Why are children baptized: the priest’s answer

Why baptize a child is a matter of faith. They try to eliminate the effects of the concepts of the evil eye and damage, which are widespread in society, either by going to all kinds of healers, which ends with a simple loss of money, or by visiting a temple. It is believed that both the evil eye and damage affect the child the most. This persistent assertion led to the emergence of the tradition of baptizing a child at a young age as a remedy for the harmful effects of the “evil eye.” However, not all so simple.

Why might parents doubt the need for the sacrament?

It is not only the presence of atheists in the family that can provoke the refusal of the sacrament of baptism for an infant or young child. But most often it is the decisive factor. In second place in frequency is the attitude of parents towards different faiths, which is often found in Russia. Less obvious reasons include:

Own negative experience. People who have previously been baptized in other faiths often come to Orthodoxy, so fear for the “wrong choice” can provoke parents to refuse the sacrament. This is not the right approach: if a grown child feels that he needs to seek faith further, the sacrament will be canceled, and so he will be under the protection of God;
Lack of precise indication of the need for baptism in the Holy Scriptures. There really are no direct words in it that every baby should be baptized. But the very existence of such a ritual both in Orthodoxy and in Christianity as a whole indicates that it is desirable to carry out it;
Lack of worthy godparents nearby. Yes, you need to approach the choice of godparents wisely, because their task is to spiritually accompany the child. However, if you are in doubt about your choice, you can contact a priest. He can either become a godfather himself or recommend good candidates.

Responsibilities of godparents

The responsibilities of godparents are divided into those that they are required to perform before and during baptism, and those that they must perform in the future.

The first group includes the following responsibilities:

Before baptism, the godparents, and sometimes the child’s parents, must undergo public conversations at the church in which it is planned to baptize the child. Their form and duration are determined individually.
During the sacrament, the godfather or mother receives the child after he is immersed in the font, and can hold the baptismal shirt and cross to put on the newly baptized person.

The recipients pronounce the required vows in place of the baptized baby, and say the prayers: Creed and Our Father. It is advisable that they know more about Orthodoxy than is necessary within the sacrament of baptism.
Godparents are not required to give gifts, but they can do so. A popular gift for babies is a small spoon, which will be the first spoon the baby will use to eat.

Responsibilities of godparents after baptism

Why godparents are needed for a child after baptism is easy to understand if we turn to their direct biblical purpose. In this connection, the responsibilities of godparents after baptism are divided into three groups:

Prayerful - they should try to pray for their godchildren and teach them at least basic prayers.
Doctrinal - to give the godchildren an idea of the Orthodox faith.
Moral - to teach godchildren to behave according to their conscience and to be a worthy example for them.

What does child baptism do?

Baptism of a child is an important ritual. It allows you to transfer the baby’s soul under the protection of God, which significantly reduces the likelihood of unpleasant incidents. Also, after Baptism, the child receives invisible grace. She will help him develop correctly and grow into a good person. In general, it is the educational function of faith that is the main thing that makes people baptize their children. Christian morality, based on absolute virtue, instilled from childhood, allows us to form healthy life values.

Well, the second, but no less important function of Baptism is to cleanse the child’s soul before God and provide him with a personal guardian angel. It was because of her that this ritual was performed in the old days. But even today, the presence of an invisible intercessor will avoid many problems.

The last reason is perspective. In the future, a baptized person will receive many church rights; for example, he himself will be able to become a godparent before reaching adulthood. Also, a baptized child will have the opportunity to participate in church ceremonies in the spirit of confession and communion.

Requirements for godparents

Requirements for godparents are contained in various sources, some developed based on church practice. The requirements for godparents for children include:

Orthodox religion - people of other faiths cannot be godparents. Atheists who deny God cannot become recipients.
Churching is a condition that, given the current rhythm of life, is often not possible to fulfill. Ideally, a person preparing to become a godfather should regularly attend church, participate in the sacraments, and know the basics of the Orthodox faith in order to pass them on to his godson.
High moral qualities, in order for this person to be able to teach a child good things, he must be alien to the vices of modern society - alcoholism, drug addiction, smoking.
There is no consensus regarding the age of godparents. The average age is 14 years, but most often persons over 17 years of age are allowed to serve as godparents. There is no upper age limit.
Currently, when baptizing, it is mandatory to have at least one godparent of the same gender as the child being baptized. Sometimes a godfather and godmother are invited.

