The baptismal rite of Rus' briefly

The baptism rite of Rus'. Most often, this term refers to the baptismal rite of Kiev residents, which official history dates back to 988.

Background

Having left for Chersonesus (Korsun) to marry his sister Byzantine emperors Anna, Vladimir Svyatoslavovich and his squad accepted Christianity right there. According to the chronicle, this happened in the font of one of the city cathedrals, located in the very heart of the city, where merchants gathered.
At baptism, the Kiev prince was named Vasily, and his godfather according to the custom existing in those days, he became one of the emperors of Byzantium.
After returning to Kyiv, as the chronicler Nestor narrates, the prince, first of all, began to destroy pagan idols. So, he ordered the statue of Perun, whom he himself some time ago had proclaimed as the supreme deity of the Slavic pantheon, to be thrown off its pedestal, beaten with sticks, and then tied to a horse’s tail, lowered to the bank of the Dnieper and thrown into the water.
All this was done for a reason. The prince pursued the goal of discrediting the pagan gods (to show that they could not stand up for themselves and take revenge for insult and humiliation) in the eyes of his compatriots and psychologically prepare the people for the transition to another faith.

In the waters of Pochayna

After the massacre of the idols of the pagan gods, Vladimir sent his entourage to convene the entire people of Kiev to perform the baptismal ceremony.
The most significant and widespread ceremony within the framework of the baptism of Rus' took place in the waters at the confluence of the Dnieper and one of its right tributaries - the Pochayna.

On the appointed day, from early morning, almost all the residents of Kyiv, young and old, gathered on the shore. The priests who arrived with Princess Anna from Constantinople and Korsun, as well as Vladimir himself and his warriors and associates who had already converted to Christianity, prepared for this important event in advance.
In the morning they served a solemn liturgy, and then in a religious procession, holding banners and icons in their hands, they went to the meeting place of the Kievites.

The pagans, gathered at the foot of a small mountain, which would later be called Vladimir Hill, entered the water, as the chronicle testifies, up to their chests, others up to their necks. Many were holding children in their arms.
The priests began to read prayers. The smell of incense wafted across the river. Few of those gathered here understood the meaning of the ritual, and practically no one knew how and what to do.
Vladimir himself watched everything that happened from a hill.
Finally, the priests allowed everyone to leave the water - the ceremony was completed. Everyone, wet and still not fully understanding what happened, goes home. Now they are all Christians and they have to learn to live according to new laws and canons, forgetting all their former gods.

On the night of January 18-19, Orthodox Christians celebrate one of the most ancient and revered holidays of the Christian Church - Epiphany, or Holy Epiphany! Epiphany ends the Christmas holidays, and the day before, believers celebrate Vescherie, or Epiphany Christmas Eve. Our country has developed special traditions for celebrating this wonderful holiday, which we will certainly tell you about.

1. Origins of Baptism

The feast of Epiphany is also called Epiphany, since on this day the world first appeared Holy Trinity- God the Father proclaimed the Son from heaven, the Son received Baptism in the waters of the Jordan River, and the Holy Spirit descended on the Son in the form of a dove. This day is also called the Day of Enlightenment and the Feast of Lights - from the ancient custom of performing the baptism of catechumens on the eve of it (on Vespers), which is, in essence, spiritual enlightenment. On this day, Christ gave a person who had fallen in sin the opportunity to receive the grace of the Holy Spirit after the rite of Baptism. Since then, those who are baptized receive forgiveness of sins and are reborn to a new, spiritual life.
Epiphany (Epiphany) is one of the very first Christian holidays (written reports about it go back to the 2nd century). He is older than the Nativity of Christ, which was celebrated with him until the fourth century. In the 4th century, Rome began to celebrate Christmas on the day of the invincible sun, December 25th. But the ancient combination of holidays remained in some eastern churches: Armenian and Christian Indians of Malabar continue to celebrate Christmas on January 6, the day of Epiphany. The tradition of celebrating “old” Christmas on January 6 has also been preserved in the Shetland Islands (where there are white nights in summer and flashes in winter). And as before, both Christmas and Epiphany are preceded by Christmas Eve. The holiday of Epiphany is very important. It is believed that it was baptism that revealed the Savior to the world, who took upon himself all the sins of mankind. John Chrysostom wrote about this. And it was from the moment of baptism that Jesus began to preach the word of God and enlighten people.

