You have decided that it is time for your child to take rite of the sacrament of baptism? Think why you need it. Do you want to baptize the child, because your family is a believer? Or just because nowadays baptism has become fashionable? But do not advise priests to baptize the child only to pay tribute to fashion.
If you have decided on the baptism of the child, you must properly prepare for it. Parents have a large number of various issues related to this sacrament, as a rite of infant baptism. Answers to most of their parents can find in this article. Given that the vast majority of our readers are likely to Orthodox Christians, this article will talk about it during the rite of baptism was in the Orthodox Church.
The history of the rite of baptism
Baptism - one of the most ancient rites of the Orthodox Church. Baptism man is considered a great mystery. During the baptism of water plays a major role. And this is no accident - the water is endowed with the ability to wash away the sins of the person. However, the water in baptism is not just washes away the sins of the person. The Church interprets the rite of the sacrament of baptism as a death of a person to sin, but the resurrection of Christ.
Baptism as the baby is his spiritual birth. Immediately after, the child will be committed sacrament of baptism, the child is considered to be attached to the church. He has the right to participate in all the other sacraments - communion, confession and others. Unbaptized children, according to the rules of the church, have no right even to the funeral, in the event that disaster struck and died pipsqueak.
The Orthodox Church allows the sacrament of baptism rite of carrying on a person of any age. In that case, if it is a small child, the rite of the sacrament of baptism is performed in the faith of his parents - both biological and godparents.
If baptism is performed without adult godparents for a child under fourteen years of age, the receivers are essential. Incidentally, the choice of godparents should be taken very carefully. Almost always choose godparents or among close friends or relatives among the rich. To be honest - such commercialism inherent in most people. But in any case we should not forget about what responsibility is placed on the church godparents:
- Godparents must be charged before the Lord for the faith of the newly baptized child.
- It is the godparents are responsible for the spiritual education of the child.
- Godparents should be on a par with biological parents participate in the education and lives of children.
- Godparents need to take care of the child in the event that his biological parents would not.
Nowadays it is very widely held misconception that the godfather and mother in any case should not be married. However, this is nothing more than superstition nowhere grafted - Orthodoxy does not consider that fact inadmissible. Strictly speaking, the cross is considered to be the one who first take the child's waist immediately after removing their font - a girl in her arms takes godmother, and the boy - the godfather. Although even in the churches themselves often adhere to this position.
So as a young child is still in the irresponsible age, and accepts baptism solely on the faith of their biological parents and godparents, they must ensure that the baby baptized regularly took communion. And the prayer before Communion should read it godparents, regardless of whether they partake in the day or not.
The presence of parents at the baptism
Too many young mothers ask the same their concerns - whether they should be allowed to be present during the baptism. This depends on various factors, primarily on the age of the child. So, until the fortieth day after the birth a woman in Orthodoxy is considered "unclean."
Accordingly, when the baptism takes a child under the age of forty, a woman is highly undesirable to enter the temple. It has to wait for the baptism at the entrance to the temple. If after birth have been more than forty days, the priest must read a special prayer over the woman, after which she considered to be completely "clean". Therefore, parents should agree in advance with the priest and visit the church, so that he could read at a young mother needed prayer.
But, nevertheless, the modern life has made many adjustments, including the views of the Orthodox Church. Today, many of the church are absolutely loyal to the presence of a young mother, no matter how much time has passed after the birth, and read over the mother if necessary prayers. Therefore mother herself should take such an important decision.
The Orthodox Church, making a decision about the baptism of the child, guided by certain rules governing the age characteristics of children who are preparing to take rite of the sacrament of baptism. Until then, until the child has reached the age of seven, for baptism is necessary only at the consent of the parents, because it is they who are responsible for the spiritual development of the child, as the front of the church, and before the Lord.
Once the child turns seven years, the consent of the parents alone to conduct the baptism it is not enough - you also need the consent of the child. If the child does not want the priest will not conduct the baptism. Well, in that case, if the child is fourteen years old and he wants to be baptized, parental consent is not needed for the priest. A child is considered old enough to make such decisions on their own.
The rite of baptism of the child
Of course, all parents wonder what happens during a baptism - what to expect and what to prepare? The following briefly describes the traditional rite of the sacrament of baptism of the child. Of course, in different churches it can vary slightly, but the basic principles are unchanged everywhere.
As long as the baby is immersed in the baptismal font, he kept godparents - a girl in her arms holding the godfather, and the boy - his godmother. After immersing the child in the same font, a boy in his arms takes the godfather and a girl - the godmother.
For churching boy will wear it for the altar, coming back through the door ponomarskie. The priest with the boy bows to the throne, and bear a child within the southern ponomarskie door. Girls of the same altar of the Orthodox religion forbids enter as priests can be only men. After that, both boys and girls, the priest applied to the Mother of God and Savior. After that, the child is given to the mother his father or mother, if present, or the sign of the cross.