Blood parents cannot become godparents for their child. They are also not allowed to become foster children for one child. Future marriage between a godmother and father who met at a christening is not permitted.
Relatives of children - grandparents, brothers and sisters, uncles and aunts - have the right to be godparents. Often parents choose their friends or good acquaintances as godparents.

Sometimes there are opinions about why a godmother is needed if she is unmarried or pregnant. These are speculations and superstitions - they can be full-fledged godmothers. You can be a godparent as many times as you like; godparents can have many godchildren.

Opinion of the clergy of the Orthodox Church

Baptism symbolizes the spiritual birth of a new person. That is why it is desirable that there be a minimum time distance between the actual birth and baptism. This way the child will not be able to stain himself with sins and will initially move along the right path in life, pleasing to God. Baptism at an early age also protects against unfortunate incidents: in the old days, they tried to baptize a child a few days after birth, so that his soul would certainly go to Heaven in the event of an early death.

Yes, many modern people believe that a child should choose his own faith or go to Orthodoxy at a conscious age. But parents are responsible for the soul of the baby before God. This is why the Orthodox Church and priests insist that baptism must be done from early childhood. The optimal age of a baby for the ceremony is 40 days or 8 days after birth. But if the baby’s life is in danger, the ceremony can be performed at any earlier time so that God will protect his soul and allow him to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

They should not excommunicate the child from the church and deprive their child of the joy of the Eucharist, divine services and other church rituals important for the formation of the personality. Allow your child to live in Christ and enter the Church at an early age, and then his future life will become much easier.

What is the meaning of infant baptism?

It cannot be said that infant baptism is a clear-cut issue in the Orthodox Church. On the contrary, there have been literally centuries-long debates on this issue. Opponents of child baptism argue that there is no need for the baby to be baptized - he is already sinless. Moreover, by performing the rite of baptism over a baby, those who baptize him thereby commit spiritual violence against the child, since the baby, for obvious reasons, could not give his consent to baptism specifically in the Orthodox faith, and indeed to baptism as such. Therefore, you need to be baptized exclusively as an adult - only this way and not otherwise.

Those who are confident in the necessity and effectiveness of infant baptism think differently. And, it must be said, their point of view has been the main one in the Orthodox Church for many centuries. Advocates of baptism in infancy cite the following arguments as a sign of their correctness.

Baptism is a second, spiritual birth. All people are born in sin (there is such a thing as original sin). Therefore, the baby is also a sinner. Thanks to three times immersion in water and recited prayers, the child is thus cleansed of sins. He receives the grace of the Holy Spirit, and, in addition, a guardian angel is assigned to him at the time of baptism. And from that moment on, the baby becomes a true and full member of the Orthodox Church. Of course, baptism is largely a symbolic act, but this does not at all detract from its necessity and importance. God has a lot of all kinds of soul-saving symbolism, and baptism is one of the most important symbols.
To baptize or not to baptize a baby is solely the will of his parents. If, being Orthodox, they decide not to baptize him, then they are taking a very serious risk. Firstly, the parents thereby excommunicate him from the Orthodox Church and, accordingly, from visiting church, receiving communion, and the beauty and joy of divine services. Moreover, for an unbaptized child, life can turn out completely differently than it would have turned out if the child had been baptized. And it’s far from a fact that another life option would be better.
Besides, what if the baby dies in infancy? In this case, being unbaptized, he risks not getting into the Kingdom of God, that is, into heaven. And at the same time, the Lord will ask the parents: why didn’t you take care of the posthumous fate of your child in advance? And mom and dad will have nothing to answer. Such parental carelessness is undoubtedly a sin, and there are no excuses for sins. There is only repentance for them.

