What is a child's christening. Rules for the baptism of a girl in the Orthodox Church. Organization of the rite of baptism of the child. Godparents mom and dad

Who are godparents?

The sacrament of baptism is a special rite. This is the purification of the soul and the spiritual birth of man. According to the tradition of the Church, an infant should be baptized on the eighth or fortieth day of life. It is clear that at such an age it is impossible to demand from him faith and repentance - the two main conditions for uniting with God. Therefore, godparents are appointed to them, who undertake to educate their godchildren in the spirit of Orthodoxy. So the choice of godparents should be approached with all responsibility. After all, in theory, they should become a second mom and a second dad for your baby.

How to choose godparents?

When choosing a godfather for your baby, find someone you trust completely. These may be your close friends or relatives with whom you constantly support a good relationship. According to church tradition, if something happens to the parents, the godparents are obliged to replace them with their godson.
A godfather can only be an Orthodox believer who is able to give an account of his faith.
Actually, the boy only needs a godfather, and the girl only needs godmother.
But according to the ancient Russian tradition, both are invited. At your request, there can be two, four, six ...

According to the laws of the Orthodox Church, godparents cannot be:
* parents cannot be godparents of their child;
* husband and wife godparents of one baby;
* children (according to the decrees of the Holy Synod of 1836-1837, the godfather must be no younger than 15 years old, and the godmother no younger than 13 years old), because they are not yet able to vouch for the faith of the person being baptized, and they themselves do not know enough the laws of Orthodoxy;
* immoral and insane people: the first because they do not deserve to be godparents by their very way of life, and the second - because, due to illness, they are not able to either vouch for the faith of the baptized, or teach him the faith;
* non-Orthodox - the recipients of the Orthodox.

What are the responsibilities of godparents?

Unfortunately, not every godparent imagines why his new "position" is called that way. Visiting a godson and giving gifts for an angel's day or a birthday is, of course, good. However, it is far from the most important thing. Caring for a growing godson includes many things.
First of all, this is a prayer for him. Learn to turn to God once a day - before going to bed. It's actually not difficult at all. Ask the Lord for health, salvation, help in raising your own children, the well-being of godchildren and relatives. It will be useful to master the path to the temple together with the baby, to bring him to communion on a church holiday. It would be great to conduct educational games with the baby, read books to him. For example, many adults love to read the children's Bible. It describes all the main events of Sacred History in an accessible way. In addition, godparents can make life much easier for young mothers who find it difficult to find time to take care of their baby. If everyone, by virtue of their abilities, spends their free hours in communication with a child, then he himself will enjoy it.

Appearance of godparents

At the ceremony, the recipients (this is another name for the godfather) must come with crosses consecrated in the church. In tradition Slavic peoples in the temple, women always had a covered head and a dress below the knees with covered shoulders (an exception may be small girls). You should not wear high-heeled shoes, as the rite of baptism lasts from 30 minutes to 2 hours and most of the time you will have to stand with the child in your arms. As for men, there are no requirements for their clothing, but it is better to refrain from shorts and T-shirts. In church, such an outfit will look out of place.

Preparation for the ceremony

Currently, the ceremony is performed mainly in temples. Only in exceptional cases, if, say, a child is very sick, can the sacrament be performed at home or in a hospital. Then a separate clean room is required to perform the ceremony.

To baptize a baby, you must first choose a church. Walk through the temples, listen to your feelings. But keep in mind that baptism is not always performed directly in the church. Most cathedrals have a baptistery (or baptistery) - this is a separate room on the territory of the church, specially adapted for this rite. In large churches, baptism usually takes place quite magnificently and solemnly. But, perhaps, someone will like the secluded and calm atmosphere of small churches. Chat with the priest or with the novices, they will tell you in detail about how the rite of baptism takes place in this church.

How to choose the day of baptism?

