Baptism is often compared to a second birth, only it occurs not in the physical, but in the spiritual plane. It is believed that a child who joins the church receives protection from God. This sacrament requires careful preparation, and parents who do not often attend church often do not know where to turn and what to do before baptism.
When to baptize a child
One of the most important issues is the timing within which the child must be baptized. This is usually done on the fortieth day after birth. There are several reasons for this. First of all, this is due to the participation of the baby’s mother. For the first forty days after giving birth, she cannot take part in church ceremonies. This is due to the physiology of postpartum recovery, as well as the fact that a woman needs rest during this period. She needs to focus on caring for the baby and her own health.
Another reason for baptism on the fortieth day is the peculiarities of the baby’s physiology. At this age, a child, regardless of gender, is not afraid if a stranger picks him up. Also, babies are not afraid of the moment when they are plunged headlong into the font. Children at the age of forty days have preserved intrauterine reflexes; they hold their breath at the moment of immersion.
If necessary, parents can carry out the first part of the baptism ceremony themselves, already 8 days after birth. To do this, cross the child with a few drops of water and read a prayer. This method is used when the life of a newborn is in danger and he is in intensive care. After the child is discharged from the hospital, you need to go to church for Confirmation. Sometimes a priest is invited to perform the baptism in the hospital room.
Do not be afraid if the timing of baptism falls in the winter. Do not delay the sacrament, because after three months the child will react extremely painfully to strangers and will have a more difficult time staying in the font. In winter, the ritual is carried out in the same way as in summer. The doors to the temple will be closed, and the water in the font will always be kept warm. To begin with, hot water is poured into it, and then diluted with cold water.
Definition
What is baptism? Most Orthodox Christians are familiar with the version that rituals allow one to be cleansed of original sin, become closer to God, and gain protection from evil spirits and a guardian angel. In ancient times, a woman in labor was seen as a kind of mediator between the worlds. And at birth, a talisman was hung on the newborn’s arm, which could protect the child from the influence of negativity for a period of 40 days, after which the ritual was allowed to be performed. By receiving a guardian angel, the child became invulnerable to dark forces.
When to perform the ceremony
During the sacrament, the godson acquired second parents. According to the canons, they obliged before God to take care of the child if an accident happened to the biological parents. Therefore, before you start choosing godparents, you need to think about who you trust more and are able to entrust with your baby. These should be truly family and friends with whom you maintain good relationships.
In fact, baptism is recommended after the fortieth day due to the fact that until this moment a woman is considered unclean and is prohibited from entering the temple. But if for some reason it is important to baptize the child earlier, the ceremony is performed without the mother.
After the expiration of the term, the mother goes to church and the priest reads the prayer of the woman in labor over her, which allows her to be cleansed and to be present in church ceremonies. There are no prohibitions regarding the days of baptism; you can perform the sacrament both on holidays and during fasting. More often it is performed on the day of the angel of the child.
How to choose a name
The boy's parents must choose a name for the church before the baptism ceremony. Nowadays there are a large number of names in fashion that are not in the calendar. For example, if a boy was named Ivan at birth, then at the moment of joining the church he can become John. The name given during the sacrament determines when the child’s Angel Day will be celebrated.
You have the right to choose a name yourself, and not using the calendar. It is not necessary that the child be born on the same day as the saint’s name day. For example, a boy with poor health can be named Nikolai or Luka, regardless of his date of birth.
What to baptize a boy in
It is necessary to take the sacrament of baptism as seriously as possible and think in advance about what is needed for the christening of a boy. Usually a set of clothes for baptism can be found in almost many stores that sell goods for babies, but you can make such a set yourself, especially if the mother is good at sewing and other needlework. Most often, ready-made kits consist of the following elements:
- white blankets;
- a baptismal shirt or dress (you can just use a smart shirt with trim);
- and the main element - the kryzhma (this is a white diaper, which is usually openwork or trimmed with lace with embroidery or the baby’s initials embroidered on it).
It is not necessary to purchase a cap for a boy. Usually only girls' heads are covered. Socks are also an optional addition. It should be noted that after baptism, the set should be stored separately and not used in everyday life. He is a kind of relic. There is also an opinion that during the sacrament of baptism, kryzhma is endowed with healing properties and when a child gets sick, it can save him from the disease and help him recover.
In addition, there is a belief that when a second boy is born in a family, if the parents want the brothers to be friendly with each other, then the youngest child in the family is baptized in the same baptismal shirt in which the older child was once baptized.
Godparents - who are they?
In addition to choosing the child's name, it is important to decide on the godparents. They must meet the following criteria:
- not to be a married couple;
- must be believers (with the exception of monks, they cannot be godparents);
- are not the natural parents of the child.
There are no other restrictions on the choice of godparents. For a boy, it is enough to invite only a man who is ready to take upon himself the obligation not to leave the child in trouble and to give him spiritual advice.
Sacrament of Baptism
Is it allowed in Orthodoxy to baptize a child without godparents? Before answering this question, it is worth talking about the meaning of the sacrament of Baptism and the role of godparents. In the Orthodox Church there are seven particularly important sacred rites - sacraments. These include Baptism, Eucharist (Communion), Confession, Wedding, Confirmation, Priesthood, and Blessing of Anointing. The Sacraments are performed by clergy, but invisibly the Lord Himself performs the Sacrament. These events are designed to change a person’s spiritual state and bring his soul closer to salvation. But only those who are members of the Holy Church can participate in the sacraments. Therefore, the important question is whether it is possible to baptize a child without godparents. It is no coincidence that the Sacrament of Baptism is also called birth into the Church.
