The sacrament of baptism: everything parents need to know. Following the order of announcement. Features of Baptism during the Great and Dormition Lents

SEQUENCE OF HOLY BAPTISM

Blessing of water

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, she is a symbol of destruction and death. The basis of life, the life-giving force - and basis of death, destructive force: this 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 Holy Scripture, entering the narrative of creation, the 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 sanctified the water element by receiving Baptism from John.

Man became a slave to demonic forces due to his submission to sinful matter. The liberation of man begins with the purification of matter - the consecration of water. This water returns to its original purpose: to be the medium of God’s presence, “the all-destruction of demons.”

Blessing of the oil

After the water is blessed, it is anointed with oil. IN ancient world oil was primarily used as remedy. Oil, symbolizing healing, light and joy, was a sign of God's reconciliation with man. The dove released by Noah 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, for “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. By the One Spirit, the false dichotomy of the carnal and the spiritual is abolished, and we return to the eternal mystery of creation and rejoice with the Lord: “And God saw everything that He had created, and it was very good” (Gen. 1:31).

Baptism

In the sacrament of Baptism, 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). This baptismal death heralds the destruction of death by Christ, and our baptismal resurrection once again reveals the image of the Resurrection of Christ. The deepest mystery is being accomplished: the unity of the human and the Divine in “renewed life.” The grace given to a person in Baptism, as in the other sacraments, is the fruit of the sacrificial death of Christ and His Resurrection. She 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 in essence - as death and resurrection.

In the Christian understanding, death is primarily 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).

From this one true life man is free to refuse and thus die in such a way that his very “immortality” becomes eternal death. Man rejected this life, falling away from God. This is original sin, a universal catastrophe.

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

Believing in Christ has always meant and means not only to recognize Him, not only to receive from Him, but, above all, to surrender to Him. It is impossible to believe in Him and not accept His faith, not love His love and desire the same thing that He desired. For there is no Christ outside of this faith, love and desire. You cannot expect help from Him without fulfilling His commandments of love; one cannot call Him Lord and bow before Him without fulfilling the will of His Father. We are saved not because we believe in His supernatural power and power - this is not the kind of faith He wants from us - but because we accept with our whole being and make our own that desire, which is His life, which makes Him accept the crucifixion and martyrdom in order to destroy its root - sin. To desire such a fulfillment and realization of our faith means to desire the death of our “lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (1 John 2:16), which reign in this world; it means wanting to be resurrected with Him and in Him for His Kingdom. And, finally, it is impossible to know Christ and not want to drink the cup that He drank, and not want to be baptized with the Baptism with which He was baptized. It is our faith that knows that Baptism is true death and the true resurrection with Christ Jesus.

Only God can respond to this desire and fulfill it. Only He can grant the desire of our hearts and nourish our minds. Where there is no faith and desire, there can be no fulfillment. 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).

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-II. Col. 2, 12-13). This is the most important thing in the sacrament of Baptism.

Vestment of the newly baptized

Immediately after being immersed in water three times, the newly baptized person puts on white clothes. Currently this is a new white shirt for infants and a white shirt for the newly baptized adult.

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. It is not in sin, but in paradise that the true nature of man is revealed; and in the sacrament of Baptism he regains his original robe of glory.

Along with white clothes, a cross is placed on the newly baptized person - as a sign that he must now fulfill the will of our Lord Jesus Christ crucified for us on the cross, even if the believer had to endure and endure many troubles and unexpected misfortunes.

ABOUT THE ESSENCE OF THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM

A CONVERSATION ABOUT why a person comes to Baptism must begin with a story about the time when God created the whole world and people, placing them to dominate the new world.

He endowed people with consciousness and freedom so that they would have the happiness of loving, for love is impossible neither without consciousness nor without freedom. Love is the highest good, and the Lord God endowed people with this highest good, because He Himself loved them immeasurably. From that time on, the life of Adam and Eve acquired its Meaning: to love all of God’s creation, to love each other and most of all to love God as the Source of this love.

Love brings those who love together. And therefore the meaning human life it has also become about being close to God.

