This is a special holiday that happens only once in a lifetime. It is believed that a person is born again on this day. On this day, the child acquires a heavenly patron and his new, Christian name.
All sins committed by a person before Baptism are forgiven, and a Christian becomes pure, as at the moment of birth. That is why the sacrament of Baptism is compared with the second birth. An adult person comes to the decision about Baptism on his own, guided by faith, and his parents make the decision for the baby. The best time for the sacrament is eight and forty days from birth. A godfather is enough for a boy, a godmother is enough for a girl. However, according to centuries-old tradition, both are invited. All relatives (except natural parents) and acquaintances are suitable for godparents.
Boy's christening - preparation
Both the future godparents and the parents of the child are having a conversation “for the catechumens” (preparing to be baptized). And then they read the Law of God. These days are special. Forget about the fuss, empty talk, entertainment events. Everything that will happen in the Temple is holy and great, and therefore should be accepted and perceived with reverence, with awe. Try to fast for three days allotted for preparation (fasting is not required for children).
Refrain from cigarettes and alcohol on the day of baptism, and on the eve of intimacy with your spouse. Be sure to confess (this applies to both birth parents and godparents). God's Holiness requires special purity. The christening of a boy is a responsible matter. Only people who believe and have been baptized before can become godparents.
What to wear to a boy's christening?
Your clothes should be modest and clean. Short skirts, tight tight trousers, cosmetics are out of place here. The head of a woman entering the temple must be covered (not only a scarf will do, but also a thin scarf, a beautiful shawl). In no case do not perform the ceremony if one of the women is "unclean" (menstruation). It is believed that a woman who enters the Temple with a child in her arms on such days dooms her godson to an unhappy life.
Duties of godparents
The Orthodox have this statement: “Godparents are more responsible for the child than relatives.” And this is understandable: godparents are the spiritual mentors of their godchildren. They go to communion with their children, pray for them, teach them piety and faith. Their own fate and the fate of the baby taken from the font depend on the fulfillment of their duties by the godparents.
What to give a boy for christening?
First of all, the clothes in which the child will be brought to the temple. The duty of the godparents is to dress the godson in full. These things are then stored for a lifetime, so pay special attention to choosing a suit. A cross is required. Godparents should also buy it. Usually the choice of clothes falls on the mother, and the choice of the cross - on the father. But this is not essential. Here you negotiate yourself. In addition to these things, buy a Bible as a christening gift for a boy. Children's, in a simplified version, with colorful pictures. A custom-made measuring icon will be a particularly original gift. It is made in the growth of a godson (the growth of a boy on the day of the Sacrament) with the image of the namesake saint.
For Orthodox Christians, the baptism of children is one of the most powerful rites. It is believed that after this the baby receives protection from the evil eye, diseases, you can show it to others. After the christening for the health of the baby, they already light candles and read church prayers. Parents treat baptism with special trepidation. It is important to know how to organize the christening of a child, the rules for preparing for the ceremony.
The Church explains in great detail why a child should be baptized. By the rite of baptism, the baby is introduced to spiritual life, accepted in faith. Immersion in water is symbolic, because it is a symbol of life. So the baby receives protection from the evil one, temptations, sins, ailments and misfortunes. It is believed that the Lord takes the baby under his care and gives him a guardian angel. This is following the example of the son of God, Jesus Christ, who was baptized in the Jordan River. And, although the sacrament of the various Orthodox churches has some procedural differences, its significance is the same for all believers.
The essence of the sacrament
The rite of baptism is carried out in the temple or in a special baptismal room with a font. The sacrament lasts for about an hour. The priest reads prayers, performs anointing, dips the child three times in the blessed water. After the tonsure is carried out, the baby is put on a cross. The priest brings the boys to the altar, and brings the girls to the icon of the Mother of God. The baptized receives a second, church, name, which is recommended to be kept secret from outsiders. The baby is given a baptismal certificate. The very next day, parents and the baby are invited to communion.
Ten Key Questions
Given the importance of the procedure, parents try to get all the clarifications on the topic in advance. Here are ten key questions about baptism and the answers to them.
List of necessary things
A separate question: how can parents prepare for the sacrament and what is needed for the baptism of a child? First, about the formalities. You should come to the church in advance to sign up for the ceremony and discuss with the priest how the child will be baptized, ask for blessings for taking photos and videos if you want to capture the holiday. At the same time, the cost of baptism, a list of necessary documents and attributes are specified. Basically, mom and dad's passports are required, as well as a baby's birth certificate. What else is on the list of things needed for baptism?
