The word baptism comes from the Greek word baptisma, which means "immersion in water." This is the first sacrament that must be passed in order to be received into the Christian Church.

It is through baptism that God meets people who come to him. Baptism is accepted for the purpose of living with faith in God in the heart.

The rite of baptism of a child - the moment of acceptance into the Christian faith

Ritual of Baptism in Christianity

This ritual has deep history. For the baptism of a child, the rules for parents evolved over the years and were passed down from generation to generation. Even today, water rituals are quite common in many religions, as water represents the source of life. According to legend, water washes away all sins from a person and returns him to a new and pure life.

The rite of baptism itself has some differences in different churches. Catholic Church conducts the baptism ceremony, pouring water over the child, Orthodox Church he is immersed in water three times, and the Protestants simply sprinkle the baby with water.

Regardless of which church the child is accepted into, the child's baptism involves certain rules for the parents. They need to carefully think through everything and prepare before performing the sacrament of baptism of a child.

What age will be most favorable for performing the sacrament of baptism?

The decision at what age to baptize your baby is made individually by each family. However, you should not delay this ritual. The sooner a child is baptized, the faster God's grace will come to him.

This important sacrament has great significance for the soul of a child. There is a belief that the soul of a child is sinless until he steps foot on the ground. Therefore, parents try to baptize their child before he is one year old. Most often this happens on the fortieth day after birth. This is due to the physiological characteristics of the postpartum period.

A woman is not allowed to take part in the sacraments for forty days after the birth of the baby.

This is quite logical, because in the first weeks the mother of the child should devote all her attention only to the baby. After this period of time, a special prayer is read over the woman. The priest does this either before or after the baptismal ceremony.

If the child is in the hospital, then the baptism ceremony can be performed there. In this case, priests are invited or the mother performs the ceremony herself.

Advice to parents: it is much better to baptize a child at a very young age. Then the child will behave calmly, will not be scared when someone stranger takes him in his arms and will more easily endure head-dipping, since babies have retained intrauterine reflexes that help hold their breath.

How to decide on the choice of godparents?

The next important question that parents should seriously think about is who to take as godmother. It is the godparents who are responsible for instilling in the child the spirituality and moral and ethical qualities of a Christian.

There are some prohibitions regarding who can be godfathers.

According to Church law, there cannot be godparents people Those who do not believe in God are non-believers, unbaptized people, members of sects, fortune-telling women, people with alcohol and drug addiction, the mentally ill, minors, monks, married couples and biological parents of the child.

A pregnant woman can be taken as a godfather. The Church treats expectant mothers with great respect.

Godparents, as spiritual guides, have certain responsibilities.

They have to:

• set a good example for your child;
• regularly go to church and pray for your godson or goddaughter;
• teach to believe in Jesus Christ;
• educate with faith in God in the heart.

At christening, before going to church, the child must be bathed and dressed in clean and smart clothes.

Before the baptism process, Godfather buys pectoral cross, and the godmother acquires a baptismal shirt and a kryzhma, which symbolize that the baby comes out of the font sinless.

It is not necessary that there are two godparents. But it should be taken into account that the girl is held by the godmother, and the boy is held by the godfather. Biological parents are not prohibited from being in the temple during the ceremony, but they do not hold the child at the cross. Godparents do this.

The duties of godparents include Active participation in a child's life. He must feel their care, love, and understand how important these people are to him. Even if godparents live far away, children should talk to their godparents on the phone and write letters as often as possible.

It would be nice to prepare invitations for christenings

It is also desirable for godparents to be present during the first communion.

Features of choosing a baptismal outfit

The baptismal shirt is the most important element in the sacrament of baptism. It must be bought by the child's godmother.

There is now a large selection different options baptismal attire. When purchasing, you should consider some nuances.

Advice for parents: Pay attention to the material of the baptismal robe. The fabric should be natural, delicate, soft and pleasant to the touch.

The most best choice There will be clothes made from natural silk, satin, linen, and cotton. If the baby is comfortable, he will not cry and be capricious in church.

