Baptism is the acceptance of a person into the Christian Church. A special mysterious ritual is performed, during which a person is born a second time, but not in the literal, but in the spiritual sense. During the ritual, his soul is cleansed of sins, and an invisible “pass” to heaven – the Kingdom of God – opens before him.
Many believe that the baptism of a child is the most important event in his life. According to the church, a Guardian Angel joins the baby during the ceremony and will protect him for the rest of his life.
Since ancient times, this procedure has not changed at all; it is carried out exactly the same as many years ago. Such a sacrament has its own rules and should only be performed by a priest, because it is he who has the right to open the gates of heaven for the baby and cleanse his soul from sins.
The baptism ceremony can be performed at any age, but most often children are baptized on the 8th or 40th day of life
The essence of the Baptism of children in the church
A sacrament is a sacred action through which the grace of the Holy Spirit is invisibly given to a person. The baptism of a child is the most necessary of the seven Sacraments of the church. It serves as a door to the Church of Christ: a person who has accepted Baptism becomes a member of the Church, is born for a new, Christian life, and therefore baptism is also called “spiritual birth.” The Lord Himself said: “Unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God,” that is, he cannot become a member of the Church and participate in other Christian sacred rites.
When is the best time to baptize a child?
There is a church tradition to baptize a child on the 40th day of birth. But this is optional. You can choose any date for the Sacrament of Baptism, you just need to consider the following:
– on the days of the Great Holidays , due to long services, children may not be baptized,
– the godmother will not be able to fully participate in the ritual during her period,
- the most important
come to the church for a service or at another time, talk with the priest and find out on what days Baptism is performed and preparatory conversations take place.
Gifts for a one-year-old boy for christening
If the parents decide to baptize the child after a year, then the gifts should be appropriate. From godparents - dad and mom, they are unchangeable, we have already talked about them. A different approach is required from guests and grandparents. After a year, the boy is more independent, he can walk, plays well, and recognizes his family and friends. Current christening gifts for a boy over 1 year old:
- Pillow, blanket or blanket with metrics. The date of birth and baptism of the baby and his name are marked on the product. Such an item will remain as a keepsake for the rest of his life.
- Orthodox gifts - a body image of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, a Guardian Angel named after the boy, Christ the Savior.
- A personal icon, bought in the church or embroidered with the own hands of one of the guests. Orthodox paraphernalia - the Bible, fairy tales or stories on relevant topics.
- A silver photo frame with symbols of the Orthodox Church printed on it, a photo album with the same symbols.
- Toys - a ball, a sorter with simple elements, pyramids, insert frames. You can buy construction sets and board games, rides, sound toys, cars of various types, and soft toys.
- A dry pool with balls is an excellent gift for a one-year-old child; it serves for his entertainment and knowledge of the world around him.
- Clothing – you can buy a summer suit with shorts and a T-shirt, a warm suit with pants and a jacket, underwear, socks and tights, overalls, a jacket or other items of clothing.
- Beautiful dishes - choose high-quality dishes made from materials without harmful additives. The set includes a bowl, plate, cup, spoon and fork. Products can be decorated in a church style; there are sets with images of cars, toys, and animals.
- Photo session - on the day of baptism, you can take a photo both in the church, during the ceremony, and while celebrating the event at home or in a restaurant.
- Organizing the holiday can be done by grandparents, freeing young parents from unnecessary worries.
