Baptism of a child and an adult - the rules of the ritual, as it takes place in an Orthodox church

Hello readers brought to this blog. Believing in God, according to the Orthodox Christian Church, sooner or later every family comes to the need to baptize the child - introducing him to the church and faith.

If we have already talked about Baptism and christening gifts, the specifics of celebrating a significant event in the life of a Christian were left without attention. I hasten to correct this misunderstanding and talk about how to celebrate the christening of a child.

According to church canons and established tradition, a newborn can be baptized after the fortieth day from the moment of appearance in this world. In most cases, Baptism is carried out when the child is from 1.5 months to 1 year.

Of course, it’s never too late to enter church, but it’s better to do it right away. It is believed that in this way the child receives heavenly blessing and protection.

If you noticed, I clearly separate Baptism and christening. After all, a sacrament performed by a priest is something sacred, spiritual, ritual and takes place in a certain unchanging sequence for many hundreds of years.

But how the parents decide to celebrate the event is up to them. The church does not give strict instructions in this regard. Everything is fine as long as you clearly understand that Baptism and christening are different events, although interrelated.

How is the baptism ceremony performed?

How do they baptize? When to wear a baptismal gown? Immediately or after the font? I will be godmother, and a month later we plan to baptize my youngest. Share your experience. 16.5.2003, MMADAMM

• IMHO, in the Orthodox Church a baptismal gown is not needed. You need a shirt that is easy to put on (new). After all, the child is completely immersed in water, and the ritual is not interrupted. Snusmumrik
• What then should the child wear before the bath??? As far as I know and remember, before immersion they read a prayer for quite a long time and exorcise evil spirits (my vague memories of the baptism of my eldest, and the baptism of my goddaughter. But that was sooooo long ago and without baptismal dresses and shirts... MMADAMM
• In a diaper or a towel, already undressed. Probably, if baptism is individual, you can become more sophisticated there. We are also going to baptize a girl. We have her as Lena, so we baptize her on June 3rd, St. Helen’s Day, and in the Church of St. Helena. We'll make a special trip to the village; the church is small and cozy. Thank you for raising the question, although I will also be enlightened on this matter! Snusmumrik
• I can only answer about the dress - after the font. mammik
• Look at Orthodox websites - the whole sacrament is described there in great detail and can even be done by a priest. It also describes how godparents should behave. They put on a new white shirt or dress after dipping into the font three times, after which they put on a cross; if you buy a cross not in a church, then you need to consecrate it in advance. You also need a white towel when you receive your baby after the bath. They also tell godparents that it is advisable to fast for at least three days before the sacrament. Don’t forget that mothers are not allowed to attend the sacrament, only at the very end, but you can take a video in many churches, they allow it for a small surcharge, and after the sacrament is completed, they issue a certificate of the child’s name, date, etc. It seems to me better to look for a quiet temple associated with the child's name. “The Sacrament of Baptism” “Baptism and Confirmation” “Page of the Orthodox Mother” Yelle
• We had a wonderful baptism. On Trinity Sunday we went with our 1.5 month old daughter to visit the Pyukhti Monastery. The novice granny pestered: such a holiday! It’s time to baptize the baby, 1.5 m. and not baptized, and she agreed with the priest herself and fed her holiday porridge afterwards. At the same time, my husband was baptized. There was no baptismal dress, no godparents, not even a towel. But there was a feeling of the Greatness of what happened, a miracle... Leeni

Restrictive prayers of the devil's power over the catechumen

After the end of the prayer, an important action begins: the priest exclaims: “Let us pray to the Lord,” the people respond, “Lord, have mercy,” and the priest begins to pray purely, forbidding the devil and his forces to rule over this person. He had this power before Baptism, and now, after the priest prays, the devil loses this power. But for this the priest needs to make an effort, he prays, turning to God with four prayers in which the devil is humiliated; in the prayers the calls “I forbid you, devil” are often heard...

