Baptism is one of the seven sacraments of the Christian church. This solemn action plays a huge role in the life of a believer. It has a cleansing meaning, as a result of which a person, as it were, dies and is reborn again for a new life.
The sacrament of baptism is performed with the help of water, which at the cosmic level endows a person with grace and cleanses from the sin given to him at birth. An adult is forgiven for any sins committed before baptism.
Tribute to fashion or command of the heart
If for some reason a person was not baptized in infancy, then at a conscious age, sooner or later this problem begins to bother him. It is important to figure out whether he needs to be baptized or not. And if so, why.
Often in conversations at the everyday level one can hear questions: “Is baptism so important?”, “Is it really impossible to communicate with God without it?”.
Returning to the origins of Christian teaching, it is worth remembering what the Lord bequeathed before ascending to heaven after the resurrection: "... go teach the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit."
If people want to be Christians, they must obey the will of the Savior. After all, it was he, the son of God, who lived among people, took upon himself the sins of the human race, suffered severe suffering on the cross, died, rose again and ascended to God. By his life, he showed people the way of salvation, the way by which they can come to God. But for this you need to die and rise with Jesus. The sacrament of baptism just symbolizes these actions.
To be baptized or not It's an adult's choice. No one can force him to do this. It is important that a person does not succumb to the temptation to “be like everyone else”, not having in his soul the desire to subordinate his life to the service of God.
The priests say that it is possible to perform the ceremony without the faith of the person being baptized in God, but it will not cost anything. If, after baptism, a person does not begin to live according to Christian customs (reading spiritual literature, attending divine services, observing fasts and church holidays), the grace of God will quickly disappear, and the atheist will not be able to enter the Kingdom of Heaven after death.
It is no secret that some people subject themselves to the rite of baptism in order to acquire, in their opinion, certain benefits for themselves. For example: improve health, improve financial situation, protect yourself from damage, the evil eye. This is absolutely unacceptable. After all, the essence of baptism is to give oneself to God completely and unlimitedly, and not to wait for "manna from heaven" from him.
Preparation period
Adults come to the Russian Orthodox Church with a request for baptism. Therefore, preparation for baptism is significantly different from the rite over babies, because for a child important decision parents accept it, and the formed personality itself is responsible for its actions. Priests are not indifferent to knowing what is behind a person's desire to be baptized.
In the old days, people who turned to the church with a request for baptism were declared catechumens. Their preparation for the day of baptism lasted more than one day. During this period, they read a lot, attended church, studied the basics of Christianity. And only the clergy decided whether a person was ready to perform the ceremony. In fact, the catechumens were gradually brought into the life of the church.
Today the priests also hold preparatory work with those who expressed a desire to undergo the sacrament of baptism. When people ask questions: “How to conduct Baptism?”, “What is needed for the rite of Baptism for an adult?”, “Is it worth it to be baptized if the wife wants it?”, - there can be only one answer: “Sincere and firm faith is needed.”
Steps to achieve what you want
No need to wait for the priest to be gentle and affectionate, his goal is to understand the readiness of a person to be baptized . The main thing is to stand your ground, answer sincerely and without concealment. The first meeting may be unsuccessful, and he will appoint several more audiences. Like a real psychologist, the priest understands that at the first meeting it is impossible to understand human essence. To establish the truth, further conversations are needed. How many of them there will be - the father decides.
In conversations with the priest, those who wish to be baptized will receive answers to incomprehensible questions regarding the Christian religion. He can clarify how an adult is baptized, how many times you can be baptized. And after deciding that a person is ready for important event, find out what the cost of this action.
Reward for Receiving God's Grace
Temples do not charge fees for ceremonies. There is only a donation for the needs of the church, which is collected in special boxes. Its value depends on the desire and capabilities of people, it can be a penny or thousands. Details can be found in a candle shop or church workers.
But this is not the case everywhere. Some churches have fixed price lists for various services. In them you can find out how much the desired procedure costs. Trading in temples is not encouraged by the Bible, but in order to survive in hard time, the clergy have to turn a blind eye to this ungodly deed. Although the funds raised are mainly used to help the poor, repair church buildings, and build new churches.
Required Information
There are nuances that you need to pay attention to:
Preparation for the sacrament
Before the ceremony compliance is required at least during last three days. It involves the rejection of meat, dairy products, eggs, alcoholic beverages, smoking.
