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 they are strangers, 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 the turn of tonsure begins. 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 intended 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
In order to properly prepare for a child’s baptism, you need to clearly know the answers to the following questions: how to sign up for a child’s baptism, how to dress a child for baptism, how to dress for a child’s baptism as an adult, how the child’s baptism ceremony is carried out, how the child’s baptism is celebrated. In this article we will try to give answers to these questions that so worry parents and godparents of the baby before baptism.
How to register for baptism?
In some churches, a priest registers a child for baptism while he conducts a special interview with the child’s parents and godparents. There are Orthodox churches where a church person who has been given such obedience registers for baptism. The baptism ceremony of a child involves the active participation of the child's godparents, so before you sign up for a specific day and specific time in the church, you should think carefully so that it is convenient for both the baby's parents and his godparents. During preparation for this great sacrament of the Church, we must try to turn more often in prayer to the Savior and His Most Holy Mother. This should be done by both the baby’s natural parents, his godparents and, if possible, all close people. You must register for baptism in advance, at least a week before the planned sacrament.
How to dress a child for baptism?
To clearly know the answer to this question, you need to ask during the interview what the temperature is in the room where the holy sacrament will take place. If this is a well-heated room, then you can dress the child lighter. And if it’s quite cool there, then it’s better to put warmer clothes on your baby, and be sure to take a blanket with you. Usually, a child is brought to baptism in only clothes, and after immersion in the font, he is dressed in a beautiful white baptismal outfit. However, this is not a strict rule.
How to dress for a child's baptism?
The clothing requirements for adults who prayerfully participate in the baptism of a child are the same as for visiting church. Women should have their heads covered, wear a skirt or dress, and clothing should be fairly closed. Even if the sacrament is performed in the summer, men should wear trousers, not shorts.
How is baptism performed?
The procedure for baptizing a child takes place in several stages. The child is held in the arms of his godparents. Usually the boy is held in the arms of his godmother before immersion in the holy font, and after immersion - by his godfather. 
When a girl is baptized, everything happens exactly the opposite, although this is not a strict rule. The priest reads special prayers in which he calls on the grace of the Holy Spirit to descend on the baptized baby. The godparents read the Creed. This prayer presents the main doctrinal provisions of the Orthodox Church. On behalf of the child, godparents make a promise to remain faithful to God throughout their lives. There is a moment during the sacrament when the godparents turn their faces to the west. They make a symbolic blow and spit in this direction, and also pronounce certain words in which they renounce all evil deeds and thoughts on the child’s behalf. During immersion in the holy font, the priest pronounces the baptismal formula. This is the most important moment in performing the sacrament of baptism. After the child's baptism, the sacrament of confirmation immediately occurs. The priest smears the baby's body parts with myrrh - blessed oil - and says certain prayers. These prayers concern not only the spiritual well-being of the child, but also his physical health. For this reason, there are a large number of cases where, at first glance, hopelessly ill children, after baptism, recovered to the delight of their parents and loved ones.
When the child’s parents and godparents inquire in advance about how the child’s baptism occurs and how to properly prepare for it, then they feel much calmer and more confident during the sacrament itself, and this is of great importance. It is in a peaceful state of mind that it is easier to pray and be attentive to everything that happens.
How is a child's christening celebrated?
The celebration of a child's baptism is also called christening. It is customary that immediately after baptism the baby’s parents invite guests. Godparents bring their own gifts to the child's baptism, but not only godparents, but also all close people come with gifts. Some give clothes, some give toys, and some may bring books or dishes. During the festive feast, parents are congratulated on the joyful event of their baby’s baptism, and happy parents, in turn, thank them for their congratulations and treat everyone to various dishes.
The word baptism comes from the Greek word baptisma, which means "immersion in water." This is the first sacrament that must be passed in order to be received into the Christian Church.
It is through baptism that God meets people who come to him. Baptism is accepted for the purpose of living with faith in God in the heart.
The rite of baptism of a child - the moment of acceptance into the Christian faith
Ritual of Baptism in Christianity
This ritual has a deep history. For the baptism of a child, the rules for parents evolved over the years and were passed down from generation to generation. Even today, water rituals are quite common in many religions, as water represents the source of life. According to legend, water washes away all sins from a person and returns him to a new and pure life.
The rite of baptism itself has some differences in different churches. The Catholic Church performs the baptism ceremony by pouring water over the child, in the Orthodox Church he is immersed in water three times, and Protestants simply sprinkle the baby with water.
