Shortly after the baby was born, the issue of baptism in the church is raised in many families. What is this mystery, why is it performed? Who are the spiritual parents - godparents and dad, what are their responsibilities? Is there a difference in the rite of the baptism of a boy and a girl and what they are. Let's talk about the first great celebration in the life of a little man, which is of great importance for him.
What is baptism
Baptism is a church rite, coming from God. It is called to convey the grace of the Holy Spirit to the believer, invisible and not material, but, nevertheless, real. This is a gift of God, given to people not for their qualities, but solely out of the love of the Most High.
Immersion in the water of the baptismal font is a symbol of renunciation of sinful life, denoting its irreversible death. At this moment, they remember the suffering of Christ, his sacrifice, made in the name of our salvation. The exit from the font is the resurrection, the symbol of eternal life, life for the glory of the Lord. A believer washed from original sin has the opportunity to partake of the miraculous salvation perfect by the Savior.
After the rite of baptism, a person is listed as the Church of Christ, having decided to follow the commandments, the gospel. He gains access to other church sacraments, by which the grace of God descends, as an aid on the thorny righteous path.
At what age do children baptize?
In the church rules there is no unequivocal indication of the age of the infant, in which he should be attached to the mystery of God. Orthodox parents have decided to hold the baby's baptism, if he is from eight to forty days from the moment of birth.
What can make a mother and father postpone holding such an important church priesthood? There is an exceptionally lack of proper faith among the parents, who consciously made the decision to deprive the child of the grace of the sacrament.
Many are wondering whether it is not necessary to postpone the baptism of the baby until the moment when he will be able to independently make a choice in favor of faith in God. The danger of hesitating is that until that time the soul of the crumbs will be revealed to the pernicious effects of the surrounding sinful world.
You can not worry only about the body of the child, feeding and nurturing him, while forgetting about the eternal soul. At Baptism, God's grace purifies the very nature of the baby, giving him eternal life. Figuratively speaking, this priesthood means spiritual birth. After this mystery man can be communion.
Naturally, a newborn cannot declare his faith, but this is not a reason to forget about his soul. We do not ask permission from the crumbs when we bring him to the vaccination in the clinic? Being sure that it only benefits him, we make the decision for him.
So here, Baptism is essentially spiritual healing, nourishment for the soul, which the infant so needs, although it cannot realize and express it.
Preparation before the child's baptism
Although there are no restrictions on the time and place of the ordinance of God, in some parishes, however, it is held on a schedule on certain days. Most often this is associated with a large load on the priest, his employment.
Before you set a child's baptism date, you should contact the temple to find out if there is a schedule for the ordinances and to arrange a time for it. If there is a record of those who wish to perform the ceremony, then this should be done.
Then come with the baby on the appointed day by the set time. At the same time, the godparents chosen by their parents should be present and should have:
- pectoral cross for crumbs;
- baptismal shirt;
- a handkerchief or napkin to wipe the face of the toddler;
- the icon of the Holy, depending on the name of the child, which will be for him a kind of protection;
- 2 towels (big for the baby, small - a donation if desired temple).
Parents often ask themselves the question: do you need to have a birth certificate of a baby with you? It turns out that the document for the sacrament of Baptism is not needed.
Considering the age of the infant, the successors must undergo the preparation for the sacrament instead. This condition is valid for children up to 12-14 years.
Receivers should attend a course of public conversation at the temple with a priest. This may be a catechist, if such a post is provided in the temple. The number of such conversations sets the abbot. Also, the recipient should go through confessional conversation with the priest.
In addition to all the conversations, future spiritual parents, a few days before the event, should abandon carnal pleasures, learn the prayer "Symbol of Faith". Plus, it takes several days of strict fasting. In the same temple, where I will baptize the crumbs, you should go through confession and communion.
What to buy for baptism
To carry out the mystery of God, it is necessary to purchase a baptismal set for the crumbs, which includes a shirt and a cross. It should be borne in mind that when it comes to a boy, his godfather should buy him a cross. If about a girl, then the godmother makes the necessary purchases, she also prepares a sheet for the ceremony.
A sheet, or, alternatively, a large towel, is needed to wrap the child after dipping into the font.
A pectoral cross, bought in a regular store, must be consecrated in the church beforehand. It is better if it is immediately on a sturdy ribbon, or, as some parents prefer, on a strong chain so that you can immediately put a crumble on your neck.
Choice of godparents
Godparents for a baby are usually chosen among relatives (grandmother, grandfather, brother, sister, aunt, uncle) or among close friends and acquaintances. The most important condition - each of the elect must be a believer and baptized. If someone expresses a desire to become the receiver of the baby, but the sacrament itself did not pass, then he must first be baptized himself, only then he has the right to assume such important obligations.
In very rare, often exceptional, cases, parents, sister, or brother are invited to be godparents.
The godparents of the father and mother have very important duties in relation to the toddler, so you should not look at them as just a necessary attachment to the ceremony. Moreover, one cannot choose them simply in order to carry out the sacrament and part with them. It is best to discuss candidates with the priest.