The priest prepares to perform the Sacrament of Baptism
Protopresbyter Mikhail Pomazansky notes that Baptism
“serves as a door leading into the kingdom of grace, or the Church, and gives access to participation in other sacraments.”
In Baptism a person is spiritually reborn. He dies to sin and becomes a Christian, called to salvation and even holiness. In this sacrament, an adult is forgiven all previous sins. He is given grace (a gift from God) to fight passions. The baptism of a child becomes the basis of his spiritual development in the bosom of the Holy Church. This is how his path to God begins. Immediately after the sacrament of Baptism comes the Sacrament of Confirmation. Holy oil symbolizes the Holy Spirit, which transforms the person being baptized. Also, as a sign of dedication to God and His will, part of the hair of the baptized person is cut off.
Parents should take the Baptism of their child responsibly and consciously. This is not an empty formality or a tribute to beautiful traditions. Not a magical ritual that automatically protects against dark forces and misfortunes. This is a great Sacrament, a solemn meeting between man and a loving God. This is the beginning of a completely new life - with Christ.
Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk in his work “On True Christianity” writes that through Baptism we
“We are freed from death and the devil’s power and come into the kingdom of Christ, the Son of God.”
How to choose a temple
Once you have decided on the date, name and godparents, you need to choose a place for baptism. You need to contact the temple in advance for several reasons:
- So that the sacrament takes place on a date convenient for you.
- So that you can talk with the priest and properly prepare for the ceremony.
- Godparents must have time to go through a conversation with the priest. In some cases, they are sent to special courses at the church.
It happens that young parents are not satisfied with the manner of communication of church servants. Some churches still have ministers who can talk rudely and extort a large fee for performing the ceremony. The issue of paying for baptism interests many parents. This procedure itself is free, but in most cases you need to agree in advance with the priest on the amount of the donation (the church needs it in order to pay for utilities). If you don’t have money, then no one can refuse you to baptize your child.
Choose the temple where you will feel good. This is the most important criterion. In the chosen temple you can ask the priest any questions and discuss all the nuances of baptism. Find out in advance whether it is possible to film the ceremony; in a number of churches this is prohibited. It is also worth mentioning a place for feeding the boy. If the baby eats frequently, this may occur before and immediately after the ceremony. A nursing mother should wear special clothes or have an apron. For a formula-fed baby, you need to prepare the nutritional composition in advance and bring the bottle in a special thermos.
The godfather must go to a conversation with the priest, otherwise he will not be able to become the boy’s spiritual mentor. If the recipients you have chosen do not want to spend personal time on conversations, then you should think about choosing other people. If necessary, you can talk with the priest in any temple in the city, regardless of where the ceremony will take place. This is intended so as not to create any inconvenience for the receivers. Based on the results of the conversation, a certificate is issued; other documents are not needed for baptism. Some churches ask for a birth certificate, but most often they do without it.
What to prepare for the godfather for the baptism ceremony
The godfather must buy a pectoral cross for his godson, as well as a chain or cord for it. You will need to take with you an icon of the child’s patron saint. As for clothes for the child, the godmother buys them. If there is no godmother at the christening, the godfather can buy the clothes. To baptize a boy, you need to buy a white shirt, a new towel or a baptismal diaper.
The future godfather must come to the temple a few days before the sacrament to confess and receive communion. On the eve of the sacrament, it is necessary to fast for 3 days. Animal food should be excluded from the diet. It is also required to refrain from visiting places of entertainment, from foul language and intimacy.
On the day of the sacrament, godparents cannot eat food until the ceremony is completed.
During the baptism ceremony of a child, both godparents must wear a cross. Don't dress too provocatively for church. Clothing should be modest and not attract attention. It is forbidden to enter the temple in shorts, a T-shirt and sportswear. In extreme heat, it is better to wear light trousers and a short-sleeved shirt.
Features of boys' baptism
For a boy, the ceremony takes place in the usual way. A male child is allowed to be brought to the altar, where the ritual of churching takes place. At other times, the ceremony is carried out exactly the same as for girls. It lasts about an hour.
After baptism, you will be given a special certificate, which must be kept and given to the child after adulthood. It is useful for weddings and other traditional ceremonies. It will record when the baby's name day is. After baptism, you must visit the temple again for communion. It is recommended to give the child communion regularly.
Many parents do not know whether it is possible to celebrate baptism with loved ones. The church does not prohibit feasts on this day, but during the celebration it is worth not forgetting for what reason the guests gathered. Invite only people close to your family to your holiday dinner. Don't drink too much alcoholic beverages.
Time before Epiphany
For a newborn, this period is very important, since he is adapting to the environment, the body is trying to cope with new conditions for it. After the specified period has passed, the time comes for the child to be baptized. This period is optimal, since he still has a breath-holding reflex, which will be useful when immersed in water during baptism.
Time to baptize
There is no specific age when the ceremony can be performed. It is conducted at any age by a priest in church. And only in critical situations do church rules allow the ceremony to be performed with the mother.
Responsibilities of godparents after baptism
Godparents pray for the godson, take care of his visit to church, participation in the sacraments, and the upbringing of the godson in the spirit of the Orthodox faith.
As for any special gifts, this does not matter and depends on the desires and capabilities of the godparents themselves.
Godparents are considered spiritual relatives, and therefore they cannot marry each other or their godson. If such a situation arises, then you should contact the ruling bishop for permission.