2. Celebration traditions

On January 18, the holiday precedes Epiphany Christmas Eve. On this day, the Orthodox, as on the eve of Christmas, keep strict fast until the evening star (or until the blessed water is brought from the temple), and then the family gathers at the Lenten table with the inevitable juice of boiled grain, almond or nut “milk” and honey.
From Sochiv, by the way, the word “Christmas Eve” entered the Russian language. In some places this evening was called “Hungry Kutya”. On the holiday itself, in the morning they went to church for mass and for the great blessing of water, and then for a festive meal, where they served porridge generously flavored with butter, pancakes, rich borscht, jellied meats, sausages and baked pork. In some areas they treated themselves to “square” pancakes - “to bring in money.”
Even in Rus', on the day of the Baptism of the Lord, as soon as the first church bell called for matins, pious believers lit a fire on the shore so that Jesus Christ, who was baptized in the Jordan, could also warm himself by the fire. Epiphany water is believed to have healing properties.
You can drink it when you are sick on an empty stomach and wash your face to stay healthy. You need to drink Epiphany holy water with prayer, asking the Almighty for spiritual and physical health. And it is not at all necessary to take it in canisters in reserve. After all, there should be a lot of faith, not water.

3. Swimming in Jordan

Water is the source of human life, its sanctification means in Orthodoxy the sanctification of life. During Epiphany, all over the world, where there is an opportunity, people go to the river, sea or lake to bless the water, and if it is not possible, the water is blessed in the temple, and so on everywhere. In our latitudes at this time, as a rule, there are severe frosts. So on frozen reservoirs, water is blessed in special ice holes, which are called “Jordan” in memory of the baptism of Christ in the Jordan River. There is a tradition of swimming in these ice holes. Epiphany, or Epiphany, water (Agiasma) has been considered a shrine since ancient times. It was kept and is now kept for a year, they sprinkle it on things, take it when they are sick and give it to drink to those who for some reason cannot take communion.
For believers, bathing at Epiphany means communion with the special grace of the Lord, which he sends to all the water on this day. It is also believed that water at Epiphany brings health, both physical and spiritual. At the same time, the Church warns against attaching any magical meaning to this tradition. The ice holes, or Jordans, in which people bathe at Epiphany are blessed. There are no strict rules for those who want to plunge into them.
But still, it is customary to quickly plunge headlong into the water 3 times, while making the sign of the cross and saying: “In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” Traditionally, it is believed that on Epiphany one should swim in shirts and not in swimsuits, so as not to expose one’s body. And, of course, you shouldn’t make sacrifices if you have any health problems, for example cardiovascular system. After all, these are sudden temperature changes, which can negatively affect the body.

4. Epiphany fortune telling

In the old days, fortune telling at Epiphany was a popular pastime. However, fortune telling is not a religious custom at all. Fortune telling has nothing to do with true Christianity and the feast of Epiphany itself, but goes back to paganism. At Epiphany, girls told fortunes about their betrothed: they put different rings in a bag of grain and, taking them out in turn, determined their fate. A copper ring promised a poor groom, a silver one - from a family with average income, a ring with a gem - a noble groom, and a gold one - from a merchant. Another common fortune telling was to go out of the gate in the evening and call for your betrothed. meet young guy was considered a good omen, and the old man - a bad omen. Dreams on the night of Epiphany were considered prophetic, and girls wished to see their future spouse in their dreams.

“Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you,” says the Lord Jesus Christ to his disciples. Teaching the faith, catechesis or catechism is God's commandment. The need for announcement is confirmed by the 46th canon of the Laodicean and the 78th canon of the Sixth Ecumenical Council.

Who are the catechumens?