Being baptized in the Orthodox faith (that is, being a member of the Orthodox Church), a child or his parents in any situation can count on the fact that, if something happens, the whole church will begin to pray for the baptized little person, and God will definitely hear this prayer, because He hears all prayers for His children - members of His church.
In addition, the facts show that baptized children are much more likely to turn out to be true Christians and wonderful people than unbaptized children. Everything here is logical in everyday life. Baptized children go to church more often, they are raised to one degree or another in the Christian spirit - hence the result.
Well, the fact that God leads everyone baptized “by the hand” to the future heavenly bliss is self-evident, since everyone baptized is His child.

These, we repeat, are the arguments of the official Orthodox Church regarding infant baptism. Moreover, they are supported by quotations from the Gospel and excerpts from the works of the Holy Fathers. Or even entire fatherly works - for many inspired works and books have been written on this topic over two millennia.

conclusions

Baptism of a child allows you to purify the soul of the infant and provide him with the protection of God;
Along with the ritual, the baby will receive a guardian angel who will take care of his soul;
Modern parents may doubt whether early baptism is necessary, but it is important;
Baptized children have more opportunities, for example, they will be able to become godparents in adolescence;
The clergy insist that children should become Orthodox at 8 or 40 days after birth.

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When is the best time to baptize a child?

In principle - at any time and at any age and in any Orthodox church. If a baby is baptized, then, according to tradition, the sacrament should occur on the 40th day from his birth. Everything here is clear, logical and explainable. It is during this time that the child’s mother finally comes to her senses after giving birth, and therefore has the opportunity to be present in church at the sacrament. If there is something wrong with the mother or child, then the baptism ceremony can be performed not in a temple, but at home, in a hospital or some other place.

In conclusion, let’s talk about some of the nuances of child baptism:

up to the age of 7, whether or not a child is baptized is decided for him by his parents;
from 7 years of age to 14 years of age, the decision about baptism is also made by the parents, but taking into account the opinion of the child himself;
after 14 years of age, a young man decides on his own whether to be baptized or not.

Additionally, an Orthodox priest talks about infant baptism in this video.

Problems associated with godparents

There are several problems associated with godparents , some of them can be solved quite easily, since they are often far-fetched, while others require serious thought.

The degree of closeness between the family of the baptized child and the godparents. Situations arise when people who are completely strangers to the family are called to be godparents. Often this is done by a priest who finds a parishioner (parishioner) of this temple and asks them to become godparents for the child, because the parents could not find suitable people. This will end well provided that the family gets to know the godfather/godmother, and he/she will actively participate in the life of the godson/godson.
Often, during baptism, the recipients know little about the Orthodox faith, so they have nothing to teach the baptized child. If they actively participate in church life and strive to learn new things, then the fulfillment of their duties can be considered successful.

Sometimes there is a desire to introduce a godson to Orthodoxy, but the godparents live too far from him, so they cannot take him to church. It is better from the very beginning to try to choose those people who live close to you as godparents.
Some parents become dissatisfied with the godfather or mother, perhaps without reason, and want to change them by baptizing the child. This procedure is unacceptable. It is desirable that there be a trusting relationship between the child’s blood and godparents. Also, some recipients want to abandon their responsibilities, but this cannot be done. Before baptism, it is necessary to carefully weigh everything and refuse the proposed mission - the baby’s parents should not be offended.
Another problem that often arises is when the relatives of the child who is to be baptized are against it. This could even be one of the parents; this situation is undesirable. Baptism, secret from one of the parents, will complicate life for everyone in the future; a consensus must be reached even before the sacrament is performed.

Baptism in Russia is the most important sacrament for an Orthodox person. If it occurs in childhood, then the child has godparents, who, along with his blood parents, become close people to him. In spiritual terms, their connection is even greater, so godparents are required to be determined to fulfill their duties with full dedication, which can be quite difficult in the modern world.

*Godparents are not just a requirement of spirituality or ritual. During baptism, godparents make an unspoken promise to take care of the child if he remains an orphan. Godparents must assist in the upbringing and formation of life values of godchildren, serving as an example for them.

Rules for conducting public conversations

Today, the Russian Orthodox Church has made an interview before christening a mandatory requirement. As a rule, conversations are held in the temple where the Sacrament will be performed. There, godparents and parents can attend a Sunday school, which opens its doors on weekends.

