The sacrament of baptism is most often performed in infancy. The child is baptized as a small child so that he finds his guardian angel as soon as possible. Believing parents who regularly visit the temple understand that baptism is not a tribute to fashion or tradition, it is truly a sacrament that is performed out of deep and sincere faith.
However, not everyone knows everything church rules, so people often doubt whether it is possible to baptize a child on a given day. The main holy holiday, Easter, has a special position in the Orthodox Church. How does it relate to baptism? On what days after Easter can a child be baptized? Let's try to find out.
Is it possible to baptize a child on Easter?
Easter is great Orthodox holiday. It begins on Saturday evening, when people come to the temple for night service. Afterwards, morning worship is performed. Thus, all church employees, including the priest, will be extremely busy on this day. And even after the morning Easter service, when it is theoretically possible to baptize a child, the clergy will be busy with other concerns, and their fatigue after sleepless night may affect your well-being.
This is why most often the church refuses parents who want to baptize a child on Easter. However, this is not prohibited by Orthodox canons. Baptism can occur on absolutely any day during the year. Moreover, the ancient church used to call Holy Saturday on the eve of Easter the best day for baptism. Today, it is problematic to perform the ritual on this very day, first of all, with practical side question. But if you have a great desire and an adequate explanation of why you chose this particular day, the priest can meet you halfway.
What days after Easter are suitable for baptism?
The week following Easter is called Bright. These days, Orthodox Christians do not work hard, are happy and visit each other. These days, the baptism of a child will be very appropriate. Yes and Orthodox Church does not prohibit people from baptizing their children on any day of the year.
Bright Week ends with Red Hill. On this day they remember the dead, go to the cemetery, clean the graves and decorate them with flowers. Baptism on this day is also not prohibited, but most often believers themselves do not like to choose the day of remembrance of deceased ancestors for such a joyful event.
For clarification of all questions concerning religion, Orthodox Christians should turn to Holy Scripture. The Bible does not prohibit baptism on any day. Another option is to ask the priest who serves in your church for advice.
It turns out that after Easter you can baptize a child absolutely any day. But it is best to go to the temple to the priest who will perform the baptismal ceremony. Churches usually have their own schedule, which indicates when and what activities take place. You can negotiate with the priest individually if you need to perform the ceremony on a specific day after Easter.
Thanks to him, a person seems to be reborn so that his soul can reach the Kingdom of Heaven. It is called a sacrament due to the fact that the person baptized during the ceremony succumbs to the invisible power of God, the so-called grace. A baptized person becomes a member of the Church of the Lord, having the right to take part in other church sacraments.
Baby baptism is a holiday for everyone. They always prepare for it very carefully, selecting not only godparents for the baby, but also the day on which this event will occur. But what to do if the desired date coincides with one of the days of Lent? Is it possible to baptize a baby on these special days? Let's consider this issue in more detail.
A clear video response from a church representative:
Is it possible to baptize a child during Lent before Easter?
Today, many parents are interested in the question of whether it is possible to baptize a child during Lent? Yes, you can! And not a single priest can say otherwise, since there are no prohibitions on performing this sacrament during the period of fasting. Today, a baby can be baptized on any day convenient for the parents. The main thing is that the priest has free time for this.
Yes, in some Orthodox churches The priests are not very willing to perform the sacrament of baptism during Lent. But the reason for this is nothing more than a simple lack of time. The thing is that during the days of Great Lent, services last a very long time, and the breaks between the morning and evening services are so small that the priest is technically unable to perform this sacrament. In addition, in the intervals between services, priests often go to the sick who need communion or unction.
It is for this reason that in many Orthodox churches, during Lent, children are baptized only on Saturdays and Sundays. On these days there is also a service, but it is much shorter in time. And, if you agree in advance with the clergyman, he will be able to baptize the baby without any problems. If you still receive a refusal, then this is not yet a reason not to baptize your child during Lent. You just need to find a temple where more than one priest serves. In it, you will definitely be able to carry out the desired ritual.
What is the reason for the priests’ recommendations not to baptize a child during Lent?