The catechumens (or in Greek - “catechumens”) are first and foremost Christians. They had not yet been baptized, but were already considered members of the Church of Christ and were present at part of the services, listening Holy Bible. In the 2nd-3rd centuries, the period of announcement was at least three years. Persecution and heresies, doctrinal disputes demanded from Christians steadfastness and knowledge of their faith. Therefore, the Church took a very responsible approach to accepting new members into its fold and was very reverent about the sacrament of baptism itself. And by the time, in the 6th century, Christianity became state religion In Byzantium, many pagans went to the church, persuaded by Christian relatives or wanting promotion (the status of a Christian contributed to this), the Church met them with the already proven practice of lengthy preparation for baptism. To some extent, the catechumenate was a buffer between the Church and the world: on the one hand, the Church spoke to the world through public conversations; on the other hand, the institution of catechumens protected the Church from the penetration of the spirit of this world into it. But most importantly, this intermediate stage between the consciousness of a pagan and a faithful Christian was needed by the catechumens themselves: to test their fidelity to Christ, repentance, a “change of mind” in the most literal sense - a change in priorities, values, entire worldview and behavior. The main task of catechesis was not so much teaching the fundamentals of the faith as introducing the catechumens into the life and Tradition of the Church.

Entrance exams

In ancient times, the sacrament of baptism was not a private, but a public and solemn event. On the eve of Easter and Pentecost, on Christmas Eve and Epiphany Eve, all those who had passed the catechetical period and an intensive course in studying the fundamentals of faith were baptized. In the 2nd-3rd centuries, the announcement could last from a year to three. Pagans who believed in Christ as the Son of God, when they first came to church, had to undergo an interview with the bishop or another member of the clergy appointed by him: a presbyter or a deacon. The future catechumens talked about themselves and the reasons for their intention to be baptized; the bishop gave them a short sermon about what Christian life is and how Christianity differs from paganism.

After this, initiation into catechumens (catechumens) took place. In the East, the initiation rite consisted of overshadowing with the seal of the cross (overshadowing sign of the cross forehead and chest), exorcist “blow” with recitation of prayer and laying on of hands. In the West, this was supplemented by the future catechumens tasting a pinch of salt as a sign of the salt of the Word of God that he would taste during the catechumen classes. Having gone through the initiation rite, the catechumens began classes where they were told about Christ himself, about the prophets who predicted the coming of the Messiah, about the creation of the world and about God’s plan.

The catechumens tried to combine theory with practice, correcting life in accordance with the Christian spirit. Often classes were held daily, in the morning, to interrupt the pious pagan tradition visit temples before going to work. The catechumens were allowed to attend all services, with the exception of the Liturgy of the Faithful.

Only those who had served in the rank of catechumens for a sufficient number of years, had changed their lives, had the testimony of the faithful about the seriousness of their intentions, could personally profess the faith and were not possessed by demons could begin baptism.

Saint Justin the Philosopher (2nd century), himself a teacher Christian teaching in the school for catechumens he founded, he wrote in his book on catechesis: “Whoever is convinced and believes that this teaching and our words are true, and promises that he can live in accordance with them, are taught to ask God with prayer and fasting remission of past sins, and we pray and fast with them. Then we bring them to where there is water, they are reborn... just as we ourselves were reborn, that is, they are then washed with water in the Name of God the Father and the Lord of all, and our Savior Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.”

Intensive course

Those who passed the catechumen and wanted to be baptized at the coming Easter faced another exam: a second interview with the bishop, where the catechumen had to talk about the changes that had occurred to him over a two-to-three year period. The godparents of the catechumen must be present at the interview, testifying to the truth his words.

After passing the interview, the person wrote down his name on the list for baptism for the coming Easter or another of the days mentioned. From that moment on, he was called “enlightened,” that is, preparing for “enlightenment” (baptism).

Those who were enlightened were obliged to attend catechetical classes, fast (abstain from meat and wine, as well as from food dedicated to pagan idols (“sacrificed to idols”) as a sign of repentance. Although this was not obligatory, the faithful (who had already been baptized) could also fast and attend these activities in order to renew the experience of conversion and purify the soul and adequately prepare for the celebration of Easter.According to some information, from the fast of the enlightened and sympathizing with them the faithful came Lent.