Rules for Parents
There are rules for baptizing a child for parents and godparents. The dress code during baptism is especially important. Both parents and guests should be wearing crosses. Women are required to cover their heads and wear closed, long dresses. Men's clothing is a formal suit, dark, but not black.
For Orthodox believers, Baptism is not just an important event or a beautiful church rite, but a special Sacrament during which the spiritual birth of a person takes place. Therefore, a woman should not rush to accept the invitation to become a godmother, she should make this choice consciously. After all, being a sponsor is not only a great honor, but also a huge responsibility.
The rite of baptism of a child does not have a specific set of rules for the godmother, however, every woman preparing to baptize a baby should observe some common truths and unspoken provisions. This will ensure that the baby is not unintentionally harmed.
General rules for baptizing a child for a godmother
In order for this ceremony to be carried out in compliance with all the rules, the godmother should begin preparations for the Sacrament of Baptism in advance. As a believer, it should not be difficult for her to confess and take communion. It will not be superfluous to fast before performing the ceremony. However, these provisions are not mandatory. For the godparents, a preliminary visit to the interview with the priest of the temple where the ceremony will be performed is of great importance. This is an excellent opportunity for the godmother to learn more about the rules of the sacrament of baptism of a child and get acquainted with the list of items that will be needed to perform the ceremony.
According to custom, the godmother must prepare and bring the child to the house for the sacrament of baptism, but if she is currently experiencing financial difficulties, these duties can be performed for her by the godfather. The recipient must be able to cope with babies, because in many cases she has to dry the baby herself and dress after the font. Today, the church is more loyal to many things, however, during the Sacrament of Baptism, the godmother should not ignore the requirements that have been placed on her from time immemorial:
- To have a pectoral cross on the neck, consecrated by the church.
- Be sure to cover your head with a scarf.
- From clothes, wear a dress with a length below the knees, as well as covering the shoulders.
- Eliminate high heels and too flashy makeup, and completely abandon the use of lipstick.
Differences in the rules for baptizing a child for the godmother of a girl and a boy
The role of the godmother is especially important if she baptizes the baby. Usually the godfather does not have much influence on the goddaughter and the rite of baptism can be performed even in his absence. According to the rules of the baptism of a child, the godmother of the girl is obliged to hold the baby in her arms throughout the Sacrament, and also to perceive it after dipping into the font. The godfather just stands by, and takes part only when it is necessary to help dry the baby and put on her baptismal suit. In addition, the godmother will have to say some prayers aloud, so it will not be superfluous to find out their names during preliminary conversations with the priest and memorize them in advance.
The corresponding rules for baptizing a child for a boy's godmother are exactly the opposite. In this case, the recipient simply observes the Sacrament, and all of the above functions are performed by the godfather. Otherwise, the rules for baptizing a child for a godmother of a boy are no different from those for a girl's godmother.
Godparents must remember that the rules established by the priest for the performance of the Sacrament of Baptism must be observed unquestioningly. Otherwise, this may negatively affect the future fate of the godson or goddaughter.
Baptism is one of the most ancient church rites, which has a long history. In accordance with the established traditions, the church charter provides for certain rules for the baptism of boys, the duties of the priest, godmother and other participants in the ceremony during this ceremony are spelled out.
We will talk about how this sacrament of baptism of boys takes place, what you need to know about the features of its commission by the godmother of the child, and much more.
Most often, young children are baptized on the 40th day after birth. This tradition has developed in the Old Testament church, when on the 40th day the child was brought to the temple.
This ceremony in Orthodox churches is carried out on all days of the week (more often on Saturday), at any time of the year, including in winter, because the water in the font is warm, and children do not catch a cold after baptism. Everyone who is not indifferent to the fate of the baby can be present at the performance of the sacrament.
According to the church rules established during the baptism of boys, it is not at all necessary that he had two godparents. One is enough: a godmother for girls and a godmother for boys. If you have been invited to be the godmother of the son of your friend or relative, you, along with the godfather, will have to fulfill a number of responsibilities.
The godfather pays for the ceremony in the temple and the purchase of food for the festive table, which is served after the christening. Also, the child will need a pectoral cross, which one of the godparents can give him.
The duties of the godmother regarding the baptism of the boy are that she buys the baby a baptismal outfit - a shirt and a beautiful cap with ribbons and lace. The shirt should be comfortable and easy to put on and take off. It is preferable to use clothes made from natural materials that absorb moisture well and do not irritate the baby's skin.
