Orthodox baptism of a child: rules, traditions and customs, baptismal set. How the sacrament of the baptism of a boy or girl takes place in the holy temple. What you need to know about performing the ceremony - briefly about the most important thing.
First of all, you need to know the most important thing: baptism is a second birth, a birth into eternal life. It is in baptism that a person gets the opportunity to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, and without it, the salvation of the soul will be impossible.
At the same time, baptism alone is not enough, because salvation is acquired by the whole life of a person, and this life must be inextricably linked with the Church. If you think that your family is absolutely non-Church, you are mistaken: baptism makes every person a member of the Church. Therefore, both you (if you are baptized) and your baby (when you baptize him) belong to the Church of Christ. This means that the Lord takes special care of you and your salvation, looks at you and your family with special love.
Orthodox traditions and customs
Many believers are interested in - is it possible to baptize a child on fast days? You should know that for children the baptism rite is carried out throughout the year, without taking into account the passing fasts and holidays. Most often, this sacrament is performed on the fortieth day after birth. And the church name at baptism of an infant can be given on the eighth day from birth.
Parents (and godparents as well) should learn the Symbol of Faith prayer, which expresses the main canons of the Orthodox religion. It is advisable to come to the baptism ceremony in discreet, non-defiant clothing. Women will need a hat - a stole, a shawl or a scarf.
If desired, it is allowed to take a photo or video, which will preserve the memory of the solemn event. But it is better to entrust this work to an outsider, since relatives during baptism must pray for the health and well-being of the baby. The ideal option is to invite a professional photographer or video operator to the sacrament.
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After the baptism of the child, the sacrament of chrismation is performed. During this procedure, the priest applies fragrant oil to the parts of the child's body. After that, the baby is supposed to be dressed in pre-prepared clothes (baptismal set). These clothes are not washed, they are kept throughout the life of a baptized person.
Is baptism permissible without godparents? If this sacrament is performed for a newborn baby or child, then no. People who have reached the age of majority and have decided to accept the sacrament of baptism can do without recipients.
Godparents and their responsibilities
Well, now that we have talked about the main thing, what should parents do before a child is baptized? The most important thing is to choose godparents. Let's remember again: baptism is a second birth. This means that the godparents are second parents. They are responsible for helping parents in every possible way in raising a child. We emphasize: godparents should help educate, and not just give gifts for the baby (gifts, of course, are pleasant, but no one will argue that they are not the main parental responsibility).
The godparents must certainly be believers and very desirable - people who often visit the temple. After all, they are responsible before God for teaching the child the basics of faith, bringing him to the Church. And of course, godparents should pray for their godson all their lives.
If we talk about when it is best to baptize a child, then traditionally the sacrament is performed on the fortieth day from birth or shortly after. During this time, the baby will get stronger, and the parents will get used to the new life. But the most important thing is that after the fortieth day, the mother of the baby can be present at the baptism if certain prayers were read over her (which the priest knows).
But it is very important to remember: nothing prevents a child from being baptized earlier, and if there is even the slightest fear for the life of a newborn, baptism should be made immediately, even in the hospital. If a newborn is so weak that doctors do not vouch for his life, and there is no opportunity to invite a priest, any believer can baptize the child, including the baby's mother.
What is included in the baptismal kit
For the baptism itself, prepare a small cross (it does not matter at all which one is gold, silver or the simplest), which is supposed to be put on a string of sufficient length. The cross should not have sharp edges that could injure the baby. You will also need a towel, on which you need to put a diaper, a new undershirt.
It is great if the undershirt is white, not blue or pink: white means the primordial purity of the soul, which she receives in baptism. It will be convenient for everyone if you prepare a vest, and not a baptismal dress, which are now sold for both boys and girls. The undershirt is much easier to put on quickly - the priest will not have any difficulties, and the child will not experience any inconvenience.
The standard baptismal set includes booties, a towel or diaper, a scarf or a bonnet. Discreet embroidery or decoration of things with satin and lace is allowed. However, it must be remembered that a spiritual ordinance is being performed, so excessive excesses will be inappropriate.
Don't worry if your baby cries during baptism. There are no superstitious explanations for this, and you can find the simplest and most familiar reasons for a child's cry: hunger or fatigue. After completing the sacrament, you can easily comfort your baby and together you will rejoice at his birth into a new life, life in God and with God.
What is soul salvation
What should be called salvation? Often this is understood as a guarantee of health, good behavior and successful studies, and all kinds of well-being. This is not entirely true: health requires a proper lifestyle, good behavior requires proper upbringing, and successful studies require diligent pursuits. Well-being is generally a very relative concept. Baptism opens the doors of the church for us and enables us to live with Christ.
The ineffable sweetness of such a life cannot be imagined or explained in words: it can only be tasted. To do this, you need not close the doors of the church for yourself and for the child after baptism, but come there for prayer, confession and communion. You need to try to keep the commandments of God and teach this to your children, in case of non-compliance - sincerely repent. You need to accustom yourself to prayer and good deeds, and most importantly - to love the Lord, to love with all your heart, with all your soul.
And then the Lord with His grace will cover the whole life of a baptized person and will always help in everything. And with God's help, your child will have better health, better behavior, and more successful studies.
After the ordinance of baptism, the child will receive two invisible helpers. All his life next to him will be a guardian angel and heavenly patron. The guardian angel is an ethereal spirit that will protect a person from troubles and misfortunes, and proclaim to him the will of God, lead him along the path of salvation.
The heavenly patron is a saint who once lived on earth and glorified God with his life. He will pray to the Lord for those who have been baptized in his honor. And his life is a role model. Of course, neither a child nor an adult can literally imitate a martyr or saint, but it is quite possible to take as an example the strength of his faith or the purity of life. If you do not know for sure in whose honor the child was baptized, and there are several saints with this name, the patron saint is the saint whose memory day is the closest after the baby's birthday.