When attending church, it is important to know how to be baptized correctly, because this is not a simple manipulation, but a whole religious act associated with the sanctification of our mind, spirit and body. The spiritual depth of this lies in our faith in God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit. This sacred tandem is the essence of the Holy Trinity, revered by all Orthodox Christians.
With the sign of the cross we carry out a small ceremony, invoking the Name of God and attracting (another person, child) Divine Grace. Grace-filled power is associated with the great sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who accepted death to atone for the sins of all mankind. After all, he died on the Calvary Cross, and it is to him that worship is performed. The holy cross testifies that we are ready to get rid of sins and ask God's grace.
Properly baptized should not only be in the church. A believer should overshadow himself with a sacred cross in the morning, after waking up, before and after the meal, before going to bed, as well as during times of great joy and during times of sorrow. Wherein saying: "In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit". Passing by the church, you need to stop, cross yourself and bow, directing your thoughts into the spiritual channel. They also place the banner of the cross on themselves during prayer at home in front of the icon, confirming their faith in the Lord. Children should be taught to be properly baptized with early age.
Going to church is special ritual through which the person expresses his love for God and demonstrates his readiness to declare himself to be who he became during the Sacrament of Baptism, namely, a Part of the Body of Christ. Orthodox Christians should be baptized correctly at the entrance to the shrine. This must be done three times, ending each sign of the cross with a bow to the ground - to the glory of Jesus Christ. This expresses the strength and stability of a person's faith in the Lord, which he is ready to declare publicly.
Now, we are over Let's consider in detail how to be baptized Orthodox.
- Orthodox Christians are baptized with three fingers of their right hand.
- Large, index and middle fingers folded with pillows to each other - they symbolize the Holy Inseparable Trinity. Make sure that the fingers are on the same level, because this is the Sign of Equality.
- The two remaining fingers (ring and little fingers) we bend to the palm. This is also not accidental, because in this way we declare that we believe in Christ and in that divine and human principle that is present in him.
- We bring three connected fingers to the forehead (we say: “In the name of the Father”) - we sanctify the mind.
- We move our fingers to the stomach (we say: “and the Son”) - this is how we sanctify our feelings and heart.
- We move the hand first to the right shoulder, and then to the left. In this way we sanctify the bodily forces and say: "And the holy spirit."
Many, including even experienced parishioners, often do not know how to correctly baptize Orthodox from right to left or from left to right. Therefore, they prefer to cross themselves somehow, neglecting the laws of the church. If you notice that someone quickly jumped the whole five from the forehead to the stomach, and then from the left shoulder to the right, do not follow this example, it is patently wrong. Remember: Orthodox are baptized with three fingers (or fingers) from right to left. Perhaps, to explain this tradition, it is worth plunging a little into the history of Christianity.
How to be baptized in a Christian way: a historical background
It should be noted that the generally accepted method of baptism was formed gradually. As you know, there are 2 main branches of Christianity - Orthodoxy and Catholicism. And each of them harbors its own tradition of the sign of the cross.
In the early Christian period, the sign of the cross was carried out with one finger of the right hand. And they overshadowed with a cross forehead, chest and lips- before reading the Gospel at Mass. Later, they baptized themselves, other people or surrounding objects with one or more fingers or even the whole hand as a sign of blessing.
On ancient icons, we see the image of Jesus Christ, as well as saints and clergy with outstretched two fingers - middle and index - as a symbol of the two components of the nature of Jesus. The rest of the fingers are closed. To date known about several variants of the sign of the cross: with two or three fingers, with the whole palm, and also from right to left or left to right.
Today you can find whole discussions about how to properly baptize Orthodox from right to left or from left to right. Just like how many fingers to close at the same time - two or three. In fact, the tradition is to baptize with closed three fingers first the forehead, then the navel, the right shoulder, and at the very end - the left came to us from Byzantium. Previously, the Byzantines were baptized with two fingers, and this tradition is still preserved in some Old Believer circles. The so-called Three-Fingers replaced the earlier form - Two-Fingers, during the reform of Patriarch Nikon in Russia in the 17th century.
Thus, today we are baptized from right to left, closing three fingers together. At the end of this action, one should bow to the ground, in gratitude to the Lord for the favor. As mentioned above, during the sign of the cross, the believer first touches the forehead, sanctifying the mind, then the abdomen, sanctifying the inner feelings. And the transition to the shoulders symbolizes the consecration of the body. At the same time, the believer first touches the right shoulder, as better side person. According to Christian tradition, it is on the right hand of man that paradise is located. Angels and saved souls sit on the right shoulder. The left shoulder symbolizes hell. Making the gesture of baptism from right to left, the believer, as it were, asks to save his soul and protect it from hell and temptation. There is another interpretation of the sign of the cross. The forehead symbolizes heaven, the belly - the earth, the shoulders - the Holy Spirit, which embraces our whole being.