It would not hurt to spend this time reading the Gospel, the Law of God, the Psalms, and prayers. It is worth giving up a fun pastime, watching TV shows, spouses need to refrain from intimate relationships.
Before being baptized we must make peace with all enemies, confess.
On the eve of baptism, starting from midnight, there should be no poppy dew in the mouth.
Important Attributes
Adult men and women need to have christening gown, towel, open slippers, pectoral cross on a chain or string.
Clothing and towels must be white color. For men, this is a long shirt, and for women, a long, reminiscent of a night shirt with long sleeves or a dress. These clothes are not worn Everyday life and do not erase. It is believed that she has the ability to help during serious illnesses, if you put her on an unhealthy person.
About there is an opinion that it should not be gold. It is better to buy a silver or an ordinary inexpensive cross in the church. It is important to remember that after the priest puts it on the neck of the baptized, it is impossible to remove the symbol of faith, unless there is a medical indication for this.
Instead of slippers, slates are suitable so that the feet are open during the sacrament.
Features of the baptism of women
Women and girls are in the temple with their heads covered. This speaks of humility before God and men. Clothing should be modest, clean, tidy. Cosmetics and jewelry are prohibited.
The rite is not performed if the woman is menstruating. This issue is discussed with the priest in advance in order to choose the right day.
During immersion in water, the christening gown will get wet and, most likely, will be translucent. To avoid an awkward moment, you can wear a swimsuit under it..
The rite of baptism of an adult
After the completion of all actions, the rite of chrismation takes place, when the priest makes signs in the form of crosses with the words “Seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit” on the body of the person being baptized. Then the priest, together with the baptized, go around the font three times, this symbolizes eternity.
Finally, the hair is cut- this means that the new Christian is handed over to God's will.
After baptism, the life of a new member of the Holy Church changes dramatically. Man has made a commitment to keep the commandments of the Lord. This will bring some changes in the habitual life. You will have to give up many habits, control your actions, change, if necessary, your attitude towards others. But don't be afraid of change. There is a lot of light and joy in the Christian faith.
Not so long ago, some 15 years ago, in many churches, especially large urban ones, almost every Sunday one could observe an amazing picture: the rite of mass Baptism. Up to 100 people were baptized at a time. People came to the temple with their whole families. This could only be seen in the first centuries of Christianity with only one “small” difference: then people understood well what they were doing. In our time, as is usually the case, people made the decision to be baptized spontaneously, for company, and simply paying tribute to fashion.
Although today you probably won’t see mass Baptism, however, unfortunately, little has changed in the very attitude towards the Sacrament. Not everyone knows what it really is. For many, as before, this is just a rite that allegedly has some kind of magical effect or simply identifies by nationality: baptized means Russian. But it is gratifying that not everyone approaches this important issue so lightly. This is evidenced by the incessant stream of questions coming to our diocesan website. It remains only to recall that answers to many questions have already been posted on it, and before asking your own, you need to see if someone has already asked about something similar.
Why is it necessary to be baptized?
The Sacrament of Baptism is one of the main Sacraments Orthodox Church. It starts with him Christian life person. The Sacrament of Baptism was established by the Lord Himself: Whoever is not born of water and the Spirit cannot enter the Kingdom of God(In. 3 , 5). The importance of this event is also evidenced by the fact that in Russia spiritual birth was considered more important than bodily, so many did not even remember when they were born, and celebrated not their birthday, but the day of an angel, or name day - the day of memory of the saint whose name a person received at Baptism.
By accepting the Sacrament of Baptism, a person is freed from original sin and becomes a full member of the Church, that is, receives her prayerful help. This is especially necessary, of course, for babies, since they are the least protected in our unstable time. But the main thing in this Sacrament is that a person is born for eternity, it becomes possible for him to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven in the future life. For a believer, bodily death is no longer death, but sleep (therefore, those who died in Christ are called the reposed).
When is the Sacrament of Baptism performed?
The Charter of the Orthodox Church allows the Sacrament of Baptism to be performed on any day of the year. However, each temple has its own schedule of services, in which strict certain time. Therefore, a few days before the expected date of Baptism, you should contact the temple where you are going to perform this Sacrament in order to find out everything that is necessary for this.
How can an adult be baptized and what is needed for this?
For an adult, the basis for baptism is faith. You need to prepare for Baptism, decide for yourself even before accepting it, very important, in fact, the most important questions in life: do you personally need this, are you ready? Those who come to the Baptismal font should not look here exclusively for earthly goods: health, success, or solving family problems. The purpose of Baptism is union with God.
