How long does a baptism take? How does the sacrament of baptism take place, what is needed for it

Twins are baptized on different days, but the same people are allowed to be their godparents.

Appearance

During the ceremony, parents and godparents must be with a pectoral cross. They also have a certain appearance.

Women should be covered with a head covering, a skirt below the knee and a blouse that has sleeves and fastens under the throat. Men should be in the temple without a headdress and in clothes that cover their shoulders and legs. Thus, even in very strong heat it is impossible to appear in the temple in a T-shirt and short pants.

What should godparents buy

A cross should be bought by a godmother or godmother. They, according to the rules, make a donation for the ceremony. When buying a cross, you should pay attention to the fact that it is completely safe for the baby and cannot injure him. The golden cross is not used during the ceremony. The pectoral cross is needed from metal or silver.

The godparents also purchase a baptismal shirt, towels and kryzhma (a sheet in which they are baptized). What is needed for the baptism of a child is given by future godparents, and this is a rule that has been established for a long time.

If there are any doubts that all the things necessary for the ceremony are available, it is necessary to clarify the list in the church in advance. It is worth considering that for baptism child - girls you need to buy a scarf or a lace cap.

Preparation for the ceremony

Preparation for the baptism of a child is required from persons who are chosen as godparents. A few days before the sacrament, they must observe a strict fast, during which a complete renunciation of any entertainment and sexual contact is also required. Also, before the ceremony, they take communion after confessing.

It will be good if the parents confess and purify themselves before the sacrament. When it is best to do this is determined with the priest.

It is necessary to learn the godfather and the prayer read at the baptism of the child - "The Symbol of Faith." It is read 3 times during the sacrament. The godfather may also be required to read it over the baby by heart.

The nuances of the ceremony

Baptism takes place in most cases in the temple or in a specially designated room for this on the territory of the church. However, if necessary, arrangements can be made for the ordinance to be performed at home or in a hospital. In this case, parents will need to pay all expenses for the organization.

There is certain features for rites that require obligatory observance:

• it is allowed to baptize a child on any day;
• the godfather must bring the child into the temple, and the parents enter after him;
• if the baby is a girl, then her head should be covered with a scarf or an openwork cap;
• during the ceremony, only relatives should be in the church - everyone else who wants to be called to christening comes home to celebrate this event and be sure to give gifts, which can be toys or things. What is given for the baptism of a child depends largely on the financial situation of the family;
• during the sacrament, the mother must pray for her child.
• if there are two godparents, then before the boy is immersed in the font, the woman holds him, and after that - the man. The girl, both before and after, is held only by a woman;
• the godfather wears the boys at the altar during baptism, but the girls are not.

If necessary, additional prayers may be included in the rite of baptism. This is required if linings have taken place, or the child is seriously ill. The priest must be informed about this in advance, and then, if necessary, he will expand the service at baptism. Because of this, it is impossible to say exactly how long the baptism of a child in the church takes. On average, the ceremony takes from 1 hour to an hour and a half.

Participle

A baptized person is admitted to communion immediately. Further, the date of the first communion depends only on when his parents bring him. More often, for the first time, parents take the child to communion when he can already understand what is happening, and this is 4-5 years old. At the same time, there is no prohibition on the fact that an infant who was baptized even the day before took part in the sacrament of communion. Communion after the baptism of a child can be held from the next day.

If the child is under 3 years old, then he must be fed before communion last time for 2 hours. Children older than 3 years on the day of communion must refuse food before it.

Must be worn during communion pectoral cross. Without a cross, one should not take part in the sacrament of communion.

Compulsory gifts at baptism

There are a number of gifts that a child must receive at baptism. This is an established tradition, the violation of which should not be. What a grandmother needs to know about gifts for a child's christening is a serious topic. It is the grandmother who gives obligatory gifts. It has traditionally developed that gifts related directly to the rite and further to faith are given by godparents and grandmothers.