“Holy God, terrible and glorious in all his deeds and strength, incomprehensible and unsearchable, who has predestined for you, the devil, the eternal torment of languor, us unworthy of his servants commands you and with all the haste of your strength, to retreat from the newly sealed name of Our Lord Jesus Christ, our true God. I rebuke you for all the evil, and unclean, and abominable, and abominable, and alien spirit, by the power of Jesus Christ, everyone who has authority in heaven and on earth...”

At the end of the four prohibitory prayers, the priest turns to the person being baptized and blows on the lips, head and hands with the words: “cast out from him every evil and unclean spirit hidden and nesting in his heart.”

How long does the baptism ceremony take?

We decided to baptize our son tomorrow. How long does all this last? Here they told me it would take at least 2 hours... And everything starts right in the morning at 11 o’clock, in short, until our very morning sleep - there will be some whims. And then my mother told me that they wouldn’t let me hold my son there - they say, the godparents will hold him and no one else! This is true? 14.7.2003, Lynac

• All together lasted two and a half hours, the godfather was holding the child - he almost died! I stood nearby, holding her hand, and at first she was sleeping. You get up early so that the child falls asleep and starts sleeping... i.e. Dress him nicely right away so you don’t have to change clothes, you can keep him in a blanket if he’s sleepy. Ours was 7 months old - it’s hard to hold in your arms for a long time. Ask the priest, so that it doesn’t take too long, some read everything very quickly and fit it into 40 minutes, while others do such terrible things... Don’t forget to wear a handkerchief for yourself - cover your head, and maybe take a cookie with you for the baby - it’s all the more pleasant to procrastinate than shouting. Marzhenka
• I was asked to wait outside. After 5 minutes, my husband ran out and dragged me there - Masha had NEVER screamed like that before. I took her and she sat in my arms. Father didn’t say anything. It lasted about 40 minutes (but there were few people). Cockroach (1.3)
• They gave it to me after I was baptized. But in general, everything happened informally and very quickly in a small village church, and the priest was understanding, but I don’t know how it is in the city. Tanya
• Actually, the godmother has a baby in her arms. But when I was a godmother, my goddaughter cried a lot, I couldn’t calm her down, and the priest allowed my mother to take the girl in her arms. Vesta
• Yes. Mom is standing nearby. As a free application, sometimes she is not even allowed into the ceremony itself, only then into the service. Our christening lasted 2 hours because 3 children were baptized at once. Ours was 5 months old, the others were 1.5 months old. The girls were sleeping, and Sashka was screaming..... Then he apparently had terrible stress, he didn’t eat or drink anything and slept for 5 hours, and then he hung around all night. But you are already big, so it should be easier to pass. Flamingo
• We were actually baptized at home. Everything lasted about an hour. First the godfather held the daughter, and then the godmother. And before that, some kind of prayer was read over me. I was in the room where they were baptized. Coccinella (SLok)
• Have you already chosen a specific church? You need to go on a weekday, arrange a time (so that you are alone), talk to the priest. The times vary in different churches. If there are many children, then baptism lasts longer. And if the child is alone, we were told that it will take about 15 minutes. But the mother cannot seem to be in the room where the child is being baptized. We are also going to be baptized next week. Maxi
• The godparents keep the boy there - the mother, the girl - the father. Mom is not allowed into church at all, only then, when they have already baptized, they call, give the child in her arms and read prayers. MARGO (son 2.4 and son 1.2)
• When I baptized: moms and dads were not allowed into the room at all only by godparents, since it’s a boy, then the godfather should basically do everything Olga and Artemka

Prokeimenon, Apostle, Gospel

The solemn part begins, the prokeimenon is proclaimed. After the prokemne, the reading of the Apostolic Epistle begins immediately. Next is reading the Gospel. I would like to especially note this important solemn moment, which, as a rule, goes unnoticed by those present; all emotions and attention of people remain at the moment of immersion, anointing, and even walking around the font, and to the important apostolic epistles and the Gospel on the occasion of Baptism there is no interest left at all, and yet the Church, precisely in the apostolic readings and in the Gospel, tries to convey to those present at Baptism very important points of reference, the entire semantic meaning of Baptism, as well as the call of the Lord himself, reflected in the historical moment: the need to be baptized and learn through priests. After the reading of the Gospel ends, a short litany begins, in which the priest turns to God and tells everyone present to pray for the recipients and the newly enlightened.