Some clergy strongly recommend that parents postpone the sacrament of baptism of the baby to any other day that does not coincide with Lent. This is due to the fact that these days are intended for repentance and spiritual improvement. That is, when inviting guests to celebrate the baptism of a baby, parents should be prepared for the fact that they will not be able to treat them with goodies and alcoholic drinks, since during Lent it is very important to adhere to food restrictions and not drink alcohol. In addition, during Lent, loud celebrations and celebrations are also prohibited.
The main purpose of baptism is to cleanse the baby from original sin, introducing it to God's temple and giving him godparents. If parents ignore the above prohibitions and instead of Lenten dishes If they throw a noisy celebration for the baby with bright wishes, then they will commit a new sin. But is it worth taking such a step? Maybe just choose a different day for the sacrament, when you can eat deliciously, wash it down with something “hot,” and even dance until you drop.
Before deciding to baptize your child during the period of fasting, it is worth answering the question: “Will it be possible to spend this day in such a way that later you will not have to atone for sins through confession?” After all, it’s no secret that baptism is an event that happens only once in a lifetime, and many parents want to share the joy of this holiday with close friends and family. And it’s very difficult to resist a noisy feast on this day. This is why priests recommend choosing any other time for the baby’s baptism.
What do parents need to know who decide to baptize their child on one of the days of Lent?
If parents nevertheless decide to baptize their child during Lent, they must firmly understand that baptism is, first of all, a holiday, and not a reason for a noisy feast. After the sacrament, relatives and friends can sit down at the table and taste the “fast”, because something tasty can also be prepared from the lean one.
As for alcohol, according to the church charter, even on major holidays it is allowed to drink wine. But only in small quantities. That is, guests will still be able to drink wine, but in such a way as not to feel even the slightest intoxication. And most importantly, while celebrating this bright event, parents, as well as godparents and guests, should understand the essence of the sacrament itself, that on this day their baby was born again, but this time spiritually.
In a person’s earthly life, it introduces and brings him closer to God. There are few who do not go through this: we are baptized in childhood, or an adult independently and consciously comes to Christ.
Baptism of a child during Lent
Orthodox life consists half of fasts: multi-day, one-day.
Is it possible to baptize a child during Lent? This is a frequently asked question.
Baptism is one of the seven sacraments that is performed on any day of the year. The Great, Nativity, Petrov and Assumption fasts are no exception. The misconception arose, rather, because of Weddings, which are not celebrated these days, but this law was applied to Baptism. In reality, things are different.
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Advice: it is often customary to baptize infants and adults on Saturday and Sunday, but if desired, choose another day. Therefore, fasting is not a hindrance for Christening.Child baptism in church
Features of Baptism during the Great and Dormition Lents
The Great and Dormition fasts are considered strict, when a person prays especially fervently, takes care of the purity of his soul and avoids entertainment events.
As for bodily abstinence, even fish is allowed to be eaten only on holidays:
On Lazarus Saturday, eating fish caviar is allowed.
And since many events in a person’s life are accompanied by festive feasts, the Church does not prohibit setting the table on strict days only with Lenten dishes. And the fun will be inappropriate.
Important: but this is not a ban on performing the sacrament, but the point is how the parents themselves are configured and ready for the ceremony. If after Christening you plan to invite your family and friends to a feast, it is better to choose a day that does not fall on the days of repentance. Otherwise, it would be prudent to refrain from a bright celebration of this event.
In addition, for forty days before Easter and two weeks before the Feast of the Assumption Holy Mother of God Services that are special in content and lengthy in time are held. Therefore, it is advisable to agree with the priest on the possibility of holding a Christening.
Sacrament of Baptism
Godparents: who are they?
Disputes often arise between Baptism in infancy and adult conscious life.
The task of the parents of the baby is to help him develop not only physically, but also spiritually.
The soul of a baby is pure and sinless; prayer and conversation with God are needed to protect it. Only after Christening can you pray for a person and submit notes about their health.
Therefore, parents early age introduce the child to church life. And godparents join in to help - people who are responsible for the formation and development of the godson’s soul.
These are the second most important people close to you, after your own parents, and in spiritual matters they can be more important than moms and dads.