After an interview with the bishop, the enlightened person was transferred to an “intensive” course. The “course” of St. Cyril of Jerusalem began with a “pre-conversation”, where the saint spoke to those who were being enlightened about the change in their status in the Church and exhorted them not to miss classes, to learn what was said, but not to talk about it to the catechumens, and also not to be curious about what they were doing at the liturgy faithful. Further conversations were devoted to the interpretation of the Creed, the Lord's Prayer and some other doctrinal, moral and ascetic aspects of Christianity. Until the Second Ecumenical Council (381), at which the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed (which we read today) was adopted, in each local Church they used their own baptismal symbol, which was a short confession of faith pronounced by the enlightened person during the sacrament of baptism (this is where it came from). The dogmatic content in such confessions remained the same, but the formulations were different.

Mysteries of faith

The study of the Creed was a kind of privilege of the enlightened: the catechumens did not know it, and they were not supposed to know it. Perhaps there were only two things that were not told to outsiders or catechumens: the doctrine of God the Trinity and the Eucharist. As the most complex and paradoxical, they could be misunderstood and would only bring harm, because “even the sick ask for wine; but if it is given untimely, then madness produces, which gives birth to two evils: the patient dies, and the doctor remains in disgrace. So, if the catechumen hears something from the faithful, then the catechumen will fall into madness, because he does not understand what he heard, but it discredits and ridicules what is said, and the faithful is condemned as a traitor to this secret" (St. Cyril of Jerusalem, "Pre-confessional Instruction") .

Those who were enlightened studied Sacred History and were told about the sacrament of baptism. It is known that Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, while not yet a bishop, conducted public conversations several times a week for several hours. At such classes, in addition to the conversations themselves, the enlightened prayed, and spells (exorcisms) were cast over them, which prepared the enlightened for the rite of renunciation of Satan, performed before baptism.

After completing the intensive course, the enlightened students again faced an exam. On the eve of baptism, for example on Good Friday, they recited the Creed and the Lord’s Prayer by heart in the presence of the bishop, and in the Western Church, the faithful.

Baptism was preceded by a rite of renunciation of Satan, which emphasized the break with the pagan past, and a rite of union with Christ. In our age of skepticism, many who receive baptism sometimes find it funny and awkward to spit and blow “on the devil,” but former pagans in the 2nd-4th centuries treated such things with full understanding.

After receiving baptism, the new Christians listened to another series of conversations - now sacramental (introduction to the sacraments of the Church). The meaning of the sacrament of baptism, as well as confirmation and the Eucharist was explained in more depth. The neophytes already knew something about the sacrament of baptism, but they talked about the Eucharist only after baptism.

Who could catechize

The classes were conducted by people specially blessed for this, not necessarily priests. For example, the Christian writer and theologian Origen (first half of the 3rd century) began teaching at the Alexandrian Catechetical School in his early youth, after the martyrdom of his father (not then having a rank), replacing his teacher in this post and also church writer Clement, who was a priest.

Women appointed to serve as deaconesses could also be catechists. They were supposed to teach “simple rural women” at home church rules“how to respond to someone being baptized and how to live after Baptism,” as prescribed by the Fourth Council of Carthage.

The catechetical conversations of Saints John Chrysostom, Cyril of Jerusalem, Gregory of Nyssa, Ambrose of Milan, Theodore of Mopsuestia, and Augustine the Blessed have reached us. All these conversations are a living word addressed to living listeners, so they are more interesting to read than the catechisms that we inherited from the Synodal period. The latter were heavily influenced by Catholic scholasticism, so although they are well structured, they are very boring. The catechetical words of the holy fathers seem to have the only drawback: their translations into Russian were made in the nineteenth century and their language may seem difficult to a modern reader.

At what age do you get baptized?

Historians say that it is impossible to record the moment when the practice of baptizing in infancy no possibility. We do not know for sure whether children were baptized in the apostolic age, but New Testament tells us about the baptism of entire families, in which, of course, there were small children (Cornelia (); Lydia - “she and her household were baptized” (); the prison guard “and all those who were in his house" (); Crispus: “Crispus and the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his household" (); Stephen "I also baptized Stephen's house" (). In the Apostolic Tradition of St. Hippolytus of Rome (about 215) it is said: "Put on clothes and first of all baptize children. All those who can talk about themselves, let them speak. For those who cannot talk about themselves, let their parents or one of their relatives speak." From this it is clear that among the children there were also very small ones who did not were able to speak (but these might not have been newborns). Saints Irenaeus of Lyons and Origen, referring to the apostolic tradition, talk about the practice of baptizing infants. At the Councils of Carthage of the 3rd century, there were disputes about the baptism of infants. A decision was made: “... do not prohibit [Baptism ] to a baby who, having barely been born, has not sinned in anything, except that, having originated from the flesh of Adam, he received the infection of ancient death through birth itself and who is all the more convenient to accept the remission of sins because he is forgiven not his own, but other people’s sins " However, the practice of baptizing adults who could proceed to baptism consciously remained very common for a long time. It is known that John Chrysostom was baptized at the age of 23 (25?), Basil the Great at the age of 26, Gregory the Theologian, who came from an episcopal family, at the age of 28, and Blessed Pavlin of Nolan at the age of about 37. St. Augustine, who was accepted into the catechumens in infancy, was baptized after long spiritual wanderings and struggles at 33 (34?) years old.