However, Baptism is only a generous pledge of our salvation. After performing the Sacrament, a person must begin a full-fledged church life: regularly visit the church, learn divine services, pray and study the path of approaching God with the help of the creations of those who have traveled this path - the holy fathers. That is to learn life in God. If this does not happen, then Baptism will not make any sense.
In ancient times, Baptism was preceded by a rather long period (from forty days to several months, or even years) of categorical conversations - instructions in faith. The person was gradually prepared to make a decision. Now in most churches for those who are preparing for the Sacrament of Baptism, preparatory talks during which you can find out what the doctrine of the Orthodox Church is. If such a practice is not followed in the temple, you can and should talk with the priest about your decision, and he will be able to at least briefly talk about the essence of the Sacrament, answer questions, and advise what to read on this topic.
Before Baptism, it is advisable to start attending the temple (but not stay at the liturgy after the words “catechumens, go out”): there you can not only see how the services are held, but also meet believers who will help in acquiring necessary knowledge. You need to try to learn as much as possible about this Sacrament, start reading Orthodox literature. But first of all, you need to read the Gospel, best of all - from Matthew, since the Gospel is the law, which they promise to fulfill during Baptism. Read Symbol of faith- this prayer is in any prayer book, try to study it, as it contains a confession of faith Orthodox Christian.
And one more thing: you need to bring repentance for your entire life. Such a confession, in fact, is not a Sacrament, but it is an ancient practice that makes it possible to comprehend, understand one's mistakes and try not to repeat them.
To conduct the Sacrament of Baptism, you need to have a consecrated cross on a chain (it is better to consecrate it in advance), a baptismal shirt (a new long white shirt, which later needs to be kept as a home shrine) and a towel that will be needed after leaving the water.
When is the best time to baptize a newborn baby? And how is a newborn given communion?
The ceremony of naming, with which the Sacrament of Baptism begins, is usually performed on the 8th day after the birth of the baby. However, the Charter does not prohibit doing this on any of the previous days. Since the time of purification of the mother of the child continues until the fortieth day, and she can enter the temple only after this period (subject to reading a special, so-called "fortieth" prayer), usually the Sacrament is performed on the fortieth day or a little later. Baptism should not be postponed for more late deadline for the sooner a newborn infant becomes a member of the Church, the more he will be protected from the sin that surrounds him and the evil that springs from sin.
The Orthodox Church believes that a newborn can and should be communed, and as often as possible. The Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ is not food in the usual sense of the word. A person takes communion not to satiate his flesh, but solely to establish an essential connection with the Lord. The Charter provides for the communion of infants only with the Blood of Christ, which is why they can be communed only in full Divine Liturgy, but not at the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, which is served on Wednesdays and Fridays during Great Lent.
The reality of communion does not depend on the number of Holy Gifts offered to the communicant. Therefore, the whole Divine grace becomes the property of a child who is communed with the Blood of Christ, served under the guise of such an insignificant amount of wine that it will not harm his health in any way.
How to choose a name for a child?
The name of a Christian is holy. The naming establishes a special connection between the baptized, that is, the person who has joined the Church, and the saint whose name is chosen. This saint becomes the heavenly patron of the baptized. To him, after the Lord Jesus Christ and Mother of God, most often a believer prays. The Orthodox Church does not impose any restrictions on the choice of a name for a child, as long as it is the name of a saint revered by the Church. Lists of saints, which are called saints, will help you choose a name. They are usually printed at the end of church calendars.
It may happen that the name you have chosen was borne by several saints. In this case, it is useful to read their lives and choose the name of the saint whose life touched you the most.
In the past, there was a tradition according to which the child was named after a saint whose memory is celebrated on the child's birthday or one of the days closest to it. This tradition is good because rare, sometimes almost forgotten names again became alive and loved.
If the child has already received a name that is not in the calendar, at Baptism he will be given another, most often consonant with the secular.
Is it possible to baptize a child at home and how much does it cost?
In churches there is no price for performing the Sacrament of Baptism, there is a recommended donation amount. And if people who want to be baptized, necessary means do not dispose, then this Sacrament, of course, must be performed free of charge. As for Baptism at home, it is justified and possible only when it comes to a seriously ill person who himself cannot get to the temple. Relatives bring children to church, and if the child does not have any life-threatening diseases, then he must be baptized in the church.
How to prepare a child preschool age to the Sacrament of Baptism?
