Baptism for the Orthodox is the second (but in in a certain sense the main thing) is the 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 they? God-parents?

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 support a good relationship. 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, the boy only needs Godfather, and the girl - only
godmother. But according to the ancient Russian tradition, both are invited. At your request there can be two, four, six...

According to the laws 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 pectoral 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 for 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 critical days godmother. 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 already mentioned, 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 in Lately the church is 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 throughout their lives. Orthodox spirit and be responsible for this upbringing Last Judgment. If they cannot see their godson often, they should at least mention him in their daily prayers.

Prayer Creed

I believe in one God, Father, Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, everything visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only Begotten, begotten of the Father before all ages: Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not created, one being with the Father, by Him all things were created.
For the sake of us people and for the sake of our salvation, He came down from heaven, and took flesh from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became human.
He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered, and was buried. And rose again on the third day, according to the Scriptures. And ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father.
And He will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead; His Kingdom will have no end.
And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father, worshiped with the Father and the Son, and glorified, who spoke through vices.
Into one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
I recognize one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the age to come.
Amen.

Rules for the baptism of children.

Even the Soviet government could not break the tradition of baptizing a child. Everyone baptized the children, even the party leaders. But this was done in secret, so even among older people today it is difficult to find a person who knows all the nuances. Parents of a newborn are faced with questions on the topic “what is the right way and what is needed for this?” In our article we will answer the most important questions.
Choosing the time of baptism.
Church recommendations say that it is better to baptize a child on the eighth day of his life. In most cases, the effect of the baptism ceremony on the baby is very beneficial. Baptism can be performed on any day of the week, holiday or fast.

God-parents.

Baptism is a responsible step for both the child’s parents and godparents. The Church says that from the day of baptism until the day of death, the responsibility for his spiritual development, to a greater extent than on parents. Therefore, the choice of godparents must be responsible and in compliance with simple but mandatory rules. It should be taken into account that you can refuse an offer to become a godfather only if there are very serious reasons, such as illness. If parents have doubts that a person can refuse, then it is better not to even consider these people’s candidacies, otherwise both you and they will find themselves in an awkward position. On the day of baptism, the godmother cannot be pregnant; she should not have her period. If suddenly this happened, then the godmother, in mandatory must notify the priest about this during confession. The Church strongly recommends that future godparents undergo confession before the baby's baptism. Wife and husband, minors, nuns or monks cannot be godparents at the same time. A brother cannot baptize his sister, and a sister cannot baptize her brother. As a rule, twins are not baptized on the same day, but it is acceptable for them to have common godparents.

Responsibilities of a godmother.

The godmother must purchase and give the child a special fabric called “rizki”; the child removed from the font is wrapped in this fabric; the godmother also gives a baptismal set: a baptismal shirt, a cap and a blanket. These things should have a festive and beautiful look. Eat folk sign, that if the shirt in which the older child was baptized is passed on to the younger one, then these children will be strong friends. Also, according to ancient tradition, the godmother gives the priest a silk scarf. And although tradition is very serious, do not forget to observe a sense of tact: if you know that the future godmother has financial limitations, you can take on these expenses yourself.

Responsibilities of a godfather.

The godfather buys a cross for the baby, a gift, and also pays for the costs of the ceremony. Many years ago, the godfather gave gifts to the child's mother and godmother, but nowadays this tradition is rarely observed.

Baby baptism ceremony. Stages:

The baby is turned to the west (place of darkness). Thus relinquishing little man from Satan.
Before immersion in the font, the baby is anointed with oil. This equips him with invincible power to fight Satan.
The child is immersed in the font. At this moment, the holy spirit invisibly descends on the baby.
The child is dressed in white outfits from the baptism set and a cross is placed on his chest. This is a symbol of the purity of the soul and the protection of the soul from sin by the crucifix.
Walking around the font is the personification of the symbol of eternity.
Hair cutting. Symbolizes the giving of a newly baptized person to God's will.
The sacrament of baptism ends with the fact that, just as Saint Simeon held little Christ, the priest takes your baby in his arms.
There is an opinion that the mother of the child should not be present at the ceremony; moreover, this is strictly prohibited. But this is not at all the case, “permission” for the mother’s presence at the ceremony is given by the prayer of the fortieth day (it is also called the “mother’s prayer”), the prayer is read by the priest, before the start of the ceremony or after its end. This is permitted by the church; the time of reading the prayer is determined by the priest’s decision. Therefore, if the baby’s mother wants to be present at the baptismal ceremony, she needs to approach the priest before the ceremony and ask him about it. Please note that the question will definitely be asked: “When was the last time you went to confession?” You can't lie. Therefore, if you are not an actively religious person, then a week before your child’s baptism, still live according to the Orthodox canons: read prayers, fast for three days, attend a service, go to confession.
Do you believe that baptism is necessary for your child? Then do everything possible, think through all the little things so that this holiday takes place and is remembered for a lifetime.

What does baptism give a person? If you answer this question, then everyone will be able to make a completely conscious and reasoned choice - whether he should be baptized or not.

Firstly, In Baptism, a person is cleansed of all sins, including original sin, which we inherit as a genetic disease (the name “original” has nothing to do with childbirth). This is stated in the main Christian prayer, which is called the “Creed”, and which must be read during Baptism: “I confess one baptism for the remission of sins.” When preparing for Baptism, the “Creed” must be read, understood and remembered, and if suddenly you do not agree with any of its points, then it is too early to be baptized.

Secondly, in Baptism a person is born into new life, spiritual life, in which he has completely different, previously unavailable opportunities: union with God, receiving grace, and in the long term - inheriting eternal life.

When is the best time to be baptized?

The question is when better man to be baptized - earlier or later - was decided differently in different periods of history.

A simple logic speaks in favor of later baptisms (in adulthood and even old age): in the baptismal font a person is cleansed of ALL his sins - both inherited original sin and those accumulated independently throughout his life before baptism. This means that the later you are baptized, the fewer mistakes you will have time to make in the remaining period of time, the more righteous you will appear at the final judgment.

However, there are several serious flaws in this logic. Firstly, death does not always come in old age and according to a predetermined schedule, and when prudently postponing baptism “for later”, one must remember that this “later” may not come. Secondly, baptism gives a person the opportunity to unite with God here, in this life, in the Sacrament of Communion, and by postponing baptism, we deprive ourselves of this opportunity.

The fashion for late baptisms arises periodically, and each time it causes a discussion around it. In particular, Saint Gregory of Nyssa, in his work with a telling name“Against Those Postponing Baptism” wrote: “Protect yourself from the impermanence and uncertainty of life. Do not bargain with grace, lest you lose the gift.”

Should infants be baptized?

You can be baptized at any age, starting from the moment of birth. But the question of whether infants should be baptized arises quite regularly. What are the most common arguments against infant baptism?

Argument No. 1: “making a choice in favor of baptism for a child is violence; When he grows up, he’ll figure it out on his own.” Raising children inevitably involves making choices for them. We choose books and toys, clubs and sports clubs, schools and places of residence for our children. We decide whether to get vaccinated and take antibiotics, we instill in the child what is good and what is bad - and exactly in the form in which we ourselves understand it. In any case, parents strive to raise their children in their own value system - this relates to the issue of children's freedom of choice. And baptism is not just a change of status in the heavenly office, it is, first of all, a person’s acquisition of new capabilities. And here I would like to quote a fragment of one of the forum discussions about the appropriateness of infant baptism:

“You see, this dispute is meaningless, because at its root lies the question of how parents perceive God. If for them God is the most valuable thing in life, its meaning, truth and love, then mom and dad cannot even imagine leaving their baby without this Gift. If for parents God is only one of the forms of knowledge and communication with the world, part of culture, etc.... then, of course, they can postpone the Baptism of the baby with the cold formulation: “When he grows up, he will choose.”

There’s probably just nothing to add here.

Argument No. 2: “There is no need to baptize a child, because until the age of seven he is already sinless.” Indeed, children under seven years of age Orthodox tradition are considered infants who are not capable of being fully responsible for their actions, so confession is not obligatory for them. However, they are not free from original sin, as mentioned above. And before baptism they are deprived of many opportunities - they cannot receive communion, celebrate Angel Day (which they simply do not have), they cannot pray for them in Church - only at home.

In any case, the choice in this matter remains with the parents (namely, the parents, and not grandparents and other relatives, friends and sympathizers).

What is needed for this

In addition to the desire to be baptized, you will need to fulfill certain conditions and accompanying accessories. Necessary conditions may be the following: if a child is baptized, then you cannot do without godparents, and also, in some churches you may be required to attend public conversations. We will probably name all the necessary accessories, but their complete package will depend both on your desire and on the temple where the Baptism is performed.