There is no church establishment of Baptism on the fortieth day, this is primarily due to the fact that until the fortieth day the Church keeps the parent woman from entering the temple due to her postpartum infirmities and outflows that she has at that time. And the mother's first entry into the temple after the break is accompanied by the reading of special purifying prayers, until the reading of which she should not be present at the services.
But the day of baptism should not be taken literally, you can baptize a baby a little later, a little earlier. And now, sometimes, at the request of the parents, a child is baptized before the fortieth day, especially when there is at least some danger to the health of the child (baptism in this case is considered as a protective rite).

In ancient times, the celebration of the sacrament was most often timed to coincide with the greatest Christian holidays, for example, Easter. But gradually the baptism turned into a family holiday. And now, on the contrary, the ceremony is performed almost every day, with the exception of such large church holidays like Christmas, Easter, Trinity. These days, the churches are usually crowded and the priests advise to postpone the ceremony. Most temples can be visited without an appointment. Usually the sacrament of baptism begins at 10 o'clock, immediately after the service. True, in this case, it is likely that a few more people will be baptized besides you and you will either have to wait, or you will be baptized along with others. It is much more convenient in one or two weeks to agree with the priest, who will perform the sacrament, on a specific date and time. Then your baby will be baptized first and in splendid isolation.
In addition, when choosing the day of baptism, try not to fall on the critical days of the godmother.
The fact is that during this period a woman should not kiss the shrines: kiss the cross, icons, and it is better not to go to the temple at all.

Preparing godparents for the rite of baptism

If you want to follow all the rules, start preparing for the ceremony in advance. Godparents need to go to church to confess, repent of their sins and take communion. It is advisable (but not necessary) to fast three or four days before the ceremony. But on the day of baptism, as well as before communion, godparents should not eat and have sex. At least one of the parents should know by heart the "Symbol of Faith" prayer.
As a rule, at the baptism of a girl, the "Symbol of Faith" is read by the godmother, and at the baptism of a boy - by the godfather.

And one more thing: according to an unspoken rule, godparents take on all the costs of baptism. In some churches there are no official prices, it is believed that after the ceremony, godparents and guests make donations as much as they can. These costs are optional and their amount is not specified anywhere. But the custom is generally followed.

According to church custom, the godmother buys a kryzhma or a "rizka". This is a special cloth, or just a towel, in which the child is wrapped when taken out of the font. In addition, the godmother gives a baptismal shirt and a bonnet with lace and ribbons (for a boy - with blue, for girls - respectively, with pink). The baptismal shirt is kept for life. The towel, according to custom, is not washed after the baptism of the child, but is used if the child is ill.

The godfather, again according to custom, buys a baptismal cross and a chain. Some believe that the cross and chain should be gold, some - silver, and someone is of the opinion that small children should wear a cross on a ribbon or string.

What prayers do you need to know?

Every conscious Christian needs to know the basic prayers: "Our Father", "Virgin Mother of God", "Symbol of Faith". During baptism, the godparents say the "Symbol of Faith" prayer for the baby. All these prayers are in a short prayer book, which, if desired, can be bought in a church shop.

What to bring to the temple?

As already mentioned, baptism is a birth into a new, sinless life. Perceiving the newly baptized from the holy font, the godparents accept an absolutely pure, sinless being. The symbol of such purity is white clothes - kryzhma, which are brought to the temple along with a cross on a chain or thread. Who should buy a cross, and who should buy a chain, let the godparents decide for themselves. At the end of the ceremony, the priest will bless them and put them on for the baby.

An openwork diaper, a baptismal shirt or a new towel that has not yet been washed will serve as a cover for a small child.

What happens during the sacrament of baptism?

The priest, godparents and the child are the main participants in the sacrament. According to ancient customs, the mother and father of the child should not be present at the sacrament. Although recently the church has been more loyal to this ban and allows the father, and sometimes the mother of the baby, after saying a special prayer, to observe the rite together with those invited. Throughout the ceremony, the godparents stand next to the priest and one of them holds the person being baptized in his arms. Before the ceremony, a priest in white robes walks around the baptismal room or temple and reads three prayers. After that, he asks the godparents and the godson to turn their faces to the west - symbolically, this is the abode of Satan. And, addressing the person being baptized, he asks a few questions.