• The baptismal shirt should be spacious.
• Buttons on clothes must be sewn tightly.
• As for the color of clothing, the color most often preferred is white, which symbolizes youth and purity.
• Accessories should be limited to a bib and a headdress. In winter, a lined kryzhma, a warm fur coat and a sweater will come in handy.

What is the role of the kryzhma in the baptismal ritual?

The main attribute of a christening is the kryzhma. The godmother should buy it. During the baptism process, it is in Kryzhma that the baby is received from the font. It can be in the form of a linen, a towel, a new diaper white. She personifies sinlessness and purity. Duty godmother comes in to buy krizhma and bring it to the temple. During the ceremony, the child must constantly be in the kryzhma.

If the child is under three months of age, then optimal sizes 0.75 m by 0.75 m. If the baby who will be baptized older in age, then it is better to purchase a 1m by 1m roof. Hooded caps are comfortable for very tiny babies.

The best kryzhmas are those made from flax, cotton or terry. It should absorb moisture well.

Advice to parents: Remember that kryzhma is a powerful amulet for a child for life. If the child is very sick, he is covered or wrapped in kryzhma. Recovery comes immediately.

What to give for a child's christening?

Before going to a christening and buying a gift, you should consult with the child’s parents. Most often, christening gifts are not practical.

The godmother gives a christening shirt and kryzhma, and the godfather buys a pectoral cross and a silver spoon.

Traditionally, gifts in the form of toys and books are given at a child’s christening.

For girls' clothes, you can buy a dress or sundress, a hat with a scarf. For a boy - a sweater or overalls.

A stroller, crib, changing table, high chair, walker, children's furniture, swing, bicycle, car or doll can also be a good gift. Such gifts will be very useful and will help create comfort for the baby.

A blanket, pillow, and towel would be very useful gifts.

If funds allow, you can buy items made of silver or gold.

A good gift would be a measured icon or a children's Bible.

Also an original gift would be a photo album of the child.

You can simply donate money, having previously placed it in an original envelope with religious motifs.

Video: The Sacrament of Baptism. Rules

Child christening: the most important rules and recommendations for parents and godparents. How to properly prepare for the baptism of a boy or girl? What rules must be followed by godparents and parents of a godson? Read more about everything in this article!

Baptism– the most important event in the life of every believer. Orthodox parents begin to think about this from the first minutes of the baby’s birth. The sacrament is carried out according to certain rules. Parents and godparents are required to properly prepare for the ceremony.

What do you need to know about the sacrament?

During baptism, the child is given the special grace of the Holy Spirit, as a sign of the Lord’s boundless love for all His children. Baptism removes original sin, which all people inherited from Adam and Eve.

Immersion in water means renunciation of sinful life and passions. Time spent underwater symbolizes the transience of life and its inevitable end. Coming out of the font marks the resurrection of the Lord, recalling that after earthly life a person awaits the Kingdom of Heaven and eternal life.

During baptism, a person promises to live righteously, according to the laws of God, keeping all His commandments. After the ceremony, the believer is allowed to take communion, he is allowed to participate in all church sacraments.

At what age is it better to baptize a child?

The first question that parents have is: when to baptize a baby? The Church has no specific restrictions or rules on this matter. A child can be baptized at any age. But most often, Orthodox parents try to perform the ceremony on the fortieth day. This day is especially significant in religion (in the Old Testament church, a child was brought to the temple on the 40th day, on this day prayers are read over a woman who gave birth).

Babies tolerate the sacrament more calmly; they are not yet frightened if they are picked up by strangers. Children under three months have not yet lost their intrauterine reflexes, so they can more easily tolerate dipping.

Thinking for a long time about whether it is worth baptizing a child in infancy indicates that the parents’ faith is not too strong. Newborns are especially susceptible negative influence. In addition, faith and spirituality in a child must be cultivated from early childhood.