There are several obligatory gifts for christening:

• Bible.
• Icon - this may be the face of the patron saint of the baby, Nicholas the Wonderworker or the Virgin.
• Ladanka.

It is also an ingrained tradition to give a child a silver spoon for baptism by a grandmother or grandfather for the first feeding. This is not just a beautiful item, but useful for a child, since silver ions have an antibacterial effect.

The baptism of a child is not just a traditional beautiful ritual that is supposed to be carried out, but the introduction of a small person to spiritual life. It is important to approach the ceremony competently and with an understanding of what is happening. In the future, the child must, through the efforts of parents and godparents, realize the importance of spiritual life and follow the rules of the Church.

Useful video in case of disagreement to baptize or not a baby

Hello dear readers!

Do you know how the process of christening a child goes? How to properly prepare for it? What is needed to carry it out? We will try to find answers to these and other questions in the article.

For Orthodox person Baptism is extremely important in life. If the first, physical, birth of a person occurs at the moment of his birth, then the second - spiritual - just at the moment of baptism.

Thanks to this procedure, the soul of a Christian is cleansed for later life, he joins the church and receives a kind of "pass" to the Kingdom of God. Churched people consider baptism one of the most important sacraments, necessary for everyone who wants to find the meaning of life and receive salvation.

When is the best time to baptize a child?

There are no restrictions on the age for a person to be baptized in the church. You can even be baptized adulthood. But true Orthodox usually baptize children in the first months and weeks of life. Thus, according to the church, all original sin is removed from the child. In addition, the sooner a child is baptized, the sooner he can receive God's grace.

If you rely on the rules of the church, it is best to baptize the baby on the fortieth day after birth. And it's not just that. During just such a period, a mother who has given birth to a baby cannot enter the temple in view of some kind of impurity. Forty days after the birth of the baby, a special prayer is read over the woman in the church, and she is completely cleansed and can be at the sacrament of baptism.

AT difficult situations, for example, when a child is ill, the rite of baptism can be performed earlier, even in the maternity hospital. But, according to popular opinion, best age for the baptism of an infant - from three months to six months. At this time, he can calmly endure the entire ceremony. Later, when the baby is already seven to eight months old, and he recognizes “us” and “strangers,” he may burst into tears in an unfamiliar environment. And, therefore, the rite of baptism will be difficult. But, of course, parents have the right to independently choose when it is better to baptize a baby.

What is needed for the rite of baptism?

Necessary things for the baptism of a child:

• Kryzhma- special clothes for the child to wrap him up after the font. For a baby, a baptismal shirt, a white lace diaper, a special baptismal towel, or just a new towel that has not yet been washed can serve as a cover. Kryzhma symbolizes the purity of the crumbs, which does not have a single sin. Usually buys kryzhma godmother baby.
• Pectoral cross on a ribbon- second essential attribute christening. It can be bought directly in the church or in the church shop. A cross bought in a store must first be consecrated. This procedure is done by the priest before the rite of baptism. The godfather usually buys a cross for a child.
• Icon of the saint in whose honor the baby is named. At baptism, a temple can often give such an icon.

How is the rite of baptism of children?

It is advisable for both mothers and fathers and godparents to familiarize themselves in advance with the procedure for conducting the sacrament of baptism. So where does it all begin?

It is best to come with the baby to the temple a little earlier than the scheduled time. Such a measure will help you get acquainted with the situation, calmly tune in to the upcoming important, start the ceremony in a state of peace, and not in a hurry.

When the priest signals to start, God-parents bring crumbs to the church. The godmother carries the boy in her arms, and the godfather carries the girl. The child should be without clothes, mom and dad wrap him in a white diaper. Often, priests ask parents in advance to put a diaper on their child, so it’s calmer for everyone.

