Each prayer for an Orthodox person has its own special mission and deep meaning. In Orthodoxy, the prayer “Creed” contains the foundations of Christian teaching. It consists of 12 parts. It contains the main dogmas of faith. Therefore, the prayer “Creed” is also necessary for the sacrament of baptism. It was compiled at the Ecumenical Councils, and after the third of them it remains unchanged to this day.
The Creed - a summary of the dogmas of the Church
- 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 drink the resurrection of the dead,
- and the life of the next century. Amen.
Prayer request before the sacrament
The godmother and father are responsible for preparing for baptism. The baby’s natural mother is not allowed to attend the sacrament until a cleansing prayer is read over her, which the clergy specially offer so that a woman who has been delivered from pregnancy will be cleansed of her sins and can cross the church threshold.
To know what to do during the sacrament of baptism, visit the temple in advance. Church employees will tell you how to properly prepare for this event.
You must understand what is required of you and what the prayer for the baptism of a child sounds like to the godparents. If up to this point you have not often been to church, be sure to attend a service, confess your sins and take communion. Light the candles and pray. Venerate the icons of Jesus Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Not everyone can easily memorize church texts in Old Church Slavonic. Purchase a special “Prayer Book” at the church store - a collection in which church texts are translated and published in Russian. Before the ceremony, godparents must read special prayers. It's better to learn them by heart.
Familiarize yourself with church texts in advance. It is important that you do not just mechanically pronounce memorized words, but understand what to ask your heavenly patrons for. A prayer coming from a sincere heart will definitely be heard. The Father of God will not leave your appeal unanswered. If you have questions regarding the sacrament of baptism, do not be afraid to ask them to the clergy in the temple.
It is better to know what is required of you during the ritual than to be in the dark and make a mistake.
The godmother and father read the following texts the night before baptism.
Godfather's Prayer:
“Lord Jesus Christ, be Your littleness on my godson (goddaughter) (name), keep him (her) under Your roof, cover him (her) from all evil lust, drive away from him (her) every enemy and adversary, open to him ( her) ears and eyes of the heart, grant tenderness and humility to his (her) heart. Amen!".
Godmother's Prayer:
“Save, O Lord, and have mercy on my godson (my) (name), and enlighten him (her) with the light of reason of Your Holy Gospel and guide him (her) on the path of Your commandments and teach him (her). Savior, do Thy will, for Thou art our God, and to Thee we send glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen!".
Parents are also allowed to put in a word about the health of their children. Before baptism they can recite the following prayer:
“God, our merciful and heavenly Father! Have mercy on our children (names) and godchildren (names), for whom we humbly pray to You and whom we entrust to Your care and protection. Put strong faith in them, teach them to revere You and deign them to deeply love You, our Creator and Savior.
Guide them, God, on the path of truth and goodness, so that they do everything for the glory of Your name. Teach them to live piously and virtuously, to be good Christians and useful people. Give them mental and physical health and success in their work.
Deliver them from the cunning machinations of the devil, from numerous temptations, from evil passions and from all wicked and disorderly people.
For the sake of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, through the prayers of His Most Pure Mother and all the saints, lead them to the quiet haven of Your eternal Kingdom, so that they, along with all the righteous, will always thank You with Your only begotten Son and Your life-giving Spirit. Amen!".
Symbol of faith
Prayer at baptism
It is necessary to find out what prayer is read at baptism in advance. This will help you prepare and not be confused when it comes time for you to pray for the well-being of your godchildren. The sacrament of baptism is performed in the temple. During the ritual of prayer, the priest speaks, and the godparents repeat after him. It is worth learning the prayer word by heart.
This way you will be less nervous and focus on the importance of the moment.
The first prayer that the godparents read during the service is the main prayer address for all Orthodox believers - “Our Father.” With his help, the godparents turn to the Lord, asking him for intercession for their pupil, so that God would take care of him as if he were his own son, forgiving all mistakes and sins, giving him strength to overcome everyday difficulties.
Jesus Christ himself gave prayer to Orthodox believers. This is the most sincere request of a praying person seeking God’s help.
“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 evil. Amen!".
The second prayer of the godmother and father at baptism is “Rejoice, Virgin Mary.”