THE FALL was a betrayal of love. which was accomplished by the first people. They exchanged love for God for the desire to be independent, autonomous. Having lost love, they moved away from God. A certain wall was erected between them and God, which prevented them from communicating with Him and being in unity with Him.

Having moved away from the Source of life - God - people received death. The death was twofold. Firstly, spiritual, from which the heart hardens, the ability to love, compassion, and have sincere and pure relationships with other people is lost. A person in his spiritual death decomposes into pride, hatred, envy, wickedness, etc., which are a small hell for him.

Secondly, this is physical death, that is, the death of the body. It is preceded by its predecessors: bodily infirmities, illnesses, old age.

The distance of people from God affected everything human society, introducing decomposition to its very foundations. This was expressed in the emergence of social injustice, hostility, wars, genocides, fascism, etc.

HOWEVER, although people lost and betrayed their love for God, God continued to love people immeasurably. From the very moment of the Fall, He began to prepare the salvation of people from sin and from lack of love. This preparation is most evident in the history of the Old Testament people of Israel, as described in the books of the Old Testament, which form the first part of the Holy Scriptures or Bible.

THE CENTER of the history of the salvation of mankind was the event of the Incarnation, when God Himself took on human nature and was born from the Virgin Mary as a man.

It was the God-man (that is, God and man) Jesus Christ.

He took upon Himself fallen human nature, torn to shreds by sin, in order to heal Him with Himself, heal its wounds and unite it with the Holy Trinity.

Through the Incarnation, the great Sacrament of the Reunion of man with God, the Sacrament of Salvation, was accomplished.

Our Lord and God Jesus Christ preached His teaching, which was later recorded by His disciples in the Gospels, was captured by the envy of the Jews, suffered the most humiliating and cruel torments: ridicule, slaps, scourging, was condemned to death and crucified on the cross. He painfully gave himself up to this suffering. In him, in this surrender of Himself to death, His great love to the fallen human race.

Being Life and the Source of Life, He could not be embraced by death and hell, but destroyed them. He conquered death: spiritual and physical, by resurrecting on the third day after His crucifixion.

Since then, the dominion of death over the world and man has been destroyed, hell has been defeated. The Church especially celebrates this celebration of Life and Love on Easter Day.

Forty days after His Resurrection, our Lord Jesus Christ ascended into Heaven, and ten days later - on the Feast of Pentecost - He sent down the Holy Spirit to His disciples. Since then, all those who believed in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior formed the Church of Christ.

The CHURCH of Christ is a theanthropic organism in which people are united with God and are sanctified by the grace of God. Here they are delivered from death by the power of Christ and receive Eternal Life. In the Church they escape from the hands of hell and enter the Kingdom of God, becoming children of God. The Church itself is the Kingdom of God on earth. It unites everyone who has the same – Orthodox – faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives the same church life, participating in the Sacraments of the Church, and who has received Baptism in the name of the Holy Trinity.

Thus, joining the Church and sharing all its benefits, which are Life Eternal, reunion with God, resurrection of the ability to love, rejoice in pure joy, have spiritual health, etc., is carried out through Baptism.

They do not accept baptism in order not to get sick, in order to have success in life, to get rid of troubles, but in order to have Eternal Life and live in unity with God.

WHAT HAPPENS DURING BAPTISM?

THE WORD "baptism" (in Greek "vaptisis") 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: he dies and then is resurrected. Dies to the sinful life and Satan and is resurrected to start a new life, life with God. At the same time, his entire nature is renewed to its very foundations. He is forgiven all his sins that he committed before Baptism.

A person renounces Satan and unites with Christ, becoming a member of the Church.

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

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

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

The performance of Baptism is preceded by the rite of announcement, during which the priest reads prohibitory prayers directed against Satan. In them, the priest, in the name of God, forbids the devil to dominate the heart of the person being baptized, drives him away from the person. The person is called a “newly chosen soldier of Christ our God.”

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

The person being baptized (or godparents, if an infant is being baptized) turns to face west, and the priest asks:

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

The person being baptized answers:

- I renounce.

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

– Have you renounced Satan?

And the person being baptized answers:

- I renounced.

