How to baptize a child in a church in accordance with Orthodox canons

The very first sacrament in the life of every Christian is baptism. It is at this moment, and not at the hour of biological birth, that the baby is born spiritually. After the ceremony, a child receives a guardian angel who will protect, help and support him throughout his life. Therefore, it is important to approach this process with all responsibility and deep spiritual meaning. Each stage of the sacrament is of great importance for the future life of the baby.

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Rules for girls' christening

In Orthodoxy, baptism primarily means the spiritual birth of a child and ensures the salvation of his soul after biological death. This sacrament is the first of seven in the Christian tradition. The main rule in its implementation is the presence of godparents. They play a very important role in the baby’s life, so their choice must be approached with all responsibility.

Since the godfather and mother are responsible for the spiritual development of the baby, they must be deeply religious people and well versed in religious canons. Before the sacrament itself, they are supposed to attend the service, confess, and also receive communion. It would not be a bad idea to attend an introductory conversation with a priest in order to refresh your knowledge of the canons of Orthodoxy and to better understand the full extent of responsibility that subsequently falls on godparents.

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Both future spiritual mentors must be baptized in the same faith as the child and have a cross on their body at the time of the ceremony. Three days before the sacrament, they must fast and devote themselves to spiritual affairs. During the day you are supposed to give up alcoholic beverages and sexual intercourse. Traditionally, the godparents carry the child to the temple without the help of parents, taking with them the baby’s birth certificate.

The godmother should be dressed appropriately. The length of the skirt should be below the knee, and the sleeves should cover the shoulders. A woman cannot enter the temple with her head uncovered. Despite the more loyal attitude of the church towards the male sex, the godfather cannot come to church in short pants and a T-shirt.

During the ritual, a strand of hair is cut from the girl's head, which is a symbolic sacrifice to God. Subsequently, the child is plunged into the font three times and a cross is placed around his neck. During the christening, the clergyman reads a traditional speech, as well as three Christian prayers. The final stage is the main prayer of the godparents - the Creed.

Having two spiritual mentors is desirable, but not required. Only one parent is allowed. In the case of the christening of a girl, the mother. She must hold the baby throughout the ceremony.

krizma

There are also certain rules when choosing a godmother. To conduct the ceremony itself, she must know by heart at least two basic prayers: the Creed and the Our Father. Like the godfather, the mother must be baptized in the same faith and wear a cross on her body. She is the one who buys the necessary clothes for baptism. Of course, in the old days, women prepared outfits for their goddaughters with their own hands, but nowadays it is possible to buy a ready-made set. An excellent option would be to embroider the date of baptism and the girl’s name on the kryzhma.

The rules for the christening of a girl are not very strict and are quite feasible, provided that the full depth of the spiritual meaning of the sacrament is clearly understood. Every little thing plays a very symbolic role, so it is important to take a responsible approach to the process of preparing for the ceremony.

Not everyone can become a godparent. The main rules are:

• reaching adulthood,
• legal capacity
• lack of closely related ties between future spiritual mentors,
• as well as the presence of high moral principles.

Usually, the girl’s name, if it is Orthodox, is not changed during the ceremony. However, parents often choose to give a different spiritual name to their child at baptism, based on the period of birth and the saint who is revered at that time. It has become a good practice to consult with a clergyman regarding the choice of a name; the priest can help in this difficult matter, and it is not recommended to argue with him.

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It is optimal for the pectoral cross to be made of noble metal. For a baby, silver is best.

• Firstly, it will not cause discomfort with constant wear,
• and secondly, this metal has excellent bactericidal properties, which will additionally protect the baby from all kinds of diseases.

The main Christian attribute must be new and pre-sanctified. If you buy a cross in a church shop, then it will already be consecrated. But if purchased at a jewelry store, the priest must first prepare it before the ceremony.

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

Baptism age

The Orthodox tradition presupposes the baptism of the baby at a very early age, since after this sacrament the child can acquire the grace of the Lord, and he finds an intercessor angel. Most often, the eighth or fortieth day from birth is chosen for this purpose. If the baby was born very sickly, then baptism is allowed even in the first day of life. Because it is believed that this will help protect the baby and give her Divine protection.