Questions and answers are repeated three times. After that, the godparents must read the "Symbol of Faith" - this summary foundations of the Christian faith, which all Orthodox must know by heart. Then comes the chrismation. Having dipped the brush in a vessel with myrrh, the priest crosswise anoints the forehead, eyes, nostrils, mouth, ears, chest, arms and legs of the person being baptized. And at every anointing he says, "The seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit. Amen." The godparents, together with the priest, repeat: "Amen."

After chrismation, a strand of hair is cut from the head, which remains in the temple as a pledge of consecration and a symbol of sacrifice to God. If a child is baptized in the cold season or conditions do not allow him to undress ( low temperature in the baptismal room), free the arms and legs of the baby in advance.

Then the priest takes the child from them and directly performs the rite of baptism - three times immersing the person being baptized into the font. If it is warm in the baptismal room, then most likely your baby will be dipped naked. But when it is cold in the temple, only the neck, hands and feet are exposed for anointing. Then one of the godparents takes the baby from the hands of the priest. That is why godparents are also called godparents. It is believed that, having taken the baby in their arms after the ceremony, the parents undertake to educate the godson in the Orthodox spirit all their lives and be held accountable for this upbringing at the Last Judgment. If they cannot see their godson often, they should at least mention him in their daily prayers.

Prayer Creed

I believe in one God, Father, Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, everything visible and invisible. And in the one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only Begotten, born of the Father before all ages: Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not created, one being with the Father, by Him all things were created. For the sake of us people and for the sake of our salvation, he descended from heaven, and took flesh from the Holy Spirit and Mary the Virgin, and became a man. Crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffering, and buried. And risen on the third day, according to the Scriptures. And ascended into heaven, and sitting on the right side of the Father. And coming again in glory to judge the living and the dead, His Kingdom will have no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, who gives life, who proceeds from the Father, who worships with the Father and the Son, and is glorified, who spoke through vices. Into one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the age to come. Amen.

After the birth of a child, many parents think about the baptism of their baby. But what do you need to know for this, where to start and what is needed for this? I want to offer you a memo dedicated to this event.

There are no strict requirements: baptize the child when you see fit. However, given the spiritual importance of this sacrament, one should not particularly delay either - usually children are baptized in the first year of life, since the baby is able to endure the ceremony without whims. When a child is already beginning to distinguish between "us" and "strangers", he may be frightened of an unfamiliar environment and cry, which will complicate the process of baptism for himself, and for his parents, and for the priest.

2. Choose a place of baptism.

Of course, it is better to baptize a child in a church. Choose any one you like. Usually parents choose an Orthodox church based on their own preferences. Baptism can be performed almost any day after the morning prayer service without an appointment. They baptize both in fasting and on holidays. Of course, it is better to talk to the priest in advance in order to discuss some issues.

3. Godparents.

Anyone can be godparents - sisters and brothers, grandparents, uncles and aunts, friends and girlfriends. You must choose not just a close person, but a person who will be ready to take care of the child and become his spiritual mentor.

When choosing godparents, you need to pay attention to some points:

Godparents must themselves be baptized in Orthodoxy. It is desirable that there are two godparents - a man (over 15 years old) and a woman (over 13 years old).

The recipients must not be married to each other or intend to get married.

A pregnant woman can become a godmother, but since the girl will mainly have to be held in her arms, your chosen one needs to calculate her strength.

A godmother cannot be a woman who gave birth less than 40 days ago.

4. We choose a spiritual name for the child.

Choosing a name for a child is a very important and responsible decision of parents. Of course, you can choose a name even before baptism. You can choose a name by Orthodox calendar(according to the names of the saints that appear on the calendar for the date of your child's birth). But it often happens that the names of saints are not very modern, then choose the name that you like.

5. Necessary things for the ceremony:

Pectoral cross (on a ribbon), which is usually bought by the godfather. It will be practical if the cross is small with rounded edges so that the child does not get hurt. It is not at all necessary that the cross be made of precious metal; for baptism, as a rule, they buy an ordinary metal cross.

Icon of an Orthodox saint, whose name the baby will receive. Candles.