At the age of 5-6 years, a child can easily learn what the meaning of the Sacrament of Baptism is. Before Baptism, the child should be introduced to the main content of the Gospel, at least in the volume of the children's Bible, to tell him about the earthly life of Christ, about His Divine-human dignity, about His commandments.
It is desirable that before the celebration of the Sacrament of Baptism, the child has repeatedly visited Orthodox church including during worship. The kid should be gradually accustomed to the life of an Orthodox Christian, so that he falls in love with the temple, understands the purpose of the icons, knows who is depicted on them, what the candle placed in front of the icon means. The child must learn to pray for himself, for his parents, for his friends and loved ones, for deceased relatives. Immediately before performing the Sacrament of Baptism, you need to learn a few simple prayers with him: Jesus Prayer, Our Father, Virgin Mother of God, rejoice...
It is said that parents should not be present at their child's christening. Is it so?
There are no rules prohibiting the presence of parents at the christening of their child. The opinion that parents should not be present at the Baptism of an infant probably developed for the following reasons: Baptism is a spiritual birth, and since at this spiritual birth there are recipients who become spiritual parents to the child, there is no need for carnal parents to be here. In addition, before the child was baptized almost immediately after birth, so the mother could not be present at the christening "according to the ordinary law of purification."
Marina Novakova
Since ancient times, in the Orthodox Church, there has been a custom dating back to apostolic times to have godparents at Baptism. They became the spiritual parents of the child and the spiritual relatives of his parents. Until relatively recently, godfather and godfather were practically a family member, their presence was mandatory during all significant family events. It is gratifying that nepotism in the good sense of the word is actively reviving today.
Why does a child need godparents and who can become godparents?
A child, especially a newborn baby, cannot say anything about his faith, cannot answer the priest's question whether he renounces Satan and unites with Christ, cannot understand the meaning of the ongoing Sacrament. However, it is impossible to leave him outside the Church before he becomes an adult, since only in the Church is there the grace necessary for his proper growth, for the preservation of his bodily and spiritual health. Therefore, the Church performs the Sacrament of Baptism over the infant and itself assumes the obligation to educate him in the Orthodox faith. The church is made up of people. She fulfills her obligation to properly educate a baptized child through those whom she calls godparents or godparents.
The main criterion for choosing a godfather or godmother should be whether this person can subsequently help in a good, Christian upbringing received from the font, and not only in practical circumstances, as well as the degree of acquaintance and simply friendliness of the relationship.
Concern about expanding the circle of people who would seriously help the newborn child made it undesirable to invite the closest physical relatives as godfather and godfather. It was believed that, by virtue of natural kinship, they would help the child anyway. For the same reason, they tried not to allow brothers and sisters to have the same godfather. Therefore, relatives of grandparents, brothers and sisters, uncles and aunts became godparents only as a last resort.
Now, having gathered to baptize a child, young parents often do not think about who to choose as godparents. They do not expect their child's godparents to take a serious part in his upbringing and invite people who, due to their lack of roots in church life, cannot fulfill the duties of godparents to be godparents. It also happens that people who become godparents are completely unaware that they really have a great honor. Most often, the honorary right to be godparents is granted to close friends or relatives who, having performed simple actions during the performance of the Sacrament and having eaten all kinds of dishes for festive table, rarely remember their duties, sometimes completely forgetting about the godchildren themselves.
However, when inviting godparents, you need to know that Baptism, according to the teachings of the Church, is a second birth, that is, “birth from water and the Spirit” (John 3, 5), about which necessary condition salvation spoke Jesus Christ. If physical birth is the entry of a person into the world, then Baptism becomes the entry into the Church. And the child is accepted in his spiritual birth by the godparents - new parents, guarantors before God for the faith of the new member of the Church they have accepted. Thus, only Orthodox, sincerely believing adults who are able to teach the godson the basics of faith can be godparents (minor and mentally ill people cannot be godparents). But do not be afraid if, agreeing to become a godfather, you do not fully meet these high requirements. This event can be a wonderful occasion for self-education.
The Church considers spiritual kinship as real as natural kinship. Therefore, in the relationship of spiritual relatives, there are the same features as in relation to natural relatives. At present, the Russian Orthodox Church, on the issue of marriages of spiritual relatives, adheres only to the 63rd canon of the VI Ecumenical Council: marriages between godchildren and their godchildren, godchildren and physical parents of the godson and godchildren are impossible between themselves. At the same time, the husband and wife are allowed to be godparents of different children in the same family. Brother and sister, father and daughter, mother and son may be godparents of the same child.