The priest says:

“And blow and spit on him.”

The baptized person must blow and spit in front of him as a sign of his contempt for Satan. Thus, the baptized person declares war on the devil. His weapons will be fasting, prayer, participation in church sacraments, and above all the Sacrament of the Eucharist. He will have to fight with his passions, the evil hidden in his soul.

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

HOWEVER, man himself will never be able to wage war with the devil - without alliance with Christ. Therefore, after declaring war on Satan, the rite of announcement is followed by union with Christ. The priest asks:

– Are you united with Christ?

The person being baptized answers:

- I match.

After this the priest asks:

– Have you been united with Christ?

The person being baptized answers:

- It was combined.

The priest asks:

- And do you believe Him?

The person being baptized answers:

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

AFTER THIS the rite of Baptism itself begins. The priest blesses the water in which the person being baptized will wash away his sins. He makes the sign of the cross over her three times, blows on her, saying the prayer:

“May all opposing forces be crushed under the sign of the image of Your cross.”

Then, after some more prayers and sacred rites, the priest anoints the person being baptized with oil: the forehead, chest and shoulders. Oil is a symbol of mercy, and in this case, God's mercy towards a repentant sinner. Anointing with oil also refers to the parable of the Good Samaritan told by the Savior. In this parable, the Good Samaritan, who was a type of Christ, anointed a man who had “fallen among the robbers” with oil so that he would be healed.

THEN finally comes the most main point- Baptism itself.

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).

AFTER Baptism, Confirmation is performed, which has the following meaning.

On the day of Pentecost, as mentioned above, the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples of Christ. Through Confirmation, the Holy Spirit descends on each of us, filling us with the power of God.

Holy Myrrh is oil prepared in a special way, which is blessed by the Patriarch once a year and then sent to all dioceses, where the bishops distribute it to the priests. This is a great shrine.

The priest anoints an already baptized person with the Holy Myrrh, namely: his forehead, eyes, nostrils, lips, ears, chest, arms and legs. Each time he repeats the words:

Seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Through this sacred act, the Holy Spirit descends on a person.

Then the Holy Scripture is read, a few more prayers, and the rite of Baptism can be considered completed.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.

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

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

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

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

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

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

See also: REMINDER FOR THOSE COMING TO BAPTISM

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

SEQUENCE OF THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM

Announcement

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The person being baptized answers:

- I renounce.

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

– Have you renounced Satan?

And the person being baptized answers:

- I renounced.

The priest says:

“And blow and spit on him.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

– Are you united with Christ?

The person being baptized answers:

- I match.

After this the priest asks:

– Have you been united with Christ?

The person being baptized answers:

- It was combined.

The priest asks:

- And do you believe Him?

The person being baptized answers:

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

AFTER THIS the rite of Baptism itself begins.

Baptism

The water is sanctified.

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

Here is one of the prayers:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Confirmation

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

tonsure

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

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

Churching

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

When is the best time to be baptized?

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

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

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

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

Should infants be baptized?

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

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

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

There’s probably just nothing to add here.

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

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

What is needed for this

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Godparents

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How does Baptism happen?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sacrament of Confirmation

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

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

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

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

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

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

What's next?

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

Symbol of faith

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

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

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

Into one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.

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

Baptism of a baby is a special sacrament that requires careful preparation. Some rules should be followed when planning a date and determining godparents for a newborn.

Long before the child plans to be born, parents begin to think about the fact that he will need to be baptized. Since ancient times, it was believed that only by baptizing a baby does he acquire his name and join the people of God, becoming closer to the Lord himself. The baptism ceremony liberates little man from sins, because all children are born in sin.

In any case, this is a matter that requires compliance with many rules.

Why are children baptized?

By undergoing the rite of baptism, the child rises to a higher spiritual level, he joins the church and acquires a name before the Lord.

• Baptism is a special solemn sacrament. During the christening small child a real miracle happens. The Church insists that at this moment the real gate to Heaven opens. Baptism washes away a person's sins, making him clean before the Lord.
• If you think about it, this is a way to warn your baby in the future from evil, problems and misfortunes.
• The Church insists that religion is not chosen “like clothing,” so parents must take care of the baptismal ceremony in advance, choose godparents, and engage in the spiritual education of the child “from the cradle.”
• Baptized people are recognized by the church and you can light candles and read prayers for them. This is another reason for the timely baptism of a child in the church.