Baptismal shirt, which is usually purchased by the godmother. It resembles a nightgown with an embroidered cross on the back. In fact, this is not a mandatory attribute of baptism, but it gives the event an additional sophistication and corresponds to the traditional church aesthetics.

A clean towel or diaper to wipe the child after the font (this item does not need to be consecrated).

Baptism certificate. It is necessary to ensure that it is correctly filled out, the full names of the baptized and godparents, the date of the baptism, the name and surname of the priest, the name of the temple, an indication of the heavenly patron and the day of the angel are correctly set.

6. How is the ceremony.

It is better for dads with moms, as well as godparents, to know in advance the order of the baptismal ceremony. It goes something like this.

Parents with a baby, godparents and guests arrive at the church a little in advance so as not to keep the priest waiting. A baptismal certificate is filled out, the rite itself is paid for, and an icon is also purchased (you can buy it in advance). After the sign to the beginning is given, the godparents bring the child to the temple (the godfather holds the girl, and the godmother holds the boy). In this case, the baby should be without clothes, but wrapped in a white diaper.

The first sacrament is the laying on of the priest's hand on the baby, symbolizing the protection that the Lord provides to the baby.

When the sacrament is performed, the godparents with the baby in their arms and with candles stand at the font. They read the Creed aloud, renounce the devil, and promise to keep the commandments of God. Then the priest blesses the water, takes the baby from the godparents and plunges him into the font three times.

Along with baptism, the sacrament of chrismation takes place. For a baptized infant, the priest anoints the forehead, eyes, ears, mouth, nostrils, chest, arms and legs with holy myrrh in the form of a cross. Next, the baby is handed over to the recipient of the same sex, who must wipe the baby and put on him a cross and a baptismal shirt prepared in advance. The white robe put on the baptized signifies the cleansing from sins received by him through the holy sacrament.

The priest cuts the baby's hair crosswise, which symbolizes obedience to God and at the same time marks the small sacrifice that the person being baptized brings to the Lord in thanksgiving for the beginning of a new, spiritual life.

After baptism and chrismation, the infant is carried around the font three times. This means that the new member of the Church is forever united with her.

And, finally, if a boy was baptized, the priest brings him to the altar, if a girl, he helps her to venerate the icon Mother of God. Churching symbolizes the dedication of the baby to God according to the Old Testament image.

Perhaps the rite of baptism will take from 30 minutes to 2 hours.

7. The celebration of christening.

After the christening, the family and those invited go to the house where the child lives to celebrate the christening with a traditional plentiful feast. In addition to other pickles, guests are served a hot drink and a special holiday treat. It is usually a sweet cake decorated with the child's initials and the date of the christening.

In conclusion, I would like to add that the baptism of a child is one of the most important sacraments of Orthodoxy. After all, baptism is a ritual with great power.

Article author: Yulia Fedorova
© Shkolazhizni.ru

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During the sacrament of baptism, the baby is accompanied by his godmother or father. But not only for this, they are needed to hold the baby and candles. The sacrament of baptism has a deeper meaning, and therefore it is advisable to carefully prepare for the ceremony.

After all, we understand that a little silly child cannot yet speak on his own behalf. The godfather pronounces the “Symbol of Faith” prayer on his behalf. He repeats “Amen” after the priest, crosses himself, because the child himself cannot do this either. Also, the godfather will have to utter a vow of renunciation of Satan and a vow of union with Christ.

Before such an important day for the baby, adults should also prepare. On the eve of baptism, godparents need to go to the temple to confess and receive communion.

If they can fast for some time before this solemn day, this is very good, but not necessary. But what is important is that on the very day of the ceremony, the godparents do not have sex and do not eat.

It is clear that since the godfather will need to say a prayer for his godson, then he must know the words of the "Symbol of Faith" by heart. True, in some churches they are allowed to read. The godfather also holds the child in his arms during.

How to choose a godfather

According to church rules, after the christening of the godparent, it is impossible to “change” for another. Therefore, you need to choose for this only a person who is close to the mother and father of the child both spiritually and in their views. So that he willingly visited his godson, prayed for him, took him to the temple.