And so the ritual begins. Godparents with candles and with a baby in their arms stand at the font. They must repeat everything that the priest tells them: for example, they read the "Symbol of Faith", then renounce the devil three times, promise to fulfill God's commandments. Then the water is blessed. The priest takes the child in his arms, immerses him three times in a water font, saying the following words: “The servant (slave) of God (God) is baptized, the name of the child, in the name of the Father, amen. And the Son, amen. And the Holy Spirit, amen."

Usually the temperature of the water in the font is about 36-37 degrees, which means that you should not worry that the baby will catch a cold.

Together with the rite of baptism, the rite of chrismation is also performed. To an already baptized baby, the priest with the help of a special oil - myrrh - anoints the eyes, forehead, mouth, ears, nose, legs, arms, chest crosswise. At the same time, he says: “The Seal of the Holy Spirit. Amen".

After the end of the chrismation, the godparent takes the baby in his arms. In this case, the godmother takes the girl, and the godfather takes the boy. The baby is wrapped in kryzhmu. Then the priest puts a cross on the baby.

At the end of the ceremony, the godfather puts on a baptismal shirt on the baby.

The priest also cuts the baby's hair crosswise. A small strand is cut from each side of the head. Such an action means submission to God, making a small sacrifice to the Lord for the gift of new life. When taking tonsure, the priest says: “The servant (slave) of God (God) is being tonsured, in the name of the child, in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen".

After the end of the rites, the godparents carry the baby three times around the font. From that moment on, the child becomes a member of the Church.

Many parents are interested - how long does the whole baptismal procedure take? Approximately the entire ceremony takes from forty minutes to an hour. Much, of course, depends on the particular church, the number of people. Sometimes the procedure can take up to two hours.

After the sacrament, a traditional feast follows.

The rite of baptism can be viewed in these videos:

Good luck to you and your baby!

Baptism is one of the ancient religious traditions that continues to this day. Many parents baptize their children, thus wanting to protect them from the evil eye and trouble. In this article we will tell you about all the features of the rite of baptism.

The rite of baptism carries a special sacred meaning for Orthodox people. It is believed that in this way the baby is cleansed before God, washing away his sins. Therefore, many parents try to baptize their child as soon as the time is right.

Where to baptize a child

Baptism of babies is carried out in the temple. In exceptional cases, it is possible to conduct a ceremony outside of it. If there are several temples in your city, you can choose the one you like the most, or the one that is close to your home.

All the nuances of baptism are negotiated with the priest. He will give you a list of necessary things, set a date. If you visit regularly church services in a certain temple, it is better to choose it as a place where to baptize a child.

How to choose a name for baptism

Choice church name for baby - milestone baptism. Of course, you can baptize a baby with any name. However, in the church it is customary to give the baby a middle name, consonant with the name of one of the saints.

Church rites cannot affect the change of the name of the child. Baptismal names are used only when performing church sacraments.

When can a child be baptized

The question of when to baptize a child, many parents ask immediately after his birth. The Church does not give strict guidelines in this regard. However, it is believed that this is best done in the first year of a baby's life. So he clears original sin and join the church.

From a physiological point of view, the time when it is better to baptize a child refers to the first three months of life. At this time, the baby still retains instincts from the moment it was in the womb. The child tolerates immersion in water more easily, behaves calmer in the arms of other people.

There are no specific days when a child can be baptized. You can do it on any date convenient for you.

Christening clothes

The choice of clothes for the baptism of the baby requires special attention. It is purchased by the godmother in advance. Baptismal shirt for a baby should be soft, pleasant to the touch. In such clothes, the baby will be able to feel comfortable and will not be capricious.

Now the clothes for the baptism of a boy and a girl may differ. For boys, choose a set of shirts and pants. Girls are baptized in dresses with or without pants.

When choosing options for baptizing a child, make sure that the clothes reveal the arms and legs of the baby. This is necessary for the church ceremony.

