How to baptize an adult and prepare for it

Baptism is one of the seven sacraments in the Christian church. It is believed to have a purifying meaning: metaphorically meaning death and subsequent birth for a new, spiritual life. On the Internet we can find a huge amount of information about the procedure for baptism of babies and proper preparation for it. But it happens that a person comes to Christianity already in adulthood and also wants to be baptized. Therefore, in today’s material I propose to consider in detail the baptism of an adult: its basic rules and nuances.

What does baptism of an adult mean, why is it needed?

Baptism is a special ceremony, a sacrament, during which a person approaches God and the Holy Spirit. This sacrament contains symbolic death for a past sinful life and spiritual rebirth for a new, conscious existence. When we talk about the baptism of adults, it means cleansing from original sin - that is, a sin committed by our first parents Adam and Eve.

Interestingly, you can only be baptized once for life, which is very similar to birth, which also happens once.

Find out what awaits you today - Horoscope for today for all zodiac signs

Perhaps the most important condition for fulfilling this sacrament is the presence of a strong desire to live righteously and observe Christian traditions. After all, after the sacrament of baptism, a person acquires a full-fledged Orthodox life: he lives with God in his soul, regularly attends church services, prays, goes to confession and communion.

If you are not ready for this, then there is little point in being baptized. Also, before considering how an adult is baptized in a church, you will need to carry out proper preparation, remember all the sins you have ever committed, sincerely repent of them, and try to give up your bad habits.

Church rules require a person to be baptized in order for him to enter the Church of Christ

To understand why a person undergoes baptism, you need to take a close look at the life of Jesus Christ.

Baptism is a sacrament. One of seven. It is the first in the life of an Orthodox Christian. This ritual is a way to enter the gates of the Church of Christ, to become part of it. The very fact of baptism does not mean that immediately after the ceremony a person suddenly becomes the source of the Holy Spirit, infallible and pious.

Baptism is an imitation of the example of Jesus Christ

Baptism is only permission to embark on a long spiritual path of sacraments, prayers, performing virtues and other aspects of a God-pleasing life.

Historically, baptism (according to the Bible manuscript, “immersion” is more correct) is a ritual during which a person dies to a life of sin and is born with a new name for spiritual activity.

Baptism of an adult: what you need to know about it

Pay attention to the following important nuances:

Any believer can be baptized, regardless of gender and age, by choosing the most comfortable time for himself;
the rite of baptism is carried out throughout life, from birth to death;
Different churches have different church schedules, and the specifics of baptism may vary somewhat. Your task is to find out all the details in advance, find out on what days and at what time an adult can be baptized;
also clarify the features of the ceremony in the church of your choice;
if an adult is baptized, then he does not need godfathers and godmothers, as is the case with an infant, because he himself is able to say a prayer and answer the priest’s questions.

Rebaptism

Baptism can be performed on a person only once in a lifetime, since it was already mentioned above that baptism corresponds to birth, and a person can be born only once. People wonder whether it is possible to be baptized a second time because they believe in completely absurd and occult things, for example, that a second baptism will help remove damage, a curse, or the evil eye. With the help of a repeated ritual, they want to solve family or life problems. Sometimes people think that if they cross themselves into a different name, then their ill-wishers will not be able to spoil them. These terrible superstitions are instilled in people by sorcerers and psychics who cover up their atrocities with Orthodoxy.

The desire or action to be baptized a second time is a great sin and blasphemy, and from the standpoint of church canons is unacceptable. In addition, it will not save a person from problems, will not protect him from ill-wishers and will not bring good luck, but rather the opposite, since a sinful action never adds happiness.

Preparatory stage

If an adult wants to be baptized, then he needs, first of all, to gain an understanding of the main components of Orthodoxy . It will require reading the New Testament, knowledge of the main part of the dogmatic teaching about the Holy Trinity, about the Messiah who came to Earth with the goal of saving all people, about His Sacrifice on the cross, and the subsequent Resurrection.