Church calendar: when to baptize a newborn?

• The most optimal time for baptism is considered to be the days when a woman’s postpartum bleeding ends, that is, after forty days.
• After this period has expired, you need to carefully prepare for the ceremony and calculate the date.
• Many choose certain days on which the Holy Apostles are honored and give the baby their names.

when to baptize a newborn?

Since ancient times, it was believed that baptism can be performed as early as the eighth day of birth, provided that the umbilical wound has completely healed.

There are also situations when parents do not wait for forty days to baptize. The reason for this is not good health baby, his possibility of dying from illness, difficult and traumatic childbirth. In situations where it is impossible to visit church, a clergyman is invited to the hospital and conducts the ceremony. As a last resort, the mother herself reads the prayer and sprinkles the child with holy water.

After hospital baptism, you should definitely be re-baptized in church.

• According to the rules, the sacrament is performed on the fortieth day after the birth of the baby, and this is not accidental.
• This is the time that should bring order to the mother of the child and the newborn itself.
• It is believed that it is not worth postponing the date of baptism for a long time, and if one of your relatives is sick or could not come, the church does not accept this.
• If fasting occurs on the date of baptism, that is, on the fortieth day, this does not become an obstacle and prohibitions on church holidays does not exist.
• The only exceptions may be major church holidays; in such cases, the church may not hold baptism due to the clergy being very busy.

Preparing for a child's baptism - choosing godparents, rules and responsibilities of godparents

The christening of a child has always been considered a special holiday in the life of every family. This is a cleansing of the soul and body at the same time. Due to the child’s inability to bow before God, his godparents perform this duty for him. It is for this reason that godparents should be chosen carefully, because they will become the child’s spiritual parents until the end of his days.

Godparents for a child must be Orthodox people and must not have any intimate relationships with each other.

preparing for a child's baptism

• According to the rules, the baptism of a baby should be carried out only within the walls of the church. During baptism, both parents read the “Creed” prayer, which serves as their proof of the Orthodox faith and compliance with the duties of godparents. In their prayer, both parents completely renounce Satan and promise to take full part in the spiritual Christian education of their child.
• We must remember that Christianity is a voluntary and conscious choice. So it is with the choice of godparents, they should not give up their fate and fully devote their strength to this entire process.
• According to tradition, it is believed that if a girl is baptized, she must have godmother, and the boy is his godfather. You can ask the priest himself to play the role of godfather.
• Godparents should read a prayer for their godchild every holiday and before bed. It is customary to ask God for forgiveness and blessings every time, to wish health to the child and to give thanks for every day of life.
• It is also the duty of the godparents to introduce the child to the Bible and give him communion.
• Godparents should take on the burden of “motherhood” and make the mother’s work easier by giving her rest.

God-parents

Ideally, before baptism, both parents should come to church for confession to ask God for forgiveness for all sins committed and to receive communion. Before baptism godparents you need to spend the day in peace, prayers and refuse any intimate relationships with your spouses. You should also limit yourself in food.

Before baptism godmother must prepare all the necessary clothes for baptism:

• kryzhma - a special diaper
• shirt
• hat (for girls)

The godfather traditionally receives a cross. The cross should be silver, as this metal is considered pure and is capable of attracting positive energy. Gold is not welcomed by the church, because it is not a metal from God.

The clothes in which the baby is baptized and the kryzhma should not be washed after baptism. In those moments when the child is sick, he should be covered with kryzhma. It is believed that she is able to heal the baby and give him relief. The mother must keep all the clothes and give them to her child for safekeeping as an adult.

How to dress for a christening in church: dress code rules

The church requires compliance with a special “dress code”. Men are advised not to wear clothes that are too bright or provocative. It is best to wear a shirt with long sleeve and trousers. It will be solemn and correct. Short sleeve It is better not to wear, some clergy react negatively to modern T-shirts. Another important point for men - all tattoos on the body should be completely hidden. They may have negative meaning and therefore be unacceptable in the church.