Baptized baby receives his guardian angel Regardless of which church the child is accepted into, the child's baptism involves certain rules for the parents. They need to carefully think through everything and prepare before performing the sacrament of baptism of a child.
What age will be most favorable for performing the sacrament of baptism?
The decision at what age to baptize your baby is made individually by each family. However, you should not delay this ritual. The sooner a child is baptized, the faster God's grace will come to him.
This important sacrament has great significance for the soul of a child. There is a belief that the soul of a child is sinless until he steps foot on the ground. Therefore, parents try to baptize their child before he is one year old. Most often this happens on the fortieth day after birth. This is due to the physiological characteristics of the postpartum period.
The optimal age of a child for christening is from one month to six months A woman is not allowed to take part in the sacraments for forty days after the birth of the baby.
This is quite logical, because in the first weeks the mother of the child should devote all her attention only to the baby. After this period of time, a special prayer is read over the woman. The priest does this either before or after the baptismal ceremony.
If the child is in the hospital, then the baptism ceremony can be performed there. In this case, priests are invited or the mother performs the ceremony herself.
Baptism in a hospital allows for deviations from the rules Advice to parents: it is much better to baptize a child at a very young age. Then the child will behave calmly, will not be scared when someone stranger takes him in his arms and will more easily endure head-dipping, since babies have retained intrauterine reflexes that help hold their breath.
How to decide on the choice of godparents?
The next important question that parents should seriously think about is who to take as godmother. It is the godparents who are responsible for instilling in the child the spirituality and moral and ethical qualities of a Christian.
There are some prohibitions regarding who can be godfathers.
According to Church law, people who do not believe in God, those of other faiths, the unbaptized, members of sects, fortune telling women, people with alcohol and drug addiction, the mentally ill, minors, monks, married couples and the biological parents of the child cannot be godparents.
A pregnant woman can become a godmother A pregnant woman can be taken as a godfather. The Church treats expectant mothers with great respect.
Godparents, as spiritual guides, have certain responsibilities.
They have to:
- set a good example for your child;
- regularly go to church and pray for your godson or goddaughter;
- teach to believe in Jesus Christ;
- educate with faith in God in the heart.
Only godparents hold the baby at a christening At christening, before going to church, the child must be bathed and dressed in clean and smart clothes.
Before the baptism process, the godfather buys a pectoral cross, and the godmother buys a baptismal shirt and kryzhma, which symbolize that the baby comes out of the font sinless.
The godfather buys a pectoral cross It is not necessary that there are two godparents. But it should be taken into account that the girl is held by the godmother, and the boy is held by the godfather. Biological parents are not prohibited from being in the temple during the ceremony, but they do not hold the child at the cross. Godparents do this.
Kryzhma with a hood - for the little ones The responsibility of godparents is to actively participate in the life of the child. He must feel their care, love, and understand how important these people are to him. Even if godparents live far away, children should talk to their godparents on the phone and write letters as often as possible.
It would be nice to prepare invitations for christenings
It is also desirable for godparents to be present during the first communion.
Features of choosing a baptismal outfit
The baptismal shirt is the most important element in the sacrament of baptism. It must be bought by the child's godmother.
Now there is a large selection of different options for baptismal attire. When purchasing, you should consider some nuances.
Christening outfit for a boy made of cotton fabric Advice for parents: Pay attention to the material of the baptismal robe. The fabric should be natural, delicate, soft and pleasant to the touch.
The best choice would be clothes made from natural silk, satin, linen, and cotton. If the baby is comfortable, he will not cry and be capricious in church.
Christening outfit for cold weather - The baptismal shirt should be spacious.
- Buttons on clothes must be sewn tightly.
- As for the color of clothing, the color most often preferred is white, which symbolizes youth and purity.
- Accessories should be limited to a bib and a headdress. In winter, a lined kryzhma, a warm fur coat and a sweater will come in handy.
What is the role of the kryzhma in the baptismal ritual?
The main attribute of christening is kryzhma. The godmother should buy it. During the baptism process, it is in the Kryzhma that the baby is received from the font. It can be in the form of a linen, towel, or a new white diaper. She personifies sinlessness and purity. The duty of the godmother is to buy krizhma and bring it to the temple. During the ceremony, the child must constantly be in the kryzhma.
If the child is under three months old, then the optimal dimensions are 0.75 m by 0.75 m. If the baby who will be baptized is older, then it is better to purchase a kryzhma 1 m by 1 m. Hooded caps are comfortable for very tiny babies.