In the West Catholics are baptized from left to right. This is connected with the very symbolism of the Cross on which Jesus died. By his death, he brought humanity from the abyss to salvation. That is why believers Catholic rite they transfer their fingers first to the left shoulder (still symbolizing purgatory and hell), and then to the right (salvation and paradise). By signing themselves with the cross, Catholics express their belonging to Christ.
We told you how to be baptized in the church and revealed the main symbolism of the sign of the cross. Do not forget that be baptized reverently, expressing his gratitude to God with all his gestures. The cross that comes from a pure heart can save the soul and calm our minds. That is why our ancestors baptized themselves and their children, waking up in the morning and going to bed in the evening, they thanked the Lord for the minutes they had lived and their daily bread.
The meaning of the sign of the cross is the same for all Christian denominations. By making the sign of the cross, people testify to their loyalty to Christ. The Lord took upon himself death on the cross in order to grant us salvation. The sign of the cross itself is different for Orthodox, Catholics and Old Believers. How to baptize Orthodox Christians? In order not to get confused and correctly overshadow yourself with the sign of the cross, read our material on how to be baptized correctly.
How to be baptized - history
Basil the Great called the sign of the cross one of those apostolic Traditions that came to us not through Scripture, but through custom. Wherever the apostles preached the Word of God, people who converted to Christianity began to depict the sign of the cross on themselves. Baptized in all countries in different ways. In the West - with the whole palm, in Africa it was customary to be baptized with one finger, forefinger or thumb, as a sign of faith in one God. They could also be baptized in an unusual way - not with a full cross, but only with the forehead, mouth and heart. According to Orthodox tradition, the smaller ones from the big ones are blessed with the sign of the cross: the laity from the priest and the children from the parents.
There is no answer to the question why Catholics are baptized from left to right, and Orthodox from right to left. Due to distance distances, cultural differences and differences, the sign of the cross differs in different countries and denominations. We can say that the beginning of the differences laid church schism which took place in the 11th century. Not only the features of overshadowing oneself with the sign of the cross differ, but also the vestments of priests, temples, and some customs. At the same time, all Christian traditions have one common root - faith in Christ. Thus, despite the difference in divine services, the Eucharistic canon in Orthodoxy and Catholicism remains almost identical.
How to be baptized - Composition
A finger is a finger. The Orthodox, in order to overshadow themselves with the sign of the cross, put together three fingers as a sign of the trinity of the Lord. Thumb, index and middle fingers are assembled. The rest remain clenched in a fist. These two fingers mean that Jesus Christ remained both God and man at the same time.
Left to right or vice versa? How to be baptized Orthodox
- First, we put our fingers on our foreheads, asking the Lord to sanctify our mind.
- We put our fingers on the stomach in the area of the solar plexus and ask God to extend the days of our life.
- We put our fingers on the right shoulder.
- We put our fingers on the left shoulder.
Thus, we seem to draw a cross on ourselves, agreeing to accept the will of God and follow Christ. To consolidate their devotion to God during worship, people also make bows and bows to the ground. When making a waist bow, people bow to the waist, and during the earthly bow, they kneel and touch the floor with their foreheads.
The Old Believers, on the contrary, fold their index and middle fingers, and press the rest to the palm of their hand. At the same time, the essence of the composition remains the same.
Catholics make the sign of the cross with their whole hand and do it from left to right, not right to left. The whole palm is used as a sign of ulcers on the body of Jesus, there were five of them - two on the legs, two on the arms and one from a copy. In Orthodoxy, it is believed that this is not a dogmatic, but a ritual image of the cross.
How to be baptized in front of the temple and in society?
Orthodox Christians often face the question of whether it is right to be baptized in in public places. There is no single answer to the question of whether this is worth doing, but it is important to ask ourselves the question - why are we baptized? If a person has an inner need for this, or he reads a prayer to himself and wants to cross himself, then, of course, there will be nothing wrong with this. The Lord has called us to confession, and Orthodox Christians should not be shy and hide their faith in God. If a person does this for show, to show that he leads a pious and righteous life, it is worth asking yourself if something that is designed to help people will harm his soul? Visible evidence of our faith is not condemned if it is for good. By doing a good deed or by making the sign of the cross, we demonstrate faith in Christ. But our intentions must also be good and kind. Thinking about the fact that someone nearby does not know how to be baptized or is baptized incorrectly, we can do something in condemnation, and not in justification.
