows and understands why they baptize a child and what a big responsibility it is - the spiritual education of a child.

How does the baptism ceremony take place?

Before performing the sacrament, the priest sanctifies the font, reading prayers over it. He blesses the water, which will wash away the sins of the person being baptized.

The sacrament begins with an announcement, during which special prohibition prayers are read over the baby. After this comes the turn of renunciation of Satan and union with Christ. Here the person being baptized must read the prayer, but since the baby cannot yet do this, his godparents pronounce the words for him. This is followed by Baptism itself, during which the baby is dipped into the font three times, while saying the following words: “The servant of God (servant of God) (name) is baptized in the name of the Father, Amen. And the Son, amen. And the Holy Spirit, amen."

If a child has recipients of both sexes, then the godfather of the opposite sex holds him up to the font, and the godfather or godmother of the same sex as the baby receives him from the font. After the font, the person being baptized is put on a cross and new white clothes, symbolizing his cleansing from sins.

Immediately after the sacrament of Baptism, another sacrament is performed - Confirmation. Myrrh is a special consecrated oil. Parts of the baby's body are anointed with the sacred myrrh, after which the godparents, with the child in their arms, walk around the sacred font three times, following the priest. This procedure symbolizes the joy of receiving Baptism and uniting with the Lord.

Then, after reading the prayers, the remnants of the world are erased from the baby’s skin and it’s time for the tonsure. The priest cuts a few locks of hair from the baby's head. This is done in the shape of a cross, that is, on four sides. The cut hairs are glued onto a wax cake and immersed in the font. This procedure symbolizes the sacrifice of the baby in honor of his Baptism. This is a kind of gratitude for the remission of sins and the beginning of the child’s spiritual life.

At the end of the ceremony, the priest says a prayer for the newly baptized person and his godparents.

If a newly baptized baby is already forty days old, the ritual of churching is immediately carried out, which means the first bringing of the child to church. During this ceremony, the priest takes the baby in his arms and carries him around the church. The churching of boys and girls is somewhat different. Boys are brought into the altar through the Royal Doors, as they have the potential to become priests, but girls are not brought in, since a woman cannot be a priest in the future. Both boys and girls are applied to the icons of the Savior and the Mother of God. The ritual of churching ends with the communion of the baby.

In general, communion is carried out not only during church service. It will be very good if the mother brings the baby to communion at least once a month. Then the baby will become stronger and will get sick less often.

To pay or not to pay?

Today, almost every church announces the cost of the ritual, but in fact, payment for the sacrament is not required. No one can refuse you baptism if you don't have money. But we live in the modern world, where such donations are the main source of income for the temple, without which it simply could not exist. Therefore, it is better to pay for the ceremony, if possible. This responsibility usually falls on the child's godfather.

How is it customary to celebrate christenings?

Traditionally, after the sacrament, all its participants go to the home of the baby’s parents. Since ancient times, baptism has been a children's holiday, so it is customary to invite many children to it, and put sweets on the table - pies, gingerbread cookies and other goodies. In ancient times, at christenings people were treated to sweet porridge with milk and butter. Today, porridge is not served, but you can replace it with any other sweet cereal-based dish. And they prepared a special porridge for dad - they generously salted it and flavored it with horseradish and pepper. This porridge was designed to test dad’s strength through the pangs of childbirth, because eating a plate of such a treat is not easy, just like giving birth to a baby. The custom is quite interesting, so you can adopt it.

What to give for christening?

In honor of this holiday, you can give any gifts. Often guests try to give something useful that will be useful to parents and the baby. But if we talk specifically about spiritual gifts, then it is worth considering such options as an icon, the Bible, and religious books. The godmother gives the baby a kryzhma and baptismal clothes, and the godfather gives him a small silver spoon. Approach the gift creatively - you can engrave the baby's name or initials on the spoon, and you can also embroider the baby's name on the kryzhma or shirt. These are the things that will remain with the godson for the rest of his life, and it will be nice that these are his things, with his name.

Conclusion

Now you know how a child is baptized in a church and what is needed for this.But the child’s involvement in the church does not end there. Rather, on the contrary, this is only the beginning of spiritual life. The task of relatives and godparents is to tell the child about God, about the church, to go with him to church services, and not just on holidays, then the child will grow up to be a spiritual, kind person.

The article uses photos from pinterest.com