Due to numerous requests from readers, we have prepared an “Orthodox Calendar” application for smartphones. Every morning you will receive information about the current day: holidays, fasts, days of remembrance, prayers, parables. Download for free: Orthodox Calendar 2022 (available on Android)

Also study the features of such Christian sacraments as communion and confirmation . A common practice in most churches is to hold public conversations with the priest on the eve of baptism. The conversation will help you get from the priest all the necessary information about the sacrament. But, of course, you will have to familiarize yourself with the basics of Orthodoxy on your own.

is also important to first memorize the most important Orthodox prayers: “Our Father” and “Rejoice to the Virgin Mary.” Finding them will not be difficult - the Internet or any collection of prayers will come to the rescue.

Before baptism itself, you need to endure a three-day fast . During this time, you should not eat meat, eggs, dairy products, drink alcohol or smoke. In addition to dietary restrictions, it is necessary to limit entertainment, watching inappropriate videos, and reading idle literature.

And if you are married , then three days before the ceremony, refrain from intimate relationships with your significant other.

Before the sacrament, do not forget to make peace with those whom you are in a state of quarrel : forgive the offenders and ask for forgiveness from your heart.

To prepare for baptism, you need to study the basics of Orthodoxy and undergo purification

It is necessary to prepare for baptism. Of course, it does not pose any danger, but if you do not learn the basics of Orthodox dogma before the ritual, the whole meaning of the moment of baptism is lost. In other words, it’s as if a person is signing up for something that he has no idea about.

First of all, the priest must ask what motivates those who decide to become Orthodox. This can be a nagging conversation. And the reason is not at all that the priest is sorry to share the holy water. If necessary, he will consecrate it again.

The duty of the priest is to make sure that the intentions of the person wishing to be baptized are firm.

Everything is much more serious: the priest also bears responsibility for the actions taken. Figuratively, we can say that when baptizing a person unprepared for the sacrament, the priest becomes an accomplice in a spiritual crime.

In the days of the old church, the tests were much harsher. Today, priests have significantly reduced the requirements for parishioners. So what to do?

Read at least the canonical Gospels . Even better is the New Testament, but in general it’s good - the whole Bible. And if you are lazy or don’t have time, then why get baptized at all? Accept faith in what is written in a book whose contents you have no idea about?
Learn basic Christian prayers and the Creed.

"Our Father"

Our Father, who art in heaven!

Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come,

Thy will be done as it is in heaven and on earth.

Give us this day our daily bread;

and forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debtors;

and do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

"Symbol of faith"

I believe in one God the Father, Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, visible to all and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only begotten, who was born of the Father before all ages; Light from Light, true God from true God, born, uncreated, consubstantial with the Father, to Whom all things were. For our sake, man and our salvation came down from heaven and became incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became human. She was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried. And he rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures. And ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father. And again the coming one will be judged with glory by the living and the dead, His Kingdom will have no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Life-Giving One, who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who spoke the prophets. Into one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. I confess one baptism for the remission of sins. I hope for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the next century. Amen.

"Virgin Mother of God"

Virgin Mary, Rejoice, O Blessed Mary, the Lord is with You; Blessed are You among women and blessed is the Fruit of Your womb, for You have given birth to the Savior of our souls.

No, no, you are not confused - this is not an article about entering a theological seminary, but real requirements for a person about to be baptized. Christian is not a status, but a worldview and attitude. And you need to have a sufficient understanding of this religion in order to join it once and for all. Spiritual life is not a toy.

Know and understand the Ten Commandments of God . It is not necessary to learn by heart. What is important is understanding and following them.

Before baptism, a person must study the basics of Orthodoxy - including the 10 commandments of God

Understand the essence of Christian doctrine . It is most important. Without it, there will be no context for all the knowledge described above. Actually, without this point, a thinking person could not have the desire to be baptized.
Go talk to the priest about your decision . This is an important point. An astute priest will quickly determine whether a person needs to be baptized into the Orthodox faith. What if suddenly there is a husband in front of him, whom his wife simply asked to be baptized?

By the way, a dialogue with a priest is a chance to get answers to questions that concern the believer.