During baptism the child is kept in the kryzhma The best kryzhmas are those made from flax, cotton or terry. It should absorb moisture well.
Advice to parents: Remember that kryzhma is a powerful amulet for a child for life. If the child is very sick, he is covered or wrapped in kryzhma. Recovery comes immediately.
What to give for a child's christening?
Before going to a christening and buying a gift, you should consult with the child’s parents. Most often, christening gifts are not practical.
The Gospel is a desirable christening gift from the godfather The godmother gives a christening shirt and kryzhma, and the godfather buys a pectoral cross and a silver spoon.
Silver spoon, cup and saucer - a traditional gift Traditionally, gifts in the form of toys and books are given at a child’s christening. 
Christening gift option
A stroller, crib, changing table, high chair, walker, children's furniture, swing, bicycle, car or doll can also be a good gift. Such gifts will be very useful and will help create comfort for the baby.
A blanket, pillow, and towel would be very useful gifts.
Educational toys are a great gift for a child's christening. You can simply donate money, having previously placed it in an original envelope with religious motifs.
Video: The Sacrament of Baptism. Rules
“...Do you have a baby?
Don't give time for the damage to worsen,
let him be sanctified in infancy and consecrated to the Spirit from youth.”
(St. Gregory the Theologian)
Child Baptism Rite. Baptism is one of the sacraments of the Orthodox Church, during which a person prepares for communion with Christ’s Church and is reborn from the sins of a past life and original sin into a new spiritual life.
Since ancient times in Rus', the joy of a person’s birth into the earthly world is combined with the joy of his birth for the Heavenly Fatherland. Through the Sacrament of Baptism, a child of an earthly family becomes a child of the Church and inherits the promise of Eternal Life. For many centuries, almost immediately after birth, the baby was baptized. There were, of course, circumstances when the deceased was buried without a funeral service, or when an Orthodox person lived in an unwed marriage, but there were no unbaptized people in Russian families.
A child is a blessing from God, and Orthodox parents must understand that on the day of the Last Judgment they will be answerable to God for the new soul entrusted to them.
In general, the spiritual life of a child begins long before baptism and even before birth. All expectant mothers make sure that their food contains more vitamins and try to exclude foods that are favorite but harmful to the baby. And it is right. However, while waiting for a miracle, an Orthodox mother is concerned not only with the physical health of the child, but also with his soul, so she attends services more often than usual, confesses and receives communion.
Orthodox Christians usually give a newborn the name of the saint on whose day he was born, or one of the saints whose memory is celebrated on one of the following days, so after the baby is born, be sure to look at the church calendar. If a child is given a non-Orthodox name, then at Baptism he will be given a second Orthodox name. However, try to avoid such a split, because there are a great many beautiful and unusual names in the Orthodox calendar, and behind each is an extraordinary saint. Read the lives of the saints - so many names will immediately become desirable to you!
If the name is chosen, then it’s time to take care of the godparents. 
Godparents undertake to instruct the godson in the fundamentals of faith and church life, pray for him and take an active part in his upbringing. In addition, godparents bear part of the responsibility for the actions of their ward, and the spiritual relationship of the godson with the godparents does not end with the end of earthly life, but continues in Eternity. Unfortunately, very often parents, for reasons of friendship, respect, or even some self-interest, do not hesitate to choose people who are completely far from the Church, or even non-believers, as successors to their child. Even absentee godparents have appeared, when the recipient is not present during the Baptism ceremony, but is only considered a godparent. This attitude speaks of a complete misunderstanding and indifference to the essence of Baptism.
When a name and godparent have been chosen, it is time to baptize. You should not delay Baptism. Through him, a person becomes a member of the Church of Christ, which means the Church prays for him.
Rules for baptizing a child
Both you and your chosen godparents must seriously prepare for the rite of Baptism of a child, so try to remember a few important
1. In order to sign up for the Sacrament of Baptism, you need to come to the chosen temple and contact a shop or priest.
2. Before Baptism, the priest holds a conversation with the baby’s parents and future godparents. Discuss with him in advance all the questions that you have about the Sacrament. He will explain to you how the rite of Baptism of a child takes place, what you need to bring with you to the Sacrament, what exactly the godparents will have to do, and together you will agree on the date of the event.