Is it necessary to pass

Without a certificate of catechism, which is issued by the catechist based on the exam results, it will not be possible to baptize a child. This is an unbreakable rule for the recipients, since they are the ones who become the spiritual parents of the newborn. Godparents must have a Christian upbringing and be able to behave correctly in order to be a worthy example for a new member of the Church.

Even devout people who regularly visit the temple cannot avoid public conversations. But those who are far from church life must undergo a preliminary interview. After all, in order to follow the righteous path, it is necessary to constantly check with Orthodox teaching. At the same time, there is no need to be afraid to ask the priest any questions you are interested in. At your request, he can recommend religious literature or relevant films to you.

What does the priest ask during an interview?

There is no specific list of questions that the clergyman asks during the conversation. What they will be depends on the catechist himself and his views on this procedure. He may ask about the following facts:

full names of parents, adoptive children and baby;
residential address;
date of birth of the child;
frequency of church attendance;
date of the last Eucharist;
have you undergone the Sacrament of Marriage;
prayers you know.

Most often, the catechist asks by heart “Our Father,” “Heavenly King,” and “Rejoice, Virgin Mary.”

Author's advice

Who are the catechumens

In the early Christian period, only adults were baptized. Preparation for the Sacrament was very serious and took from 1 to 3 years. Those who wished to accept the Christian faith were publicized, that is, they studied the fundamentals of the teachings of Christ and passed unique exams. All this time they read the Holy Scriptures, went to services, but did not have the right to be there until the end. After the words of the clergyman: “Catechumens, come out!”, the latter left the temple. They were not allowed to attend the Liturgy, Confession, or the Eucharist. Only after full acceptance of the faith were real Christians allowed to participate in other church rituals.

Church regulations require a mandatory interview before a child’s baptism

Conversation for godparents

Without a certificate of catechesis, as mentioned above, the priest does not have the right to baptize a child. The preliminary interview for recipients consists of two stages.

Without a certificate of catechesis, the priest has no right to baptize a child

First lesson

During the introductory lecture, the priest explains to the godparents their role in the life of the godson. He talks about the duties and responsibilities they will have to the child. The priest notifies the recipients of what is required to carry out the Sacrament of Baptism, and also explains in detail the procedure itself. He asks to prepare a kryzhma, a snow-white simple shirt, a pectoral cross and a towel. Catechumens, in turn, can also ask the priest questions, but it is better to think through a list of them in advance.

The first lesson ends with homework, which the catechist gives to the catechumens:

learn by heart the ten Old Testament and seven Commandments of Christ;
undergo the Eucharist with preliminary confession;
learn by heart “Our Father”, “Rejoice to the Virgin Mary”, “Creed”;
understand the meaning of the above prayers;
learn the structure of the New Testament;
read the Gospel of Mark;
three days before Baptism, observe strict fasting and take communion before the ceremony itself.

There is no time limit for completing assigned tasks. It will depend on the success of the catechumens, their desires and abilities.

Second lesson

The next meeting with the priest takes place in a month or earlier, as soon as the godparents complete all their homework. Based on the results of this interview, the clergyman makes a decision on the admission of recipients to the Sacrament of Baptism. He asks to read three main prayers from memory, tests knowledge of Holy Scripture, and examines all the Commandments.

If the theoretical knowledge satisfies the catechist, he proceeds to the confession of the catechumens and their subsequent communion. The procedure is aimed at testing the sincerity of the faith of the catechumens. If they refuse to perform a church ritual, the priest has the right to prohibit them from participating in the christening. Then the parents will have to find new recipients, who will also have to undergo public conversations.

The preliminary interview for recipients consists of two stages

Treasured certificate

Catechesis is not an easy process. Very often it lasts about a month, sometimes it is postponed or postponed indefinitely. It often turns out that godparents are not ready to become spiritual parents for a child, and then it is necessary to look for other godparents. However, those who have successfully passed all the examinations approved by the catechist receive an officially certified certificate of catechism. Its authenticity is confirmed by a wet seal and the signature of the responsible person.

If the future godfather or godfather lives in another city, they can undergo a public interview at their place of residence. The document issued to them by the local church is valid throughout Russia.