3 day

at least you need to fast before baptism

Go through cleansing . To do this you need to fast. The longer the better. But not less than three days. This is perhaps the most important point. What you should not eat before baptism is meat and any animal products (avoid rennet and gelatin in the composition). You shouldn’t invent indulgences for yourself by asking if you can have chicken, if you can do this, if you can do that. Fasting is not a formality for God, but self-restraint for oneself.
Abstinence from food . On the eve of baptism, a future Orthodox Christian should not eat from midnight. But not everyone. In case of health problems, or if we are talking about an elderly person, the rule can be neglected. God does not need formality, but desire. Even if a person would be glad, but the circumstances are not the same, God understands and accepts this.

What you need to have with you

For baptism you will need certain attributes, namely:

christening shirt;
towel;
pectoral cross;
open slippers;
dry clothes to change into.

Clothes and towels must be white. Men buy a long shirt, and women also buy a long shirt, very similar to a nightgown or dress, but always with sleeves.

Interesting! After the sacrament, you cannot wash clothes or wear them in everyday life. She is credited with the amazing power to heal a baptized person if he falls ill with a serious illness, for which the patient needs to put on her.

A frequent topic of discussion about baptism is what should the pectoral cross be - gold or regular? There are no special restrictions here, but the priests advise you to opt for a silver or ordinary wooden product. If you want to purchase gold jewelry, it is better to consult your confessor.

It is important to buy open slippers like slates for the baptism of an adult: so that the feet are visible throughout the entire event.

At what age can you be baptized?

In any. But, of course, people who came to be baptized as adults, consciously, are precious people; it is more difficult to steal their grace and lead them astray from a new path. At baptism, the sins accumulated over the years are forgiven and the sinful dirt is washed away; after baptism, a person becomes whitened, clean, and he is washed from specific dirt, and this is worth a lot.

This does not mean that you should not baptize infants, but wait until they grow up for them to make their informed choice, as many say. What if the child dies? (After all, no one can guarantee that nothing will happen to him tomorrow. Why tomorrow - this very minute!)

In addition, if a child is baptized in a church-going family, they bring the child to communion. And now this is a widespread phenomenon in churches - even those parents who do not take communion themselves bring their children to communion at the end of the service.

Although this is such wickedness on the part of the parents, it gives great hope that a generation is growing up that (not like we once did, in the 60-80s) accepted the blood and body of Christ from childhood.

And this is a serious antidote to everyday temptations, and an invisible blessing of protection from all the impurity that awaits them on the path of life. (And he will not be afraid of any “damage”, “conspiracies”, “evil eyes”, but the understanding will take root that the Lord allows any sorrows. And it will sound not “why do I need this”, but “why do I need this; what do I need?” This is what the Lord wants to show and say, and what should I do or correct?”)

If the Lord gives them this from birth, then apparently God will call this generation to some special work.

How does baptism of an adult take place in church?

Let's look at its main stages (although they may vary slightly depending on the church):

First, the priest performs a symbolic creation of a person: he blows into his face three times, in analogy with God breathing in life. A blessing also takes place and prayers are read.
Then the person wishing to be baptized is given a church name, connecting him with a guardian angel who will protect the righteous throughout his life.
At the next stage, renunciation of the forces of evil occurs. The person is turned to face the western direction of the world, personifying dark forces. The priest does not stop praying and asks questions; clear answers should be given to them.
Then the person turns in an eastern direction and promises to serve God alone. He is again asked questions, then he must read the prayer service “Creed,” which briefly characterizes the entire Orthodox religion.
After which the priest dresses in white robes, consecrates the water in the font and oil, and anoints the person being baptized, which symbolizes deliverance from sinfulness.
Then the person is immersed in the consecrated water three times, at which point the words of a special prayer are said.
The priest dresses the person being baptized with a cross and a white shirt. The prayers do not stop being read.
This is followed by the rite of anointing, which consists of the deacon applying the sign of the cross to the person’s body. The Holy Father pronounces the words “Seals of the gift of the Holy Spirit,” and then walks around the font three times with the person being baptized. This represents eternity.
The very last final stage involves cutting the hair, which symbolically signifies the transfer of the newly-made Christian into the hands of God.