Significance of the Cross
Orthodox Christians should not condemn those who do not know how to be baptized, because the grace and love of the Lord do not depend on how we overshadow ourselves with the sign of the cross (although this should be done according to the basics of the dogma). If a person accidentally crossed himself from left to right, but at the same time in his soul he took upon himself the way of the cross of Christ and agreed to follow Him, this is not imputed as a sin. After all, the essence of the sign of the cross is to manifest in a visible way what is in the soul of a person - faith and love for Christ.
How Orthodox Christians are baptized
The first three fingers put together right palm signify the cross of the Lord, namely the Holy Spirit. The other two fingers of the right palm are the two natures of Christ: human and Divine (Christ is the Man-God). If we describe how the Orthodox are baptized in more detail, then it happens like this: we fold the fingers of the right palm: the thumb, index and middle ends to each other, symbolizing a single Two others and the little finger - we press it as tightly as possible to the palm, personifying the descent of the Son of God from heaven to the ground. When we overshadow ourselves with the banner of the cross, we press our folded fingers to four points on our body. To sanctify our mind, we put the cross of the Lord (three fingers) to the forehead, to sanctify the heart and feelings - to the womb, to sanctify the bodily forces - to the right, and then to the left shoulder.
Consider how the Orthodox are baptized not during public worship. In this case, in the process of execution, it is imperative to pronounce the words, while consecrating a certain area of \u200b\u200bour body (as mentioned above): “In the name of the Father (bless the forehead) and the Son (bless the stomach), and the Holy (bless the right shoulder) Spirit ( consecrate the left shoulder). Amen, ”we lower our right hand and bow.
Why do Orthodox Christians baptize from right to left?
The fact is that our right shoulder is a paradise with saved souls, and the left is the place of the perishing, hell and purgatory for demons and sinners. That is, when we are baptized, we ask God for our reckoning with the fate of saved souls, delivering us from the fate of those burning in hell.
Orthodox cross
Jesus Christ was once executed on this main symbol of Christianity. He was crucified to atone for the sins of the world. AT Orthodox cross church strength and power is concentrated, it is an all-conquering spiritual tool. It is believed that it is the cross that scares away all sorts of evil spirits (for example, vampires), and if it is applied to the unclean, it, like a brand, will burn through his skin.
People who are far from the church call the Orthodox cross the instrument of execution of Jesus Christ, reproaching Christians for worshiping this instrument. But this is nothing more than philistine talk. Orthodox Christians do not worship the instrument of execution, but the Life-Giving Cross (the symbol of Eternal Life), for Jesus Christ, crucified on it, atoned for our sins with his sufferings.
Immortal life
Jesus is crucified on the cross. We see it. Paradoxically, but in the crucified Christ, Eternal Life is exactly the same. That is why the Orthodox cross is a tree that gives life. It is not for nothing that each of us receives Christ at baptism, wearing it around our neck all our lives.
This is the personification of a weapon of spiritual struggle, a symbol of our salvation and confession. Praying and turning to the Lord, an Orthodox Christian asks God to protect him and his loved ones from illness, from enemies, from unclean people, and so on.
So, in this article, we briefly tried to describe how Orthodox Christians are baptized, and also told you about the Orthodox cross and the Eternal Life that it represents. We hope our article was useful to you.
A person who believes in God is constantly baptized while staying in a house or in a temple. But not everyone knows how to be baptized Orthodox Christian.
The way to be baptized has been developed for a long time. Orthodox and Catholics are baptized differently. They are based on different religious traditions.
Tradition to be baptized
Previously, believers crossed only with the finger of their right hand. At the same time, they touched their lips, chest and forehead. Christians had to pray every time before reading the Gospel. After a while, they already began to use the palm or several fingers to cross. First, believers in God baptized their forehead, left, right shoulder and navel. However, in 1551, the navel was changed to the chest, because the heart is in the chest.
It is necessary to make the sign of the cross correctly. This suggests that the Orthodox honors traditions and believes in God. To christen yourself or a loved one, you must first fold the fingers of your right hand. Then connect the tips of a large, medium, index finger, and the little finger and ring finger must be pressed to the palm of your hand. Fingers folded like this should be applied to the forehead.