Women must adhere to a more serious dress code:

• A woman's head must be covered with a scarf and, in no case, with any headdress.
• A woman should not wear trousers; she should definitely wear a skirt or dress that will cover her legs at least to the knees.
• Women's shoulders should also be covered, and the neckline should not expose everyone's chest.
• Every detail of a godmother’s clothing should not cause outrage or condemnation. A woman should make sure that her wardrobe is not provocative: no heels, bright patterns, skulls, chains and spikes. Church is a noble place.

Every godfather must have a cross on his chest.

What are the rules for baptism?

• The Orthodox Church states that during the baptismal ceremony, under no circumstances should non-Orthodox people and people of other religions be present. Therefore, before the christening, carefully check with all your loved ones for details.
• The church is a pure, noble place. You should go to church with a pure soul and heart. Therefore, if you have conflicts in your family, you should definitely correct them and establish communication.
• After the baptism ceremony, parents must set the table for their godparents to celebrate the event. It is customary to give gifts to a child in order to leave as many memories as possible of this bright day.
• Baptism can be carried out individually, or you can combine several together. The ritual does not lose its power and acquires meaning of equal strength for everyone.
• Hair cut during baptism should be kept by the godfather.

rules for baptism in church

Is it possible to baptize a child under a different name?

Modern fashion dictates its terms, and more and more often parents give their children unusual names: Viola, Alyana, Milana and so on. What to do in cases where the church does not recognize the name? In such a situation, the priest offers the child another Orthodox name: either one similar to what the child has, or a name dedicated to the Holy Apostle.

In such situations, the child has two names, but only what the church has given him gains power. In prayers and petitions to God, the child’s church name should be mentioned.

Is it possible to baptize a child if the mother is unbaptized?

The Church says that it is not baptized people have no right to be within its walls. That is why it is forbidden for unbaptized parents to be present during baptism. This whole situation is fundamentally wrong and before baptizing her child, the mother must undergo baptism herself. Only then do her prayers gain strength and meaning.

Some churches also do not consider it correct for a mother to be near her child during baptism, even if she is baptized. After all, all responsibilities fall on the godmother - and here she is the main one. All this can be understood from the point of view that a child cannot have two mothers at the same time. In such cases, the mother is outside the temple. Some churches allow mothers who do not have bleeding to be present in the temple and observe the ceremony from afar.

baptism ceremony

Is it possible for a pregnant woman to be a godmother and baptize her child?

The Church categorically prohibits the presence within its walls of “unpure” women, that is, those who have this moment postpartum discharge or menstruation. But treat pregnant women who decide to come to the temple loyally and even favorably. Therefore, a pregnant woman may well be a godmother.

However, you should think about the fact that the ritual is quite complex and requires endurance. Sometimes you have to stand for a long time in a stuffy room and hold a child in your arms. Whether a pregnant woman can withstand this process, and whether she is capable of it, is another question.

Is it possible to baptize a child without godparents?

Some life situations force parents to make difficult decisions regarding the choice of godparents. It often happens that there are simply no suitable people. In such cases, the church itself should come to the rescue and offer its services. The fact is that any priest can become a child’s godparent.

The rules of baptism state that the child must have at least one godparent who will pray for him.

Still, it is advisable to prepare in advance to find suitable people for baptism. Age and social status should never matter; only the desire to share the fate of a parent and the Orthodox faith should move people.

Are children baptized during Lent and Easter?

As mentioned earlier, fasting and church holidays do not become an obstacle to the ritual. The only exception is the situation when the clergyman performing the ceremony is too busy on the occasion of Easter or any other date. You should always check with the priest in advance about his capabilities and plans and only then prepare for the event.
It is best to choose the day before Easter.

baptism on Easter

Is it possible to baptize a child during a leap year?

Church rules have nothing against leap years for baptisms. Christening is a rite that brings the child’s soul closer to God, and therefore, some everyday conventions should not matter. In no case should you postpone baptism on the occasion of a leap year; the child should be introduced to the Lord as early as possible.