It is recommended that the girl be baptized on the fortieth day, since until this moment the woman in labor cannot be allowed to participate in church events. The clergyman must read a cleansing prayer over the mother before she takes part in the ritual.

In addition, newborn children tolerate contact with unfamiliar people much better. This applies not only to the godmother, who will have to hold the girl in her arms throughout the entire ceremony, but also to the priest, who is completely unfamiliar to the baby. If the girl will be immersed in the font, then it is better to carry out baptism in the first months of life, while the intrauterine reflexes have not yet completely died out.

Features of the Christian rite of baptism

The Orthodox Church recommends that infants be baptized on the 8th or 40th day after their birth. Newborn children with a dangerous illness should be baptized as soon as possible. Before the christening, you need to decide on the choice of an Orthodox name for the baby. A saint bearing the same name becomes his intercessor before higher powers. An Orthodox name should be known to a limited number of people; this will make a person invulnerable to evil and ill-wishers.

Child baptism in church

Many people are interested in what days and how a child is baptized in the church. The rules are almost the same in every Orthodox church. You can choose any day of the week for christening. The exception is major church holidays, when due to heavy workload the priest will not be able to perform the ceremony.

What is needed for a girl's baptism?

The baptism of a girl cannot be done without a cross, a kryzhma and a baptismal gown. Of course, this list can be expanded depending on the financial capabilities of the family and the personal wishes of the parents. Often a personalized icon, a baptismal blanket and an amulet are also purchased. However, this is not mandatory and does not in any way affect the performance of the sacrament itself.

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All the main attributes for the ceremony are purchased by the godparents.

The spiritual father purchases a cross and also pays temple fees. It is important that the edges of the main symbol of the Christian faith are not sharp, but rather rounded at the ends. The baby may get hurt on the cross, which will not bring any joy to either the parents or the goddaughter herself. In addition, the godfather can financially participate in organizing the celebration of this significant event.

The spiritual mother purchases a baptismal set for the baby, also a kryzhma. Usually, when choosing clothes, they consult with the girl’s mother, since she knows her child better and can give practical advice. The girl's initials, as well as the date of birth or christening, are often embroidered on the kryzhma.

Choosing godparents

The choice of godparents should not be made for mercantile reasons. Priests advise inviting believers for this, who in the future are able to become spiritual parents and mentors for the godson, and, if necessary, replace his father and mother. They must necessarily belong to the Orthodox faith.

Future godparents are invited to the temple for a conversation with the priest. The priest will tell them how the child is baptized, explain their role in the ceremony and in the spiritual life of the future godson. Church rules strictly define the category of persons who cannot be godparents:

• the child's parents;
• atheists and representatives of other religions;
• temple staff;
• minors;
• persons who are married to each other.

Women are forbidden to be present in the holy monastery during menstrual periods. Before the sacrament, godparents are required to observe a three-day fast, confess and receive communion.

Girl's christening clothes: dress

In the case of a girl's baptism, it is necessary to purchase a dress or shirt specially designed for this purpose, a cap with lace trim and booties. Sometimes the basic set also includes tights or other accessories. It all depends on the age of the baby and the time of year when the sacrament is performed. The material is not so important, but it should be pleasant to the touch, not cause discomfort to the baby, and also be suitable for the weather.

It is considered a good sign to choose a light shade for baptismal clothing, perhaps even white. The godmother can also make a set with her own hands; this will serve as additional protection for the girl, since such a thing will carry the energy of love and care.

After the sacrament, the kryzhma and baptismal gown are kept at home and under no circumstances are given to anyone. There is a practice of wrapping a child in it at the time of illness. Parishioners claim that this ensures a quick recovery for the baby and makes her calmer. For a year after the sacrament, the kryzhma is not washed.

Interesting beliefs about christenings

Everyone decides for himself whether to believe in omens or not. There are beliefs associated with christenings. Our wise ancestors advised us to do the following:

• do not inform strangers about the date of the upcoming christening;
• allow only an even number of guests into the temple;
• before the christening, count all the money in the house - this will ensure the child a comfortable life;
• on the day of christening, as well as on church holidays, do not perform any work;
• do not open the doors of the house to anyone until all participants in the ritual return from the temple;
• do not take a pregnant woman as a godparent;
• on a holiday, do not make noise or quarrel in the house;
• After the feast, the last of the guests should be the godmother and father.