What is needed to baptize a child?

Girls, if it’s not difficult, tell me dark about christening: how it happens, how long it lasts, what you need to have with you, etc. Why did they scare me today that parents are not allowed to be present at baptism?! I’m terrified - Without me, Nyukha will burst into tears, and there will be so much screaming: 27.6.2002, Lukoye

• We (the parents) were not present - this is the rule; the child has godparents. The baptism took about 2 hours. It was necessary: ​​a diaper, a baptismal shirt, a cross, a cap, a diaper (or a towel, wipe it), candles, everyone present should have crosses. The very moment of plunging into the font cannot be filmed - it is a sacrament. Happy baptism! Irra
• We were baptized not long ago, on Trinity Sunday, June 23, so I’ll tell you according to recent steps... I’ll try not to be too long. Although we live on the periphery, maybe it’s not like that with you... They don’t baptize in a church, but a house near it - it’s dark and smells damp... We took with us: a baptism kit - sold everywhere, there’s one for our age, too, in it : shirt, diaper, towel, cap (we didn’t need it). First, strip the children down to diapers and a blouse, ours, of course, screamed - he was afraid of the darkness, the priest began to sing (during this prayer he illuminates baptismal shirts and crosses - there is no need to buy them, they are there)... The children are held by their godparents, we were right there , and when the priest turned away, they took Sanka and her husband in turn and gave him something to drink, i.e. They tried their best to calm him down. Then the child is undressed, doused with water in the font, hands, feet, ears, etc. are smeared with something. They put on a shirt and keep him in a diaper, then they sing something again, then they cut their hair - ours protested very much - and they put on crosses. Then they dress the children and go to church - we walked across the street, the children looked like they had just finished bathing. But no one got sick - and there they read a prayer again, the boys are taken somewhere behind the altar, but the girls are not, right there under the icons the priest simply holds them... Then they light candles for health and that’s it... That’s how it was with us. Egorova Yulia
• Christenings last about 2 hours... The mother is not allowed to attend the christening; after the christening ceremony, a prayer of permission must be read over her. Until then, they are not allowed into the church, or advice: come up to the christening a couple of days in advance, let the priest read it over you... You are required to wear a baptismal shirt, a cross on a string, and a towel. The christening is paid for by Godfather BARBI
• As far as I know, parents are now allowed in... At least all my friends were present. And the procedure itself depends on which church you will be baptized in, whether you will be alone, etc. Irina Zh

Blessing of water

The priest calls on the Grace of the Holy Spirit to descend and sanctify this water.

He asks the Lord to give the Grace of deliverance, to make it a source of healing, a source of forgiveness of sins, healing of diseases, all-destructive demons, impregnable to resisting forces, filled with angelic fortress.

Then the priest continues: he makes the sign of the cross, immersing his hands in the water, and, blowing on it, proclaims: “Let all resisting forces be crushed under the sign of the image of your Cross,” and he does this three times.

Once again the priest offers an important prayer, with deep, varied content; petitions are mentioned here to preserve the water in angelic purity; he asks that the evil spirit and darkness of thoughts descend during Baptism. Again, the prayer mentions requests that the Lord give water purifying properties and show us it as the water of deliverance, the water of sanctification, the cleansing of the flesh and spirit, the water of the remission of sins, the enlightenment of souls, the source of life. This prayer is truly broad and deep, and in this material we have examined only a small part of what it reveals.