Preparing for the rite of baptism
And now it's time to talk about how to properly prepare for the baby's christening, so that they become a real treat, both for the baby and for his parents - and biological, and godparents, not a test of strength. Parents should pay attention to the following points:
Despite the fact that the modern church to many things become more loyal. But still highly recommended to respect the church and its traditions. Firstly, in the rite of the sacrament of baptism godparents and biological parents of the child have to come necessarily in the pectoral cross. Also godmother should carefully consider your wardrobe. It is inadmissible to come to church in pants - the dress, shoulders and closes below the knee. Exceptions to this rule are only little girls who have not attained the age of seven. Head of a Woman have to be covered.
The choice of shoes is also worth attention. Although the church does not say anything about shoes women from the heel should be abandoned. At least on the basis of practical considerations - depending on how many children are baptized in the day, the ritual can last from an hour to two hours, and all this time you have to stand holding the crumbs on his hands.
For clothes men, the church does not impose any special requirements. However, it is necessary to avoid shirts and shorts - because the church is not a beach, right? And trendy clothes and bright make-up must also be set aside for a more fitting occasion. It is not necessary in the church to attract attention, because your goal is quite another.
- Crosses and things for baptism
As far as the Orthodox faithful to tradition, if your chosen church has charge of the rite of baptism, it must pay the child's godfather. In the event that baptism takes the boy's godfather and must acquire for him pectoral cross. In the same case, if a girl accepts baptism, purchase must cross to take care of her godmother. In both cases, whether baptized boy or girl, godmother should purchase necessary for baptism things.
As a rule, for the rite of baptism child needs the following things:
- Pectoral cross. It does not matter - gold, silver, or the most ordinary.
- A small icon of the saint whose name is a child.
- A clean diaper and two towels - one large, the other a little less.
- Special baptismal shirt.
It is necessary to buy all of these things in advance - with the exception of only a pectoral cross and the icon of a saint. They can be purchased completely in any church. However, remember that the pectoral cross should be put on the person throughout his life - if you want your child was a golden cross, buy it in advance, in a jewelry store. Churches impossible to buy a gold cross. Also experienced parents do not recommend to put on the cross not only to the kid on a chain, but even on a string - they are hard enough to rub the delicate skin of the crumbs. It is much wiser to put it on a satin ribbon.
In addition, for the rite of baptism you need candles, which can also be purchased directly at the church. Specify in advance how much you need to buy candles, not to be distracted in the process of baptism, delaying not only themselves, but also all the others. It is much wiser to buy a little more spark. Also, remember that most of the money obtained from the sale of candles, goes as a donation to the needs of the church.
Baptismal shirt you can buy ready-made - are sold whole christening sets, but you can make yourself. In this there is absolutely nothing complicated - by the cut, it resembles ordinary nightgown. However, on the back must necessarily be an ordinary Christian cross. Of course, ready christening sets are very beautiful. However, they have several significant drawbacks.
In - the first, the price is quite high: the child, and my father is absolutely indifferent, how much is your baptismal shirt crumbs - $ 100 or 1000. Spend the money on a child or donate to the church. And in - Second, most of the shirts christening sets, especially for girls, are rather complicated tailoring. And so putting them on the child, especially in the wet after a dive in Hot skin, extremely uncomfortable.
Do not forget about the towels. One big, bath towel, it is necessary to wrap up the crumbs after him in the baptismal font. The second towel can come in handy - you never know what kind of confusion can happen with a small child at the time of baptism? But diapers are not recommended - so make sure to bring along the required amount of clean diapers.
Be sure to check the feeding schedule. It is impossible to pipsqueak suffered from hunger. In that case, if the child is breast-fed, and my mother there, no problem. But in all other cases it is necessary to take care of to take with food for the child. Do not also forget about vodichku, especially in the hot season.
More recently, photos of the christening of the child seemed to be something incredible. In our time such photos is no surprise. Shooting in the church became quite ordinary and mundane. However, in each case stipulate the issue directly with the priest who will perform the rite of the sacrament of baptism.
Some priests with the status quo, and therefore have extremely negative attitude to the photos and videos. However, even if you have received permission to film, in any case, do not be overly intrusive. It is not necessary for a good frame is not the most appropriate time to climb to the priest by the arm, preventing him. Remember that the primary task is precisely the baptism of your child, and not the creation of successful photos.
After Church
Nowadays, as a rule, after the Church of adults say the baptism of the child. However, unfortunately, the festival often turns into the usual festivities. But do not be in this day abuse alcohol - because you are celebrating the baptism of a child - that is, the birth of the spiritual life. As you know, drinking is not welcomed by the church. So do not be the first day of the new baby's life to start that way!
