The baptism of a child is a solemn event after birth in the family of the baby. It introduces a person to fellowship with God, to union with the Lord. Not everyone has an idea of this sacrament. Therefore, we will try to tell you more about it.
When can I baptize a baby?
The question that worries any parents is how early can a child be baptized? - This can be done from the first days of the baby’s birth, especially if there is a threat to his life.
If everything is fine with the baby, they usually wait forty days. Why? This time is given to the mother of the newborn for purification. For 40 days, the church considers it "unclean." After the expiration of the term, the mother may be present during the rite of communion with the church. And the baby will get stronger for the sacrament of Baptism.
How old can one be baptized? You can join the Lord at any age. It is believed that at Baptism a person receives his Guardian Angel, which does not leave him even after his death.
Video: What you need to know before baptizing a child
Why it is better to baptize in infancy
Many people prefer to baptize later, in a year or two. But we must remember that the older the child, the more difficult it is for him to endure the ceremony, because it lasts about an hour. The baby is sleeping peacefully in the arms of the godfather, while the grown up, tired, begins to act up. It is also more difficult to dip into the font.
What days to baptize
Are there days when baptism is forbidden? There are no restrictions, but different temples have their own schedule of services. Therefore, it is advisable to clarify the date of Baptism in your temple.
Choosing a godfather
For the baptized one must choose the godparents.
- Church rules say that a child needs a receiver of the same gender.
- The godmother is obligatory for the girl, for the boy the godfather is necessary.
- If the baby has both receivers, as is customary in the people, this is also allowed.
- The choice of godparents must be taken seriously, they are entrusted with the spiritual education of the godson in the Orthodox faith.
- A person who has become a receptor for a child must be a person of the Orthodox faith, relative, close acquaintance, or family friend.
- A husband and wife, or a couple who are planning to marry, people with a mental illness, sectarians, people sinful from the point of view of the church (alcoholics, drug addicts, etc.) cannot baptize the same child.
What is needed for the rite of baptism
For baptism you must buy:
- Christening shirt (godmother buys it).
- Pectoral cross with chain (godfather buys).
- You also need to have a baptismal towel and a diaper with you.
How much and why pay
Before performing the rite, you must pay a donation for baptism. In each city, this amount is different. The Lord bequeathed not to take money for Baptism. But the donation for the ceremony is one of the important parts of the temple’s profit, which allows paying for expenses on lighting, heating, repair and maintenance of the church, the work of the father, who, as usual, has a large family.
If a person does not have money to pay, he cannot be denied the sacrament of Baptism. If you refuse, you need to turn to the dean (this is the clergyman overseeing the order in the parish).
How is the baptismal rite
- Those present must necessarily wear crosses on them.
- Godparents throughout the passage of the rite hold the baptized in their arms. The role of parents is just to watch.
- The ceremony takes place very solemnly, because this is the Sacrament of man’s spiritual birth.
- The priest recites prayers, including the article of faith. This prayer should be known to the godparents of the baby.
- On behalf of the baby, they promise to keep God faithful, and also renounce the evil one.
- Then the priest blesses the water in the font, anoints the baby with oil.
- And then the main sacrament is accomplished - the father three times lowers the child with his head into the font, while reading the baptismal prayer.
- Then they put a cross on the baby, the holy father smears certain parts of the child’s body with the world, saying the necessary prayers. These prayers apply to both spiritual and bodily health and well-being. It often happens that a sick child recovers after completing the rite, making his family and friends happy.
- After anointing, godparents three times enclose a baby around the font in their arms, symbolizing eternal spiritual life.
- Father bathes the world and wipes it with a towel.
- Makes the baby’s hair cut, partakes of it.
- If the person to be baptized is a boy, then the godfather brings him to the altar, bows to the throne with him.
- The next action is an application to the icons of our Lord and Mother of God.
- After the rite is completed in most churches, parents are given a baptismal certificate.