Rules for baptism

Baptism of a newborn is a mysterious church rite, which is accompanied by certain rules. They are connected with ancient church traditions. The christening of a child requires special responsibility on the part of the godparents; First of all, the rules define their behavior:

• you need to come to the christening in advance so that the priest can prepare for the ceremony;
• one of the godparents brings the baby to the church: the godmother should keep the boy, the godfather should hold the girl;
• during the ceremony, the godparents read a prayer that must be learned in advance;
• the priest dips the baby in the font without clothes, after which the godparents wrap him in a white cloth, wipe him off and dress him in specially prepared clothes.

The christening of a boy and a girl differs in some points: the rules require that the boy be brought to the altar, and the girl should be attached to the icon of the Mother of God.

The rules for baptizing a child in a church may also vary depending on the chosen temple. So, for example, the question of the presence of the mother at baptism remains controversial. Now in many churches, mothers are allowed to attend christenings after a cleansing ceremony has been performed on her.

Parents often ask the question of whether it is possible to baptize a child on a fast or a church holiday. There are no banned days. You can do this at any time.

How long does a baptism take

The length of the baptism largely depends on the priest. Although the ceremony is carried out according to established canons, the time may vary. It depends on the preparation, mood and behavior of the baby. On average, baptism takes from 30 minutes to 1 hour. You can find out more about how long baptism lasts in the temple you have chosen for this purpose.

What is needed for baptism

In order for the ceremony to go smoothly and correctly, the godparents need to know in advance what is needed for the baptism of the child. The standard set includes: a cross (consecrated in the temple), kryzhma, clothes for changing clothes, two towels, candles. As a rule, the godmother buys clothes. The choice and purchase of a cross remains with the godfather.

How is the Sacrament of Baptism performed in the church? In this article you will find a detailed photo essay on how a baby is baptized, with a description of all parts of the ceremony.

How is the Sacrament of Baptism performed?

Baptism is the Sacrament in which the believer, when the body is immersed three times in water with the invocation of God the Father and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, dies for a carnal, sinful life and is reborn from the Holy Spirit into a spiritual life. In Baptism, a person is cleansed from original sin - the sin of the forefathers, communicated to him through birth. The Sacrament of Baptism can be performed on a person only once (as well as a person is born only once).

The baptism of an infant is performed according to the faith of the recipients, who have a sacred duty to teach children the true faith, to help them become worthy members of the Church of Christ.

christening set your baby should be the one recommended to you in the temple where you will baptize him. They will easily tell you what you need. This is mainly baptismal cross and christening shirt. The baptism of one baby lasts about forty minutes.

This sacrament consists of Announcements(readings of special prayers - “prohibitions” over those preparing for baptism), renunciation of satan and union with Christ, that is, union with Him, and confession Orthodox faith. Here, for the baby, the godparents should pronounce the appropriate words.

Immediately after the end of the Announcement, the follow-up begins christening. most notable and important point- three times immersion of the baby in the font with the pronunciation of the 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."

At this time, the godfather (of the same sex as the person being baptized), taking a towel in his hands, is preparing to receive his godfather from the font.

After that, the one who has received Baptism is dressed in new white clothes, a cross is put on him.

Immediately after this, another Sacrament - Confirmation in which the baptized person, when the parts of the body are anointed by the Holy World in the name of the Holy Spirit, are given the gifts of the Holy Spirit, strengthening him in spiritual life.

After that, the priest and the godparents with the newly baptized go around the font three times as a sign of the spiritual joy of union with Christ for eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Then an excerpt from the Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Romans is read, dedicated to the topic of baptism, and an excerpt from the Gospel of Matthew - about the Lord Jesus Christ sending the apostles to the worldwide preaching of faith with the command to baptize all nations in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

After the myrrh is washed by the priest from the body of the baptized with a special sponge dipped in holy water, with the words:

“Thou hast justified. Thou hast been enlightened. Thou hast been sanctified. Thou hast been washed in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. You were baptized. Thou hast been enlightened. Thou hast been anointed. Thou art sanctified, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, amen."