Father answers

Prot. Anthony Lakirev talks about the sacrament of baptism for adults.

From ancient times, from the very beginning, people became Christians consciously; this assumes that a person consciously made this decision for himself, and participates in this sacrament at the behest of his heart. As the process progresses, the person answers the questions that the church, represented by the priest, asks him.

Firstly, in the sacrament of baptism we renounce slavery to Satan. We renounce evil, all that petty satanic malice and impurity that fills our lives.
Secondly, we express our agreement to follow our Lord Jesus Christ.
The third thing the church asks a person about when he comes to be baptized is knowledge of the faith, understanding of the “Creed,” at least those fundamentals by which the Orthodox Church lives. In order to consciously and correctly answer the questions posed before baptism, a person must undergo appropriate training and, of course, be fully conscious and understand the responsibility of this step.

In the Sacrament of Baptism, besides God and man, there is one more side - this is the church, which at baptism accepts him into its family. And the church participates in this sacrament in its entirety, participates in the person of the priest who performs the sacrament.

How an adult man baptizes a girl in church

There are some characteristic features when baptizing representatives of the fair sex that you should definitely know:

Girls and women should cover their heads with a scarf as a sign of humility before men and the Lord.
For the sacrament of baptism, discreet clothing is chosen; it should be washed and ironed.
You cannot use cosmetics or wear jewelry on this day.
It is unacceptable to perform the ritual on the days of menstruation. First, a woman must calculate the days of her cycle by choosing a suitable date.
Girls should also remember that their shirt will get wet during baptism and will fit tightly to the body, emphasizing all the curves. To avoid an awkward situation, wear a swimsuit underneath.

The ritual of women's baptism differs in different churches. For example, in some churches it is customary to fence off the font using a screen; the girl must take off all her clothes, and only her head will be visible to the priest. But usually women still get baptized in a shirt or long shirt.

Important! When you sign up for baptism, be sure to check all the nuances of the sacrament in the place you have chosen.

What not to do

The catechumens need to know what not to do during preparation and at the Sacrament itself:

Women are not allowed to undergo the Sacrament in uncleanness.
You cannot enter into intimate relationships on the eve of the Sacrament.
Women should not put a lot of makeup on their face because it will run when immersed in water.
You cannot overeat and smoke before the Sacrament.
You cannot come in a drunken state.
Women who have recently given birth should not receive the Sacrament before forty days after giving birth.
You cannot be baptized in a swimsuit or underwear.

Is baptism for an adult free or not?

Many people are interested in whether it is necessary to pay for the baptism of an adult? In theory, it is free, because the priests do not take money from parishioners. But there are special donations for certain services of the church, and baptism is one of them. The amount may vary from church to church, so check the exact amount at the church store where the candles are sold.

The collected funds are usually used for charitable purposes: helping the poor, and also go towards repairing church buildings and building new churches.

I hope now it becomes clearer to you how the baptism of an adult takes place and how to prepare for it. Remember that the difference between the baptism of an infant and a mature person lies in the conscious choice of the Orthodox life of the latter. And how you will live it, what actions you will perform - good or stupid, unnecessary, here everything depends only on you.

You need to undergo the sacrament of baptism only at the behest of your heart

The sacrament of baptism is the expression of the will of an adult. It’s strange to go through it for show. Nobody forces you to do this, and baptism under a stick or for fashion is incredible stupidity.

The Orthodox Church has a practice of baptizing children, but there is an impressive rationale for why this is done. And yet criticism against Orthodoxy for this practice does not subside: disputes are being waged, arguments are being expressed. Even within the Orthodox tradition there are opponents of infant baptism.

White robes required for baptism

All that remains is to allow adults, out of stupidity, to enter into a sacrament about which they have no clear idea. Baptism is a serious matter, and not a reason to invite all your relatives to the christening dinner.

That is why an adult faces trials before he can enter the fold of the Orthodox Church.

But this is not enough. A ritual without faith is empty and useless. The only acceptable option is baptism of one's own free will with full awareness of what is happening.