Can I take pictures in the church
In many churches, they are now allowed to do photo or video filming of the ceremony. But you need to find out in advance, as some priests are categorically against filming. After all, Baptism is primarily a sacrament.
Video: The sacrament of baptism. rules
What to do with baptismal things
The baptismal shirt, diaper and towel are stored in the baptized family. These things do not erase, because they are present particles of the holy world. If the baby is sick, they put on a baptismal shirt and pray for his recovery. A diaper (or kryzhma) has a wonderful ability to heal a baby from disease. If the child’s teeth are painfully climbing, you can, after praying, cover him with a diaper or towel.
Christening celebration
After the completion of the baptismal rite, it is customary to celebrate a joyful event. I would like to remind you that the baptismal rite itself pays and the godfather sets the festive table. The godparents and guests bring gifts to the christening.
What can be presented to the baptized
According to tradition, they give:
- a silver spoon
- a silver mug
- toys
- smart clothes
- photo album
- gold or silver jewelry
- money.
Through the sacrament of Baptism, a person is introduced to God, born spiritually, and becomes inextricably linked with Heavenly Father. Therefore, it is so necessary to baptize your baby as soon as possible. If parents have additional problems, do not look for information from outsiders. Turn to the priest, and he will carefully listen to you and answer your questions.
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Video: Baptismal rites of the child
We baptized our girl in 4.5 months. Even when we were baptized, a remark was made that a woman who came to church should be in a dress or skirt, so they put on a long shawl over the trousers of our godmother. Now after the baby’s baptism, we go to church for communion every Sunday.
I want to add that after baptism the baby becomes calmer, sleeps better. But about the fact that I could not wash my shirt and towels after baptism, especially since my son was peeling on a towel, it would be ridiculous to leave it not erased.
I baptized my sons immediately after 40 days from birth. Caught on the feast of Peter and Paul. They were baptized under these names. They took pictures as much as they wanted. Very beautiful ceremony. I was also present. The godmother gave - Kryzhma, the godfather bought a cross and paid the donation. Everything is super.
I was very worried about how the baptism would take place when my daughter baptized, she was 4 months old and didn’t like to bathe, she was afraid that she would scream very much, but in the church which was baptized, it was possible for the children to simply wash their face and legs, and therefore there was no hysteria)
And we baptized our daughter at 10 months - it seems that she’s not breastfeeding, but that’s the trick that she understood everything and cried out when bathing. There was a problem with choosing a name to baptize the child: the daughter’s name is rare, so I had to look. The site "Epiphany.ru" helped - there is a lot of interesting and necessary information, I looked there and everything necessary for the sacrament
The godmother in the photo is standing with her bare back, shoulders and knees ... They even told us in the church that the godmother had the baptismal decoration that was closed almost to five, and she was only 3 years old.
Mariya, that's it, we also have our own special baptismal shirt in the Orthodox community of St. Hermogenes was taken on this occasion. People have nothing sacred. There are some church canons, you need to adhere to them!
Sveta-Candy, thanks! And tell me, are there wholesale prices indicated? It says both wholesale and retail, and what prices are not clear ((
Hello, and I have such a situation, I can’t baptize my child in any way, we are already a year and 5. Relatives are there, but they all refuse, arguing that they don’t want to be obligated afterwards, because life is difficult financial and everyone is for himself . (give gifts, financially help, so that they would not hope for real estate, etc.). Those who would not mind are dead. We don’t need their material wealth and explained it to them, but they chose the position “my hut from the edge” ... If we could baptize a child without their participation in absentia and without interviews, one day (as it was before, by the way I did baptized and nothing), then of course we didn’t turn to them, but they don’t choose relatives, the Lord sends them to us, so he sent us such relatives ((((And now, can the child not be baptized now? But what about earlier they baptized, in Soviet times, when the church was banned, also held interviews? Where does the Bible say you need an interview? It turns out that they put sticks in the wheels ... I don’t even know what to do in such a situation .... Maybe there are some then exceptions to innovations?