Next, the priest cuts the hair of the newly baptized cross-shaped (on four sides) with the words: “The servant (a) of God (name) is cut in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, amen,” folds the hair on a wax cake and lowers it into the font. The tonsure symbolizes obedience to God and at the same time marks the small sacrifice that the newly baptized brings to God in thanksgiving for the beginning of a new, spiritual life. After the utterance of petitions for godparents and the newly baptized, the sacrament of baptism ends.

Usually immediately followed by churching denoting the first offering to the temple. The baby, taken by the priest in his arms, is carried by him through the temple, brought to the Royal Doors and brought into the altar (only boys), after which he is given to his parents. Churching symbolizes the dedication of the baby to God according to the Old Testament model. After baptism, the infant should be given communion.

Why are only boys brought to the altar?

- Girls are not carried through the Royal Doors for the reason that women in general in modern practice Orthodox Church they are not allowed to the altar, because they cannot be church and clergymen. And every boy, at least potentially, can become one, therefore, it rushes through the Royal Doors.

- They say that before you baptize your child, you should confess and take communion.

– Of course, even regardless of the Baptism of a child, Orthodox Christians are called by the Church to begin the sacraments of confession and Holy Communion with a certain regularity. If you have not done this until now, then it will be good to take the first step towards a full-fledged church life by anticipating the Baptism of your own baby.

This is not a formal requirement, but a natural internal norm - because, introducing the child to Church life through the sacrament of Baptism, introducing him into the Church's fence - why should we ourselves remain outside of it? For an adult who has not repented for many years, or never in his life, has not begun to receive the Holy Mysteries of Christ, at this moment is a very conditionally Christian. Only by prompting himself to live in the sacraments of the Church does he actualize his Christianity.

What happens during a baptism?

The word "baptism" means "immersion". The main action of baptism is the threefold immersion of the person being baptized in water, which symbolizes the three-day stay of Christ in the tomb, after which the Resurrection took place.
Everyone who is baptized follows the path of Christ. Just as Christ died on the Cross as a sacrifice for our sins, in the sacrament of baptism we die to a sinful life and to do the will of Satan, so that we can then be resurrected to life with God. Our whole being is thus renewed to its very foundations.

We are left with all our sins, in which we sincerely repented. If a baby is baptized, then he must have godparents, whose duties include the Christian upbringing of their godchildren. For them, they will give a strict answer at the Judgment of God.

Anyone who has agreed to become a godfather must realize that he is taking on a huge responsibility for the child.

In order to give a child a Christian upbringing, the godparents themselves must live a Christian life, pray for their godson.

Chin of announcement

The performance of baptism is preceded by the rite of pronouncement, during which the priest reads prohibition prayers directed against Satan.

The priest blows crosswise on the person being baptized three times, saying the words: “cast out from him (or from her) every evil and unclean spirit hidden and nesting in his heart ...”.

They are a reminder that "the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul" (Gen. 2.7).

The hand of the clergyman is the hand of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, which is a gesture of protection and blessing, for in the future this person will face a mortal battle with the forces of darkness.

Three Prohibitions on Unclean Spirits

The Church tells us about the rebellion against God in the spiritual world created by Him of a part of the angels, possessed by pride. And the source of evil lies not in their ignorance and imperfection, but, on the contrary, in those knowledge and perfection that led them to the temptation of pride and falling away.

Satan belonged to the very first and the best creatures God. He was perfect, wise, and strong enough to know the Lord and disobey Him, to rebel against Him, to desire "freedom" from Him. But since such “freedom” (i.e., arbitrariness) is impossible in the Kingdom of Divine Harmony, which exists only with voluntary consent to the Will of God, Satan and his angels are expelled by God from this Kingdom.

That is why, at baptism, the prohibition of “Satan and all his Aggels” is first performed. St. Cyril of Jerusalem says in the catechetical teaching: “The content of these prohibitions is as follows: first, it cuts off and drives the devil and all his actions with terrible Divine names and sacraments for him, expelling the devil, commands his demons to flee from a person and not create misfortunes for him.