The godmother's pregnancy is a perfectly acceptable condition for participation in the Sacrament of Baptism.
What are the duties of godparents?
The obligations that recipients take on before God are very serious. Therefore, godparents must understand the responsibility they take on. Godparents are obliged to teach their godchildren to resort to the saving Sacraments of the Church, mainly Confession and Communion, to give them knowledge about the meaning of worship, the features church calendar, about the grace-filled power miraculous icons and other shrines. The godparents must accustom those perceived by them from the font to attend church services fast, and observe other provisions of the Church Charter. But the main thing is that godparents should always pray for their godson.
Their duties also include taking care of protecting their godchildren from all sorts of temptations and temptations, which are especially dangerous in childhood and adolescence. Godparents, knowing the abilities and character traits they received from the font, can help them determine their life path, give advice in choosing an education and a suitable profession. Advice in choosing a spouse is also important; according to the custom of the Russian Church, it is the godparents who prepare the wedding for their godson. And in general, in cases where physical parents are unable to financially provide for their children, this responsibility is assumed primarily not by grandparents or other relatives, but by godparents.
A frivolous attitude to the duties of a godfather is grave sin because the fate of the godson depends on it. Therefore, you should not thoughtlessly agree to an invitation to become a successor, especially if you already have one godson. Refusal to go to the godfather should also not be taken as an insult or neglect.
Is it worth it to agree to be a godfather if the child's parents are not churched?
In this case, the need for a godfather increases, and his responsibility only increases. Otherwise, how can a child come to Church?
However, while fulfilling the duty of a beneficiary, parents should not be reproached for their frivolity and lack of faith. Patience, condescension, love and continuous labor of spiritual upbringing of a child can prove to be irrefutable proof of the truth of Orthodoxy for his parents as well.
How many godfathers and mothers can a person have?
Church rules provide for the presence of one godfather (godfather) when performing the Sacrament of Baptism. For a baptized boy, this is a godfather (godfather), for a girl - a godmother (godmother).
But since the duties of godparents are numerous (so, in special occasions godparents replace the physical parents of their godson), and the responsibility before God for the fate of the godson is very great, the Russian Orthodox Church has a tradition of inviting two godparents - the godfather and the godmother. There can be no other godparents besides these two.
How should future godparents prepare for the Sacrament of Baptism?
Preparation for the Sacrament of Baptism involves the study of the Gospel, the foundations of the Orthodox faith, the basic rules of Christian piety. Fasting, confession and Communion before Baptism are not formally obligatory for godparents. A believer must adhere to these rules constantly. It would be good if at least one of the godparents could read the Creed during baptism.
Which of the things you need to bring with you to Baptism and which of the godparents should do this?
You can find out what you need to purchase in advance at the church where you will baptize the child. For baptism, you will need a baptismal kit (it will be recommended to you in a candle shop). This is mainly a baptismal cross and a baptismal shirt (you do not need to bring a bonnet). Then you will need a towel or a sheet - to wrap the child after the font. According to the established tradition, a godfather buys a cross for a boy, and a godmother for a girl. It is customary to bring a sheet and a towel to the godmother. But it will not be a mistake if someone alone buys everything you need.
Is it possible to become a godfather in absentia without participating in the Baptism of an infant?
Church tradition does not know "appointed in absentia" godparents. The very meaning of the reception shows that the godparents must be present at the Baptism of the child and, of course, give their consent to this honorary title. Baptism without any recipients at all is performed only in special circumstances, for example, when the life of a child is in serious danger.
Can representatives of other Christian denominations, in particular Catholics, become godparents?
The Sacrament of Baptism makes a person a particle of the Mysterious Body of Christ, a member of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. Such a Church, founded by the Apostles and preserving intact the dogmatic teaching of the Ecumenical Councils, is only the Orthodox Church. The Roman Catholic Church, separated from the fullness of the Universal Church in 1054, lost and distorted many doctrinal principles; therefore it cannot be considered the true Church. In the Sacrament of Baptism, the recipients act as guarantors of the faith of their godchild and accept before God the obligation to educate him in the Orthodox faith.
Of course, a person who does not belong to the Orthodox Church cannot fulfill such duties.
Can parents, including those who have adopted a child, be godparents for him?