So, you will need: cross with the device on which it will be held on the neck, the chain or thread does not matter. If baptized Small child- it makes sense to take a silk or wide satin ribbon so that they do not cut the delicate skin. There are observations that gold and silver chains also do not cause unpleasant irritation to the baby’s skin.

Christening shirt - It can be purchased at a specialized temple, or, if you like difficulties, you can sew it yourself. The cut is simple, it resembles a nightgown with an embroidered cross on the back. In fact, this is not a mandatory attribute of baptism, but it adds additional sophistication to the event and is consistent with traditional church aesthetics. If you do not purchase a baptismal shirt, you need to stock up on a form of clothing that would not embarrass you and those around you when coming into contact with water. Nowadays, many churches have fonts for complete immersion; accordingly, everything that the person being baptized is wearing will be guaranteed to be wet. But even where baptism is performed by pouring in a small font, you will also be doused with water at least up to your waist.

Candles - they can be purchased directly in the church where the baptism will take place; they are necessary for participation in the religious procession that takes place during this service. It is worth clarifying how many candles are needed in the church in which you are baptized per person being baptized and godparents, because some of them are given to the altar as a donation.

Towel - but here you understand, the more the better, if someone thinks that a small waffle towel is enough, he will be very jealous of people who are not too lazy to take real bath towels, after all, it’s a wet matter.

Change of clothes- if you don’t have it, then not only until the end of baptism, but also much after it, you will have to experience a number of awkwardness and inconveniences regarding your appearance. As a rule, temples provide a place where men and women can change clothes separately, and for those who are especially chaste, an individual place. However, it will be even better if you inquire in advance whether there is such a place in the church, and if suddenly there isn’t one, and you are going to be baptized there, you can foresee everything in advance; by the way, it is usually necessary to take the baptismal form only before the baptism itself, with the exception legs, but more on that below. Until the very moment of baptism and after it, you can wear casual clothes.

Slippers- they will be needed because, because your bare feet will be needed. As a rule, you will be asked to take off your shoes at the beginning of the service, and in order not to be left barefoot, you can take slippers with you. Most perfect option- slates.

Baptismal certificate , some churches may not have it in stock, so check in advance to see if it will be issued. Now they are different types: simpler and more beautiful, you can choose and purchase it yourself, or you can rely on the temple where the baptism will take place. In any case, you need to make sure that it is filled out correctly, the full names of the baptized and godparents, the date of the baptism, the first and last name of the priest, the name of the temple, an indication of the heavenly patron and the day of the angel.

Camera or video camera, Of course, at your discretion, but baptism occurs only once in a lifetime, why not have it sealed. Again, ask in advance if there is this temple restrictions on photo and video shooting.

Godparents

In fact, the institution of godparents has now lost its former meaning. It is very rare to find an example of godparents actually participating in the upbringing of their godchildren. Moreover, godparents very often simply live very far away and are physically unable to fulfill their duties. What's the ideal? And ideally godparents carry full responsibility on an equal basis with parents until the age of their child for his Orthodox upbringing and education. In fact, they are second parents. This concern includes a whole range of activities - from home education, to joint church services and financing of relevant needs - for example, the acquisition of spiritual literature, icons, a baptismal cross, and finally.

During the baptism itself, the godparents renounce Satan for the person being baptized and unite with Christ, confirm this desire out loud and receive their child from the font. In a word, they testify to everyone about their own adequacy in the Christian upbringing of their godson. Naturally, according to church opinion, godparents are responsible before God for the spiritual and moral life of their child.

This is, of course, an ideal, but we must strive for it. Therefore, select godparents accordingly. Church practice, however, leaves the opportunity for the godson to be less upset and reflective about his failure to fulfill his duties if the godson or his parents do not want this. Here, family world cannot be tested by the efforts of the godfather if the family is not ready for this. But you need to be reminded regularly. That is why godparents must be included in the baptismal certificate.

Traditionally, a godfather is selected for a boy, and a godmother for a girl, if it is not possible to have both at once. Godparents cannot be directly related to each other and the person being baptized, for example, a husband and wife cannot be godparents to each other and at the same time to the same child to whom they were invited. Other relatives may well be suitable for this role.

Despite all the frivolity of godparents fulfilling their duties, at least with name days and other personal and church holidays, simply as a human being, godparents should congratulate their godchildren without depriving them of this communication. And finally, if the parents of the person being baptized disappear, the godparents must take care of them as if they were their own children, even to the point of taking them into their home, just like Sirius Black took Harry Potter.

About public conversations, or why are lectures needed before baptism?

Today, in most churches in Yekaterinburg, in preparation for the Sacrament of Baptism, attendance at special classes is offered - catechetical conversations. The quantity and quality of them in each church is different, but the meaning is the same - to explain to those being baptized the foundations of the faith that they are going to accept, to talk about the changes that occur in life after baptism. That is, public conversations should promote a more conscious and more serious approach to Baptism.

The catechumen - that is, oral instruction in faith before receiving baptism - this is exactly the new that is well forgotten old. The tradition of catechetical conversations was formed in the Church already in the second and third centuries after the Nativity of Christ. Then the announcement lasted from forty days to three years. Even special catechetical schools were created, which truly became centers of education. For example, in one of the most famous - the Alexandrian Catechetical School - not only theology and philosophy were taught, but also ethics, dialectics and even physics.

The memory of traditions reaches us ancient Church reached in worship and folklore. Still the main one church service- The Liturgy (the same one that you can attend if you come to church on Sunday morning) is divided into two parts. The first part is called the “liturgy of the catechumens” - it is attended by the unbaptized, but preparing for baptism, that is, the catechumens. They pray with everyone, listen to the reading Holy Scripture and sermon. This part ends with a special prayer - specifically about the catechumens. There are words addressed by the priest to themselves: “Pray, the catechumens, to the Lord,” after which the catechumens themselves must answer, “Lord, have mercy.” And since there were many catechumens in the ancient Church, and they responded with enthusiasm, the saying arose “cry like catechumens.” However, today it is not relevant, since all prayers are sung by the church choir. The second part of the service - the “Liturgy of the Faithful” - begins with the words “Catechumens, come forth.” During the second part of the liturgy, only the baptized remain.

Now in many churches this catechetical conversation is partially restored, although to a very great extent. different forms. Somewhere, godparents or adults being baptized are required to attend only one conversation prior to the performance of the Sacrament. And in some places you need to attend 12 or 16 classes. Public conversations allow you to obtain information, so to speak, first-hand, and in some way are unique opportunity a kind of church educational program.

In any case, you will have to clarify whether the temple you have chosen for baptism has such conditions for its acceptance, and whether you are ready to agree to it. There is always one more proven and traditionally Russian way to solve all problems - to be baptized by acquaintance. Then, as a rule, the familiar priest hopes for your home self-education, and will not torment you with tedious narratives, if this is how you evaluate everything that happened from the creation of the world until the events of at least 33 years from the Nativity of Christ in Palestine.

How does Baptism happen?

Baptism can be performed individually or collectively, depending on your wishes. Again, this issue needs to be resolved the day before. Naturally, individual baptisms will always be preferable, but, unfortunately, not many people know about their right to be baptized in this way, and not wait for one common day. You just need to talk to the priest.

At the beginning of the baptism, the priest will explain where to stand: those being baptized, godparents and sympathizers who came to worry about their loved ones. Also, obviously, explanations will be given for those who take photos and videos. By the way, the best position is in front of the priest and slightly to the side, then you can choose the most successful angle for the main moments.

Baptism begins with prayers of naming, with which those being baptized are assigned their christian names. Also, from this time, a person has his heavenly patron and his Guardian Angel is activated. Sometimes people are renamed if the calendar does not contain the name given to the child by his parents. The priest reads prayers and first makes the sign of the cross to everyone, blessing those who come, and then places his hand on their head, symbolizing church patronage. At the same time, those being baptized will need to loudly tell the priest their names, in the future the priest will slowly remember them.

After this, four rather long prohibitory prayers are read, which prohibit satanic forces and demonic forces from acting on those being baptized. Anyone who has watched Western thrillers and horror films on the topic of exorcism can safely draw analogies, and this is how it is. In the Orthodox process of baptism there is a place for exorcism. As a sign of this, the priest turns to those being baptized and blows three times and a cross in each person’s face, pronouncing the corresponding words of the spell. If worms or cockroaches do not fall out of you, you can consider that you completed the exorcism ritual successfully.