After that, lower your hand to the solar plexus, to the right shoulder, to the left shoulder. After lowering the right hand, you can bow.
What is the meaning of this action
If the parents of the baby are believers, from a young age they take him to the temple and teach him to be baptized correctly. But sometimes young children do this action spontaneously.
Why are these steps needed and what do they mean:
- Three fingers put together mean the Orthodox Holy Trinity.
- The other two, pressed to the palm, personify the active nature of Christ. About the union of two principles - human and spiritual - in the Son of God.
It should be noted that you need to be baptized only with your right hand. You also need to know how to properly baptize from left to right or right to left. After the sign of the cross, you can bow to the belt or the earth. If in the waist, the head should be bowed to the waist. Bowing to the ground means kneeling down and touching the ground with the forehead. The bowing of the head symbolizes humility before the Lord and great love for him.
The cross, without exaggeration, has great power. It contains spiritual power to protect the soul. A person, having been baptized, receives powerful protection from various misfortunes and temptations. Similar strength possesses a cross laid by a priest or parents.
When to be baptized
Everyone knows that the prayer ends with the words: "In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, amen." At this moment, you need to baptize yourself. They are baptized at the moment when the words of the prayer are pronounced by the minister of the church. But we should not forget that it is necessary to rebaptize yourself not only at the moment dedicated to prayer.
Believers are baptized early in the morning after waking from sleep, before eating and before going to bed.
To overshadow yourself with the sign of the cross, it is not at all necessary to read a long prayer. It is enough to say thank you to God for the beginning of a new day in life, food or a good day. Mothers, in order to protect their babies from misfortune, overshadow their children with a cross. The illumination of the holy cross by parents has great power, because parental love is also invested in it, and not just love for God.
Why you need to be baptized from right to left
There is an opinion that believing Christians are baptized from right to left because the word "right" means "right". In other words, following in the right direction. According to another judgment, the way the Orthodox are baptized depends on the physiological characteristics of a person. After all, many are right-handed and all actions begin with the right hand. But there are believers who consider the difference a pure formality and do not attach importance to how to be baptized correctly, from right to left or vice versa.
Historical data show that until the middle of the 17th century people were baptized not only from right to left, but also with two fingers. After the innovations of Patriarch Nikon, they began to impose a cross with three fingers, in turn, this symbolizes the trinity of the Lord.
But, despite the fact that there is still no direct evidence of the correctness of the application of the cross properly, church traditions should be respected and not forgotten that in Orthodoxy the cross is imposed on itself right to left only.
Not everyone knows what this means. This is a sacred act in which the image of the Cross is placed on oneself or on something. In other words, when making the sign of the cross, a person seems to invokes the Divine Grace of the Holy Spirit. In addition, a person tries to protect himself from various misfortunes and troubles.
Surely everyone has seen when people begin to be baptized before entering the church or leaving it, as well as before the start of any action, for example, before a long journey or eating. Why do they do it?
First of all, so that the business, which is just beginning, is successful. So, an elderly grandmother is baptized before pedestrian crossing on the road, and only then begins to cross the roadway.
At the entrance to the temple of God to perform a prayer, or the need to order a funeral service, baptism, put candles - in all cases the following must be observed:
The subsequent stay in the temple is at the discretion of the worshiper. You can submit notes, light candles and put them in front of the face of the saint. Pray before him too.
What can be difficult in the sign of the cross? I thought so too, but then I caught myself thinking - do you need to touch your fingers to the left or right shoulder? And how to baptize yourself and baptize a child, how to form a cross in the air with your hands? I decided to find out the rules of the sign of the cross in the Orthodox tradition, and I will share my knowledge with you. I will also explain when to bow from the waist so that in church you don’t have to worry about the correctness of your actions.
An attentive person may notice that Orthodox and Catholics overshadow themselves with a cross in different ways. Firstly, Catholics are baptized with two fingers, and when entering the temple they kneel on one knee. Secondly, Catholics and Orthodox touch their fingers on different shoulders: they alternate right-left in a different order.
The method of baptism has evolved over several centuries. The first Christians were baptized with only one finger, expressing by this action their readiness to be crucified for their Savior. Then a tradition arose to overshadow the forehead, stomach and shoulders with two fingers. Subsequently, this tradition was changed, and instead of the stomach, they overshadowed the chest: after all, the heart is more important than the stomach. However, this method was again changed and returned to the fall of the abdomen instead of the chest, in accordance with the fact that the stomach symbolizes life.