The Mother of God is the intercessor of humanity before the Lord God; she tirelessly prays to her son for the forgiveness of sinners and help for those in need. The Heavenly Queen is revered in the Orthodox Church above all angels, saints and healers. The prayer that heavenly parents offer, asking to bless their godchildren, sounds like a joyful greeting and glorification of the Mother of God.
The text was compiled by the Archangel Gabriel to greet the Queen of All, who gave the world the Savior.
“Virgin Mother of God, rejoice, full of grace 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. Amen!".
At the end of the sacrament, the godmother is recommended to make this request as often as possible. It is necessary to pray in front of holy images. This can be done both during worship and at home. Don’t forget to purchase the face of the Blessed Virgin Mary from the church shop.
Symbol of faith
The Creed is composed of the words of Holy Scripture. The Creed , or “I Believe ,” contains all the saving truths (dogmas) about the Holy Trinity and the Orthodox Faith. The Creed is divided into 12 parts, which even kids learn by heart. It is sung by the entire church at the Liturgy, the main church service. Without knowledge of the Creed, it is impossible to fulfill the rule of St. Seraphim. Moreover, whoever does not internalize the truths embodied in the Creed is not a Christian at all!
- . I believe in one God, the Father, Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, visible to all and invisible. {I believe - I believe, I am convinced; Almighty - the One who holds and controls everything by His power} I believe in one God the Father, Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, everything visible 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. {edinago - one, only; Izhe - Which; before all ages - before all time, from eternity; consubstantial with the Father - having the same being (nature) with God the Father; And through him all things came into existence—and by Him, that is, by the Son of God, all things were created} And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only Begotten, begotten of the Father before all ages; Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, uncreated, one Being with the Father, who created the whole world through His Son.
- . For our sake, man and ours for the sake of salvation came down from heaven and became incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became human. becoming human - becoming a man like us, but not ceasing to be God} For us, people, and for our salvation, he came down from Heaven, took flesh from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became a man.
- . He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried. {for us - for us; buried - laid in a coffin} Crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, suffered and buried.
- . and resurrected on the third day according to the scripture. {resurrected - revived; according to the scriptures - according to the Holy Scriptures, in which the prophets foretold that He would rise from the dead on the third day}And rose again on the third day, according to the writings (of the prophets).
- . and ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father. {ascended - ascended; at the right hand - on the right side of God the Father}And ascended into Heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father.
- . and again the one who comes with glory will be judged alive and dead, His Kingdom will have no end. {again - again, a second time; dead - we are talking about the dead, whose bodies will then be resurrected; There will be no end to His Kingdom - after the Judgment, His endless Kingdom will come} And again He will come in glory to judge the living and the dead, Whose Kingdom will have no end.
- . and in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Life-Giving One, who proceeds from the Father, who is with the Father and the Son, worshiped and glorified, who spoke the prophets. worshiped and glorified - the Holy Spirit should be worshiped and glorified equally with the Father and the Son, that is, the Holy Spirit is equal to God the Father and God the Son; who spoke to the prophet - the Holy Spirit spoke through the prophets} (I believe) and in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who comes from the Father, worshiped and glorified equally with the Father and the Son, who spoke through the prophets.
- Into one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. {Into one - one, only; Conciliar - consonant, unanimous, embracing the Orthodox people of the universe from all nations and all times; Apostolic founded by the apostles of Christ and faithful in all their teaching.} (I believe) in one Holy Catholic (universal) and Apostolic Church.
- . I confess one baptism for the remission of sins. {I confess - I openly acknowledge in word and deed; one - only one} I confess one Baptism, by which forgiveness of all sins is granted by God.
- . and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead, {I look forward to tea, I believe} I look forward to the resurrection of the dead,
- and the life of the next century. Amen.{and the life of the next century - eternal life that will come after the general Judgment}And the life of the next century. Truly so.
Historical reference
The text of the prayer “Creed” consists of twelve members, each of which has its own meaning. The first speaks of the One God, from the second to the seventh - about His Son, in the eighth - about the Holy Spirit. The ninth member speaks about the whole Church, the tenth speaks about the sacrament and benefit of baptism. And the last ones - the eleventh and twelfth - are about eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven and the resurrection of those who are no longer with us.