3. According to established tradition, babies can be baptized from the first day of life.
4. The rite of Baptism of a child in the Church can be performed on any day of the year, that is, neither fasting nor church holidays are an obstacle to this.
5. For Baptism, you must bring with you a consecrated Orthodox cross (to be sure, buy it in a church shop, not in a store), a new baptismal shirt, a clean large towel in which you will wrap the baby after the font, and candles. Do not forget that everyone present at the Sacrament must wear a cross on their body.
6. At Baptism, the baby is given the name of the Orthodox saint with whom he bears the same name. If there are several days in a year in memory of saints with a similar name, then the closest one is chosen, that is, the one that first follows the child’s birthday. And if the name by which the baby is named is not in the calendar at all, then an Orthodox name that is similar in sound is chosen.
7. It is advisable for future godparents and all relatives and friends to refrain from entertainment and fast three days before the baby’s Baptism. Only a nursing mother is exempt from fasting for the entire period of breastfeeding.
8. You can become godparents (godparents) from the age of 18.
9. Godparents must be baptized Orthodox Christians. And if the person chosen as a recipient was himself recently baptized, then he can become a godfather only one year after his own Baptism.
10. The custom of choosing two godparents for a child at once, both father and mother, does not contradict the rules in any way. However, if only one recipient is chosen, then he must be of the same sex as the person being baptized. Situations where a child has only one godparent of the opposite sex are acceptable, but in extreme circumstances.
Child baptism ceremony (godparent)
According to church rules, a man must become a successor for a boy. It is the godfather who receives the boy from the font, and the godmother and the other parents help him dry and dress the baby. In addition, at the end of the sacrament, the godfather, accompanied by a priest, brings the boy to the altar, bows to the throne with him, carries him through the mountainous place and brings him to the icon.
For a girl, accordingly, a woman should become a recipient, that is, she is the one who performs the main responsibilities during Baptism. Only, unlike boys, girls are not brought to the altar.
11. Marriages between adoptive children and the natural parents of an infant, between godparents and godchildren, and between a godfather and godmother of the same child are impossible. In addition, adoptive parents cannot become godparents for their adopted child.
12. You can become godparents any number of times if you feel strong enough to properly fulfill the duties of a godparent.
13. In exceptional cases, if it is impossible to find godparents, or the rite of Baptism of a child is performed at a critical moment in his life, Baptism can be performed without godparents.
14. If one of the parents or both are of other faiths, then a child can be baptized in Orthodoxy only on the condition that there are believing Orthodox godparents, and the physical parents will not object to raising the child in the Orthodox faith.
How does the baptism of a child take place in Orthodoxy?
Before the Sacrament of Baptism begins, the priest will explain and show you where the godparents should be located with the baby being baptized.
The rite of baptism of a child in the Church begins with naming prayers, with which the priest assigns his Orthodox name to the baby. It is from this time that each of us has a heavenly patron, so at the end of the sacrament, try to present your child with an icon with the image of his saint.
After the naming prayers, the priest reads prohibitory prayers, which prohibit demonic dark forces from acting on the person being baptized. From this moment begins the phase of direct participation of the godparents and the baptized in the sacrament being performed. At this stage, the priest may ask one of the godparents to read the Creed aloud, so the godparents need to memorize it in advance. If none of those present know the Creed by heart, then the priest himself can read it. However, ideally, every Orthodox Christian should not only know the Creed by heart, but also be able to explain its content.
After this, the priest sanctifies the water for baptism and reads special prayers in which he asks God to send the grace of the Holy Spirit onto the water and the one who is to receive the great Sacrament. The time of Baptism is coming.
The priest will invite you to completely undress the baby, and then anoint his forehead, chest, ears, arms and legs with oil, symbolizing the Grace of God. After this, he will lead you to a font of holy water, into which he will carefully dip the baby three times. The godfather or godmother (depending on the gender of the child) receives the baby from the font, and the other parents help them dry and dress the child in the baptismal shirt. At the same time, a cross is put on the baby.
After this, the priest and godparents with the baby in their arms make a small religious procession around the font three times in the direction against the movement of the sun. Then the priest reads a passage from the Holy Scriptures and prays for the godparents and the person being baptized.
Following this, the Sacrament of Confirmation is performed. The priest anoints the baby with holy oil in a cross shape, but this time it is not oil, but holy Myrrh (a special aromatic oil consecrated by the Patriarch). Through this Sacrament, the baby is given the gracious Gifts of the Holy Spirit to reveal the image and likeness of God in himself. The Sacrament of Confirmation is so important that, like baptism, it is accepted by a person only once in a lifetime.