More often, girlfriends and friends who are far from Orthodox faith and churches. Many do not go to church, do not know how to pray, do not confess, do not receive communion, and cross the threshold of the church only on major holidays - Easter, Christmas.
With the birth of a child, Orthodox parents are concerned about the issue of his baptism. Sometimes situations arise when the ceremony needs to be carried out during Lent before Easter or on Easter itself.
There have been debates on this topic for a long time, and often this question remains open for many parents. To deal with this problem, it is necessary to study all the pros and cons. We asked an Orthodox priest about this.
The essence of the sacrament of baptism
Baptism is one of the seven great sacraments of Christianity. His the essence is to cleanse a person from sins, rebirth to a new life and initiation into faith.
The history of the baptismal ritual suggests that after the resurrection of Jesus Christ there were very few people who accepted the Christian faith. Basically, only adults were baptized, having made this decision consciously.
As a rule, the ceremony was carried out in secret, since Orthodox Christians were persecuted for their faith and even executed. When there were few Christians, the sacrament was performed mainly on major church holidays.
Gradually, the Christian faith spread more and more, and not only adults, but also infants were baptized.
When is the best time to baptize a child?
There are no strict time limits in Orthodoxy. Previously, a baby was brought to the temple no earlier than the eighth day of life, but traditionally on the fortieth. This is mainly due to the fact that a woman after giving birth is allowed to enter the temple only on the 40th day. The priest reads special prayers over the mother of the baby, after which the woman can attend the baptism of her child.
This does not mean at all that the ritual should be performed on this particular day, especially if it falls on Lent or a major church holiday. Nothing bad will happen if you do it a little later.
However There are situations when postponing baptism is unacceptable. If a child is seriously ill, it does not matter whether it is fasting or a great holiday. It is necessary to carry out the ceremony as early as possible so that the baby has his own guardian angel. In this case, he can be baptized even in a maternity hospital or intensive care unit.
Dates of baptism
According to Orthodox canons, there are no prohibitions on the day of the sacrament, regardless of the fast or holiday on which it falls. It is believed that the Lord rejoices at anyone who comes to faith and does not put any obstacles in his way. Moreover, if we focus on church holidays, days of remembrance and numerous fasts, then choosing a day for baptism would be difficult in principle. Therefore, there are no restrictions for carrying out the ceremony before or after Easter.
The only problem that may arise during this period is the banal busyness of the priest, because during Lent and Easter week services are held almost daily.
Each temple has its own rules, so it is advisable to worry in advance and agree with the priest on the day of the sacrament.
Is the sacrament of baptism performed during Lent?
Sometimes circumstances are such that the baptism ceremony falls during Lent. And here many parents doubt: is it possible to baptize a child during Lent? There is no direct ban on holding the sacrament during this period, despite the objections of some clergy.
However, it is worth noting: at baptism it is customary to organize noisy feasts and fun, which are accompanied by the consumption of meat and other dishes made from animal products, as well as alcohol. This is inappropriate during fasting. But, if, nevertheless, you decide to baptize your baby during the period of fasting, you can set the table with lean dishes and refuse to drink alcohol.
It is believed that the best day to baptize a child during Lent is Maundy Thursday . On this day, a person cleanses his home and body. Carrying out the sacrament on Maundy Thursday symbolizes the liberation of a person from original sin, the soul is cleansed and he can meet Easter renewed.
Is baptism performed on Easter?
Many people associate Easter with the rebirth of the world and man. better life. There are no direct prohibitions on holding the sacrament on Easter Day. Baptism can be performed at the end of the festive liturgy.
But it is unlikely that there will be a priest who will agree to perform the ceremony, unless, of course, baptism is required for a seriously ill child. The reason for this is simple fatigue.
The evening service smoothly transitions into the morning liturgy. For any clergyman, Easter is a great holiday that you want to celebrate with your family. Therefore, parents should think not only about their own desires, but also take care of those around them. Priests, due to their workload, appoint certain days for the sacrament in order to streamline the rhythm of work.
Considering all of the above, the answer to the question: is it possible to baptize a child on Easter will be positive, but whether to do it or not is up to the child’s parents to decide. It may be more appropriate to postpone this date for a few weeks, when the holidays are over and the life of the church returns to its usual course.