At Baptism, the person being baptized enters into a spiritual kinship with his godfather, who becomes his godfather or godmother. This spiritual kinship (of the 1st degree) is recognized by the canons as more important than kinship according to the flesh (canon 53 of the VI Ecumenical Council), and is fundamentally incompatible with it.
Parents, including those who have adopted a child, in no case can be the godparents of their own children: neither both together, nor each separately, otherwise such a close degree of kinship would form between the parents, which would make it inadmissible to continue their marital cohabitation.
Marina Novakova
Baptism of infants up to 7 years.
For babies, the Sacrament of Baptism is performed:
Saturdays at 12.30
Sundays at 14.00
Mandatory 2 public speaking conversations are held with godparents. Saturday at 12.00 and Sunday at 13.30. Without these conversations, the Sacrament of Baptism will not be performed.
Consecrated cross (in the church shop all crosses are consecrated)
Two large bath towels
Baptismal shirt (can be bought at the church store)
Birth certificate
Baptism certificate issued
On holidays, changes in the schedule of the Sacrament are possible.
Inquiries by phone: 421-71-41
Baptism of adults and children after 7 years.
The interview is held on Fridays at 19.00 in the temple. There are 5 interviews in total. After that, with the blessing of the priest, the Sacrament of Baptism is performed.
The time is appointed by the priest
For Baptism you must have:
consecrated cross
christening shirt
Birth certificate
Towel or sheet
Slippers
After the Sacrament is performed, a Baptismal Certificate is issued.
To film the sacrament of Baptism, a blessing is taken from the priest who performs the Sacrament.
Today, any adult or teenager who wishes to receive the sacrament of baptism in the Orthodox Church must at least read New Testament, as well as the Orthodox Catechism, which outlines the foundations of the teachings of the Church and the Orthodox faith. It is necessary to accept the Savior himself with His teaching with all his soul and try to see all the evil he has done in life and repent of it, so that "the water remains water and the grace bestowed in the sacrament is not wasted in vain, but multiplied." Usually two godparents take part in the baptism of children, although for the baptism of a boy it is enough just a godfather and a godmother for a girl. After the rite of baptism, the parents of the child and the godparents themselves are called godfathers.
In the Orthodox Church, baptism itself is performed by a threefold immersion directly into the font itself, where the holy water is located along with the head - in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Baptism by pouring is allowed only when it is simply impossible to postpone it, and conditions do not allow to perform a traditional baptism. Alexy II urged the clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church to baptize people through a full immersion with their heads in holy water in the font, and not through a simple pouring and even more so sprinkling. During baptism, the sacramental words are invariably pronounced: "The servant of God is baptized in the name of the Father, amen. And the Son, amen. And the Holy Spirit, amen."
Women, when they come to receive the Sacrament of Baptism, usually put on a long white shirt, in which they are baptized. It is highly advisable to have a large towel with you to dry your hair afterwards. If necessary, it can be thrown over the shoulders, because the wet fabric becomes tight-fitting and partially transparent. It would be quite reasonable for an adult woman to approach the priest, asking him for a separate baptism in order to avoid embarrassment. However, for those believers who really understand what exactly should happen to her (to him), this ceases to be a significant factor and many plunge into the font completely naked. Some churches have a special screen behind which a person undresses as much as he sees fit. After that, the priest pours water on top of him, seeing only the head. It doesn't matter to the priest in what form you decide to be baptized. What matters is your opinion and your feelings. There should not be shoes or socks on the feet, because after baptism the feet are anointed with Holy chrism.
Baptism is usually performed by a bishop or a priest. In extreme cases, the sacrament of the rite can also be performed by a layman in a life-critical situation. In this case, the rite is considered to be performed if the layman uttered the prescribed secret words. If a baptized layman remains alive, then the priest does not repeat the sacrament of Baptism, but only performs the rite of chrismation. After this, a person can be admitted not only to Communion, but also to all Church sacraments. In the event that such a person dies before being chrismated, then it is quite possible and should be prayed for in any church. Moreover, it will even be possible to take out particles of proskomidia. Immediately before baptism, an announcement must certainly be made - a deep and comprehensive explanation of the foundations and the very meaning of the whole Orthodox faith. More in the books of the Pokrovsky Sad publishing house at the link pokrovsad.com
At the very beginning, the baptism of a person’s godparents, or he himself, must three times renounce Satan “and all his works, and all his ministries”, after which he confesses (tell out loud) three times his sincere desire to “combine with Christ”, after which he consciously read Symbol of faith. It should be familiar to every baptized person or his godparents.