In addition to fundamental considerations, there were also outright abuses of the time of announcement, especially when Christianity became the state religion from the 4th century: catechumens were considered Christians, which means they enjoyed all rights before state laws, freed from obligations Christian life. The Church fought this trick, but not very successfully. For example, Saint Gregory the Theologian, objecting to such a selfish approach to the sacrament of baptism, wrote: “Let us be baptized now, let us not alienate the good deed from ourselves... let us not wait until we become worse, so that more may be forgiven us; Let us not be Christ-innkeepers and Christ-merchants. ...Hurry to the gift while you still have control of your mind, while you are not sick in both body and spirit... while your tongue does not falter, has not grown cold and can clearly pronounce (not to mention more) the words of the Mystery, ... while the gift is obvious to you, and not is doubtful, grace touches the depths, and the body is not washed for burial.”

The practice of infant baptism became widespread in the Christian Byzantine Empire, and it was from this time that the practice of catechesis was supplanted.

Magazine "Neskuchny Sad"

Every person should know the origin and history of his people and country. One of the most important events, which influenced the fate and development of Christianity and many traditions and beliefs in Russia - is the Baptism of Rus.

The celebration of the Baptism of Rus' was approved by Dmitry Medvedev on June 1, 2010. The date assigned to the holiday is July 28 - the day of remembrance of Prince Vladimir the Baptist. According to the calendar, the holiday is not an official holiday.

The meaning of the Baptism of Rus'

The baptism of Rus' took place in 988 on the initiative of Prince Equal to the Apostles Vladimir, grandson of Princess Olga, who herself converted to Christianity in Constantinople. For the state acceptance Christian faith was of great importance:

• A single faith required the rejection of numerous gods and united the people according to the principle: “one God, one power and one ruler.” The Christian faith made possible the formation of the Russian Orthodox Church;
• It introduced Rus' to European values, since most peoples had already accepted Christianity by that time;
• A single religion contributed to political and cultural development state, the spread of written literacy, icon painting, and church literature.

The baptism of Rus' began in Kyiv, when the prince first baptized his 12 sons and high-ranking boyars. After this, the main idol was thrown into the Dnieper pagan beliefs- Perun, a forced baptism ceremony was performed on all the Kyiv pagans in the river. Vladimir himself refused polygamy, which was required by Christianity.

Following the capital, the spread of the new religion, accompanied by the construction of churches, began in other cities. The process dragged on for several centuries and after the death of Vladimir it was continued by his son, Yaroslav the Wise.

The further spread of a single Christian faith helped to unite the people and unite the scattered ancient Russian lands. Nowadays, the celebration is accompanied by religious processions, illumination of water, ablutions in rivers and lakes, cultural and educational events.

The influence of the Baptism of Rus' on the development of gardening

The adoption of a single religion contributed to the powerful development of gardening and vegetable gardening. Innovations of Greek and Byzantine scientists began to spread on the territory of Rus', which contributed to a generous harvest of fruit and berry crops.

Gradually, gardening became a prestigious and respected occupation. The first gardens near Mother Moscow appeared thanks to Prince Yuri Dolgoruky. Over time, this activity became so popular among the population that it quickly spread throughout the country. Where Bolotnaya Square is currently located, the Sovereign’s Garden was planted, which delighted the fruits of cherries, apple trees, red currants, gooseberries and even barberries for 200 years.