Immediately after Baptism and Confirmation, the baby makes the first sacrifice of thanksgiving to God in his new baptized life. And this sacrifice is none other than the locks of his hair, the decoration that crowns the most amazing part of our body. The priest symbolically cuts off several curls from the baby’s head in a cross shape.
Usually, on the day of the baby’s baptism, the rite of churching is also performed, allowing a new member of the Church of Christ to enter the temple. It is slightly different for boys and girls. The godfather, accompanied by a priest, brings the boy into the altar, worships the Throne with him, carries him through the mountainous place and brings him to the icon. Girls are not brought into the altar, but are worshiped in front of the iconostasis - the priest takes the baby in his arms and makes the sign of the cross for them at the entrance to the temple, at the entrance and in front of the royal doors. The child’s churching ends with prayer and kissing the cross. The sacrament ends with the baby’s parents making three prostrations before the pulpit and the priest. If there is such an opportunity, then on the same day or the next after baptism, try to give the child Holy Communion.
Almost immediately after the birth of a child, many parents think about his Baptism in the church.
But if in ancient times every Orthodox family knew about the rules and traditions of this ritual, now mom and dad are faced with numerous questions: what is needed for the Baptism of a child, why is this sacrament performed, when can a child be baptized, who should be taken as godparents?
The excitement of adults is not surprising, because this is the first big holiday in the life of a tiny person.
According to the Orthodox tradition, Baptism is a great sacrament that comes from God. It is the Almighty who transmits His gift to people not for their moral qualities, but simply because He loves His children.
This ritual is intended to bestow upon the little man the grace of the Holy Spirit, which no one sees or touches, but it is real.
The baptism of a child always involves water. Immersion in the font is a kind of symbol of renunciation of the previous life, cleansing from sins (including the original), and emerging from the water symbolizes a new life, pure from everything.
In all Christian directions, this ritual takes place in a special way. For example, in the Catholic Church, a baby must be doused with water, while in Orthodoxy, children (and adults) are usually immersed in the font three times.
What about other traditions? Protestants simply spray the baby, while supporters of Adventism and Baptists baptize in natural reservoirs.
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.
- 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.
Despite the absence of any specific restrictions affecting the time and place of holding, the sacrament in individual churches takes place on specific days and hours. This is usually due to the heavy workload and busyness of the holy father.
Before setting the date for Baptism, you should contact the parish to find out if there is any schedule and agree with the priest on the time. This must be done if you want to carry out the ceremony calmly and without nerves and not unnecessarily disturb the baby.
After solving organizational issues, all you have to do is arrive at the approved time. Many parents are interested in what is needed for baptism. Of course, you cannot show up empty-handed; you must take with you:
- a pectoral cross for a child (for a girl it must be purchased by the godmother, and for a newborn male - accordingly, the father);
- baptismal shirt;
- a napkin so that after the sacrament is over, you can wipe the baby’s face;
- the image of that saint, which can become a protective amulet for a child (usually the choice depends on the baby’s name);
- two towels (one larger one for the baby, one smaller one as a donation to the church).
Many parents are interested in knowing whether to take their child with them. We hasten to reassure you: no documents are needed to perform the Baptism ceremony.
But you must consecrate a pectoral cross that was not purchased in a church shop before the ritual.
Your godmother and father (the so-called godparents) must be with you. They need to undergo preparation for the sacrament instead of the child if he is under 12-14 years old. Recipients undergo a course of special conversations at the church and confession with a priest.
However, not only special conversations await godparents; for several days before Baptism, they must abstain from carnal pleasures, learn a special prayer and fast. In addition, in the same parish where the baby will be baptized, they should receive communion.
Future spiritual parents are usually chosen among relatives (aunt, sisters/brothers, grandparents) or close friends. The most important condition is that both chosen ones must be baptized and believers. If your relatives want to become godparents for the baby, but did not undergo the sacrament, they should be baptized before the ritual.
In some situations, real parents can become spiritual, however, as a rule, these cases still become exceptional. Before making a final decision, it is better to consult with the priest.
Future spiritual parents must know and be aware of what they are doing, why they are doing it and what needs to be done. Speaking in church language, the godmother and father vouch for the baby before the Almighty. After the ceremony and for life, they become the spiritual child's mentors.
