Nowadays, baptism often happens simply because many parents do it. But you need to understand that this is not a tribute to fashion, but a responsible step that requires serious preparation from parents. After baptism, the child will become an Orthodox Christian, and you need to select suitable godparents who will help you walk along the path of faith, will read the Bible to the godson, take him to church, etc.
At what age can a baby be baptized?
Baptism can be performed from birth. It is believed that after the sacrament a guardian angel appears in the child, so many parents prefer not to postpone this important event. After all, caring parents certainly want their baby to be under reliable protection. Usually Orthodox Christians baptize children on the 8th or 40th day after birth.
Preference is given to the second option, that is, on the 40th day after the baby is born. After being discharged from the maternity hospital, the young mother needs to come to her senses, adapt to new living conditions, and get used to the baby. In addition, after giving birth, a woman is considered “unclean” for some time due to physiological changes in the body. While postpartum discharge continues, she cannot be allowed to visit the temple.
After the 40th day, a special cleansing prayer is read over the woman, and then she has the right to visit the temple and participate in the sacrament of baptism of her baby.
The optimal age of a child for baptism is from a month to six months.
The Church does not name a specific age when parents should baptize a child. Some adults believe that the baby should get stronger and mature so that it will be easier for him to withstand the baptism process. But you need to understand that a child of conscious age may be afraid of unfamiliar surroundings, strangers, and incomprehensible actions that take place within the walls of the church.
The essence of the sacrament of baptism
The rite of baptism is one of the most important and great sacraments in the life of a person professing Christianity. Its essence is to cleanse the soul of sins, as well as prepare it for subsequent rebirth.
This ritual appeared back in the days when the resurrection of Jesus Christ took place. But in those years, people came to baptism only at a conscious age, perceiving such a step as an extremely important decision. The ritual was carried out in secret, as believers were persecuted and punished. And given that there were quite a few Christians, this sacrament took place only on certain church holidays.
Currently, the faith has spread. Therefore, in the modern world it is customary to baptize children even at a very young age, a couple of days after they are born.
What time can a child be baptized?
Baptism can be performed on any day the parents choose. Many people are concerned about the question: is it possible to baptize a child during Lent? The priests say that the sacrament can be performed, but only on weekends: Saturday or Sunday. The same rule applies to the Assumption Fast.
Is it possible to baptize a child on other days of fasting?
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The Church does not forbid carrying out the sacraments of baptism during fasting and church holidays. But priests often recommend postponing the date of baptism if it falls on major church holidays, when many people gather in church.
It is also important to take into account that after the sacrament, when relatives and friends gather for a celebration dedicated to the baptism of the baby, there should be Lenten dishes on the table.
About those present
Another frequently asked question is: who can be present when the sacrament of baptism is performed on a baby?
- Blood parents (however, if a child is baptized earlier than the 40th day of life, the mother is prohibited from entering the temple of God).
- God-parents.
- Everyone is interested (must have a cross on their body).
No one can forbid someone to come to church when the sacrament of baptism is performed. Also, you cannot expel unwanted people from the temple; this is considered a great sin.
Is it possible to baptize a child during Lent in 2022?
You can baptize a baby at any time, regardless of whether there is fasting at that time or not. But it is important to understand that fasting involves giving up entertainment, alcoholic beverages, and certain types of foods. If parents and guests are ready to abandon the noisy holiday after the sacrament, there are no obstacles to baptism before Easter. In the case where the baptism was planned to be celebrated on a grand scale, it is better to postpone it to another date.
Parents need to be prepared that baptism may not take place on the day they choose. This does not happen because it is impossible to perform the sacrament during Lent. The fact is that before Easter there are daily services in the church, so the priests simply may not find time to perform the sacrament of baptism. In this case, they will advise you to choose another day, when there will not be so many people in the church, and the priest will be able to conduct the ceremony.
Recommendations for choosing a date
The entire life of the Orthodox Church is scheduled for the year ahead: preparing and conducting Divine services, performing the sacraments, working with parishioners, educating young people in the spiritual faith. During the Great and Dormition Lents before patronal feasts, long morning, evening and night services are held in the church and the clergy do not have time to conduct Baptism.
Parents need to first find out about the days of the sacrament and determine the date of the event.
According to church regulations, the baptism of a child can be carried out during the first 40 days of the baby’s life as the umbilical cord heals. But there are no strict age restrictions; you can perform the sacrament at any period of your life. Parents have the right to choose the timing of Baptism depending on the well-being of the newborn and family circumstances.
All Orthodox names are collected in church calendars, which indicate the dates of their memory. Parents choose a name for the baby in advance and can find it in accordance with this list. Baptism can be scheduled on the date of memory of the saint in whose honor the baby is named, if it coincides with the ceremony in the church, or christening can be scheduled after the child’s birthday.
The child is issued a certificate of Baptism with the following notes:
- over whom the sacrament of Baptism was performed (name, patronymic, surname);
- the name of the temple in which the ceremony was performed;
- rank and name of the minister who performed the sacrament;
- names of the recipient and successor (godfather and mother);
- date of angel day.
The data is sealed with the seal of the temple. From this day on, the child is under the protection of God and his guardian angel.
What criteria are used to choose godparents?
Unfortunately, many parents do not fully understand the role of godparents in the life of their child. Godparents are not the ones who give expensive gifts during the holidays. Godparents must lead the godson along the path of faith, explain the laws of God, instruct and take them to church.