During the reign of Ivan the Terrible, the Apothecary Garden was located on the site of the current Alexander Garden. Berry bushes were grown here, as well as fruit trees, among which were the varieties of pears known today: Tsarskaya and Voloshskaya; apple trees: Twist and Pouring; cherries: varieties Kuzminsky and Lyubskaya), medicinal herbs and vegetables.

Alexander Garden and Apothecary Garden in Moscow

Often guests of the capital, good knowledgeable about history- get confused, believing that both names belong to the same place. Since in modern Moscow both of these parks exist: the Alexander Garden - in the very center of Moscow, and nearby - the Apothecary Garden, on the territory of the Botanical Garden. The old name of the first one is not used, but was not forgotten, but was assigned to another park.

Traditions and rituals on the day of the Baptism of Rus'

Despite the widespread spread of the Christian faith throughout the state and the active construction of churches, paganism was in no hurry to give up its positions. It was not possible to displace the beliefs established over centuries.

Echoes of ancient beliefs are intertwined with the Christian religion, holidays and traditions, in which we continue to worship the elements and nature. On the day of the Baptism of Rus', summer residents bless water for irrigation, bathe in rivers and organize bathing days.

Religious gardeners who manage to visit churches associated with the Baptism of Rus' collect holy soil for their gardens. Many believe that these rituals promote rich harvests and cleanse the soil of diseases and pests.

Bottom line

The Baptism of Rus' is not just a date on the calendar. This event became a turning point and fundamental in many directions, united disparate tribes, and gave rise to modern traditions, holidays, religion, as well as gardening and horticulture in our country.

The mood now is Lyrical!

Epiphany, or Epiphany, is celebrated by the Orthodox Church January 19, new style. On the eve of the holiday, January 18, a strict fast was established.

Feast of the Epiphany- one of the most ancient holidays Christian Church. Its establishment dates back to the time of the apostles. Ancient name holiday - “Epiphany” - phenomenon, or “Theophany” - Epiphany, it was also called “Feast of Lights”, “Holy Lights” or simply “Lights”. For God comes into the world on this day to show the world the Unapproachable Light.

All four Gospels testify to this.
“And it came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came out of the water, John immediately saw the heavens opening and the Spirit like a dove descending on Him. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Mark 1:9-11).

The word “baptize”, “baptize” translated from Greek means “immerse in water.” It is impossible to understand the meaning and importance of baptism without first understanding the symbolic and real meaning of water in Old Testament. Water is the beginning of life. It is from water fertilized by the life-giving Spirit that all living beings will come into being. Where there is no water, there is a desert. But water can both destroy and destroy - just as God filled sins with the water of the great flood and destroyed human evil.

In memory of the fact that the Savior sanctified water with His Baptism, there is a blessing of water; On the eve of the holiday, water is consecrated in churches, and on the very feast of Epiphany - in rivers or other places where water is taken. Procession of the Cross A procession to the Jordan is called to consecrate natural reservoirs.

John's baptism was symbolic and meant that just as the body is washed and cleansed with water, so the soul of a person who repents and believes in the Savior will be cleansed from all sins by Christ. John himself exclaimed: “He who is mightier than I is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down to untie; I baptized you with water, and He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit” (Mark 1:7-8).

And then Jesus from Nazareth comes to him. John, considering himself unworthy to baptize Jesus, began to restrain Him, saying: “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” But Jesus answered him: “Leave it now; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness” (Matthew 3:14-15).

After the Baptism of Christ, baptism for people is no longer just a symbol of cleansing. Here Jesus revealed Himself to the world as the Christ, the Son of God. “I have seen, I testify: He is God’s Chosen One,” confirms John the Baptist. (“Messiah” in Hebrew is the same as “Christ” in Greek, that is, “God’s Anointed One”). Epiphany revealed to us the great Divine mystery of the Holy Trinity. Now everyone who is baptized joins this mystery, according to Christ’s words to His disciples, “Go and teach all nations, cross them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19).