It becomes clear that the godfather, as the child's godfather, must himself be consecrated, that is, be an Orthodox Christian. He cannot be a Catholic, a Muslim, a Jew or an atheist, even if such a person is your very close friend.

After all, the main thing that a godfather should do is to help his godson become a worthy Christian, grow in the traditions of the Orthodox faith. And it is not permissible to cross the threshold of the Orthodox to a representative of another faith.

Can a godfather be a close relative

Why is it said "godchild" in the singular? Because the baby needs one godfather. Moreover, if you baptize a girl, then you need to choose a godmother for her, if a boy, then a godfather. In other words, the godparent must be the same gender as the baby.

The rest of the participants in the Sacrament can be at least one more (it so happened that parents usually take one more godfather of the opposite sex), at least a few. And all of them can be present at the consecration of the baby, the Church does not forbid this. At the same time, it has long been a tradition to invite both father and mother to be godparents.

As for close relatives, the child's grandparents, aunts and uncles, brothers and sisters can be godparents. But dad and mom - no!

They cannot become godchildren of the same godson. It is considered a sin for the godparent to become the spouse of the godson.

As for the mother of the baby, she does not enter the Temple at all on the day of the baptism of her child. Recently, the Church allows the father of the child to be present at the ceremony.

What to wear on a baby who will be baptized

According to church rules, the godchild must be brought to the temple for the rite of baptism undressed. Therefore, it is simply wrapped in a white sheet.

Since the Sacrament itself lasts quite a long time, it is allowed to put a diaper on the baby: so as not to be distracted in case of something.

There has long been a tradition to give the godson a "light robe", or kryzhma. It can be an ordinary beautiful towel (necessarily new, it should not be washed, it can be ironed), and a white sheet with lace (after all, the rite of Baptism is very solemn). It is in it that the already consecrated baby will be received from the hands of the priest after three dipping into the font.

An elegant baptismal shirt is also prepared for the baby. The godmother usually embroiders it, not to mention the fact that she sews it herself. Often this honorable occupation is taken over by the grandmother of the baby. It is put on after the ceremony, that is, it will be his first Christian clothing. It is also customary to wear a cap, but this is not at all necessary.

What can you give a godson

The main attributes of christening - a cross and a chain - are usually given by the godparent, according to tradition, the father. It is generally accepted that preference should be given. But everyone decides for himself. However, for convenience during the ceremony (so as not to mess with fasteners), it is better to put it on a rope or ribbon.

Also on the day of christening, the godfather can give a silver spoon (often a commemorative engraving is made on it - the name of the baby and the date of the Sacrament).

Of course, godparents can bring anything as a gift. Just a cross and a spoon - traditional things, as they say, for all time.

The rite itself in the temple must be paid for, and these expenses are usually borne by the godparents. If the temple does not quote prices for such services, it is assumed that the godparents will leave donations - as they see fit.

What signs are associated with baptism

It is believed that in the process of the sacrament, the riza acquires some miraculous abilities. And all because droplets of myrrh fall on it, with which the parts of the child’s body are anointed crosswise after the font. Therefore, many do not wash the fabric, covering it with a child when it is ill or falls asleep badly.

But most often kryzhma is used for sewing pillowcases for the baby's first pillow.

The church says that the sign that a girl must be the first to baptize a boy, otherwise she may not get married, is pure superstition.

You have a child. In order for his fate to be under the guardianship of a guardian angel in the future, the baby must be christened. Of course, not everyone performs this ceremony, but only those who adhere to the canons of Christianity, but there are a majority of such people in our country.

What is needed for The rite itself is performed by a priest in the church. has a slight difference from The fact is that, according to the canons of the church, babies cannot be brought into the altar - this is a forbidden place for them. Therefore, after washing and chrismation, the baptized girls are immediately brought to attach to the icons, while the boys are brought into the altar for churching. Otherwise, the rite and rules are the same for all babies.