Text of the prayer Symbol of Faith in Russian for printing.
The prayer originates from the preparation of new Christians for baptism. In the very ancient, nascent Church, there were several short “creeds” designed to remind converts of what they believed and what they were bringing to the world. Later, it was during the rites of baptism that prayer grew and acquired its modern appearance.
The current version was compiled at the first and second Ecumenical Councils. First seven members were gathered, then five more. The first council took place in 325, the second in 381. Thanks to the cities in which they were held, the “Creed” is also usually called the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Council.
To understand what the essence of Christianity is, it is enough to examine in detail the “Creed” .
Christians considered their religion to be an encounter with truth, immutable and pure. Therefore, for dedication and further communication with God, such a full-fledged prayer was needed, covering all the most important things that are present in Christianity. On the eve of Easter, everyone preparing for baptism read this prayer before entering the church. After the prayer was fully collected, it became the beginning of any liturgy.
Symbol of faith for the godfather
The godfather must know the Creed and read it at the sacrament of baptism at the appropriate moment.
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.
What is better: reading or singing?
In Greek churches they read the Creed, but in our liturgy they sing. And it’s very beautiful. The melody chosen is captivating. When everyone present at the Liturgy quietly and harmoniously pronounces the words, they are filled with joyful excitement. A sea of voices penetrates to the depths of the soul, unites and soars the prayer, testifying to true faith, to the dome of the temple.
Note: The Greeks do not support this type of singing, and even here it appeared only 150 years ago. Before this, the Symbol was only read. But this can be done at home, and in church you can sing in unison with everyone present.
With accents in Church Slavonic
(in .doc format) to print.
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, begotten, uncreated, consubstantial with the Father, to whom all things were. For our sake, man and our salvation, who came down from heaven and became incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became human. 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 the one who is to come will judge with glory 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 is with the Father and the Son, we are 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.
(picture .png format) to print.
Prayers for children before baptism
In addition to knowledge of the texts of prayers, preparation for baptism and knowledge of the rite of this sacrament are required. It is necessary to listen carefully to the priest and participate in the process with concentration.
In order not to be distracted, the prayer of the godmother at baptism will help to gather internally and adequately baptize the baby. It is advisable for godparents to get to know each other in advance and discuss organizational issues with the parents.
A prayer for the baptism of a child for godparents is a guideline for the spiritual development of the godson. It doesn’t matter how many gifts and sweets the godparents bring. It is important how much time they devote to the spiritual education of the child.
Passing the ritual
On the day of baptism, you must come to church early. The godmother must have her head covered and wear a skirt or dress that covers her knees, chest and arms. Clothes should not be brightly colored.
Godparents should purchase a pectoral cross consecrated in the temple, which the baby will wear after the ceremony.
You need to take a few things with you: church candles, a new towel and a change of clothes for babies who are completely immersed in the baptismal font.
When the time comes for the godparents to join the service and begin to read the prayer of faith at baptism, the priest will give a special sign.
The day after the sacrament is performed, the godparents will need to attend a service in the church and give the child communion.
Prayer "Our Father"
The prayer for godparents at baptism “Our Father” was left by the Lord Jesus Christ himself, which means its power and meaning are designated personally by God. It’s not for nothing that people say: you should know this as “Our Father,” that is, every Christian must know this prayer.
Godparents should also tell what meaning it carries for a believer, and teach it to the godson from a very young age, so that he absorbs spiritual knowledge. Prayer at baptism will facilitate this.
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. Amen.
Rules for preparing for the sacrament for godparents
The Christian charter states that the child’s half-parents and monks, unbaptized people, atheists and people of other faiths cannot become godparents. It is also impossible to attract to this post people who are each other’s husband and wife. You need to choose Orthodox people for such a responsible task, with a kind heart and a pious lifestyle.
Material responsibilities for preparing for the ritual are divided as follows:
- the godmother gives clothes and a cross on a chain or string to the baby for the ceremony;
- the godfather pays for everything in front of the church and sets the festive table;
- before the baptism in the church, they arrange a conversation with the candidates for godparents, they are explained how the sacrament will take place, what they will have to do and their responsibilities to the godson for life are told;
- Before the ceremony, godparents must fast and confess in church; it will be good to receive the sacrament of communion.