Baptism in ancient church

Until the 6th century, the preparation of adults for baptism was called the catechumenate - the oral teaching of faith. The catechumens were divided into several categories (up to five), and the catechumen (or catechesis) could last up to three years. In ancient times, the catechumenate, baptism and confirmation were separated in time depending on the spiritual preparedness of the person. Before baptism, a 40-day fast was required, and the entire Christian community fasted along with those preparing for baptism. Echoes of this tradition remain the Great Lent before Easter and the fast before Christmas, which was previously celebrated on the same day as the Epiphany. If a faithful Christian moved to another city, the community gave him a covering letter, according to which he was accepted into Eucharistic communion by the Christian community of another city.

Baptism was often accepted at a late age: Gregory the Theologian, the son of the Bishop of Nazianza, was baptized by his own father at the age of 30, Basil the Great and John Chrysostom were baptized after completing their education. This is explained by the fact that during this period (IV-V centuries) great importance attached to the conscious acceptance of the sacrament of baptism. However, already in the 124th rule of the Council of Carthage (IV century) there is an anathema addressed to those who reject the need for baptism of infants and newborns.

Infant Baptism

In the Orthodox Church, baptism is performed on a person at any age, starting with newborn babies. Over infants baptism in Orthodox Church performed according to the faith of parents and godfathers - godfathers and mothers. They are responsible for the Christian upbringing of children, vouch for the faith of the person being baptized and are obliged to share the work of the parents in raising him. After baptism, a male baby is picked up from the baptismal font by a man, and a female baby is picked up by a woman. Godparents cannot be: monastics, parents in relation to their own children, spouses at the baptism of one baby, but married people are allowed to be the godparents of different children of the same parents, provided that their baptism takes place at different times.

In ancient times, they tried to baptize only those who were baptized consciously, so the baptism of children was rare and caused considerable controversy. Some believed that children were sinless, and in the event of their death, they would go to heaven without baptism, others considered it necessary to baptize children, based on the words of Christ: “Let the children come and do not hinder them from coming to Me, for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven.” (Matthew 19:14). Many, even those who believed, delayed their baptism, almost until their deathbed, hoping to live longer in pleasures and sins, and then be cleansed by baptism from all sins and die almost sinless. Therefore, the Church began to fight this custom, and began to demand the baptism of infants already on the 8th day of birth (as was the case with Old Testament circumcision), and in case of a threat to the health and life of the child, even earlier. In this case, the still unconscious child is baptized according to the faith of his parents (on whom he is still in almost complete spiritual dependence) and recipients, and if the baptized baby was brought to church to receive communion, then he should fast and read prayers for communion (at least partially) for the baby parents (if a weak nursing mother cannot, then at least the father of the infant receiving communion should keep the fast) or godparents, even if they themselves do not receive communion on that day.

Baby baptism ceremony St. Sophia Cathedral(Pushkin) (2005)

Until the 40th day, even an Orthodox mother in labor is not advisable to enter the temple (following the example of the Virgin Mary), therefore, if an 8-day-old is baptized, then his mother usually stands in the vestibule, and the child is in the arms of his godparents (in extreme cases, in the arms of his father). When going to church, boys with the reading of the song of Simeon the God-Receiver are brought into the altar through the southern sexton doors, bow with him to the throne, carried through the high place and taken out through the northern gate, but girls are not brought into the altar (only males can become clergy). Although earlier, both boys and girls were not only brought into the altar, but also placed at the throne (boys - three times, girls - once). Both boys and girls venerate the icons of the Savior and Mother of God on the iconostasis and rest on the pulpit. The father must do 3 in front of the pulpit and the priest prostrations and take your child in your arms.

Until the age of 7, consent to the baptism of an infant is required only from its parents, because only they are responsible for the child before God. Until the age of 14, baptism requires the consent of both the parents and the boy or girl. For those over 14 years of age, parental permission for Baptism is no longer required.

Baptism of teenagers and adults

Currently, a teenager or adult who wishes to be baptized into the Orthodox Church must, at a minimum, read the New Testament, the Orthodox Catechism (a statement of the fundamentals Orthodox faith and the teachings of the Church), sincerely accept the Savior and His teaching, try to think about your previous life, see the evil he has done and repent of it, so that “water does not remain water” and the grace given in the sacrament is not wasted in vain, but multiplied. The godfather and godmother (godparents, or simply godparents) usually take part in the baptism of children. Although a godfather is enough to baptize a boy, and a godmother is enough for a girl. After baptism, godparents between themselves and the child’s parents are called godfathers.