Arguments for and against holding the sacrament during Lent and Easter
Before deciding to hold a ceremony during Lent or Easter, parents need to study all the pros and cons of such a step.
Arguments for"
A person is freed from original sin during the period of general Christian cleansing of soul and body;
The perfect sacrament on Easter is another reason to gather the whole family at the table and celebrate the birth of a new Christian;
Perhaps the special state of mind that every Christian experiences during this period will be passed on to the baby, and this will help him endure the ceremony without worry and tears.
Arguments against"
Finding a clergyman who agrees to perform the sacrament of baptism during the period of Lent and on Easter is quite difficult. At this time, priests are heavily loaded with long services. In addition, during Lent, the priest tries to devote maximum attention and time to the sick. Communions and unctions are performed. Therefore, most priests ask to postpone the ceremony to a later date. late date, unless, of course, this is an emergency, as described above;
Before Easter, and especially on Easter Day, churches are crowded with parishioners. A baby may be frightened by so many people, be capricious and nervous during the sacrament;
Noisy feasts are inappropriate during the period of Lent, and a meal consisting of Lenten dishes may not be to the liking of some guests.
How to avoid unpleasant surprises
To avoid problems, having decided to conduct the ceremony during Lent or Easter, parents need to:
Considering the priest’s workload during this period, agree with him in advance about conducting the ceremony;
If baptism occurs during Lent, you need to carefully consider holiday menu, taking into account all restrictions;
The priest will definitely set a day and time for a conversation with the future godparents. They must be prepared for this;
If possible, not only godparents, but also parents should confess and receive communion before the sacrament.
It is believed that a child born on Easter will later become famous. Moreover, a person born at noon on Christ's Bright Sunday will become great, and will even be able to influence the course of history. A children born in Easter week, are distinguished by good health.
Considering all of the above, we can conclude: baptism can be performed on any day. However, if you are fasting and time is running out, it is better to postpone the ceremony for a couple of weeks in order to celebrate this event when the fast is completed. And of course, you need to think not only about yourself, but also about the priests, who are very busy during this period, and there are people who need his help more.
With the birth of a child, Orthodox parents are concerned about the issue of his baptism. Sometimes situations arise when the ceremony needs to be carried out during Lent before Easter or on Easter itself.
There have been debates on this topic for a long time, and often this question remains open for many parents. To deal with this problem, it is necessary to study all the pros and cons. We asked an Orthodox priest about this.
The essence of the sacrament of baptism
Baptism is one of the seven great sacraments of Christianity. His the essence is to cleanse a person from sins, rebirth to a new life and initiation into faith.
The history of the baptismal ritual suggests that after the resurrection of Jesus Christ there were very few people who accepted the Christian faith. Basically, only adults were baptized, having made this decision consciously.
As a rule, the ceremony was carried out in secret, since Orthodox Christians were persecuted for their faith and even executed. When there were few Christians, the sacrament was performed mainly on major church holidays.
Gradually, the Christian faith spread more and more, and not only adults, but also infants were baptized.
When is the best time to baptize a child?
There are no strict time limits in Orthodoxy. Previously, a baby was brought to the temple no earlier than the eighth day of life, but traditionally on the fortieth. This is mainly due to the fact that a woman after giving birth is allowed to enter the temple only on the 40th day. The priest reads special prayers over the mother of the baby, after which the woman can attend the baptism of her child.
This does not mean at all that the ceremony must be performed on this particular day, especially if it falls on Lent or a major church holiday. Nothing bad will happen if you do it a little later.
However There are situations when postponing baptism is unacceptable. If a child is seriously ill, it does not matter whether it is fasting or a great holiday. It is necessary to carry out the ceremony as early as possible so that the baby has his own guardian angel. In this case, he can be baptized even in a maternity hospital or intensive care unit.
Dates of baptism
According to Orthodox canons, there are no prohibitions on the day of the sacrament, regardless of the fast or holiday on which it falls. It is believed that the Lord rejoices at anyone who comes to faith and does not put any obstacles in his way. In addition, if we focus on church holidays, days of remembrance and numerous fasts, then choosing a day for baptism would be difficult in principle. Therefore, there are no restrictions for carrying out the ceremony before or after Easter.