First of all, deciding what is needed for the baptism of a boy, it is worth choosing godparents. For a boy, special attention should be paid to the choice of a father. It is believed that at least one godparent is needed for implementation. And he must be of the same gender as the godson or goddaughter. Therefore, carefully approach the choice of a godfather - let it be a close person, and let him be a true believer, since it is he who will become your son’s guide in Christian teaching in the future.

When the issue with the godparents is settled, decide on the date of baptism. Usually this is the fortieth day from the birth of the child, but if you have already missed this day, it does not matter. Before a child reaches the age of seven, they may be baptized at any time.

The next thing you need to baptize a boy is to choose a church name. Of course, in most cases it will coincide with the civil name of the child - most of popular names has its patron saints in Christianity, but it happens that the name, for example, is Old Slavonic, and there are no similar ones in Christmas time. Seek advice from a priest, he will select the closest analogue to a non-church name or tell you which saint will be your son's guardian angel, based on his date of birth.

Next, you should pick up. It involves special christening clothes, a pectoral cross and a towel-kryzhma, in which the godparents receive the newly baptized baby from the font. Baptismal clothing should be light in color. It symbolizes cleansing from sins, the festivity of the moment of baptism. If the baptismal garment is left over from an older child, it can be passed on to a younger one. This is very good, because it is believed that the legacy helps children to be closer to each other in the future.

Be sure to include a pectoral cross in the number of what is needed for the baptism of a boy. Traditionally, it, like the godparents, is bought as a gift to the godson. In our country, it is customary for both the chain and the cross to be made of gold, but Christianity itself does not set such restrictions. Moreover, it would be better if the cross for a newborn is made of light material (wood or silver) and hangs not on a chain, but on a soft cord so that the delicate skin of a small child does not rub. Such crosses can be purchased in church shops. And with the godparents, you can agree that they will give a golden cross and a chain to an already grown up ward on his birthday.

Well, the main thing that is needed for the baptism of a boy is an enthusiastic attitude. In addition, it is necessary to respect the canons of the church and understand that this rite is protection for the baby from evil forces, illnesses and troubles. Baptismal clothes and a towel are best kept as a keepsake - they are believed to also have the power of amulets.

In this article:

Many parents after the birth of a child wonder about his baptism, which is accepted in the Orthodox faith. Baptism is a great holiday not only for the crumbs, but also for the whole family, as well as numerous relatives.

However, not all parents and godparents, due to their youth, are familiar with the details of this procedure. We propose to consider in detail the rite of baptism of a child, the rules for its implementation and the duties of godparents. So, let's start an interesting conversation about a big holiday for a little person.

The essence of baptism

Baptism is a sacred church sacrament, the essence of which is to transfer the grace of God to a child. That is, baptism does not include any material or real burden, it is just a gift.

During the baptism of a child are immersed in water. This symbolizes the inevitable death of a sinful life, which the baby, who is undergoing the sacrament of baptism, has renounced. The exit of the child from the font speaks of the resurrection as of the infinity of life. The believer can partake of the miraculous salvation accomplished by the Savior, because he has already been washed away from original sin.

After the completion of the sacred rite small man becomes a member of the Church of Christ and undertakes to follow its commandments.

The best age for a child to be baptized

There is no specific age for the baby in any of the rules. Often, the Orthodox perform the rite of baptism of a child as soon as he turns eight days from the moment of birth. The reasons why

parents decide to postpone the baptism of their child, is the lack of firm faith and full awareness.

Some young mothers and fathers decide to postpone the ceremony until the child himself decides whether he wants it or not. Here it is important to know that in this case, the hesitation can turn into a detrimental effect of the sinful world, because the soul of an unbaptized child is open to negative influence environment.

How to prepare for the baptism of a child?

Often, due to the high employment of the priest, one should take care of the specific time and place of the sacrament in advance. As a rule, most parishes have their own timetable. indicating certain hours at which it is possible to conduct the rite of baptism. Do not forget to coordinate the desired time with the priest.

Next, you should come with the child at the appointed time, along with the godfather and mother. They are chosen by the parents for the child. You must have a pectoral cross for the baby and a special shirt for christening. You will also need a napkin to wipe the child's face and two towels. The most important thing to take with you is the icon of the saint: it will symbolize the protection of the baby.