Usually a godfather and a mother are chosen, although, according to church laws, a baby can have one godfather. Girls can only have a godmother, boys can only have a godfather. If a child from 0 to 12 years old is baptized, the godparents make vows before the Almighty for him, since the baby cannot yet understand the meaning of the words spoken. After this, the godparents take responsibility for the spiritual development and initiation of the godson into the faith.
Who is better to choose as godparents:
- Many people advise inviting loved ones or relatives with whom the connection will not be lost over time.
- Godparents must be baptized and churchgoers. They will further explain to the godson the meaning of the sacraments, attend church with him, take communion and confess together. The godparents also teach the godson prayers, read the Bible to him, and fast together.
- Godparents must know the basic prayers by heart, understand church rules, fasts, and read the Holy Scriptures.
The child’s parents must approach the choice of godparents seriously and responsibly, and they, in turn, must undergo an interview with the priest in the church.
There is no shame in prospective godparents refusing the offer. It is much worse if they subsequently do not fulfill the important role that is assigned to them.
Is it possible to baptize on Easter?
A priest can refuse to baptize a child only if he is very busy
The meaning of celebrating Easter is victory and triumph over death, which is no longer the end of everything, but opens the door to the Kingdom of God. Easter is celebrated for a whole week, Easter services are held glorifying the victory of Jesus Christ over death.
Some parents are interested in whether children are baptized during the week of Easter. Of course yes, but not every church will agree without good reason. Services are performed daily, days are scheduled minute by minute, the priest gets tired. For this reason, the Sacrament may be refused.
On a note! If necessary, the priest may agree to baptize the child on Easter after the festive liturgy.
Who can't be godfather
According to church canons, only adults and baptized people can be godparents. Who cannot be a godfather:
- not baptized into Orthodoxy;
- dear mother and father;
- minor teenagers and children;
- a man and a woman between whom there is physical intimacy.
If your godmother gets her period on the day of baptism, you need to inform the priest about it. Most likely, she will be allowed to be present in the temple, but she will not be allowed to touch shrines and hold her godson in her arms, or approach icons.
Where can you perform a baptism ceremony?
Parents have the opportunity to choose a temple at their discretion. Many people prefer small churches where not many parishioners gather. Some go to church, which they attend every Sunday.
What parents need to do:
- Visit the temple in advance to find out the duration of the sacrament and set the date of baptism.
- Agree in advance whether the child will be completely immersed in the font or not.
- Find out if it is possible to take photos and videos. In some churches it is prohibited to film the sacrament.
Advice for parents during baptism
It is also necessary to voice a few simple tips for parents that can be very useful to them:
- If the blood parents are unbaptized, a baptism ceremony can be performed for the whole family.
- The clothes that the baby is dressed in for the sacrament should be as comfortable as possible. After all, the baby will have to undress for immersion in the font. And also then put on the baptismal shirt.
- Parents do not participate in the sacrament of baptism itself. However, if the baby is screaming a lot, the ritual can be stopped for a while so that the mother can put the baby in a good mood.
- During the sacrament, the baby can be given a pacifier; the church allows this.
- After baptism, the baby needs to receive communion regularly. This is especially important until the baby turns three years old. Until the age of seven, a child receives communion without confession. Afterwards the child will confess and receive communion.
What you need to prepare for the ceremony
For baptism you will need the following:
- Christening clothes, special towel, headdress (bonnet, scarf, cap). Usually the clothes for the sacrament are purchased by the godmother.
- Pectoral cross. As a rule, the godfather buys a cross with a chain or rope. The cross must be consecrated in the church. If the pectoral cross is not consecrated, before the start of the sacrament the priest illuminates it in the temple.
- They also usually buy a personalized icon and candles for the sacrament. A voluntary donation is made to the temple for baptism.
A day before the ceremony, godparents must undergo the sacraments of communion and confession in order to be spiritually cleansed for the baptism ceremony.
At baptism, godparents and everyone present need to dress modestly; women need to tie a scarf or scarf on their heads. Bright, provocative makeup is unacceptable; there should be no lipstick on the lips, because you will have to apply yourself to the icons.
Cross
As already mentioned, according to tradition, the godfather should buy this accessory. What material it will be made of is up to the parents, blood and godparents to choose. But it is worth remembering that if the cross was purchased in an icon shop, it does not require consecration, but if it was purchased in a jewelry store, it must first be consecrated before the sacrament.
A separate question: is it worth buying a chain or will a rope be enough for the baby for now? Here the parents themselves decide. However, it is worth remembering that the cross must be on the child at all times; it can only be removed during bathing. Therefore, it is better at first, while the child is still small, to wear a cross on a string that will not scratch or irritate the baby’s skin. If the baby loses the cross, it’s okay. You just need to buy a new one and don’t forget to consecrate it.
How to celebrate a great event
Usually, after the sacrament is performed, parents invite godparents and close relatives to a festive dinner. It can be held at home, in a cafe or restaurant, but without prolonged gatherings. Sometimes they choose the format of a sweet table or buffet table, naturally without alcoholic beverages. Guests give the baby gifts, and it is better that these are things with spiritual content: the Bible, a personalized icon, a silver spoon with engraving, a toy in the form of an angel, etc.
The sacrament of baptism must be approached responsibly not only by parents, but also by godparents.
After all, now the baby will become a full member of the church, and which path he will take largely depends on his spiritual upbringing. leave a comment