The only problem that may arise during this period is the banal busyness of the priest, because during Lent and Easter week services are held almost daily.
Each temple has its own rules, so it is advisable to worry in advance and agree with the priest on the day of the sacrament.
Is the sacrament of baptism performed during Lent?
Sometimes circumstances are such that the baptism ceremony falls during Lent. And here many parents doubt: is it possible to baptize a child during Lent? There is no direct ban on holding the sacrament during this period, despite the objections of some clergy.
However, it is worth noting: at baptism it is customary to organize noisy feasts and fun, which are accompanied by the consumption of meat and other dishes made from animal products, as well as alcohol. This is inappropriate during fasting. But, if, nevertheless, you decide to baptize your baby during the period of fasting, you can set the table with lean dishes and refuse to drink alcohol.
It is believed that the best day to baptize a child during Lent is Maundy Thursday. On this day, a person cleanses his home and body. Carrying out the sacrament on Maundy Thursday symbolizes the liberation of a person from original sin, the soul is cleansed and he can meet Easter renewed.
Is baptism performed on Easter?
Many people associate Easter with the revival of the world and people to a better life. There are no direct prohibitions on holding the sacrament on Easter Day. Baptism can be performed at the end of the festive liturgy.
But it is unlikely that there will be a priest who will agree to perform the ceremony, unless, of course, baptism is required for a seriously ill child. The reason for this is simple fatigue.
The evening service smoothly transitions into the morning liturgy. For any clergyman, Easter is a great holiday that you want to celebrate with your family. Therefore, parents should think not only about their own desires, but also take care of those around them. Priests, due to their workload, appoint certain days for the sacrament in order to streamline the rhythm of work.
Considering all of the above, the answer to the question: is it possible to baptize a child on Easter will be positive, but whether to do it or not is up to the child’s parents to decide. It may be more appropriate to postpone this date for a few weeks, when the holidays are over and the life of the church returns to its usual course.
Arguments for and against holding the sacrament during Lent and Easter
Before deciding to hold a ceremony during Lent or Easter, parents need to study all the pros and cons of such a step.
Arguments for"
A person is freed from original sin during the period of general Christian cleansing of soul and body;
The perfect sacrament on Easter is another reason to gather the whole family at the table and celebrate the birth of a new Christian;
Perhaps the special state of mind that every Christian experiences during this period will be passed on to the baby, and this will help him endure the ceremony without worry and tears.
Arguments against"
Finding a clergyman who agrees to perform the sacrament of baptism during the period of Lent and on Easter is quite difficult. At this time, priests are heavily loaded with long services. In addition, during Lent, the priest tries to devote maximum attention and time to the sick. Communions and unctions are performed. Therefore, most priests ask to postpone the ceremony to a later date, unless, of course, this is an emergency, as described above;
Before Easter, and especially on Easter Day, churches are crowded with parishioners. A baby may be frightened by so many people, be capricious and nervous during the sacrament;
Noisy feasts are inappropriate during the period of Lent, and a meal consisting of Lenten dishes may not be to the liking of some guests.
How to avoid unpleasant surprises
To avoid problems, having decided to conduct the ceremony during Lent or Easter, parents need to:
Considering the priest’s workload during this period, agree with him in advance about conducting the ceremony;
If baptism occurs during Lent, you need to carefully consider the holiday menu, taking into account all the restrictions;
The priest will definitely set a day and time for a conversation with future godparents. They must be prepared for this;
If possible, not only godparents, but also parents should confess and receive communion before the sacrament.
It is believed that a child born on Easter will later become famous. Moreover, a person born at noon on Christ's Bright Sunday will become great, and will even be able to influence the course of history. A Children born on Easter week are characterized by good health.
Considering all of the above, we can conclude: baptism can be performed on any day. However, if you are fasting and time is running out, it is better to postpone the ceremony for a couple of weeks in order to celebrate this event when the fast is completed. And of course, you need to think not only about yourself, but also about the priests, who are very busy during this period, and there are people who need his help more.
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