IN Lately Unfortunately, many parents are of the opinion that they need to wait until the age when the child can make his own choice. In this case, I would like to draw an analogy with vaccinations that are given to a newborn immediately after birth. We don’t ask the child whether he wants it or not, everyone understands that this will protect him from serious illnesses. So it is with baptism. It will spiritually enrich the baby and allow him to find a guardian angel who will protect him throughout his life.

In any case, the choice remains with the parents. If the child is in intensive care, and there is a possibility that he may not survive until the priest arrives, he is allowed to perform the ceremony on his own. For this, the baby is sprinkled with water with the words: “The servant (s) of God (name) is baptized in the name of the Father. Amen. (cross with sprinkle with water for the first time) And the Son. Amen. (cross yourself a second time) And the Holy Spirit. Amen. (third time)." The child is baptized. After discharge, perform the second part of the ritual in church - Confirmation. The priest needs to be warned that the baby was baptized independently in intensive care.

Baptism rules for parents

There are certain rules that parents and relatives of the baby must follow:

• You can baptize a child at any age, both on the first day of life and after a year. However, priests recommend performing the sacrament on the fortieth day. This is due to the fact that until this time the baby’s mother will not be able to take part in the ceremony.
• The sacrament is performed any day. The Church does not set any restrictions. However, the date of baptism must be agreed upon with the priest in advance.
• Parents must choose godparents for their child. But if both cannot be found, one can be the receiver. At the same time, a godmother is required for a girl, and a godfather for a boy.
• Parents cannot be godparents for their child, but close relatives: brothers, sisters, aunts, nephews may well take responsibility.
• To carry out the ceremony it is necessary buy your child a cross, a towel, a special shirt and a diaper. As a rule, these expenses are borne by the godparents. But if desired, mom can sew or knit it herself christening outfit for your child.
• There is no official fee for baptism. As Christ said: “Freely you have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:8). However, it is worth remembering that the apostles were fed and hosted by believers. IN modern world The requirement is to generate income for the temple. This money pays for current utility bills. Part of these funds goes to the priest, who, as a rule, has many children. If you don’t have money, you MUST baptize for free.
• Parents and relatives must profess the Orthodox faith and wear a pectoral godson.
• The father and mother of the child watch the sacrament without touching the child.
• Things that were used for baptism are subsequently preserved, never washed. They contain particles of the holy world. When a baby is sick, they put a baptismal shirt on him and pray for his health.

Choosing godparents and rules for them

The choice of godparents must be approached very responsibly. As a rule, parents choose their friends more than godparents to the child. You must understand that recipients must spiritually nurture your child and actively participate in his upbringing. If the child remains an orphan, godparents must completely replace his parents and take care of him until he reaches adulthood.

Godparents cannot be:

• people suffering from mental illness;
• monks and nuns;
• spouses cannot be godparents of one child;
• Gentiles and sectarians;
• people leading inappropriate lifestyles;
• minors;
• not baptized. If such a person wishes to become a recipient, he himself must be baptized and receive communion;
• atheists.

Godparents bear great responsibility, since they vouch for the baby before the Lord.

Before baptism, the priest holds a conversation with parents and future godparents. He will answer all your questions and explain what responsibilities the receivers have.

Godparents must raise the child in the Orthodox faith. Take him to communion, teach him the basics of Orthodoxy. Therefore, it is important that the recipients are churchgoers. They should know the prayers: “Our Father” and “Creed.” In addition, godparents must demonstrate virtue by personal example.

Godparents must teach the child to pray, observe fasts, and attend services with them. The godparents pray daily for their godchildren.

When a baby appears in the family, many parents think that it is time to baptize the child. Christening is the second holiday in the life of a family after the birth of a child, and for little man they are of great importance.

The rite of baptism is one of the seven sacraments of the Orthodox Church, which is designed to protect a person from illness and death.

Return a person to spiritual life and help get into the Kingdom of Heaven. And this rite is called a sacrament because during the ceremony, whoever is baptized will receive the grace of God.

In order to avoid unintentionally causing harm during this ritual, you must know some customs and statutes that have been formed over many centuries.