From this moment on, the phase of active participation of the baptized and godparents in the event begins. Everyone turns to face west, as a rule, towards the exit from the temple, and the priest warns that now he will ask questions that should be answered loudly and clearly, preferably in chorus. He himself suggests what to answer along the way, however, if people have attended public conversations, they themselves know. At the same time, as a sign of freedom from the shackles of Satan, everyone raises both hands up, showing that there are no shackles on their wrists. The priest asks twice and three times whether those who have come renounce Satan, to which they answer in the affirmative with the established formulations.

The most active actions in this event are the fulfillment of the priest’s proposal: “And blow and spit on him.” At this moment you need to blow and spit on the floor. The fact is that the life of a Christian begins with an insult, with spitting on the enemy of salvation. Thus, the person says: you and I, Satan, simply have nothing in common, I spit on you - the latter happens literally.

Immediately after renouncing the devil, union with Christ takes place. Everyone turns to face the east, as a rule, to the altar, as they stood, and again answer the priest’s questions, but with their hands down. The priest asks several times about the seriousness of the intentions of those who came, and they also answer in the prescribed form. At this stage, it is good if one of the godparents turns out to be especially prepared and can take upon himself to read the Symbol aloud Orthodox faith. A creed is a set of basic religious truths, or dogmas, that briefly states what we Christians believe. If none of those who come know the Creed by heart, the priest himself can read it, and the rest will try to understand at least something. Ideally, every Christian should not only know it by heart, but also have the opportunity to comment on it, why it is this way and not otherwise. But, usually, this is your first task of self-education. It is easy to find the Creed; it is in any Prayer Book or in a book that is simply necessary for everyone and which is called very familiarly: “The Law of God.”

After reading the Creed at the end of all questions, the priest teaches those who came how to cross themselves and bow correctly, meaning how to make the sign of the cross. In addition to the fact that we fold our fingers in a certain way during baptism - the thumb, index and middle fingers together, symbolizing our faith in the Trinity, and we bend two fingers to the palm - the ring and little fingers, as a sign that Christ was both God and Man, we overshadow them yourself like this: on the forehead, on the stomach, on the right shoulder and on the left, completing the sign of the cross with a slight bow. We thereby invoke God’s sanctification on all our thoughts, feelings and actions. And we cross ourselves from right to left in honor of the prudent thief who was crucified according to right hand from Christ, and did not swear at Him along with everyone else, but simply quietly asked that the Lord would remember him in the Kingdom of Heaven.

It is at this moment that one should change clothes, taking on the actual baptismal appearance. Just before immersion, the priest will anoint you with holy oil - oil that symbolizes the Grace of God. He will anoint the forehead, chest, ears, arms and legs.

Usually, they are baptized according to seniority, starting with the youngest, but this is up to the priest to decide. Needless to say, you should take a good shower the day before.

You will be immersed in water three times, and if this involves diving, calculate in advance how much oxygen you will need. Try to dive, but not swim, because with a large pool it will be difficult to catch you right away. While you are being immersed or doused, the support team prepares a large towel, and photo reporters do not leave their cameras idle. Immediately after baptism, you should change clothes, but your legs should still remain free.

Then it comes to crosses. If you purchased them in a church, they do not have to be consecrated, but if this is an item from a store, you should ask in advance to have the cross consecrated for you; this can be done here, at baptism.

The priest himself puts crosses on everyone, which should be immediately removed behind the collar, since it is not for a shirt or a necklace, but for the body.

Sacrament of Confirmation

After this, the Sacrament of Confirmation is performed. You will be anointed with holy oil again, but this time it is not oil, but holy Chrism. In this Sacrament, a person is given the gracious Gifts of the Holy Spirit for leading a Christian life. And this Sacrament is so important that it, like baptism, is accepted by a person only once (the second time in life they are anointed only upon ordination as a bishop and upon accession to the royal throne, hence the expression “anointed to the kingdom”). The priest will anoint the forehead, chest, lips, eyes, nose, ears, hands and feet.

Holy Chrism (from the Greek μύρον “fragrant oil”) is a specially prepared and blessed fragrant oil. In the Orthodox Church, Miro is prepared on the basis of olive oil with the addition of white wine and many aromatic substances (this includes aloe, incense, rose petals, violet, spicy and galangal roots, nutmeg, rose, lemon and clove oil - about forty ingredients in total). The abundance of components symbolizes the diversity of Christian virtues.

Myrrh is cooked by the Patriarch, on Holy Week in the Small Cathedral of the Donskoy Monastery (in Moscow), where a special oven was built for this purpose. Consecrated in Maundy Thursday(last Thursday before Easter) in the Patriarchal Epiphany Cathedral in Yelokhov, and from there it is taken by bishops to their dioceses. This is where the saying in Russian comes from: “everyone is smeared with the same brush.”

Previously, baptism was performed quite rarely in churches, because they were waiting for the graduation from the catechetical school and a general parish celebration was held. And they celebrated in the following way: they made a small religious procession to some famous place, which was located not far from the temple, or they walked around the temple itself and sang songs of the newly baptized, in which they glorified the event that had taken place. And so, you will also be invited to take part in the procession of the cross, which, as a rule, now takes place around the font where the baptism took place. To do this, you will need candles prepared in advance, one for each person. During the religious procession, you will also be invited to take part in general singing, and this opportunity should not be missed. Especially if everything is recorded on a video camera.

Immediately after Baptism and Confirmation, a person makes the first, at least in his baptized life, grateful sacrifice to God. And such a sacrifice is none other than his own hair, that adornment that crowns the most wonderful part of our body. Your hair will not suffer; the priest will cut your hair three times very modestly and tastefully, in the form of a cross on your head.

Baptism ends with prayers of churching, while the men are led into the altar - the most Holy place Temple, and they are read to women in front of the icon Holy Mother of God.

What's next?

And then you yourself are already the masters of the gift that you just received. Again, ideally, it would be a good idea to take the change seriously and start your own religious life. Find out what prayer is, try to attend Saturday and Sunday services in church, confess and receive communion at least once a month, and so on, but this is worth talking about in more detail and in detail separately. In any case, baptism makes everyone more his own to God than he was before. Baptism is the birth of a new person within oneself. And each of us knows very well that it is not easy to give birth to a person, but it is even more difficult to raise him.

Symbol of faith

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

And in 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, and by Him all things were. For our sake, man and our salvation came down from heaven and became incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became human. She was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried. And he rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures. And ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father. And again the coming one will be judged with glory by the living and the dead, His Kingdom will have no end.

And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Life-Giving One, who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who spoke the prophets.

Into one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.

I confess one baptism for the remission of sins. Tea of ​​the resurrection of the dead. And the life of the next century. Amen.

“...Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God...” (John 3:5).
“...He who has faith and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not have faith will be condemned...” (Mark 16:16)

The Church Sacraments are a Divine institution, and the Lord Himself performs them. A sacrament is a sacred action in which the grace of the Holy Spirit, or the saving power of God, is secretly (incomprehensibly) given to a person through visible signs and symbols.

The very word “sacrament” indicates that it is not subject to investigation by the mind, but is accepted by the believing heart.

The door to the Church of Christ is the Sacrament of Baptism: only a person who has received Baptism can become a member of the Church, and therefore this Sacrament is also called “spiritual birth.” For an unbaptized person, the gates of heaven are closed. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself told His disciples: “Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God. (John 3.5) - And before ascending to heaven he blessed them, - Go therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit...” (Matthew 28:19).

The sacrament of Baptism consists of the consecration of water and oil, anointing with consecrated oil and the subsequent, most important sacred rite, three times immersion of the baptized person in water with the words: “The servant of God (his name) is baptized in the name of the Father. Amen. And the Son. Amen. And the Holy Spirit. Amen". Since ancient times, water has been a symbol of purification, and immersion in it is a symbol of repentance. The consecrated oil, which during the Sacrament is first anointed with water and then with the person being baptized, is a symbol of healing and health, reconciliation and peace. The candles represent the light of the right faith; censer - the fragrance of the Holy Spirit. The white robes of the newly baptized person represent the new life or soul of a Christian freed from the power of sin and Satan, which he must keep unsullied; and finally pectoral cross- following Christ on the cross and a sign of faith in His victory.

Requirements for participants in the Sacrament of Infant Baptism

Infants cannot consciously begin the Sacrament of Baptism, therefore the baptism of children is performed according to the faith of parents and godparents (godparents), who become full participants in this Sacrament along with infants.