On what day of the week are children baptized?

As a rule, baptism can be carried out on any day of the week - you just need to agree with the priest. Most often, churches gather children during the first half of the week to baptize them in the second half, but they are always ready to make exceptions and hold a private ceremony.

Baptisms are most often held on Saturday, since Sundays are overloaded with church services.

baptism in church

The rite of baptism, as a rule, is a long process that requires careful preparation and full dedication. First, the ceremony takes place in a separate room, where the godparents read prayers, and the child is anointed with myrrh and dipped in holy water. Typically, this action lasts from forty minutes to an hour. The most important thing happens in this room - the child is given a name and a cross is put on him.

How is the baptism of a child performed?

After the ceremony, carried out in a separate room, the child is allowed to enter the temple and is solemnly brought into the church. The priest brings the baby to important icons and reads prayers. The priest carries the boy children through the altar; girls are not allowed to be there. Native mothers are present in the temple and read mother's prayers. This takes another forty minutes of time.

Baptism of a child: rules for godparents in the church

During baptism, godparents should listen carefully to the priest. He will read those prayers that should be mandatory when a child acquires the Orthodox faith. They are read in the old language, so it is possible that some words are repeated exactly. You shouldn't get lost here. You need to not panic and try to complete the task as best as possible.

During prayer, it is customary, at the request of the priest, to spit at the wall three times and blow. Here you should not overdo it and do everything symbolically. Each godparent should help each other if the child does not behave calmly. Baptism is a holiday that should not be overshadowed by a bad state of mind. According to the rules, if a girl is baptized, she is held by her godfather, and if a boy is baptized, by her godmother.

rules for godparents

Who cannot be a child's godfather?

There are several rules that should be followed when choosing godparents:

• godparents should not be in intimate relationships between each other
• godmother should not have her period during baptism
• godparents cannot be people of other faiths
• The parents themselves cannot be godparents

That's all the requirements. You can be baptized several times in your life and rebaptizing the children of your loved ones (that is, I will be the godfather of the child of the parents who are the godparents of my child) is also not prohibited.

Who should buy a cross for a child’s baptism and which one?

As mentioned earlier, you must buy a cross for a newborn Godfather- this is his direct responsibility. The cross must be consecrated, so prefer to purchase this attribute directly in the church. If you have already purchased this item in a jewelry store, try to dedicate it to the church in advance.

The cross should be the most ordinary one, without unnecessary symbols and meanings. It must have a crucifix and the inscription “Save and Preserve.”

God-parents

Rules for baptizing a girl in the Orthodox Church

The baptism of a newborn does not differ much depending on its gender and still requires some nuances:

• A girl's clothing must have a cap - a headdress that will cover her head, as for any woman.
• It is best to give preference to a long shirt and not dress the girl in a suit.
• When removing the cap, the girl's head should be covered with kryzhma.
• The girl is not carried through the altar in the temple.

Rules for the baptism of a boy in the Orthodox Church

• The headdress for boys does not have this strong meaning, as for girls and therefore you don’t have to hold it on your head.
• The priest brings the boy not only to the icons, but also carries him through the altar, reserving this sacrament only for the male sex.
• The priest reads the prayers, starting with men's names.

What do you give for a child's baptism?

Christening - important date, and therefore on this day it is customary to give many pleasant and useful gifts. Most often these are clothes for a child, toys or sums of money, with which parents themselves decide what to buy.
It is important not to come to the holiday with empty handed. It will be most pleasant to receive important things, for example, walkers or educational games.

It is not uncommon for one of the godparents to give the child a silver spoon. Most often this is the godmother.

How much does it cost to be baptized in a church?

The cost of baptism depends only on the church and your generosity. Churches rarely assign a specific amount and most often simply ask for a voluntary contribution to the development of the church. However, depending on the size and importance of the temple, the amount can vary from $10 to $80. This amount includes the ceremony, sometimes paraphernalia, a certificate and an ordered service in honor of the baby.

The godfather must pay for the baptismal ceremony - this is his main responsibility and a baptismal gift for his child.

Video: “The Sacrament of Baptism. Rules"