Similarly, the second prohibition casts out demons with the Divine Name.

The third prohibition is together with a prayer offered to God, imploring to completely expel the evil spirit from the creation of God and confirm him in the faith.

Renunciation of Satan

The person being baptized (or godparents, if an infant is being baptized) renounces Satan, i.e., renounces sinful habits and lifestyle, renounces pride and self-affirmation, realizing that an unbaptized person is always a prisoner of passions, Satan.

Confession of fidelity to Christ

However, man himself can never wage war with the devil without an alliance with Christ. Therefore, after the declaration of war on Satan, in the rank of announcement, a combination with Christ follows.

The child becomes a member of Christ's host. His weapons will be fasting, prayer, participation in church sacraments. He has to fight with his sinful passions - the evil that lies in his heart.

The baptized confesses the faith, reads the Creed. If an infant is baptized, then the recipient must read the Symbol of Faith for him.

SYMBOL OF FAITH

1 I believe in one God the Father, Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, visible to all and invisible.

2 And into one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only Begotten, who was born of the Father before all ages; Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, uncreated, consubstantial with the Father, Whom all was.

3 For us, man, and for our salvation, who descended from heaven, and became incarnate of the Holy Spirit and Mary the Virgin, and became human.

4 He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered, and was buried.

5 And he rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures.

6 And ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father.

7 And the packs of the one to come with glory to be judged by the living and the dead, whose kingdom will have no end.

8 And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life, Who proceeds from the Father, Who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who spoke the prophets.

9 Into one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.

10 I confess one baptism for the remission of sins.

11 I look forward to the resurrection of the dead,

12 and the life of the age to come. Amen.

The creed contains all the basic Christian truths.

In ancient times, a person had to study them before baptism. And now it necessary condition at baptism.

Consecration of water

At the beginning of the Sacrament of Baptism itself, the priest performs incense around the font and reads prayers for the blessing of water, then blesses the water in which the person being baptized will have to wash their sins.

He makes the sign of the cross over her three times, blows on her, saying a prayer:

“Let all opposing forces be crushed under the sign of the image of Your Cross.”

The consecration of water for Baptism is one of the most important parts of the service, which has the deepest connection with the sacrament itself.

In prayers and actions during the consecration of water for Baptism, all aspects of the sacrament are revealed, its connection with the world and matter, with life in all its manifestations is shown.

Water is the oldest religious symbol. From a Christian point of view, three main aspects of this symbolism seem important. First, water is the primary cosmic element. At the beginning of creation, "the Spirit of God hovered over the waters" (Genesis 1:2).

At the same time, it is a symbol of destruction and death. The basis of life, life-giving force and, on the other hand, the basis of death, destructive force - such is the dual image of water in Christian theology. And finally, water is a symbol of purification, rebirth and renewal. This symbolism permeates the entire scripture, is included in the story of creation, the fall and salvation. Saint John the Forerunner called the people to repentance and cleansing from sins in the waters of the Jordan, and the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, having received Baptism from him, sanctified the water element.

Oil consecration

After the consecration of the water, the priest reads a prayer for the consecration of the oil (oil) and the water will be anointed with it. Then the priest anoints the person being baptized with oil: face, chest, arms and legs. AT ancient world oil was used primarily as a remedy.

Oil, symbolizing healing, light and joy, was a sign of reconciliation between God and man. The dove, released by Noah from the ark, returned and brought him an olive branch, “and Noah knew that the water had gone down from the earth” (Genesis 8:11).

So, in anointing the water and the body of the baptized with oil, the oil signifies the fullness of life and the joy of reconciliation with God, since “in Him was life, and life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it” (John 1:4-5).

Baptism renews and restores the whole person in its original integrity, reconciles soul and body. The oil of joy is anointed on the water and the human body for reconciliation with God and in God with the world.

Immersion in the font

Immediately after the anointing, the most important moment of baptism comes - immersion in the font.