After that, the priest reads the great litany and blesses the water in the font with a hand folded in a nominative finger-composition. Next, the priest anoints the water and the person being baptized with oil, after which he performs the actual baptism, that is, immersion. When reading the 31st psalm, a cross is put on a baptized white clothes(Earlier, in the ancient church, a wreath was also put on the head of the baptized, as if he had been counted among the martyrs and the "royal priesthood"). The priest performs chrismation and, together with the baptized and the recipients, goes around the font three times. At this time, the Apostle (Rom 6:3-11) is read with the Gospel (Mt 28:16-20). After that, the priest wipes and washes the myrrh, cuts the hair of the baptized person, and pronounces a special litany and dismissal.
How does it happen that often the baptism of an adult is necessary, because in Orthodoxy immediately after birth, in infancy? To do this, you need to remember the history of the country, because during the Soviet era there was an active attack on the church, and many people could not be baptized or baptize their children. Now that it's possible, most people want Another group of people who get baptized as adults are the Protestants. In their understanding, the baptism of an infant is the choice of his parents, and not the child himself. Therefore, an adult person who has made this choice consciously should be baptized.
What comes before baptism
As the ministers of the church say, the baptism of an adult should not be a mere formality for him. A person must come to this consciously, understand that already as a true Christian he will need to live according to the laws of faith, fulfill all the necessary prescriptions, dogmas, etc. First of all, a person needs to talk with a priest, explain his situation and desire. Further, the priest may invite him to hold public discussions, which are designed specifically for those who want to be baptized. You also need to read spiritual literature, although much depends on your level of readiness for baptism.
But all these are only auxiliary factors, the most important thing is the true desire of a person, which is not a tribute to fashion or something like that.
adult
Let's stop there important point. The baptism of an adult is different from the usual. By virtue of his age, a person himself can pronounce the words necessary for baptism, he understands and realizes his actions, respectively, you can do without godparents who do everything instead of babies. If an adult is being baptized, what is needed for this? You should take with you (no matter how expensive) a christening shirt, a large white sheet and slippers. The priest performs the necessary ceremony, the person’s head is washed three times or immersed in the font. During the ceremony, a person holds a lit candle, and then a cross is drawn on his forehead with oil.
Baptism among Protestants
Already for the reasons indicated at the beginning of the article, it is clear why Protestants adopted the baptism of an adult. At the same time, the rite itself can be carried out in different ways. Some must plunge into the water completely in a special pool or river. Some are sure that it should be an exclusively open body of water. For others, it is enough, as in Orthodoxy, just to sprinkle a head in a pond can also take place in different ways: some clergymen dip a person once, others three times. The way of dipping can also vary: face up or face down. According to some Protestants, all these differences are not very significant, while others are firmly convinced that only their opinion is correct. Protestant baptized, as well as Orthodox, must dress in white clothes.
Usually a person is baptized in childhood, shortly after birth, choosing for him godmother and father, who will have to see how the child honors God's laws and fulfills them during his earthly journey. But in the history of our country there was a period when excessive religiosity was not only not encouraged, but could also become a serious hindrance in relationships with relatives and colleagues. Someone believed without advertising their preferences, someone steadfastly endured a share of censure and criticism.
Therefore, most of the people born at that time did not have the opportunity to be baptized. More and more more people in adulthood, they understand that they would like to turn to God and repent of their sins, leave past life with hardships behind and be renewed.
Baptism of an adult
The rite of baptism of an adult is certainly different from the baptism of a child. First of all, it is a conscious choice for an adult, and therefore there are more requirements for him than for a child.
Many churches hold meetings for people who want to be baptized, where they talk about the Bible, about human relationships and higher powers about the requirements for a servant of God.
Baptism is not a guarantee of a place in Paradise!
It should be understood that once baptized, no one can be guaranteed to earn a place in paradise after death. Baptism is just the beginning of a long and difficult journey on the path to union with the divine essence. By accepting Orthodoxy, a person accepts an obligation to live according to his precepts, which include the obligatory frequent attendance of church and fervent heartfelt prayers.
Nowadays, the requirements imposed by the church on those who wish to be baptized are rather mild, but earlier a priest could test a person, testing his faith for strength.
So, how should you prepare for baptism?
The main preparation takes place in the head: you need to fast for three days before the sacrament. During this fast, you can not eat meat, fatty foods, salty and spicy, you need to give up alcohol and smoking, and sexual abstinence will not be superfluous.