Only baptized people of the Orthodox faith who have not fallen away from church communion are allowed to receive the Sacraments of the Church. Falling away from the Church occurs not only as a result of committing grave (mortal) sins, but also in cases where people have not begun the Sacraments of Holy Communion and Repentance for a long time. Didn’t take Communion - in fact, didn’t want to have a part with God. “Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. He who eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:53-54). Therefore, before participating in the Sacrament of Baptism, such people who have fallen away from church communion must be reunited with the Church through repentance. In the Sacrament of Confession, a person receives forgiveness for his sins and is reunited with the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. It should be noted here that Repentance implies not only a listing of the sins committed, but also a firm decision to change one’s life. The Greek word for repentance is “metanoia,” which literally translates as “change of mind.” A change of mind is an awareness of your disgust current state and the desire to be reborn, the desire to change for the better, which excludes a formal attitude towards this Sacrament.

These preparatory requirements apply not only to the child’s natural parents (at least one of them), but also to godparents. In addition, he who approaches the Sacraments of the Church must undoubtedly know the basics of the Orthodox faith: what he believes in and in Whom he trusts. Therefore, at a minimum, it is necessary to have a good understanding of the interpretation of the Creed and read at least one Gospel (for example, according to Mark).

Baptism of infants without parental preparation is permissible only “out of fear of death,” i.e. in case of a threat to the child’s life (serious illness, urgent complex surgery).

If you live a full church life and began the Sacrament of Holy Communion no later than a year ago, then immediately before the baby’s baptism it is not necessary to confess and receive communion.

The ritual preceding baptism is the reading of a cleansing prayer over mothers

During the first forty days after the birth of a child, the mother “according to the ordinary law of natural purification,” which for her is like a seal of the original curse on the woman, is prohibited from entering the temple. On the fortieth day, the mother stands at the entrance to the temple, holding the baby in her arms, ready to offer him and her motherhood to God. In her prayers, the Church unites two motherhoods: human and the motherhood of the Most Pure Virgin, who gave birth to the true Lawgiver. Prayer fills human motherhood with the unique joy and fullness of Mary's Divine Motherhood. The child, whom She carried and with whom, as Mother, she was completely united, filled Her with grace. Now this grace fills the Church, and every mother who brings her child to God receives it.

What happens during baptism?

The word baptism means immersion. The main action of baptism is the three-time immersion of the baptized person in water, which symbolizes the three-day stay of Christ in the tomb, after which the Resurrection took place.

Everyone who is baptized repeats 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 the creation of the will of Satan, in order to then be resurrected to life with God. Our entire nature is renewed to its very foundations. All our sins, for which we sincerely repented, are left to us.

If a baby is baptized, then he must have godparents, whose responsibilities include the Christian education of their godchildren. They will give a strict answer for them at the Judgment of God. Anyone who has agreed to become a godfather must realize that he is taking on enormous responsibility for the child, and if he neglects to fulfill his duties, he will be severely punished.

To give a child a Christian upbringing, the godparents themselves must live a Christian life and pray for their godson.

Godparents - godparents

The custom of having recipients at Baptism dates back to the most ancient Apostolic Tradition. The Greek word anadekhomenos (receiver) also means “guarantor for the debtor.” Saint John Chrysostom, in one of his catechetical conversations, explains the role of recipients as follows: “If you wish, let us turn our word to your recipients, so that they too can see what reward they will receive if they show great zeal for you, and, on the contrary, what condemnation will follow them if they fall into carelessness. Think, beloved, about those who have accepted a guarantee for money, that they are in greater danger than the debtor who took the money. For if the debtor appears prudent, then the guarantor will lighten the burden; if he becomes unreasonable, then great danger will be in store for him. Therefore, a certain sage instructs, saying: “If you guarantee, take care as if you are obliged to pay” (Sir. 8:16). If those who have accepted the guarantee of money consider themselves responsible, then how much more those who are involved in the spiritual, those who have accepted the guarantee of virtue, must show great care, convincing, advising, correcting, showing fatherly love. And let them not think that what is happening does not matter to them, but let them know for sure that they too will become partakers of glory if with their instructions they lead those being taught to the path of virtue; and if they fall into idleness, there will be much condemnation for them. For this is why it is customary to call them spiritual fathers, so that they learn through the actions themselves what kind of love they should show in teaching about spiritual things. And if it is commendable to lead those who are not relatives to zeal for virtue, then how much more should we fulfill what is required in relation to the one whom we accept as a spiritual child. Now you, the recipients, have learned that you are in considerable danger if you fall into carelessness.”

Parents need to remember that to the decision to baptize a child they must attach a conscious promise to God to raise him according to the rules of the Orthodox Church. But, in addition to their commitment, the commitment of the godparents is also required. It is expressed in the baptismal vow of the godparents for the baby before God and the Church: “I renounce Satan, I am united to Christ.” Therefore, at the baptism of an infant Special attention you need to pay attention to your godparents and their faith.

In general, only one recipient is considered necessary: ​​a man for a male person to be baptized or a woman for a female person. But, according to established tradition, there are two recipients: a man and a woman.

During infant baptism, the recipients hold their godchildren in their arms throughout the entire Sacrament. It is preferable that the boy be held by the godfather, and the girl by the godmother, but if this is difficult, then you can hold them in turns. After immersing the baby in the font three times, he is passed into the arms of his godfather or godmother (depending on the gender of the person being baptized). It is precisely because, after immersion in the font, the godfather takes the baby from the hands of the priest, that the Slavic name “receiver” came about. Thus, for the rest of his life, he takes upon himself the responsibility to raise the child in the Orthodox spirit, and he will give an answer for this upbringing at the Last Judgment. Godparents try to teach their godchildren faith and piety, introduce them to the Sacraments of the Orthodox Church and pray for them until the end of their days.

Often people are not serious about choosing godparents for their child. The vast majority of godparents do not meet the minimum requirements of the Church: they do not know a single prayer, have not read the Gospel, do not know how to cross themselves correctly, and do not wear a cross. Such a godfather will become only a formal godfather for the child, although the Church places great responsibility on him for spiritual education newly baptized.

It is completely unacceptable for people who have fallen away from the Church as a result of committing grave (mortal) sins to become godparents. (The most “ordinary” of them are fornication (carnal intimacy between men and women without legal marriage), adultery (cheating on one’s husband or wife), abortion (killing one’s own children), the responsibility for which is shared by the man. Treason against the Lord is also a grave sin God through turning to other religions, sects, spiritual healers, psychics, sorcerers, fortune tellers, astrologers, etc.). Before participating in the Sacraments of the Church, such people must reunite with the Church through repentance in the Sacrament of Confession.

This applies not only to godparents, but also to parents. For those who are not churchgoers, confession is mandatory!

You need to understand that parents should choose their adoptive parents depending on the spiritual qualities that they want to see in their child in the future. Therefore, you need to ask to become godparents exactly those people who meet these qualities. Parents also need to remember that by offering other people to be godparents, they impose on them great responsibility regarding raising a child in the Orthodox faith.

Therefore, before inviting someone to become the godparents of your child, you need to determine for yourself whether he can this person to bear such responsibility, will it not be an unnecessary sin for which one will have to answer at the Last Judgment.

While godparents are responsible before God for the upbringing of their godchildren, parents bear full responsibility for the spiritual, mental and physical development of their children, and godparents are only assistants in this.

Subsequently, when the child reaches conscious age, the recipient must explain to him the basics of the Orthodox faith, take him to Communion and take care of his moral and spiritual state. This once again shows that you need to choose godparents from people who are baptized and Orthodox believers, who are familiar with the content of the Holy Scriptures, who live the church life in its Sacraments.

It is advisable that some time before the child’s baptism, the godparents confess and receive communion.

It is desirable that children be excluded from participating in the Sacrament of Baptism as recipients, since they themselves still know too little and cannot be the true educators of their godson. Monks and nuns are not allowed to be godparents, and parents cannot be godparents of their own children.

In spiritual kinship, marriage is prohibited between recipients and those received in the Sacrament of Baptism, as well as with the parents of those received. That is, the godfather and godmother cannot marry either godsons or goddaughters, or their blood-related fathers and mothers. The recipient and the recipient (godfather and mother of the same baptized person) can be married to each other.

Order of announcement

Baptism is preceded by the rite of announcement, during which the priest reads prohibitory prayers directed against Satan.