In the 17th century, the sign of the cross was already performed with three fingers instead of two, since the number three corresponds to the Holy Trinity. The cross was made with the right hand, since the right side symbolizes truth and truth. Three-fingered re-baptism was approved by Nikon's reform, after which the Orthodox Church split. The schismatics (Old Believers) still retained the two-fingered application, since they did not accept the church reform.
How are Orthodox Christians baptized? This tradition is observed in Orthodoxy to this day: we overshadow ourselves with the right hand, with three fingers, from right to left.
Interestingly, the ways of overshadowing oneself with the sign of the cross varied greatly. If at first Christians laid the cross with one finger, then later a method was invented to be baptized with the whole palm. In 1656, the method of overshadowing oneself with a cross was approved, which became widespread in Russia. Those who did not comply were considered heretics. All Old Believers fell under the label of heretics, and only in the 20th century Orthodox Church approved double-toed attachment as acceptable.
Right or left shoulder
How to be baptized Orthodox - to the right or to the left? Orthodox faith came to Russian land from Byzantium, so we adhere to the Byzantine canons in the sign of the cross. This means that it is necessary to fall:
- projection of the navel;
- right shoulder;
- left shoulder.
Sacred symbolism is hidden in the sign of the cross, from which it is impossible to deviate. The Church Fathers give a direct indication of the correct application of the cross in order to attract the grace of heaven by their actions. No one can forbid a person to cross himself as he pleases, but God's grace will not come down with such actions.
After the overshadowing of the cross, it is necessary to bow to the belt, expressing gratitude to Christ for salvation.
Symbolism of the cross:
- forehead - we sanctify the mind;
- stomach - we sanctify our lives;
- shoulders - consecrate your body.
Why touch the right side of the body first? Because it symbolizes best qualities person. Behind the right shoulder is the guardian angel, and paradise is located on the right side of the person. When a person touches his right shoulder with his fingers, and then the left, he expresses a request to be accepted into the heavenly abode.
How to baptize a child
What changes when we cross over another? The position of the sides changes - right and left. During autumn, it is necessary to touch the right shoulder, and then the left. In this case, our hand first goes to the left, and then to the right. However, this rule applies if the person is turned to face us.
If we overshadow with a cross the one who has his back turned to us, the movement of the hand goes from right to left. That is, we make such movements as if we were baptized ourselves. It is important to remember one rule: first, the fingers must touch the right shoulder.
How to be baptized in church and at home
During the liturgy or just when visiting a church, people often cross themselves and bow from the waist. The question arises: how to be baptized Orthodox in the church, how to fold your fingers correctly? The Church Fathers teach this:
- connect together the thumb, index and middle fingers as if in a pinch;
- press the ring finger with the little finger to the palm (hide).
What does this configuration mean? Three pinched fingers represent the unity of the Trinity. They are together in equal positions. Two fingers hidden in the palm express the belief that the Savior was a man.
Words during the laying on of the cross:
- the center of the forehead - in the name of the Father;
- projection of the navel - and the Son;
- shoulders - and the Holy Spirit.
When and how should one be baptized in the church? The first time they are baptized at the entrance to the church - they lay a cross three times and bow three times at the waist. Please note that the waist bow is performed when the hands are already lowered down. If you bow before, the cross, as it were, will be “broken”. Therefore, do not rush to bow with your hand up.
To be baptized hastily, without folding a pinch of fingers, is considered sacrilege. This is a big sin.
After leaving the temple, the Orthodox are also baptized and bow. You need to leave the holy monastery after making the sign of the cross at the doors and at the gates of the temple.
When should you be baptized at home? They overshadow themselves with the sign of the cross in front of the icons, before the meal and when going to bed and upon waking up. You need to be baptized before reading the prayers and at the end of the reading. It is customary to be baptized even in difficult life circumstances, driving away evil spirits from oneself. Sometimes this action can work wonders. However, you need to cross yourself with a strong faith in your heart, otherwise this action will not lead to any results.
When and how should you be baptized? Our grandmothers started any business with the sign of the cross.
Also, believers are baptized when looking at a temple or cathedral and at the mention of the saints and the Virgin Mary with Jesus. When a person, approaching the temple, overshadows himself with a cross, he openly confesses the faith of Christ. This is very important, since it is the direct duty of every Christian to bring the good news to the world. Therefore, when you pass by Christian religious buildings, do not forget to make the sign of the cross.
Listen to what schemamonk Joachim says about the sign of the cross.