Sacrament of Baptism

Baptism in the Orthodox Church is performed by immersing the head three times in a font of holy water - in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Baptism by pouring is allowed only as a last resort, when it is impossible to postpone it, and conditions do not allow baptism by immersion. Patriarch Alexy II called on the clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church to perform baptism through complete immersion in holy water, and not through pouring or sprinkling. At baptism, the sacramental words must be pronounced: “The servant of God is baptized in the name of the Father, Amen. And the Son, amen. And the Holy Spirit, amen."

Baptism is performed by a bishop or priest; in extreme cases, even a layman can baptize “out of fear for the sake of a mortal,” with the obligatory utterance of the sacramental words. If a person baptized by a layman remains alive, then the priest no longer repeats the baptism over him (if it was performed correctly), but must only perform confirmation on him, after which the person can be admitted to Communion and others church sacraments. If a person baptized by a layman still dies, then you can pray for him in church and even take out particles at the proskomedia.

Before baptism, a catechumen must be performed, that is, a deep and comprehensive explanation of the foundations and meaning of the Orthodox faith.

Mass baptism of adults in the river

At the beginning of baptism, the person himself or his godparent must three times renounce Satan “and all his works, and all his ministry”, three times confess (declare publicly) his desire to “be united with Christ” and consciously read the Creed, which must be well familiar and understandable to the person being baptized or his recipients.

Then the priest pronounces the great litany, sanctifies the water in the font with his hand folded into a naming sign, anoints the water and the person being baptized with oil (see anointing), performs baptism itself (immersion); during the reading of the 31st psalm (Ps. 31), a cross and white clothes are put on the baptized person (in the ancient church, a wreath was also put on the head of the baptized person, as if he was numbered among the martyrs and the “royal priesthood”). The priest performs confirmation and then, together with the baptized person and his recipients, circles the font three times. The Apostle (Rom. 6:3-11) and the Gospel (Matt. 28:16-20) are read, the priest washes and wipes the ointment, tonsures the hair of the baptized person, pronounces a special litany and dismissal.

Thus, when performing the sacrament of baptism, several rituals are used, each of which has a symbolic spiritual meaning:
turning the baptized person to the west (symbol of darkness) to renounce Satan, who is spiritual darkness;
anointing a baby with oil before immersion in water (font) for invincibility in the fight against Satan;
immersion in water, during which the Holy Spirit secretly descends on the baptized person, bestows the seed of Life (parable of the Sower) and cleanses from sins;
laying a cross on the chest means that the baptized person wants to constantly remember the cross - a symbol of salvation, and patiently (and joyfully) carry it throughout his life.
dressing in white clothing indicates that the person being baptized has been cleansed of sins and must lead clean life. Besides, White color- manifestation of joy from betrothal to Christ (the Holy Fathers teach that the soul of every person is called to become the bride of God);
walking around the font is a symbol of eternity;
cutting hair is the surrender of the newly baptized to the will of God.

After baptism are performed
Confirmation,
Churching and
Communion - if on that day in this temple it was celebrated Divine Liturgy and the Holy Gifts have not yet been consumed. If the Holy Gifts have already been consumed, newly baptized adults are allowed to receive communion with spare (dried) Holy Gifts.

Symbolism of the sacrament

Each element of the ritual Orthodox sacrament Baptism expresses a person's dedication to Christ. For example, cutting hair in the Greco-Roman world was a sign of slavery to man, and in the sacrament of baptism, cutting a lock of hair signifies slavery to God. Pectoral cross, which is hung on the neck of the person being baptized, should remind of Christ’s feat on the cross, the duty of a Christian and the commandment of the Savior: If anyone wants to come after Me, deny himself and take up his cross...
(Matthew 16:24)

The meaning of this reminder is to help the baptized person overcome selfishness, pride, lust, laziness, fear and come closer to the love with which Christ loved man and the world. The white shirt in which the baptized person is clothed means the purity of life in Christ, the transformation of man by the Divine Light; a candle in his hand or in the hand of his godfather - spiritual enlightenment, light of joy.

Baptism is a spiritual birth - after baptism (and confirmation), you can begin all the other sacraments of the Church (repentance - in a truncated form - can also be performed on the unbaptized).