The priest blows crosswise on the person being baptized three times, saying the words: “drive 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 created man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul” (Gen. 2.7). Then he blesses three times and, laying his hand on the head of the person being baptized, reads a prayer. 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 against unclean spirits

The Church tells us about the rebellion against God in what He created spiritual world parts of angels overcome by pride. And the source of evil lies not in their ignorance and imperfection, but, on the contrary, in that 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, rebel against Him, desire “freedom” from Him. But since such “freedom” (i.e. arbitrariness) is impossible in the Kingdom of Divine Harmony, which exists only with voluntary agreement with 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 angels” is first performed. St. Cyril of Jerusalem says in a catechetical teaching: “The content of these prohibitions is as follows: first, he casts out and drives away the devil and all his actions with Divine names and sacraments that are terrible for him, casting out the devil, commands his demons to flee from man and not to create misfortunes for him. Similarly, the second prohibition drives out demons by the Divine Name. The third prohibition is also a prayer offered to God, begging to completely expel the evil spirit from God’s creation and establish it in the faith.”

Renunciation of Satan

The baptized person (or godparents, if a baby is baptized) renounces Satan, that is, rejects sinful habits and lifestyle, renounces pride and self-affirmation, realizing that an unbaptized person is always a captive of passions and Satan.

Confession of Fidelity to Christ

However, a person himself will never be able to wage war with the devil without an alliance with Christ. Therefore, after a declaration of war against Satan, the rite of announcement follows a combination with Christ.

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

The person being baptized confesses his faith and reads the Creed. If an infant is baptized, then the Creed must be read by the recipient for him.

SYMBOL OF FAITH

1I believe in one God, the Father, Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, visible to all and invisible.
2And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, begotten of the Father before all ages; Light from Light, true God from true God, born, uncreated, consubstantial with the Father, to Whom all things were.
3 For our sake, man and for our salvation came down from heaven, and became incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became human.
4 She was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried.
5And he rose again on the third day according to the Scripture.
6And ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father.
7And the one who is to come will judge with glory the living and the dead, whose kingdom will have no end.
8And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Life-Giving One, who proceeds from the Father, who is with the Father and the Son, we are worshiped and glorified, who spoke the prophets.
9Into one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.
10I confess one baptism for the remission of sins.
11I look forward to the resurrection of the dead,
12 and the life of the next century. Amen.

The Creed contains all the basic Christian truths. In ancient times, a person had to study them before baptism. And now this necessary condition at baptism. If a person does not agree even slightly with the Creed, i.e. does not have the proper faith, then he cannot proceed to the Sacrament of Baptism in person and even baptize his own children. What will he teach them? The responsibility for teaching the truths of the faith to infants lies with their recipients and parents, and if they forget about this, they commit a grave sin. Detailed interpretation The Creed can be found in any book “The Law of God”.

Since the time of the apostles, Christians have used “articles of faith” to remind themselves of the basic truths of the Christian faith. The ancient Church had several short creeds. In the 4th century, when false teachings about God the Son and the Holy Spirit appeared, the need arose to supplement and clarify the previous symbols. Thus, the Creed now used by the Orthodox Church arose. It was compiled by the Fathers of the First and Second Ecumenical Councils. The First Ecumenical Council adopted seven members of the Creed, the Second - the remaining five. The First Ecumenical Council took place in 325 AD in Nicaea to establish the true teaching about the Son of God against the false teaching of Arius that the Son of God was created by God the Father. Second Ecumenical Council - in Constantinople in 381 to establish the true teaching about the Holy Spirit against the false teaching of Macedonius, who rejected Divine Dignity Holy Spirit. When studying, the Symbol is divided into 12 members. The first talks about God the Father, then through the seventh inclusive - about God the Son, in the eighth - about God the Holy Spirit, in the ninth - about the Church, in the tenth - about baptism, in the eleventh - about the resurrection of the dead, in the twelfth - about eternal life.

Sacrament of Baptism

Blessing of water

At the beginning of the Sacrament of Baptism itself, the priest censes around the font and reads prayers for the consecration of the water, then blesses the water in which the person being baptized will wash his sins. He makes the sign of the cross over her three times, blows on her, saying the prayer: “May 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 rite, 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. Firstly, water is the primary cosmic element. At the beginning of creation, “the Spirit of God hovered over the waters” (Gen. 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 all of scripture and is included in the narrative of creation, fall and salvation. Saint John the Baptist 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.

Blessing of the oil

After the consecration of the water, the priest reads a prayer for the consecration of the oil (oil) and the water is anointed with it. Then the priest anoints the person being baptized with oil: the face, chest, arms and legs. In the ancient world, oil was used primarily as a remedy. Oil, symbolizing healing, light and joy, was a sign of God's reconciliation with man. The dove that Noah released from the ark returned and brought him an olive branch, “and Noah knew that the water had departed from the earth” (Gen. 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 the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it” (John 1:4-5).

Baptism renews and restores the whole person to his original integrity, reconciling soul and body. The oil of gladness is anointed on the water and body of man for reconciliation with God and in God with the world.

Immersion in the font

Immediately after the anointing comes the most main point baptism - immersion in the font.

The priest immerses the person being baptized into water three times with the words: The servant of God (name is called) is baptized in the name of the Father, Amen (first immersion). And the Son, amen (second immersion). And the Holy Spirit, amen (third immersion). Immediately after immersion, a cross is placed on the newly baptized person - a sign of his acceptance of the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross, the faith that Christ truly died and truly rose from the dead, so that in Him we can die to sin in relation to our mortal life and become partakers - here and now - eternal life.

Vestment of the newly baptized

Putting on the “robes of light” after Baptism marks, first of all, a person’s return 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 this clothing with the shining vestments of Christ, transfigured on Mount Tabor. The transfigured Christ revealed Himself to the disciples not in the nude, but in clothing “white as light,” in the uncreated radiance of Divine glory. In the sacrament of Baptism, a person regains his original robe of glory, and the fundamental truth of Christianity is clearly and truly revealed to the believing soul: having received Baptism, “you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, 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 “new 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 gives a person the will to salvation and the strength to go through life, bearing his cross. And therefore Baptism can and should be defined not figuratively, not symbolically, but essentially as death and resurrection.

In the Christian understanding, death is, first of all, a spiritual phenomenon. You can be dead while still living on earth, and not be involved in death while lying in the grave. Death is the distance of a person from life, that is, from God. The Lord is the only Giver of life and Life Itself. Death is not the opposite of immortality, but of true Life, which was “the light of men” (John 1:4).

Life without God is spiritual death, which transforms human life into loneliness and suffering, fills it with fear and self-deception, turns a person into slavery to sin and anger, emptiness.

We are saved not because we believe in the supernatural power and might of the Lord, since this is not the kind of faith He wants from us. Believing in Christ means not only recognizing Him, not only receiving from Him, but, above all, working for His glory. You 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 fulfilling the will of His Father.

Immersion in water means that the baptized person dies to 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 both a grave and a mother for us...” (St. Gregory of Nyssa).

Sacrament of Confirmation

After immersion in the font and donning white clothes, the priest anoints the newly enlightened one with the holy Myrrh: he seals it with the “seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Through confirmation, the Holy Spirit descends on each of us, filling us with the power of God, just as he once descended on the disciples of Christ on the day of Pentecost.

Holy myrrh is oil prepared in a special way, which is consecrated by the patriarch once a year and then sent to all dioceses, where the bishops distribute it to the abbots.

The priest anoints an already baptized person with holy oil. His forehead, eyes, nostrils, lips, ears, chest, arms and legs are anointed.

Different parts of the body are anointed with the 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. Our eyes are anointed so that we do not grope in the dark along the path of vice, but so that we walk along the path of salvation under the guidance of the gracious light; ears - so that our ear becomes sensitive to hearing the word of God; lips - 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 the chest - so that we, clothed with the grace of the Holy Spirit, overcome all enemy power and can do everything in Jesus Christ who strengthens us (Phil. 4:13). In a word, our thoughts, desires, our heart and our whole body are sanctified in order to make them capable of a new Christian life. Anointing with Myrrh is a visible sign, a seal that the newly baptized person is given the Holy Spirit from God. From the moment this sacred seal is placed on us, the Holy Spirit enters into betrothal, into close live connection 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 at the end of the anointing the recipient replies: “Amen,” which means “Truly, truly.”

Confirmation is a new independent sacrament, although it is connected with Baptism and is performed, according to the rules of the Orthodox Church, immediately after immersion in the font three times.

Having acquired 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 air and food are needed to strengthen the strength of a baby, so those born spiritually through Baptism need special, spiritual food. Such food is taught by the Holy Church in the sacrament of Confirmation, through which the Holy Spirit descends on our soul. It is similar to the descent of the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove, which happened at the Baptism of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Reading of the Holy Scriptures 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 joy of the Church about 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 person expresses the desire to serve God forever, to be a lamp that is placed not hidden, but on a candlestick (Luke 8:16), so that it shines on all his people 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 lit candles.