This great action must be approached with all responsibility and a clear understanding of the purposes for which this ritual is being carried out. Remember, it is forbidden to carry out Baptism only because grandparents recommend it or it is fashionable and accepted among friends.

Choosing the time and age for a child's baptism

In the Orthodox canons there is no unambiguous rule about the age of a child for baptism and initiation into God's sacrament. All Orthodox believe that best age when to baptize a child from 8 to 40 days from birth.

The decision to postpone the Sacrament of Baptism or not to perform it at all can only be influenced by the lack of faith of the parents, because they independently make the decision to deprive their child of the grace of God.

Many people hesitate whether this Sacrament should be postponed until the moment when the child himself can consciously make a choice in favor of God. The danger of such delay is that the baby’s soul will be open to any harmful influence of the sinful world.

Many parents only worry about how to feed and raise their child, but forget about the eternal soul; this cannot be done. At baptism, the grace of God will purify the child’s nature and give him eternal life. Simply put, this mysterious action will mean a spiritual birth. And after this, the child can be given communion.

A baby cannot talk about his faith, and this is understandable, so parents should take care of this. We do not ask his permission for vaccinations or for examination by a doctor, and we are sure that this is only for his benefit, making a decision without his consent.

Baptism, in its essence, is also healing, only spiritual, it is food for the soul, the baby himself cannot yet express or realize this.

Preparation for the sacrament

Although there are no restrictions on the place or time for the sacrament of baptism, in some churches it is carried out according to a schedule and on separate days. Most often this may be due to the priest’s busy schedule.

Before setting a date to baptize a child, decide where you will do it, go to the temple, find out the schedule and agree on the time for the Sacrament. If the parish has a registration to perform the ceremony, do so in advance.

There are, of course, exceptions; sometimes the child may be baptized earlier. If there are reasons for this, for example: weakness or illness of the baby, which may pose a threat to life. In this case, the Orthodox Church recommends carrying out the ceremony without delay.

Girl's baptism

To carry out a christening, a girl is usually bought special christening sets, which include a dress in white tones, a cap that can be replaced with a diaper, and a scarf. It is important that all things should be white, because it is this color, inherent in the purity of the soul and sinlessness, that embroidery or ribbons are allowed.

After the sacrament of baptism is performed, neither the dress nor the kryzhma are thrown away or given away. They are listened to without washing, and left with the baptized child until the end of his days.

The sacrament of baptism for a boy

To carry out the Sacrament of baptism for a boy, you will need almost the same list as for a girl:

• a christening shirt that the future godmother will buy;
• a pectoral cross on a thread or chain that the godfather will buy;
• Be sure to have a baptismal diaper or towel with you.

Who should not be chosen as godparents?

There are rules in the church, according to which you cannot choose godparents:

But you should also know that brother and sister cannot become godparents for each other. It is also prohibited to baptize twins or twins at the same time, and they may have the same godparents.

Rules for godmother

At the time of the child's baptism, the future godmother should not be pregnant. If, however, this has already happened, then she definitely needs to confess, although this is mandatory for all godparents. Spiritual parents should have with them:

• pectoral cross for babies;
• christening shirt;
• a napkin to wipe your face;
• an icon of the Saint, named after the child, which will be a kind of protection;
• 2 towels (large for the toddler, small for the father).

According to custom, it is the godmother who buys the baby kryzhma and a baptismal set, and on the day of christening, she should be given a silk scarf to the priest.

It is the godfather who should buy the baby a cross or another gift, for example, a silver spoon. And also the responsibility for the financial conduct of the ceremony falls on his shoulders. During our lifetime, it is permissible, if godparents have financial difficulties, for the parents to bear part of the expenses.

Dress code for godparents

A prerequisite for spiritual parents is the presence of a cross on the body. According to Orthodox traditions A woman who comes to the temple should have her head covered with a headscarf and a dress covering her shoulders, arms and knees. The only exceptions are little girls.. You should know that it is better not to wear high-heeled shoes, because the baptism ceremony can last up to several hours and you will have to stand on your feet during this entire procedure, with the child in your arms.