Is it possible to baptize a child in autumn or winter?

I was going to baptize my son at the end of October. Yes, I was wondering if it would be cold for him there. Excuse me, the dark one, but I have absolutely no idea and can’t imagine how this whole ritual happens. Are they dipped somewhere or something? And what is the temperature in all these church rooms? What other pitfalls does this sacred procedure conceal? And also, tell me, is it true that the mother must be baptized? Otherwise I don’t have this property and I wouldn’t want to... 9/18/2002, Vegetable

• We baptized in winter, the heating was turned on in the baptismal font, water was added to the font from a Tefal kettle, so it was warm. I am not baptized, I was present at the ceremony. True, we did not ask whether it is possible to be an unbaptized mother or not. Nobody said anything. Among the pitfalls of the ceremony I can name the duration - 2 hours, stuffiness due to the small room. The godmother must hold the child in her arms all this time. tanich
• Different churches have different temperatures inside and may conduct the ceremony differently. A lot depends on the number of people. We were baptized in the summer, but the church is wooden and they don’t have a separate baptismal sanctuary, so it was already hot there, so it won’t be very cold there in the fall. They don’t necessarily dip into cold water; we were dipped into quite warm water. In general, for the most part, all the children behave well during the ceremony. Eugin
• My husband and I are not baptized, the main thing is that our godparents are baptized. We were baptized at 4 months, the end of May - it was hot. I screamed like crazy for 2 hours - I was scared of an unfamiliar place and darkness. So the sooner the better. Flamingo
• We were baptized at 4 months, in February. It was very disgustingly cold outside, but in the church it was very warm - about 25. You need to prepare a baptismal set with a cross in advance. Our procedure lasted about 2 hours. Masik was put into the font, then dressed in a shirt. Ours stood it very steadfastly and never expressed dissatisfaction. Mom (that is, me) was allowed in, and the priest read a prayer over me. But I'm baptized. Madeline

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• We baptized Sasha when she was already over a year old. I waited for the warm season. Still, no matter what they say that children cannot catch a cold during baptism, my grandmother, a pediatric emergency nurse, gave me examples of both colds and severe infections. That's why we baptized in June. We agreed on individual baptism. That is, only me, the godparents, the priest and Sasha, naturally, were present. Warm water is poured into the font. It happens (according to rumors) that only the legs are dipped, but Sasha’s whole body was put there. The temperature was spartan after all. But this depends on the temple. You will find out in advance. Choose a location. Eura
• If you don’t want to be baptized yourself, then why bother with a child? Bigi
• Why then baptize a child if you don’t want to? What's the secret meaning in this? Bullfinches
• I don’t want myself, and not him, because I myself am an unbeliever, but my husband believes, and I agree that it will be better for the child. And my faith is my business, why should a child suffer? Vegetable
• How are you going to instill faith in a child if you don’t believe yourself? Maultasch
• I'm not going to instill it in him. When he grows up, he will understand this issue himself. Besides, there are already a lot of people in the family who can help him with this, and maybe by that time I will already be mature... Vegetable
• So maybe, when he grows up and understands things, then he will be baptized (if he needs it). And you are with him, if you are mature. Otherwise, he’ll suddenly grow up and figure it out and, say, don’t quite agree with your current decision to baptize him. Maultasch
• Maybe so, but I’m not the only person in the family who now makes decisions regarding the child. Besides, I think it will be easier for him in life, and my views have nothing to do with it. Vegetable
• We were baptized on October 14 at 3.5 months. My son even coughed a little, but it was too late to stop it, because... the godparents were traveling from another city. Everything went great. After baptism, the cough went away on its own. Parents and godparents must be baptized, all those present must wear crosses, parents are not present at baptism. We were invited only when the priest read a cleansing prayer over me (after giving birth, a woman is considered dirty for 40 days). Irra