Final rites of Baptism

The final rites of Baptism and Confirmation - washing off the Holy Chrism and cutting hair - are performed immediately after reading the Gospel.

The first rite is washing off the newly baptized holy Myrrh from the body. Now external, visible signs and symbols can be eliminated, because from now on only the internal assimilation by a person of the gift of grace, faith and fidelity will support him and give him strength. A Christian must bear the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit in his heart.

The cutting of hair, which occurs immediately after washing the newly baptized Holy Myrrh from the body, 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 thanksgiving what has become a symbol of beauty in this world - hair. The meaning of this sacrifice is revealed especially vividly and touchingly during Infant Baptism. 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 tonsured 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 What the continuation will be depends on the parents and godparents. Try to ensure that your child’s communication with God continues, first of all, in the Sacrament of Holy Communion, in which a person truly unites with God.

A child can receive communion in any Orthodox church. An infant (up to 7 years old) does not need to confess before Communion, and does not have to be in 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 given communion after feeding (but not immediately after; children in church should not be allowed to chew bagels, crackers, etc. before communion). When feeding, meat foods should be excluded. If possible, try to start giving your children communion on an empty stomach earlier, teaching them the skills of fasting, i.e. After midnight on the day of communion, the child should not be allowed to eat or drink. After 4 years, you can only take communion on an empty stomach.

WITH early age try to instill in your children the skills of communication with God, knowledge about faith and the Church through reading prayers, Holy Scripture for children (Bible, Holy Gospel), reading the lives of 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.

Memo to parents

To baptize a child you must:

1) purchase in the temple:
- a consecrated cross on a ribbon (if the cross was purchased at a jewelry store, then it must be consecrated);
- baptismal shirt;
- baptismal icon(usually bought by godparents): for a boy - the Savior, for a girl - the Most Holy Theotokos (this icon should be beautiful and expensive (to the best of your means), because it will be with the child all his life and it is with this icon that you will then bless him upon marriage) .

2) bring with you:
- diaper and towel for the baby;
- a paper napkin or handkerchief to wipe the child’s face.

During the Baptism of children, a boy needs a godfather, a girl needs a godmother, you can invite both. Godparents must be over 16 years of age.

Women should enter the temple in modest clothing, without lipstick, otherwise, when you kiss the icons and the cross, traces of lipstick will remain on them. If you only have short skirts in your wardrobe, i.e. above the knee, it is better to come in trousers and tie the skirt provided in the temple.

Women (mother and godmother) in monthly impurity cannot participate in the sacraments until the end of these days.

If you would like to take photos or videos during the sacrament of Baptism, you should ask in advance for the blessing of the priest who will perform the sacrament.

Appendix: prayers for children

Daily Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, awaken Your mercy on my children (names), keep them under Your roof, cover them from all evil lust, drive away from them every enemy and adversary, open their ears and the eyes of their hearts, grant tenderness and humility to their hearts. Lord, we are all Your creation, have pity on my children (names) and turn them to repentance. Save, O Lord, and have mercy on my children (names), and enlighten their minds with the light of reason of Your Holy Gospel, and guide them on the path of Your commandments, and teach them, O Savior, to do Your will, for You are our God.

Prayer for children ( St. Ambrose Optinsky)
Lord, You alone weigh everything, you can do everything, and you want everyone to be saved and to come to the mind of Truth. Enlighten my children (names) with the knowledge of Thy truth and Thy Holy will and strengthen them to walk according to Thy commandments and have mercy on me, a sinner.

Prayer to the Lord Jesus Christ for godchildren
Lord Jesus Christ, awaken Thy mercy on my godchildren (names), keep them under Thy roof, cover them from all evil lust, drive away from them every enemy and adversary, open the ears and eyes of their hearts, grant tenderness and humility to their hearts. Lord, we are all Your creation, have pity on my godchildren (names) and turn them to repentance.

Save, O Lord, and have mercy on my godchildren (names), and enlighten their minds with the light of the mind of Your Holy Gospel, and guide them on the path of Your commandments, and teach them, O Savior, to do Your will, for You are our God.

Prayer to Mother of God about the conversion of a lost godson (St. Gabriel of Novgorod)
Oh, All-Merciful Lady, Virgin Lady Theotokos, Queen of Heaven! By Your Nativity You saved the human race from the eternal torment of the devil: for from You Christ was born, our Savior. Look with Your mercy on this (name), deprived of God’s mercy and grace, intercede with Your Mother’s boldness and Your prayers from Your Son, Christ our God, so that He may send down His grace from above on this perishing one. O Most Blessed One! You are the hope of the unreliable, You are the salvation of the desperate, may the enemy not rejoice over his soul!

Immediately before Baptism, it is customary in church practice to perform a catechumen - a deep and comprehensive explanation of the meaning and foundations of the Orthodox faith. In many churches, public conversations with future godparents are held in advance; if possible, they should be attended.

How does a child's baptism work?

Before performing the sacrament, all the candles are lit, the priest walks around the temple or baptismal sanctuary and reads three prayers: a prayer on the baby’s birthday, a naming prayer on the eighth day, and a prayer on the 40th day (the mother’s prayer). To carry out Baptism, the child is completely undressed; while reading prayers, the godparents hold him in their arms, wrapped in swaddling clothes or a blanket. If it’s cold, you can leave the baby in clothes, but slightly expose his chest, arms and legs.

The presence of the child’s mother at the Christening is allowed only after the priest has read the prayer of permission on the fortieth day. But some priests read it at the beginning and, thereby, allow the mother to participate in the Sacrament, while others read it at the end, and then the mother should not even enter the temple (she is allowed to stand in the vestibule). Both are permitted by the Church: when to read the mother’s prayer is the decision of the priest.

After these prayers, the priest asks the godparents and the godson to turn their faces to the west (symbolically this is the abode of Satan). And, turning to his godparents, he asks questions three times, which must also be answered consciously three times. Since the child cannot understand the essence of the issues, his godparents make vows for him.

First the priest asks:
- Do you renounce Satan, and all his works, and all his service, and all his pride?

Godparents should answer: - I deny.

Then the priest says:
- Blow and spit on him (as a sign of extreme contempt).

After this, the priest orders you to turn your face to the east, towards the Lord, and asks:
-Are you compatible with Christ?

Godparents should answer: - I match.
With this answer, the godparents confess their godson’s loyalty to the Lord. Next they read, which should be learned by heart.

Then the priest reads the great litany, during which he blesses the oil and water in the font. For invincibility in the fight against Satan, before immersion in the font, the priest anoints the baby with Holy oil with the words: The servant of God (servant of God) is anointed with the oil of joy in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Anointing the chest, he says: For the healing of soul and body.
Anointing the Ears: Toward the Hearing of Faith.
In your hands: Your hands created me and created me.
On feet: To walk him (her) in Thy steps (Thy commandments).
Then the priest takes it from child's godparents and baptizes, immersing his head three times in the font, holding it facing east, with 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.

Then one of the godparents (for a boy it is the godfather, and for a girl it is the godmother) takes the baby from the hands of the priest into his covered hands. The child is thoroughly dried, dressed in a baptismal shirt and put on a cross. White serves as a sign of the purity of the soul and reminds the baptized person that he must maintain this purity in the future, and the cross serves as a sign of his faith in the Lord. The kryzhma, which has absorbed holy water, like the baptismal shirt, must be preserved.

Immediately after Baptism, the Sacrament of Confirmation is performed in a single rite, which, like Baptism, is no longer repeated. The priest anoints the baptized person with Holy Myrrh, drawing the image of a cross on the forehead, eyes, nostrils, lips, ears, chest, arms and legs of the child, with the words: Seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

After anointing with Myrrh, the priest with the recipients and the baptized person walks around the font with candles three times, then washes and wipes the Myrrh off the child’s body with the words: You were baptized, enlightened, anointed, sanctified, washed, in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Next, the priest reads a prayer for tonsure of hair and performs tonsure in a cross shape with the words: The servant of God (servant of God) (Name) is tonsured in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. The cut hair is rolled into a ball of wax and lowered into the font.

The hair cutting is followed by a prayer for the recipient and the newly baptized. And then there is a release - a blessing for leaving the temple with kissing the cross; the prayer remembers the saint in whose honor the name of the baptized person is given, and with this the Sacrament ends.

If the child is already 40 days old, then immediately after Baptism and Confirmation, Churching takes place. If the prayer of permission for the 40th day was not read over the child’s mother before Baptism, then it must be read before Churching. For male and female infants, the rite of churching is slightly different. The priest takes the child in his arms in the vestibule of the temple and signs a cross for them at the entrance to the temple, in the middle of the church and on the pulpit at the Royal Doors, saying the words: “The servant of God is being churched.” If a male child has been baptized, the priest brings him into the altar, carrying him around the altar through the high place, then places him on the icons on the iconostasis and gives him into the hands of his mother or recipient. Girls are not brought into the altar; their churching ends at the Royal Doors. The priest concludes the churching with prayer and dismissal with the cross.