The priest immerses the person being baptized three times in water with the words:

The servant of God is baptized (name is called) in the name of the Father, amen (first immersion). And the Son, amen (second immersion). And the Holy Spirit, amen (third dive).

Immediately after immersion, a cross is laid on the newly baptized - a sign of his acceptance of the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross, faith that Christ truly died and truly rose from the dead, so that in Him we can die for sin in relation to our mortal life and become partakers - here and now to eternal life.

Vestments of the newly baptized

Putting on a “light robe” after Baptism marks, first of all, the return of a person to the integrity and innocence that he possessed in paradise, the restoration of his true nature, distorted by sin.

Saint Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, compares these clothes with the shining robes of Christ, who was transfigured on Mount Tabor. The transfigured Christ revealed Himself to the disciples not in a naked form, but in clothes “white as light”, in the uncreated radiance of Divine glory.

In the sacrament of Baptism, a person regains his original garment of glory, the believing soul is clearly and really revealed to the basic truth of Christianity: having received Baptism, “you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory” (Col 3:3-4).

The deepest mystery is being accomplished: the unity of the human and the Divine in "renewed life." The grace given to a person in Baptism, as in the other sacraments, is the fruit of the sacrificial death of Christ and His Resurrection. She informs a person of the will to salvation and the strength to go through life, carrying his cross.

And therefore Baptism can and must be defined not figuratively, not symbolically, but in essence as death and resurrection. AT Christian understanding death is primarily a spiritual phenomenon. One can be dead while still living on earth, and be innocent of death while lying in the grave.

Death is the remoteness of a person from life, that is, from God. The Lord is the only Giver of life and Life Itself. Death is opposed not to immortality, but to true Life, which was “the light of men” (John 1:4). Life without God is spiritual death, which turns human life into loneliness and suffering, fills it with fear and self-deception, turns a person into slavery to sin and malice, emptiness.

We are not saved because we believe in the supernatural power and power of the Lord, because this is not the kind of faith He wants from us. To believe in Christ means not only to acknowledge Him, not only to receive from Him, but, above all, to work for His glory.

One cannot expect help from Him without fulfilling His commandments and, above all, the commandments of love; one cannot call Him Lord and bow before Him without doing the will of His Father. Immersion in water means that the person being baptized dies for a life of sin and is buried with Christ in order to live with Him and in Him (Rom. 6:3-11; Col. 2:12-13). This is the most important thing in the sacrament of Baptism. Only by the grace of God do we know that “this water is truly for us both a tomb and a mother…” (St. Gregory of Nyssa).

Sacrament of Chrismation

After immersion in the font and dressing in white clothes, the priest will anoint the newly enlightened with the holy Myrrh: imprinting "the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit."

Through chrismation, the Holy Spirit descends on each of us, filling us with the power of God, just as once on the day of Pentecost he descended on the disciples of Christ. Holy chrism is oil prepared in a special way, which is consecrated once a year by the patriarch and then sent to all dioceses, where the hierarchs distribute it to the abbots. A priest anoints an already baptized person with holy chrism.

His forehead, eyes, nostrils, mouth, ears, chest, arms and legs are anointed. Different parts of the body are anointed with Holy Myrrh in order to sanctify the whole person through anointing: both his body and his soul.

The forehead is anointed to remove the shame that covered it due to the crime of Adam, and to sanctify our thoughts.

Eyes are anointed so that we do not grope in the dark along the path of vice, but that we walk along the path of salvation under the guidance of blessed light; ears - so that our ear becomes sensitive to hearing the word of God; mouth - so that they become capable of broadcasting Divine truth.

Hands are anointed for sanctification for pious work, for deeds pleasing to God; feet - for our walking in the footsteps of the commandments of the Lord; and breasts, so that, clothed with the grace of the Holy Spirit, we may overcome every enemy force and be able to do everything in Jesus Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13).

In a word, our thoughts, desires, our heart and our whole body are sanctified to make them fit for the new Christian life.