Agree that such duties can be fulfilled only if a person himself is not indifferent to faith, constantly improves himself, studies the basics of Orthodoxy, understands the essence of the ceremony and the meaning of prayer words and vows.
Godmothers and fathers must raise their godsons as true Christians. In the Orthodox tradition, it is generally accepted that spiritual parents will have to answer very strictly at God’s Court for poor performance of their own duties!
Features of the rite of baptism of a child
The process of Baptism is immersion in water. That is why dipping the baby into the font three times is the main action of this sacred ceremony. The number “three” tells us about the three days that Jesus spent in the tomb, and after them the miraculous resurrection occurred.
What is Child Baptism? Parents need to know what priests do, how long the process itself lasts, what they can and cannot do. This sacrament includes several important steps that are performed by the priest in a certain sequence developed over centuries:
- The rite of announcement. Before the ceremony begins, the priest reads special prohibition prayers against the devil to those present. After this, the priest blows on the newborn 3 times and pronounces the words of expelling Satan. Then the priest must bless the child three times and read a prayer, placing his hand on the child’s head.
- Three prayers of “prohibition” (spells against unclean spirits). Now the priest is doing the following - he is driving Satan away with the help of God’s name. That is, he prays to the Almighty to drive away demons and strengthen those present in faith.
- Renunciation. Future spiritual parents must renounce sins, indecent habits, sinful lifestyles and excessive pride. Thus, godparents recognize: unbaptized people are vulnerable to various vicious thoughts and desires, as well as sinful passions.
- Reading the Creed. Since it is worth considering the very young age of the baby, the confession of fidelity to the Son of God is read by the godmother or father. Thus, the child enters the army of Christ.
- Child baptism. After all the important rituals listed, the time comes for the ceremony itself, for which the baby’s relatives and friends gathered. The priest must do the following:
- bless the water . The priest walks around the font and reads prayers on the water;
- bless the oil. The priest pronounces special words with which the church oil is blessed and the font water is anointed with it. Then you need to anoint the newborn's face, chest, arms and legs.
- immerse in the font. Since the child is immersed 3 times, the ceremony itself looks quite unusual. The father says certain words, after which he plunges the baby into the water (and so on three times). After this, the prepared cross is put on the already baptized baby, dried with a towel and dressed in a baptismal shirt.
- Confirmation. This sacrament involves anointing special parts of the child’s body with myrrh. The priest touches the eyes, forehead, lips and nostrils, limbs and chest of the newly made follower of Orthodoxy. Don’t think that this is just a beautiful ritual. Each of the clergyman’s movements hides a certain meaning and sign.
- Procession around the font. After the anointing, the reading of the Holy Scripture begins, during which the priest walks around the font of water and talks about the importance of adding another follower to the Church. At this solemn moment, the godparents stand still, holding lit candles in their hands.
- Completion. After reading the Gospel, the clergyman conducts the final rite, during which:
- the world is washed away, since the seal of the Spirit has already entered the child’s heart;
- hair is cut as a kind of sacrifice, since the child does not yet have other gifts that he could donate to God.
That's it, the great sacrament has ended, now the baby must be raised by both parents and godfathers in the love of the Lord and in accordance with Orthodox traditions.
Is a boy's christening different? There are still certain differences in the baptism of a boy and a girl.
Thus, girls cannot be brought into the altar, unlike male children. Well, for a boy, only a godfather will be enough, and for a girl, a godmother will be enough.
How much should I pay for the ceremony?
Many parents are interested in how much it costs to baptize a child, do I need to pay for the sacrament? Official sources claim that the church should not charge any fee for the sacrament and requirement.
However, we all understand that we will still have to pay, since the temple itself pays for utilities, the priest, and the workers in the church. How much to pay? In general, price tags in churches are approximate amounts for donation.
If you cannot give money for the sacrament, the child must be baptized for free!
Parents who decide to baptize their baby face many questions: what is needed for baptism, how much to pay for the service, who can and cannot be invited as godparents, how long the ceremony takes, and many, many others.
Yes, you will have to do a lot of things, so if you are tormented by such questions, seek help from a church located nearby. The priest will certainly dispel all your fears.
Hello, I am Nadezhda Plotnikova. Having successfully completed her studies at SUSU as a specialized psychologist, she devoted several years to working with children with developmental problems and consulting parents on issues of raising children. I use the experience gained, among other things, in creating articles of a psychological nature. Of course, I in no way claim to be the ultimate truth, but I hope that my articles will help dear readers deal with any difficulties.