After the Sacrament of Baptism, the child must be given communion. Sometimes the first Communion takes place on the same day, but more often the priest asks you to come the next day or a week later. Usually Communion is celebrated after the morning liturgy; the days and times of services vary in different churches. It is not necessary to stand at the service with a child; infants receive communion without a queue and only with wine (the Blood of Christ). The child should receive communion regularly, preferably at least once a week.

LET'S CONSIDER in more detail what happens to a person during Baptism and what he commits to after receiving it. To do this, we use the text of the rite of this Sacrament

SEQUENCE OF THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM

Announcement

Before Baptism takes place, the rite of announcement takes place.

Laying his hand on the person who has come to be baptized, the priest says (here I quote this prayer and others translated into Russian):

“In Your Name, Lord God of Truth and Your Only Begotten Son and Your Holy Spirit, I lay my hand on Your servant (Your servant) (name), who has been worthy to turn to Your Holy Name and to find protection under Your protection. Remove his (her) previous delusions, fill him (her) with Your faith, hope and love, let him (she) understand that You and Your Only Begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit: the Only True God.
Give this servant (slave) to follow the paths of Your commandments, may he (she) do good deeds pleasing to You, for if a person fulfills this, he will live. Write the name of Your servant (Your handmaid) in the book of Your life, bring him (her) into Your sheep flock, the flock of Your heirs, that he may be glorified in him (her) Your name The Holy and Name of Your Beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and Your Life-Giving Spirit. Always look at Your servant (Your servant) with mercy, listen to the voice of his (her) prayers. Send him joy in his (her) labors and in his (her) children, so that, while worshiping, he confesses You and glorifies Your great and high Name and I always thanked You, all the days of my life.
Exclamation: For everyone praises You heavenly powers and Thine is the glory of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen".
Next, the priest reads prohibitory prayers directed against Satan. In them, the priest, in the name of God, forbids the devil to dominate the heart of the person being baptized, drives him away from the person. The person is called a “newly chosen soldier of Christ our God.”

Then, everyone should stand facing the altar, and the godmother with the baby and the priest should face away from the altar. Why?
Because now the rite of renunciation of Satan will take place.The altar is oriented to the east, because the east in ancient times was considered the bright side, God's side. The sun rises from the east, according to the biblical story, in the east God planted a beautiful Garden of Eden - Eden... All Christian churches are built with the altar facing east.
The West was considered a party dark forces. That is why, renouncing Satan, the person being baptized, if he is an adult, or a godfather with a baby in his arms, turns to face the west, towards Satan.

After this, the priest blows on the lips of the person being baptized, his forehead and chest, saying the words: “Cast out from him (or from her) every evil and unclean spirit hidden and nesting in his heart...”.

The person being baptized (or godparents, if a baby is being baptized) turns to face west, and the priest asks (the rite of renunciation of Satan is built in the form of a dialogue. The priest asks - the person being baptized answers):

– Do you renounce Satan, all his works and all his angels, all his ministry and all his pride?

The person being baptized answers:

- I renounce.

This is repeated three times. Then the priest asks three times:

– Have you renounced Satan?

And the person being baptized answers:

- I renounced.

The priest says:

“And blow and spit on him.”

The baptized person must blow and spit in front of him as a sign of his contempt for Satan.

Captivated by what's happeningnot just godfather. Everyone present in the temple is focused and serious, because Satan has been challenged.
These are the words with which the priest addresses the devil:

“God is Holy, Marvelous and Glorious in all His deeds and victories, Incomprehensible and Mysterious, Who has predestined languor for you, devil eternal torment, through us, His unworthy servants, commands you and all your servants and angels to depart from this servant (this servant) in the Name of the True God, our Lord Jesus Christ.
I conjure you, a cunning, unclean, nasty, disgusting and alien spirit, by the power of Jesus Christ, the sovereign Lord of earth and heaven, Who commanded the deaf-mute demon: “Come out of man and do not enter again” - retreat, understand your powerlessness, which has no power even over pigs . Remember the One who Himself sent you, at your request, into the swine herd.
Fear God, by whose command the earth was established, the sky arose, the One who raised the mountains like a plumb line; laid out the valleys like a measuring stick, who fenced the boundaries of the oceans with sand and paved the way for sailors in the seas and rivers.
From the touch of God the mountains smoke, His robe is the light of day; He stretches out the dome of heaven like a tent, the whole earth is unshakably established by the Lord on solid foundations and will not shake forever... Come out, Satan, get away from the one preparing (preparing) for the Holy Enlightenment. I conjure you by the saving suffering of our Lord Jesus Christ, by His True Body and Blood, by His wondrous Second Coming, for He will not hesitate to come and judge the whole universe and will cast you, with your evil army, into fiery Gehenna, into utter darkness, where the fire does not go out. and the worm of torment does not sleep.”

As one theologian noted: “The devil will not forget this insult...” All future life a Christian will be confrontation with the evil enemy of the human race.Thus, the baptized person declares war on the devil.

His weapons will be fasting, prayer, participation in churchx sacraments, and above all the Sacrament of the Eucharist. He will have to fight with his passions, the evil hidden in his soul.

The reward for victory will be eternal life. Defeat will also be eternal - it will consist of endless torment in the underworld along with Satan and his angels.

HOWEVER, the man himself never will not be able to wage war with the devil - without alliance with Christ. Therefore, after declaring war on Satan, the rite of announcement is followed by union with Christ. The priest asks:

– Are you united with Christ?

The person being baptized answers:

- I match.

After this the priest asks:

– Have you been united with Christ?

The person being baptized answers:

- It was combined.

The priest asks:

- And do you believe Him?

The person being baptized answers:

“I believe in Him as King and God,” and then reads the Creed.

AFTER THIS the rite of Baptism itself begins.

Baptism

The water is sanctified.

How is water sanctified? Sometimes you hear that “churches bless water with a silver cross.” This probably refers to the practice of immersing the cross in water. However, no action of the priest can impart beneficial properties to the water. Only God can make her holy. And therefore, the most important thing in the rite of blessing water should be the reading special prayers. Moreover, only a legally ordained Orthodox priest has the right to pray with the words of these ancient prayers.

Here is one of the prayers:

“Great are You, O Lord, and Your works are amazing, and words are not enough to adequately sing of Your wonders.
You, Lord, created the entire universe from non-existence into existence and you support and provide for every creation. You combined the whole world from the four elements, You wove the four seasons of the year with a ribbon of circulation. The angelic world trembles from You, the sun sings to You, the moon glorifies You, the stars greet You, the light listens to You, the abysses and rivers bow before You. You spread the heavens like a tent, you set limits to the seas, You filled the celestial sphere with the air needed for our breathing. The armies of angels bow to You, the many-eyed Cherubim and the six-winged Seraphim, standing and flying around Your heavenly throne, trembling with fear in the brilliance of Your unapproachable radiance.
You are God, Limitless, Eternal, Ineffable, Unknowable. You came to earth, taking on the form of a slave, being in everything like a man. You could not look at the torment with which the devil oppressed the human race, and you came down to earth to save us. We proclaim grace, we proclaim mercy, we cannot remain silent about the abyss of Your blessings: You freed weak human nature with Your Birth, sanctified the womb of the Virgin, who became Your Mother. The entire creation sings praises of Your appearance.
You are our God, you came to earth and lived among people, You sanctified the waters of the Jordan, sending Your Holy Spirit from Heaven, You delivered the water from the evil demons that filled it.
O O philanthropic King, come and now, by the Descent of Your Holy Spirit, sanctify this water!
Give her the grace of salvation, a blessing like that given to the waters of the Jordan; Make this water a source of incorruptibility, a gift of sanctification, remission of sins, healing of illnesses, destruction of demons, a stronghold impregnable to hostile forces. Let those who plot deceit against Your creation, this servant, flee from this water, for I have called upon Your Name, O Lord, a wonderful, glorious and terrible Name for enemies.”

The priest blesses the water in which the person being baptized will wash away his sins. He blows crosswise on the water and, plunging his fingers into it, marks the water three times with the sign of the cross.:

“May all opposing forces be crushed under the sign of the image of Your cross! We pray to You, Lord: let all airy and invisible ghosts retreat from us, drive out the lurking dark demon from this water, and deliver the baptized person (being baptized) from the cunning and crafty spirit that brings darkness to his (her) thoughts and feelings...