You should be aware that during the rite of baptism, there is no need for a child's birth certificate. Taking into account the age of the crumbs, godparents must go through preparation for baptism instead. These rules apply to children under the age of 14.

The future godparent is obliged to take a course of public speaking,
the number of which depends on the will of the abbot. In addition, the recipient must confess.

Also, the mandatory rules for future spiritual moms and dads include, in addition to all conversations, the rejection of carnal pleasures, fasting for several days and knowing the “Symbol of Faith” prayer by heart. In the same church where the baby will be baptized, confession and communion should be done.

Shopping for a christening

The rules of baptism say that godparents make purchases for the sacred sacrament. We are talking about a baptismal set, which includes a shirt and a cross. If we are talking about a boy, then the godfather buys him a pectoral cross. If a girl, then everything necessary for the ceremony, including a sheet, is bought by the godmother. A sheet will be needed to wrap the baby after dipping into the font.

Remember that if you bought a pectoral cross in a simple store, then you should consecrate it in advance in the church. Some parents prefer the cross to hang on a strong ribbon, others like a strong chain.

Who to choose as godparents?

Very often, the closest relatives of the couple (for example, sisters, brothers, aunts and uncles) become godparents. The main condition is the faith of the chosen one. Other important condition is that the future godparent must himself be

baptized, otherwise he does not have the right to take on such significant obligations.

The church has established rules that there is a list of people who cannot be invited to be the godfather or mother to the baby. So, among the persons who cannot be godparents, there are monks, young children, unbelievers, unhealthy people (we are talking about mental state person), as well as immoral people. In addition, it is forbidden for spouses to be godparents of the same baby. But there are times when this was allowed by the bishop. Also, representatives of other currents cannot be recipients.

Responsibilities of Godparents

The godparents of the crumbs must be fully aware of their destiny. After all, they are responsible for the baby before God. Their duty is to educate the child, beneficent and influence. It will be good if the godparents, mom and dad, show interest in Orthodox culture, in particular, in the significance and essence of baptism itself.

We recommend to all parents

discuss with the priest possible candidates. The same goes for you. If you have the honor of becoming a godfather, before expressing your consent, consult with the priest.

Many parents are interested in the question of whether it is possible to become a recipient in absentia.

The Church replies to this that in absentia there is no close connection between the infant and the godparents. Believers sincerely believe that godparents are accountable to God for the fulfillment of their obligations to the baby.

Process of the Sacred Mystery

The rite of baptism consists of certain actions, and their strict sequence is very important. The first stage is the rite of announcement, during which the priest reads a prayer against Satan and gives a blessing to the baby. This is followed by the rite "Three prohibitions on unclean spirits." The priest drives away the devil and prays to God for the expulsion of the evil one. The third stage is renunciation. Its essence is that future godparents renounce all sinful past and unrighteous way of life. This is followed by a confession of fidelity to the Son of God - here one of the godparents reads the prayer "The Symbol of Faith" for a crumb. Then comes the beginning of the sacrament of baptism itself:

The next stage is the rite of the sacrament of chrismation. The father will anoint the baby with the holy world. The reading of the Holy Scriptures - the procession around the font speaks of the joy of the Church in the birth of another member and includes a joyful hymn. During the procession godfathers and the mother should keep lighted candles.

Rites of completion

The final rites of baptism are the washing away of the world and the cutting of hair (a symbol of sacrifice, because the baby does not yet own anything else to give with joy to God).

The rite of the sacrament is over - now the main thing remains to educate and instill in the child love for the Lord.

Differences between boy and girl baptism

There is a difference between performing a ceremony for a boy and a girl. We can note that it is quite insignificant. Let's take a closer look:

What's next?

The rite of the sacred sacrament of baptism is like the second birth of a baby, but no longer burdened with various sinful qualities. As a rule, parents like to organize a magnificent and memorable holiday in honor of the baptism of their child.

Love your child, give him your attention, care and participation!