Also, in order to take the child from the hands of the priest after the font, you will need a white towel - kryzhma.
All these things can be bought in the church shop. In the old days, they were embroidered with their own hands, and if you own this art, you can embroider on these products. According to tradition, after baptism they are no longer used for their intended purpose, but are kept throughout a person’s life as a talisman that protects him from troubles and illnesses.
What should a godmother do during the rite of baptism of a boy?
On the eve of this ceremony, she should fast for several days, and then confess and take communion in the temple.
Also, the godmother will need to know by heart certain prayers (“Creed”, etc.). They are read before baptism, during the rite of pronouncement, when the priest utters prohibition prayers directed against Satan.
The words are heard: “Drive out of him every evil and unclean spirit that is hidden and nestling in his heart…”. Godparents read answering prayers on behalf of the child, refusing an unclean spirit and promising to remain faithful to the Lord.
Then the priest blesses the water, takes the baby in his arms and dips him into the font three times, reciting prayers. After that, the baby is put on a cross and his face, chest, arms and legs are smeared with the sacred world, reading the appropriate prayers.
Finally, the godparents carry the child around the font three times, which symbolizes the eternal life in Christ that awaits him. The priest washes off the myrrh and wipes the child with a towel, and then cuts the strands of the child's hair as a sign of dedication.
As for the rules for the baptism of boys, they are practically the same as for girls, with the difference that girls are not brought into the altar during this sacrament. At the end of the ceremony, the child is applied to one of the icons of the Savior, as well as to the icon of the Mother of God.
The duties of the godmother when performing the rite of baptism of a boy are to hold the child in her arms during this sacrament until immersed in the font. Then the godfather performs all ritual actions, the godmother should only help him if necessary.
During this ceremony, she must maintain emotional contact with the child, and be able to calm the baby if he bursts into tears.
The whole ceremony lasts from half an hour to an hour and a half (depending on how many children are baptized that day in the church). In order not to get tired, the godmother should not wear high-heeled shoes. In addition, her clothes should be modest: trousers, dresses with a deep neckline and cutouts, short skirts are not suitable for this.
According to tradition, a scarf should cover a woman's head in an Orthodox church. Also on the godmother, as well as on the rest of those present at this ceremony, a pectoral cross should be worn.
What else does a godmother need to know when a boy is baptized? During this sacrament, he is given a Christian name. Previously, children were baptized, choosing their names according to the Saints. This can be done in our days, but only at the request of the parents.
Also, according to the Orthodox rules adopted during the baptism of boys, you can choose a consonant name for the child (for example, Robert - Rodion). Sometimes they give the name of a saint whose day of commemoration falls on the day of baptism (for example, January 14 - Basil the Great).
The terms of reference of the godmother performed during the christening of the boy may include the coordination of this and other organizational issues. So that a good memory of this event remains, you can arrange a photo or video filming at the christening.
If you decide to hire a photographer, find out in advance if you can shoot inside the temple with a flash. As a rule, there is no prohibition on taking pictures in churches, but there are still restrictions in some parishes.
After the ceremony in the church, the child's parents set the festive table, and the godmother can help them with this.
You should not arrange a magnificent feast with alcoholic drinks on this day, because baptism is a church holiday. It is better to organize a small holiday only for close people. Ritual dishes can be served at the table - porridge, pancakes, pies, as well as sweets - so that the boy's life is sweet.
What else should the godmother remember in connection with the baptism of the boy? Now she assumes spiritual responsibility for the baby, and will have to take part in his life along with blood relatives.
The godparents, who are responsible for the new church member before God, will have to instruct the godson in the faith: talk with him on religious topics, take him to communion, and also set an example of behavior and give him advice in various life situations.
Baptism is one of the most important sacraments in a person's life. Sometimes a person comes to him already in adulthood, but much more often the decision to perform the ceremony is made by the parents of the newborn, turning to the temple almost immediately after his birth. In this case, all responsibility for preparing for the celebration and choosing godparents falls on their shoulders, and then it does not hurt to know the rules and signs that accompany this special day. And it is worth considering that there are differences for a boy and a girl.
Rules for a boy's christening
- The most important task at baptism is the choice of godparents. After all, these people should become spiritual mentors for the baby, and in the event of the death of real parents, they should fully replace them. Therefore, only adults and believers who are baptized in the Orthodox tradition and are not married to each other are selected for this role. Moreover, it is believed that the presence of a godfather is especially important for a boy, and having a godmother is not at all necessary.