The anointing with Myrrh is a visible sign, a seal that the newly baptized is granted the Holy Spirit by God. From the moment this sacred seal is placed on us, the Holy Spirit enters into betrothal, into a close living relationship with our soul. From that very moment we become Christians.

Each time the priest repeats the words: “The seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit,” and the receiver, at the end of the anointing, answers: “Amen,” which means “Truly, truly.”

Confirmation is a new independent sacrament, although it is associated with Baptism and is performed, according to the rules of the Orthodox Church, immediately after immersion in the font three times. Acquiring a new son through Baptism, our caring mother - the Holy Church - without any delay begins to apply her care to him. Just as in bodily life, to strengthen the strength of an infant, air and food are needed, so for a person born spiritually through Baptism, special, spiritual food is needed.

Such food is taught by the holy Church in the sacrament of Chrismation, through which the Holy Spirit descends upon our soul. It is like the descent of the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove, which was at the Baptism of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Holy Scripture reading and procession around the font

After the Sacrament of Confirmation there is a threefold procession around the font. The solemn circumambulation of the font with the singing of “Be baptized into Christ…” is, first of all, an expression of the Church’s joy at the birth of its new member by the Spirit of God.

On the other hand, since the circle is a sign of eternity, this procession shows that the newly enlightened one expresses a desire to serve God forever, to be a lamp that is placed not under a bushel, but on a candlestick (Luke 8:16), let it shine on all people with its good deeds and asks the Lord to grant him eternal bliss. Immediately after the procession around the font there is a reading of the Apostle and the Gospel. During the reading, the godparents stand with lighted candles.

The final rites of Baptism

The final rites of the rites of Baptism and Confirmation - the washing away of the Holy Myrrh and the cutting of the hair - are performed immediately after the reading of the Gospel. The first rite is the washing away from the body of the newly baptized holy Myrrh. Now external, visible signs and symbols can be eliminated, because from now on only the internal assimilation of the gift of grace, faith and fidelity by a person will support him and give him strength.

The Christian must bear the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit in his heart. Hair cutting, which is performed immediately after washing off the body of the newly baptized Holy Myrrh, has been a symbol of obedience and sacrifice since ancient times. People felt the concentration of strength and energy in their hair. This rite is found both in the rite of initiation into monasticism and in the rite of initiation of readers. In a fallen world, the path to the restoration of Divine beauty, darkened, humiliated, distorted, begins with a sacrifice to God, that is, with bringing to Him with joy and gratitude that which in this world has become a symbol of beauty - hair.

The meaning of this sacrifice is revealed especially vividly and touchingly at the Baptism of infants. The child cannot offer God anything else, and therefore several hairs are cut off from his head with the words: “The servant of God (servant of God) [name] is cut in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen".

Conclusion

Holy Baptism is the spiritual birth of a person, i.e. the beginning of his spiritual life, and in early years it depends on the parents and godparents what will be the continuation. Try to ensure that your child's communion with God continues, first of all, in the Sacrament of Holy Communion, in which a person is truly united with God.

A child can be given communion at any Orthodox church. An infant (up to 7 years old) does not need confession before Communion, and it is not necessary to be in the church for the entire service. He can be brought / brought after the start of the service, depending on his spiritual age. Very young children can be communed after feeding (but not immediately after; children in the church should not be allowed to gnaw bagels, crackers, etc. before communion). When feeding, meat food should be excluded. As soon as possible, try to start taking communion on an empty stomach, accustoming them to the habits of fasting, i.e. after midnight on the day of the sacrament, the child should not be given food or drink. After 4 years, communion can only be done on an empty stomach.

FROM early age try to instill in children the skills of communion with God, knowledge of faith and the Church through the reading of prayers, Holy Scripture for children (Bible, holy gospel), reading the lives of the saints, the law of God and other spiritual literature. Teach children to see the presence of God in all manifestations of the world around us.