For men, there are no serious prohibitions, except for the idea of ​​wearing a T-shirt or shorts, because it will look inappropriate in church. It is undesirable to attract attention within the walls of the temple, but it’s better to focus on what you came here for. You can demonstrate a fashionable haircut or stylish boots at home during the holiday.

Sacrament in the church

All Orthodox Christian faith, are required to know the prayers Our Father, Most Holy Theotokos, Hail and the Creed, which the godparents say during the sacrament of baptism.

For baptism, a birth certificate is not needed.

Since the baby is too small, his godparents prepare for the ceremony instead; this condition is met for children under 14 years of age. The future Godfather must attend conversations with the priest in the temple. The number of such conversations will be determined by the rector of the Temple, and spiritual parents must confess to the priest. In addition to conversations, future godparents, a few days before the event, should abstain from carnal pleasures and learn the Creed prayer. It will also require a week of strict fasting.

In the church where they confessed and the godparents took communion and will baptize the baby too. The baby's godparents must be baptized; a person who has not undergone this Sacrament himself cannot take responsibility for spiritual education anyone.

Responsibilities of recipients

Spiritual parents must clearly understand their role in the life of this child. They witnessed the Baptism of a baby, who himself cannot yet understand and be responsible for everything that happens to him. The godmother and godfather, in essence, take the child’s guarantee before God, make vows, and profess the Creed.

Throughout life, they will be full-fledged mentors to their spiritual child, guiding and accompanying them on the path of true, Christian life. These duties are impossible to fulfill if the godfather himself is indifferent to the Faith, so one must constantly study the fundamentals of Orthodoxy, the meaning of the vows, and improve. Before agreeing to become a godfather, talk to the clergyman.

According to the church, it makes no sense to become a spiritual mentor in absentia, because... The concept of godparents is lost. It is with mutual participation at baptism, an invisible thread of spiritual connection is stretched out, which leaves its mark. During absentee baptism, there is no connection between the participants in the Sacrament and, in fact, the baby is left without spiritual mentors. Important: Godparents must participate in the spiritual and Christian education of their godson. Believers sincerely believe that they will answer for the fulfillment of their spiritual duties at the judgment of God.

For Orthodox believers, Baptism is not easy an important event or beautiful church ceremony, but a special Sacrament during which the spiritual birth of a person occurs. Therefore, a woman should not rush to accept the invitation to become a godmother, she should make this choice consciously. After all, being a successor is not only a great honor, but also a huge responsibility.

The rite of baptism of a child does not have a specific set of rules for the godmother, however, every woman preparing to baptize a baby should observe some common truths and unspoken provisions. This will prevent you from unintentionally harming the baby.

General rules for baptizing a child for the godmother

In order for this ceremony to be carried out in compliance with all the rules, the godmother should begin preparing for the Sacrament of baptism in advance. As a believer, it should not be difficult for her to confess and receive communion. It will also not be amiss to fast before performing the ritual. However, these provisions are not mandatory. For godparents, it is of great importance to first attend an interview with the priest of the temple where the ceremony will be performed. This is an excellent opportunity for the godmother to learn more about the rules of the Sacrament of child baptism and familiarize yourself with the list of items that will be needed to perform the ceremony.

According to custom, the godmother must prepare the child for the sacrament of baptism and bring it into the house and But if she this moment is experiencing financial difficulties, her godfather can perform these duties for her. The foster mother must be able to cope with babies, because in many cases she has to dry the baby and dress her after the bath. Today the church is more loyal to many things, however, during the Sacrament of Baptism of the Cross, one should still not ignore the requirements that have been presented to it from time immemorial:

1. Wear a cross on your neck, consecrated by the church.
2. Be sure to cover your head with a scarf.
3. For clothing, wear a dress that is below the knees and also covers your shoulders.
4. Avoid high heels and too flashy makeup, and completely stop using lipstick.