But it should be remembered that baptism is primarily a purification of the soul, and therefore during these three days it is worth focusing on peaceful and benevolent thoughts, avoiding anger and anger. It is obligatory to know by heart the "Symbol of Faith" - you will have to read this prayer by heart during baptism.
Things for baptism
It is worth buying a set of things for baptism in advance. Such a set necessarily includes a baptismal towel - new, always white, beautiful and large, so that you can wipe yourself off after rising from the font with consecrated water. Another indispensable item is a baptismal shirt, in the male version it is a spacious shirt, in the female version, variations in the form of a floor-length shirt are possible.
You will also need baptismal slippers from clothes, as you will have to take off your shoes and be without socks and shoes for some time. Also in the sets are baptismal candles and a pectoral cross.
Where to buy christening clothes?
All these items are sold in church shops, but you should take care of purchasing them in advance. The pectoral cross is worn until the end of life, it cannot be removed, so you should choose one that will be comfortable and inconspicuous throughout the entire time. In addition, the choice in the shops is not rich, the stock of goods is limited, so you simply may not get the right thing.
If you prepare such a set in advance, on the day of baptism, peace and not fuss will reign in your thoughts, besides, craftswomen can decorate a shirt with embroidery - an image is required on the back Orthodox cross. Women should also think about a headscarf, since being in church with an uncovered head is strictly condemned, even during the sacrament. The clothes in which you were baptized must not be worn and it is better not to wash.
How is the rite of baptism
The sacrament of baptism begins with the fact that the priest blows three times in the face: this symbolizes the moment of the creation of man, the moment God breathes new life into man. After this, a blessing follows and the reading of prayers begins, at the end of which the person must go through the rite of renunciation of Satan.
The west is considered a symbol of evil and dark forces, so the person being baptized turns in that direction, and the priest conducting the ceremony begins to ask questions that must be answered consciously. Having renounced Satan, you need to turn to the east and confess your devotion to Christ: in the same way, questions will be asked that will need to be answered three times and at the end read the “Creed”, which is very summary of all Orthodox teaching.
After that, questions from the priest will follow again, and now comes the time for dipping into the water.
Priest dressing up light clothes, which personify the purity of the life of Christ and begins with the consecration of the font. First, candles are lit, after which oil is consecrated, with which the baptized are anointed: everything inside a person going to God must be cleansed of sins. Then, special baptismal prayers are read over people immersed in the font.
After that, leaving the water, you put on that same baptismal shirt, which symbolizes the beginning of a completely new life, cleansed of old sins.
Under the reading of a special prayer, a pectoral cross is put on the neck of each person who comes out of the font. After that, together with the priest, they make three circles around the font - such a passage symbolizes eternity. Then comes the turn of hymns, at the end of which the epistles of the Apostles are read. The final act is the symbolic cutting of the hair.
Godmother and father
From time immemorial, the church has advised taking one godmother for a boy and one godmother for a girl, but most often the child had both godparents. They could not be blood parents, just as monks and nuns were forbidden to be godparents.
However, in the absence of living relatives of the child, the priest who conducts the ceremony became the godfather. Do adults need godparents? It is believed that no, since at this age everyone is free to make decisions and be responsible for his actions and thoughts before God, and he does not need mentors.
But if you have baptized close relatives or friends who sincerely wish you well, then they can be present at the ceremony as godparents and hold a candle while immersed in the font.
How to behave after the ceremony
After baptism, a person must keep the 10 commandments of the Law of God. Thus, he will show God that he has accepted his covenants and strives for eternal life, is ready to pray for himself and other people. Now the main thing is not love for oneself, but love for loved ones and for God, who promises peace on earth. Communication with God is a prayer that exists for every moment of life. People pray during illness, life troubles, when they have something to thank God for and something to repent of.
sincerity of desires
If you decide to be baptized, think about your desire: is it a tribute to fashion, or are you making concessions to relatives, do you want to be baptized for the company, for show? It happens that a husband or wife goes to church only for the sake of another spouse, being indifferent to the values of Orthodoxy.
If there is no sincere desire in your heart to recognize God, you should not perform this rite. Wait for it to appear inside you. And you should not, on the contrary, put pressure on a person to be baptized - what makes your life better and happier can confuse the worldview of another. Everyone must come to God on their own and make their own decision to be baptized. Then everything will go smoothly, and peace will be established in the soul.