The church has established a whole list of people who cannot be invited to be the godfather or mother for the crumbs.
Do not have the right to be the godparents of the child:
1. Nuns and monks.
2. Mentally unhealthy people.
3. Representatives of other currents (Catholics, Lutherans, etc.).
4. Young children (the godfather cannot be younger than 15 years old, and the mother cannot be younger than 13 years old).
5. Unbaptized, unbelieving people.
6. Immoral people.
7. Spouses cannot be a recipient with a recipient at the same time with the same child. In exceptional cases, you should ask for the blessing of the bishop (the ruling).
Responsibilities of godparents
Receivers of a child must be fully aware of their purpose.
After all, they are witnesses of the baptism of the infant, who cannot yet be responsible for what is happening to him. Godmother's mother and father essentially are entrusted for the crumb before God himself, give vows, confessing the symbol of Faith.
In the future, they should become full-fledged mentors of their goddaughter, or their godson, instructing in Orthodoxy and accompanying on the path to the Christian light of life,
Such duties are difficult to fulfill, being indifferent to faith, therefore the godparents must constantly improve, learn the basics of Orthodox culture, understand the essence of Baptism, the meaning of pronounced vows.
It is strongly recommended, before agreeing to an invitation to become godparents, to contact a priest.
A nuance that often misleads parents: is it possible to become a recipient in absentia?
The Church claims that in this case the meaning of the very existence of the concept of godparents is lost.
It is with the joint participation in the sacrament of Baptism that invisible thread of spiritual connection appears, which imposes such important duties on receivers.
With the so-called "correspondence acceptance" there is no connection between the main participants in the sacrament, and in fact the infant is left without the godparents and the mother.
Important: godparents are obliged to carry out Christian education of the godson. Orthodox sincerely believe that the receivers will answer for the quality of performance of these most important duties at the Judgment of God. And for negligence will be punished with all severity.
The rite of the baptism of the child (process)
"Baptism" is "immersion." It is the threefold dipping of the baptized font into the water that is the main act of the whole sacrament. It is a symbol of those three days during which the Son of God was in the tomb, after which the miraculous Resurrection took place.
The sacrament itself consists of important stages, performed in strict sequence.
Order of announcement
Before embarking on Baptism, the priest reads aloud prohibitive prayers against Satan himself. The priest blows a child three times, pronouncing the words of the exile of the evil one, blesses the child three times and, laying his hand on the child’s head, reads a prayer.
Three bans on unclean spirits
At this stage, the priest drives the devil away by a divine name, praying to the Lord that he cast out the evil one and strengthen him in the faith.
Renunciation
The godmother and father renounce sinful habits, unrighteous living and pride. They recognize that the unbaptized person is vulnerable to all kinds of vices and passions.
Confession of allegiance to the Son of God
Considering the small age of the child, one of the followers reads the Creed, for the child essentially merges into the army of Christ.
After this begins directly itself sacrament of baptism.
1. Consecration of water. It begins with censing around the font and reading prayers on the water, followed by a blessing.
2. Sanctification of oil. The priest reads a prayer for the consecration of oil (oil), the water in the font is anointed with it. After this, the baby’s face, chest and limbs are anointed.
3. Immersion in the font. Three dives performed in a certain way.
The priest says: "The servant of God is baptized (the name of the child follows) in the name of the Father, amen. (The first immersion takes place). And the son, amen (the child is dipped in the font a second time). And the Holy Spirit, amen (the child sinks a third time) .
After that, a cross is immediately laid on the newly baptized child.
The vestments of the newly baptized baby. Toddler takes the receiver, clothe in a baptismal shirt.
Sacrament of Confirmation
At this stage, the newly-minded priest anoints various parts of the body of the infant with his holy world — eyes and forehead, lips and nostrils, arms and legs, and chest. Each of these movements has deep meaning.
Reading Scripture - Procession Around the Font
A solemn hymn with a circling around the font suggests that the Church is immeasurably pleased with the birth of another small member. The godparents at this time, standing, holding lit candles.
Rites of completion
After the reading of the Gospel, ceremonies are performed immediately, concluding Baptism.
1. Flushing the World. This external sign is not needed, for the seal of the Holy Spirit (his gift) must be in the heart of the believer.
2. Hair cutting. This kind of sacrifice, because the baby at the moment still has nothing else to give to the Lord with joy.
The sacrament is complete, it remains to raise the child in the proper love of God.
Girl baptism and boy baptism - are there any differences
Some differences in the sacrament of Baptism of a girl and a boy do exist, though not very significant.
1. A girl is not brought into the altar during the sacrament of God.
2. For Baptism it is not necessary to have two godparents at once. It is enough that the boy’s godfather was present at Baptism, and the girl’s godmother was present.
3. The pectoral cross is bought for the boy by the godfather, and for the girl by the godmother.
After the baptism of the child
Baptism is the birth of a baby, as a bright personality, not burdened by all sorts of different sinful qualities. Therefore, naturally, after the entire ceremony, a magnificent (or not so) celebration is held in honor of the newly baptized child.