Differences in the rules for baptizing a child for the godmother of a girl and a boy

The role of the godmother is especially important if she baptizes the baby. Usually the godfather does not have much influence on the goddaughter and the baptismal ceremony can be performed even in his absence. According to the rules for baptism of a child, the girl’s godmother is obliged to hold the baby in her arms throughout the entire Sacrament, and also receive it after immersion in the font. The godfather simply stands nearby and takes part only when it is necessary to help dry the baby and put on her christening suit. In addition, the godmother will have to say some prayers out loud, so it would be a good idea to find out their names during preliminary conversations with the priest and memorize them in advance.

The corresponding rules for baptizing a child for a boy's godmother are exactly the opposite. In this case, the recipient simply observes the Sacrament, and all of the above functions are performed by the godfather. Otherwise, the rules for baptizing a child for a boy’s godmother are no different from those for a girl’s godmother.

Godparents must remember that the rules established by the priest for performing the Sacrament of baptism must be observed unquestioningly. Otherwise, this may negatively affect the future fate of the godson or goddaughter.

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

How is the Sacrament of Baptism performed?

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

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

Baptism set your baby should be the one that is recommended to you in the church where you will baptize him. They can easily tell you what you need. Mainly this baptismal cross and baptismal shirt. One baby's baptism lasts about forty minutes.

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

Immediately after the end of the Announcement, the follow-up begins Baptism. The most noticeable and important point– immersion of the baby in the font three times while pronouncing the words:

“The servant of God (servant of God) (name) is baptized in the name of the Father, amen. And the Son, amen. And the Holy Spirit, amen."

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

The one who has received Baptism then dresses in new white clothes and puts a cross on him.

Immediately after this another thing happens Sacrament – ​​Confirmation, in which the person being baptized, when the parts of the body are anointed with the consecrated Myrrh, in the name of the Holy Spirit, is given the gifts of the Holy Spirit, strengthening him in spiritual life.

After this, the priest and godparents with the newly baptized person walk around the font three times as a sign of the spiritual joy of union with Christ for eternal life in the Heavenly Kingdom.

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

Afterwards, the priest washes the myrrh from the body of the baptized person with a special sponge dipped in holy water, saying the words:

“You have been justified. You have become enlightened. You are sanctified. You have washed yourself in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. You were baptized. You have become enlightened. You have been anointed with chrism. You have been sanctified in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, amen.”

Next, the priest cuts the hair of the newly baptized in a cross shape (on four sides) with the words: “The servant of God (name) is tonsured in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen,” puts the hair on a wax cake and lowers it into the font. Tonsure symbolizes submission to God and at the same time marks the small sacrifice that the newly baptized person brings to God in gratitude for the beginning of a new, spiritual life. After making petitions for godparents and the newly baptized, the Sacrament of Baptism ends.

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

– Why are only boys brought into the altar?

– Girls are not carried through the Royal Doors for the reason that, in the modern practice of the Orthodox Church, women in general are not allowed into the altar, because they cannot be church and clergymen. And every boy, at least potentially, can become one, which is why he rushes through the Royal Doors.

– They say that before baptizing your child, you should confess and receive communion.

– Of course, even without regard to the Baptism of a child, Orthodox Christians are called by the Church to begin the sacraments of confession and holy communion with a certain regularity. If you have not done this before, then it will be good to take the first step towards a full-fledged church life to do in anticipation of the Baptism of your own baby.

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

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.

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

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).

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 an infant is baptized) renounces Satan, that is, rejects sinful habits and lifestyle, renounces pride and self-affirmation, realizing that unbaptized person is always a prisoner of passions, of 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

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

2 And 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.

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

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

7 And the one who is to come will judge with glory the living and the dead, whose kingdom will have no end.

8 And 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.

9 Into one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.

10 I confess one baptism for the remission of sins.

11 I hope for 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.

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 overshadows her three times sign of the cross, blows on it, saying a 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 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 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 superiors. 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 a 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 gratitude that which in this world has become a symbol of beauty - 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 at any time 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 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.