Baptism of a child: what do I need to know about it?

Many parents practice baptism of a child today. For Orthodox Christians, the rite of baptism has a deep spiritual meaning. The rite of baptism washes away the sin before God from the child and makes him pure before the face of the Creator. If the child is baptized, he can also become a godfather in the future. You can light a candle for him and pray, asking God for health. Many believe that baptism protects the child from the evil eye and many troubles.

Where to baptize a baby?

You can visit several churches and choose the one that is closer to your home or where you like it best. The baptism of a child can be held on any day after the morning prayer service. Unlike a wedding, baptism can be held on major church holidays and during Lent. It is advisable to talk to the priest in advance to buy everything you need for the baptism and find out how to prepare for it. You should also discuss the possibility of taking photos and videos during the baptism.

It is necessary to take into account that during the baptism there may be other people in the church. If the child reacts badly to them. Perhaps it makes sense to baptize the child not far from home in a small church. It is advisable to agree on the date of baptism with the priest in advance.

What do you need to take with you to the baptism?

You will need a cross for the child (it can be bought in advance in the same church). If the cross is bought not in the temple, but in a jewelry store, it must be consecrated by a priest beforehand. In order not to damage the child's thin neck, you need to hang the cross not on a gold or silver chain, but on a ribbon. The cross is bought not by the child's parents, but by his godfather.

For baptism, the child is dressed in a clean white shirt, preferably linen or other natural materials. White clothing is an attribute symbolizing the child's cleansing from sins before God.

You will also need a white sheet or towel. It is called a kryzhma. The child will be taken out of the font and wrapped in it. It is desirable that it be made of natural fabric. The child's godmother buys the kryzhma. She also buys a shirt for the child and a white cap.

How to choose godparents for a baby?

When choosing godparents together with your husband, pay attention: they must be baptized. There can be two godparents, but there can also be one. For a boy, it should be a godfather, and for a girl, a godmother. These should be highly moral people who could teach the child the sacraments of Christian beliefs and Christian principles.

• People of other faiths or minors cannot be godparents.
• Previously, it was believed that godparents should be chosen from among those people who could become parents for the baby if the real parents died prematurely.
• Godparents do not have to be a married couple.
• A woman who has given birth less than 40 days ago cannot be taken as a godmother.
• A pregnant woman can be a godmother.

How to prepare for baptism?

Godparents must prepare for the baptism ceremony in advance. They must confess and receive communion before the ceremony, and also learn the prayer for baptism - the "Symbol of Faith". Three days before baptism, godparents must fast, not eat meat, not swear, and lead a healthy lifestyle if possible.

On the day of the child's baptism, godparents are not allowed to have breakfast in the morning, they must say morning prayers. During the ceremony, the godparents and godchild must wear crosses. The godparent couple usually pays all expenses related to the child's baptism.

When can a child be baptized?

It is customary to baptize a baby on the 40th day after birth. Then the mother can already be present in the church, but before 40 days she cannot. Before the baptism, the mother approaches the priest so that he can read a cleansing prayer over her.

During baptism, the child's parents do not participate in the ceremony itself, but they can be present while in the church. When the child is baptized, the cross remains on him, it is possible (and desirable) not to remove it. The child gets used to it and there is no discomfort.

How to dress for church?

In order to comply with all church laws, a woman must dress so that her shoulders and elbows are covered, and her dress covers her knees. There must be a headscarf on her head. The tone of the clothes must be muted, no bright colors, no jewelry. Men must enter the church with their heads uncovered.

During the baptism ceremony, only the right hand is used to cross oneself, and the candle can be placed either with the right or left hand. During the baptism ceremony, men occupy the right half of the church, and women occupy the left half.

How does the baptism ceremony of a baby take place?

For the baptism ceremony, the godparents and the baby arrive earlier than the appointed time in order to have time to prepare. Then the godparents bring the child into the church. The girl is in the arms of the godfather, and the boy is in the arms of the godmother. The child should be wrapped in a white swaddling cloth, if possible, there is no need to put on clothes, because the baby will be dipped into the font.

The priest lays his hands on the baby, a symbol of God's protection. Then the godparents stand near the font, one holding the baby, and the other holding candles. They read the prayer "Symbol of Faith", which they must learn beforehand. By doing so, the godparents renounce the Devil and sincerely promise to follow God's commandments. After the prayer, the holy father blesses the water, takes the baby in his arms and dips him in the font three times. At the same time, he says the words: "The servant of God (name) is baptized in the name of the Father, amen, and the Son, amen, and the Holy Spirit, amen."

The water temperature in the font should be quite high – up to 37 degrees. So that the baby does not catch a cold. Then the baby is anointed – his eyes, forehead, ears, nose, mouth, chest, legs and arms are anointed with myrrh in the form of a cross. At the same time, the priest says: “The seal of the Holy Spirit, amen.”

Then the child is taken by the godparents (a boy by a godfather, and a girl by a godmother). The child is dried and dressed in a white shirt, a cross is put on him. Now the child is baptized, he is cleansed of sins in the eyes of God. Then the holy father cuts the child's hair in the shape of a cross. This is a symbol of submission to the Lord and gratitude to him for the beginning of a pure and righteous life. The words that the priest says at this: "The servant of God (or servant of God) (name) is tonsured in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen." After this, the godparents carry the child around the font three times. This symbolizes the reunification of the baby with the holy church.

Then the boy is brought into the altar, but the girl is not. The girl is touched to the icon of the Mother of God, this rite is called churching.

The baptism of a child can take an hour and a half on average. After baptism, the child will be an Orthodox Christian.