Orthodox priests teach that the mere fact of baptism is not enough to enter the Heavenly Kingdom. Further life in Christ and participation in all church sacraments is important. The Church calls on parents of baptized children to live in its bosom and set a worthy example to the growing generation.

Do you need a cake for a girl's christening?

The presence or absence of a cake at the baby’s christening depends only on the personal wishes of the family. The Church does not forbid the celebration of the sacrament after it has taken place. There is nothing wrong with celebrating such a significant event with your loved ones.

However, it is important to remember that the ritual does not cancel fasting, and therefore it is necessary to take this into account. Perhaps you should not schedule the sacrament for the most strict periods of fasting, so as not to have to postpone the celebration indefinitely.

It is best if the cake is prepared by the girl’s mother or grandmother, who will make it with love. Of course, the baby will not be able to appreciate the culinary abilities of his family, but those invited will enjoy the treat with pleasure.

Duration and cost of the ceremony

The duration and cost of the ceremony vary. Many parents are interested in how long it takes to baptize a child in a church. This largely depends on the priest. Most often, the ritual takes from 30 minutes to 2 hours.

The main material expenses fall on the shoulders of the blood father and mother, although there was once a custom to pay everything in full to the godfather. The cost of baptism in a church is indicated in the price list with prices for church services. It can be found in the icon shop. You can find out how much it costs to baptize a child in a church from its workers. Traditionally, the amount ranges from 600 to 2000 rubles.

What to give for christenings from guests

Guests invited to the christening also do not stand aside and present the baby with all sorts of useful things. Certainly no rules apply to gifts from guests, and christenings are an excellent occasion to help a young family financially.

Beautiful children's bed

Bed linen for a baby is an urgent need. You have to change it more often than an adult, so a couple of sets won’t hurt. A child's bed doesn't have to be boring. It is better if you choose material with pictures. In addition to the usual duvet cover, pillowcase and sheet, you can buy sides for a baby crib, a canopy on a tripod, etc. A mobile phone would be an excellent addition.

Toys for development

Any toy serves the development of an infant. There are special games that develop fine motor skills of the fingers. But for very little ones, beautiful rattles are suitable. This is not just fun: they develop hearing and vision because they are bright and colorful. Developmental toys should be purchased according to age. If you are invited, for example, to the christening of a six-month-old girl, then you can give her not only rattles, but also more complex games.

Clothes

The same goes for clothes. For an infant, it may be for growth, because children of this age grow quickly. The main thing is that the cap, overalls, rompers or other items of clothing are not too small for the girl. It is better to ask the young mother about the size in advance. You can also find out your color preferences. Some children suit exclusively bright colors, others – pastel ones. Even at this age, there are differences in skin tones, eye color and hair color, and outfits should match all of this.

Radio nanny

This device is indispensable when there are few relatives in the house, and therefore you have to leave the baby alone. Perhaps the family does not have extra funds to buy this necessary and useful thing, or more precisely, a pair of walkie-talkies, one of which is located by the baby’s crib, the other by mom or dad, who are busy doing laundry or cooking. Today you can find the most colorful baby monitors, but it is important to be sure that the device was produced by a good company and will not let you down at a crucial moment.

Set of children's dishes

At a certain point, the child, in addition to bottles, will begin to use a bowl, spoon, and cup. You can give all these items as a gift, because there is a high probability that your parents have not purchased them yet. But even if this set of children’s dishes is a spare one, it’s okay, it will always find a use in the household of a small household.

Playing educational mat

This rug is a great alternative to a playpen. Some children cannot stand being put in a cage, but they feel good on a play mat: after all, it has arcs with interesting toys, light and sound effects. It is advisable to choose rugs with sides and with bright, varied toys: even if such an item seems more tasteless than one painted in one color, it is still better to stick with it. This was done on purpose, because it is difficult for a baby to concentrate on the same toy for a long time, as well as on the same color.