- The place for the baptism of the child does not matter. Parents, depending on their own preferences, can choose an Orthodox church for the ceremony both on the next street and in the other hemisphere. In addition, in case of fear for the life of the child, the priest may well perform the ceremony at home or in the hospital.
- Future godparents must be interviewed at the temple. During this meeting, godfather and godfather not only discuss all organizational issues, but also receive additional information from the priest about the sacrament, as well as instructions on the importance of their role. In addition, it is useful to undergo a rite of purification and confession.
- The ritual of the baptism of the boy consists of the obligatory anointing with oil and immersion in the font. It ends with putting on a baptismal set and visiting the altar.
- Usually the presence of the mother in the church during the baptism of the son is not allowed. However, if the desire is very strong, then this is quite possible under certain conditions: reading a special prayer before and after the ceremony, the obligatory confession of the mother and several days of fasting preceding the date of baptism.
- A necessary attribute for baptism, in addition to the pectoral cross, is a baptismal set. The most important item in it is the kryzhma - a special elegant diaper with the image of an Orthodox cross and the initials of a baby. In addition to it, there should be a baptismal shirt, a cap and a blanket.
- All items of the baptismal set should be kept in the family as a heirloom and reused only at the baptism of the next child. It is believed that this makes the bond between brothers and sisters stronger.
- In addition to the spiritual duties of instructing the godchild, the godparents must bear part of the expenses associated with baptism. So the duties of the godfather include buying a pectoral cross and paying for the ceremony. The godmother purchases or makes a baptismal set with her own hands.
Signs for the rite of baptism
There are many different beliefs associated with the sacrament of baptism. Therefore, many parents who wish their offspring all the best, strive to observe during the ceremony not only church customs, but also folk traditions accumulated over many centuries.
- Almost all relatives believe that before baptism, the child is absolutely defenseless against any dark forces and unkind people. That is why, until the sacrament is performed, the baby is not shown to anyone except the closest people who are guaranteed with all their hearts to wish him only the happiest fate.
- Inevitably, when traveling to the temple, the baby appears before a large number of other people's eyes. So that from among idle onlookers no one could accidentally or intentionally harm the baby, they use "garlic" protection. To do this, the mother should chew a clove of garlic before leaving the house and immediately after that blow on the baby. It is believed that the bright aroma of the vegetable will serve as a true talisman against the evil eye.
- When collecting a child for church, the mother must take care of new clothes for him. It is believed that if he appears before the Lord in new clothes, then the boy’s life will certainly turn out well. And how can you not be smart on such a special day of life!
- Knowledgeable parents never wash the baptismal set after the ceremony. It is kept in the house not only as a family heirloom. They resort to his help in case of any ailment of the child, wrapping the baby in a kryzhma. Many believe that this ritual alleviates the suffering of the child and promotes recovery.
- Traditionally, after the sacrament of the church, a festive table is laid in the boy's house. It is not customary to make it too rich, but the menu must certainly contain dough products, cereals, fruits, vegetables and herbs, and light alcohol. In addition, the godparents must certainly taste every dish so that the godson never knows the need.
- For godparents participating in the rite of baptism for the first time, there is another sign. It is believed that the first godson for a woman should be a boy, and for a man - a girl. Otherwise, their personal life will be unhappy.
- Signs categorically forbid taking a pregnant woman as a godfather. Our ancestors believed that her participation in the ceremony could harm not only the future godson, but also her own unborn child. After all, the thoughts of the godmother during the sacrament should be completely focused on only one child - her godson, and in the case of a woman in an interesting position, this is impossible by definition.
Traditional christening gifts
Such an important event in a person's life as baptism must certainly be accompanied by gifts from all those invited. However, it is worth considering that there are certain rules and traditions regarding the choice of presents.
- For the godfather, in addition to the cross, a silver spoon or other gift made of this precious metal is considered an obligatory offering. An excellent choice would be a personal bible in a gift version.
- For the godmother, in addition to the baptismal set, an icon with the image of the patron saint of the baby is considered a traditional gift. Most often, it is purchased already finished, but it is quite possible to hand over a hand-made product, for example, beadwork.
- In addition to the obligatory gifts, guests can choose from a wide range of religious and thematic fiction. For families with low incomes, children's clothing, cosmetics and toys will be a good help. A good memorable surprise will be video or photography of the rite of baptism, an exclusive photo album for the first images of the baby.