May this person, having united with You and accepted Your suffering and death, become a participant in Your Resurrection. Help him to preserve the gift of Your Holy Spirit and increase the guarantee of grace and receive the honor of the highest title and be counted among those who have already achieved the heavenly inheritance.”

Then some more prayers andthe priest anoints the person being baptized with oil: the forehead, chest and shoulders.

In the East, oil (Greek - “oil”) had a completely different meaning than it does today. If today oil is just one of the elements of the diet, as well as a cosmetic product, then in ancient times it had a much wider range of uses. Butter contains essential nutrients for human life, so it could literally support life by eating bread cakes and butter.
In ancient times, oil was the only way lighting, the only energy source that could be carried. Always at hand, it seemed like a kind of concentrated light. In the evenings, all dwellings were illuminated only by oil lamps.
In addition, the oil, with or without additives, was used as a refreshing head ointment in the hot Middle Eastern climate.
The oil was also used as medicine.
Another one important feature oils - the ability to penetrate, seep everywhere. The ancients knew this very well and, in order to avoid damage to stone jewelry from the cold, they lubricated them with oil, which, seeping into the stone, prevented the penetration of moisture, which threatened to tear it apart.

All these pragmatic functions of oil were spiritually rethought, and religious significance was acquired.
Anointing with oil before baptism is performed as a sign that a person will be protected by God, that he is spiritually nourished and healed, that he is strengthened to fight demons...

Oil is a symbol of mercy, and in this case, God's mercy towards a repentant sinner. Anointing with oil also refers to the parable of the Good Samaritan told by the Savior. In this parable, the Good Samaritan, who was a type of Christ, anointed a man who had “fallen among the robbers” with oil so that he would be healed.

THEN, finally, comes the most important moment - the Baptism itself.

THE WORD "baptism" (in Greek "vaptisis") means "immersion."

The baptismal font is a coffin. By plunging into the waters of Baptism, we die to our former life. Triple immersion means Christ's three-day stay in the tomb.
But we know what happened next: after three days of Christ’s stay in the womb of death, He was resurrected!
So we rise from the baptismal font reborn to a new life. Truly Baptism is not only, as we called it, a Sacrament spiritual birth, it is also the Sacrament of the resurrection of our soul!

So, the priest immerses the baptized person in water three times with the words:

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

Note that warm water is poured into the font, at the temperature at which a child is usually bathed. If the baby is weak or the room is cold, then he is only sprinkled with water.

The godfather usually receives the baby on a snow-white cloth or towel.The one who has received Baptism puts on new white clothes, signifying the purity of life in Christ, the transformation of man by the Divine Light. They hang it around the neck of the person being baptized pectoral cross, which should remind of Christ’s feat on the cross, the duty of a Christian and the commandments of the Savior. The cross is worn under clothing and protected throughout life, just like a baptismal shirt.

Confirmation

Then the anointing takes place; through him the Holy Spirit descends on each of us, filling us with the Power of God. Holy Myrrh is oil prepared in a special way, which is consecrated by the Patriarch once a year and sent to all dioceses, where bishops distribute it to priests.This is a great shrine. The priest anoints an already baptized person with Holy Myrrh: his forehead, eyes, nostrils, lips, ears, chest, arms and legs. Each time he repeats the words: The seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Through this sacred act, the Holy Spirit descends on a person.

“In the early Church the word sphragis (seal) had many meanings. But its main meaning, revealed in the anointing with holy myrrh, is obvious: this is the imprint on us of the One who owns us; this is a seal that preserves and protects in us, as in a vessel, the valuable contents and its fragrance; this is a sign of our high calling” (Protoprev. A. Schmemann).

Moreover, anointing is performed on a person once in a lifetime, just like baptism. Anointing should not be confused with this sacrament, as well as anointing during unction.

Then follows a small procession around the lectern (table) on which the Gospel lies.Symbolically, this procession means a procession behind Christ Himself. The Gospel lying on the lectern indicates that the Word of God, His commandments will lie at the center of our lives.

Then the Gospel is read.
Here is the text (translated into Russian):

“...The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus commanded them, and when they saw Him, they worshiped Him, but others doubted. And Jesus approached and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.” Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen".

What are these words about, what does the Church address to the newly baptized, and what does this ancient text about the Apostles have to do with us today?
The apostles met the Risen Christ - so the baptized person experienced a meeting with God on the inner level;
Christ testifies that He is God, and we agree with this, we recognize Jesus as God and the Son of God;
The Savior sends disciples to preach - and we will go to testify to the world about God, grace, salvation, and the commandments of God.
Faith without real good deeds is nothing, because “demons also believe” (James 2:19). Genuine faith must manifest itself as a feat of love for one’s neighbor, in deeds of mercy, kindness... That is why Christ says that we ourselves must remember this and teach others that we must “observe everything that [Christ] commanded us.” To observe means to “realize” oneself as a Christian, to live as a Christian, to build a life as a Christian.

After some more rituals, the priest reads a prayer, which says that the newly baptized is now surrendered into the hands of God, and then tonsures the newly baptized.

tonsure

From his head in a cross shape (a little hair on the back of the head, then from the front of the head, then on the right and left sides) they cut off a little hair, put it on a wax cake and lower it into the font. Tonsure symbolizes submission to God and at the same time marks the small sacrifice that the newly baptized person makes to God in gratitude for the beginning of a new spiritual life.

Today, the priest puts the shorn hair into a plate of wax and lowers it into the font. Later they are taken out from there and put in a clean place or buried.

Churching

Baptism ends with prayers and the ritual of churching, which signifies the first bringing into the temple. The baby, taken in the arms of the priest, is carried through the temple, the girls are brought to the iconostasis, the boys are brought to the Royal Doors and carried into the altar, after which they are given to their parents. Churching symbolizes the sanctification of the baby to God according to the Old Testament model. After Baptism, the baby should be given communion.

HOWEVER, a person leaving the temple must remember that his Christian life It is just beginning that he renounced Satan and united with Christ. Now he must begin another life...

BAPTISM is the beginning of a new life. A person must bear the fruits of Baptism, and this requires work.

BAPTISM obliges a person to do many things. First of all, it obliges him to fight with himself: with his passions, bad inclinations, in general, with his “old man” who hates other people, is angry, envies, is proud, despises, deceives, commits fornication, etc.

Baptism also obliges a person to lead a church life, which primarily consists of participating in the Sacrament of the Eucharist - communion of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. This Sacrament is performed in Orthodox churches during Divine Liturgy. After receiving Baptism, a person must come to church for churching, after which he can already participate in the Eucharist.

THE EUCHARIST is the core of church life. Our Lord Jesus Christ during every Orthodox liturgy He gives himself to people for communion. People partake of His Flesh and Blood in order to be in constant unity with Him. Without participation in the Eucharist, a person cannot hope for his salvation.

EVERY true believer in Christ should regularly participate in the Eucharist. First, he must clear his conscience through the Sacrament of Repentance and fast for several days, reinforcing the fast with intense prayer. And then, having asked permission from the priest, to partake of the Most Pure Mysteries of Christ.

Parents or godparents should bring small children to communion as often as possible. They do not require special preparation, since they are clean without it. The only thing that is needed is for the children to receive communion on an empty stomach, without eating anything in the morning.

ANOTHER ONE the most important condition spiritual life is prayer. A person who has received Baptism commits himself to prayer.

PRAYER is a person’s appeal to God. In it, he asks the Lord for mercy, asks for forgiveness of sins, help in difficulties, thanks God for His blessings to himself.

Prayer is food for the soul, without which it dies of spiritual hunger.

You need to pray constantly. Usually, all Orthodox Christians read the so-called “Morning” and “Evening Rule” in the morning and evening, which are contained in the “Prayer Books”. During the day you can pray the “Jesus Prayer”:

Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.

Or, more extensively: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

This prayer is convenient because you can pray it everywhere: on the street, at work, on the road.

In any case, you need to consult a priest about your prayer rule.

A PERSON who has been baptized must always remember that he has renounced Satan and promised not to participate in his affairs. Therefore, he breaks this oath, given to God, the one who, after Baptism, begins to go to all kinds of “psychics,” “spellcasters,” “traditional healers,” etc. Thus, he again enters into an alliance with Satan and refuses his union with Christ, denying his Baptism.

A person must remain faithful to the Orthodox Church and not participate in meetings of Baptists, Jehovah's Witnesses and other sectarians. A mortal sin is committed by those who are re-baptized by Baptists.

A Christian cannot be a follower of the Roerichs, occultism, or various Eastern cults.