Sacrament of Confirmation

Myrrh is oil that has been prepared and blessed in a special way. After the baptized person is dressed in white vestments, the priest begins to pray for the baptized person to be given the Seal of the Gift of the Holy Spirit, thus preparing the newly enlightened person for the sacrament of confirmation, asks to preserve him in Divine sanctification, confirm him in the Orthodox faith, deliver him from the evil one and all his undertakings, and saving fear God protects the soul of the baptized person in purity and truth. At the end of the prayer, the priest anoints the forehead, eyes, nostrils, lips, chest, both ears, arms, legs with myrrh and says for each anointing: “Seal of the Gift of the Holy Spirit. Amen!" As a rule, the godparents say “Amen”. The Sacrament of Confirmation has a huge meaning - it is the gift of the Holy Spirit that is already given to a baptized person, i.e. the Descent of the Holy Spirit onto the soul of the person being baptized. Different parts of the body are anointed in order to sanctify the body and soul of a person, namely to sanctify the soul, eyes, feelings, hearing, to bless hands for blessed work and feet on the path to God.

What should a boy wear for baptism?

We want to baptize Nikitos in April. We haven't been to church yet. I can’t decide whether to buy a baptismal dress (for a boy - 8 m.), or just dress him up in a new suit 4.4.2002, Fekla

• We were baptized very young, but I think the shirt is better. It is believed that when a child gets sick or has some problem, it is better to put this shirt on him. Ours still fits us. And a smart suit, I think, is better over a shirt. Ira
• We baptized Nikitos in July. Boys only need a shirt and a diaper; we had white ones with embroidery. Those. without a cap. Clothes don't matter after that, we're special. We didn't buy anything new. But it seems to me... wait until the summer... Margot
• We were just in a suit. Igor was 3 months old. Only, if it’s a suit, it shouldn’t be shorts, but pants. You need bare feet there, so it’s easier to take off your socks and roll up your pants legs so you don’t get cold. Lulu
• Probably better for the boy to have a suit! So new and white. Or white and blue - looks very good too! Tanyechka
• A suit may be uncomfortable; a shirt is better. The icon shop sells sets - a shirt and a sheet. Great ones, with embroidery. And for boys - strict, respectable, and for girls - more ornate, with lace and ruffles. Zoyka
• And we were without a shirt. It was autumn, and I was just afraid that he would freeze. He was wearing a warm top, but with a zippered chest (so you could smear it with water) Lulu

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Renunciation of Satan

The godparents turn their backs to the priest, facing west (i.e., facing the exit from the temple); if the person being baptized is an adult, then he independently turns to the west. The priest asks a question to the person being baptized; if it is a baby, then both godparents answer for him, repeating it three times.

“Do you deny Satan, and all his works, and all his angels, and all his ministry and all his pride?”

To each question, the correct answer is: “I deny”; with this answer, the godparents or the person being baptized themselves reject their previous sinful habits and lifestyle, renounce pride, realizing that they were previously a captive of passions and Satan. The person being baptized is not afraid to do this, since the expulsion of unclean spirits has made him free.

The priest asks three times: “Have you renounced Satan?”

The correct answer to each question is: “I renounced!”

The priest instructs: “And blow and spit on it!”

Thus, the priest says to blow down and spit (symbolically) down on Satan, thereby finally humiliating the devil and renouncing him.

Then the godparents and the person being baptized turn to face the priest and the altar and continue to answer questions.

Is the mother allowed to attend the child's baptism?

I can not understand. Either they say that they don’t let my mother into church, when Masik is baptized, or they say that they let her. Help me to understand. And if they don’t let you in, then why? 4.11.2002, MASYA

• If more than 40 days have passed, the mother came to church, received the prayer of the 40th day, confessed, took communion, then they have no right to not let her in. Thomasina
• They are allowed in much more often, IMHO! In all the temples I know - no problems! There are no canonical prohibitions on this, there are only echoes of traditional ones. Like, at this time the mother is still in uncleanness (due to lochia), etc. IN ANY case, before the mother participates in the sacrament after childbirth, a PRAYER OF PERMISSION is needed. Inanna
• In fact, the sacrament of baptism implies that until a certain moment (I don’t remember exactly) there is no one in the church except godparents. But lately, very often, priests allow parents and guests to be present throughout the baptism. Previously, it was not possible to take photos or videos. Now they allow it. You just need to check with the specific church in advance. Talk to the priest. Panther
• More often than not they are not allowed. But my baby burst into tears so miserably that for part of the christening procedure I held him in my arms so that he would calm down at least a little. It all depends on the priest and the church. The place where we baptized does not have a special room. NNN
• I was not allowed to attend the baptism itself, i.e. to the baptismal I stood in the church itself. And then after baptism they call the mother: they read a prayer over her to remove the sin of childbearing and give her the baby. They called me when everyone left the baptismal room and stood in front of the altar gate. I held Artyom, the priest covered us with his cassock, read a prayer, took Artyom and carried him outside the gate (only boys are taken there, girls are simply brought to the icons near the gate), then he brought him to the icons and gave him to me. Thus ended the baptism. Juliet
• A woman is considered “Dirty” on certain days of the month and for 40 days after giving birth. This is why they repeatedly say that Mary is holy because she “gave birth without sin.” And among Muslims, women are not allowed into the temple at all. My friend, a purebred and believing Tatar, was actually married, or whatever they call this ceremony, on a rug in the kitchen…. Kasyasya
• Don't misinform people, please! Women are ALLOWED in the mosque. It’s just that there are separate rooms for them: women in one place, men in another! They don’t want to host a soup with flies... My Tatar friend, by the way, went to the mosque with her husband to “get married.” Inanna
• Original sin. Because Adam and Eve sinned by eating from the tree of knowledge, the Lord punished the first people and told Eve - you will give birth to your children in suffering. Therefore, people are born in a sinful way, and not in the way our forefathers, Adam and Eve, were created. Apparently, if they had not eaten from the tree, people would have been born in a different way, unknown to us. Bigi
• The mother is allowed into the church, she is not allowed into the baptismal hall (it is believed that she is “dirty” after giving birth), but when the baptism process is completed, the mother is MUST INVITE to come in so that she can “receive prayer” and then receive communion, after which the woman becomes “clean” . So your presence at the second stage of baptism is mandatory Kasya
• During baptism, the child should be held by the godmother (father), and if the mother is nearby, the baby will ask to see his mother and be capricious. Lija
• Depends on the priest who baptizes. One of the convincing versions of why they are not allowed is an indication that the child does not belong to the mother, but to God. Olga Ovodova
• Previously, when people were baptized in the first 40 days after birth, they might not have allowed it. Now, if more than 40 days have passed since birth, they should be allowed in. Natasha V.

Who to choose as godparents

Traditionally, if a child has one godfather, a person of the same sex as the baby is chosen. If 2 godparents are planned, then this is a man and a woman. In this case, the baby has godparents (spiritual) father and mother.

Choosing the right person is especially important. A person is needed who is close to the family and ready, if necessary, to take care of the child. Thus, in most cases these are close friends of the parents or relatives. It is not advisable for godparents to be very old, as this may not allow them to fully fulfill their duties.

It is good if a deeply religious person is chosen as a godparent who can guide the child in the spiritual world. It is not forbidden to make grandparents, aunts or uncles godparents.

There are categories of persons who cannot participate in the sacrament of baptism and become godparents for a child.

These include:

• persons under 15 years of age;
• people of other religions;
• atheists;
• mentally ill persons;
• drug addicts;
• alcoholics;
• persons leading a depraved lifestyle;
• parents of the baby;
• nuns;
• monks;
• brothers;
• sisters.

Twins are baptized on different days, but the same people are allowed to be their godparents.