Baptism is one of the main sacraments of Orthodoxy. This rite is the adoption of the Christian faith. It is designed to protect a person from the influence of dark forces and direct his life in a bright spiritual direction. There is an opinion regarding the correctness of the adoption of Christianity already in adult, meaningful age. However, Orthodox priests argue the opposite. Being baptized in infancy, a person early acquires a guardian angel, is cleansed of original sin and forever accepted into the holy church monastery.
The Orthodox Church recommends that babies be baptized on the 8th or 40th day after their birth. Newborn children who are in a dangerous illness should be baptized as soon as possible. Before christening, you need to decide on the choice of an Orthodox name for the baby. A saint bearing the same name becomes his intercessor before higher powers. The Orthodox name should be known to a limited number of people, this will make a person invulnerable to evil and ill-wishers.
Baptism of a child in a church
Many are interested in what days and how the child is baptized in the church. The rules are almost the same in every Orthodox church. For christening, you can choose any day of the week. The exceptions are big church holidays, when, due to the heavy workload, the priest will not be able to conduct the ceremony.
Preparation for the sacrament
Preparation for the sacrament involves the purchase of a baptismal kit, preliminary conversations with a clergyman, and the choice of godfather and mother. The baptismal set includes a shirt (diaper), a pectoral cross and an icon depicting the patron saint. For female babies, a cap or handkerchief is added. A baptismal shirt (kryzhma) is considered a miraculous amulet and should be kept throughout the life of its owner.
With its help, folk healers remove curses and help in the treatment of serious diseases.
Kryzhma for baptism
Kryzhma can be bought or sewn independently. This can be done by both the mother and the future godmother. Preference is given white color fabric as a symbol of purity and purity.
The pectoral cross is traditionally bought by the godfather. It should be of inexpensive metal. It is allowed to have a cross made of silver, as this metal is able to purify and drive away evil spirits. But gold is not considered pure, so gold crosses are undesirable. You can purchase such a cross in the future, not forgetting to consecrate it. After the sacrament, the pectoral cross is supposed to be worn constantly as a symbol of faith.
Godparents often think about what is better to buy for the cross - a chain or a cord? In church shops, ropes are sold - gaytans, specially designed for wearing it. They are safe and easy to use and are especially suitable for young children.
Relatives and godparents should first visit the priest and ask him all the necessary questions about the upcoming ceremony. He will tell you in detail what is needed for proper participation in it. To take a photo or video, you need to get his obligatory approval and blessing. On the day of the christening, you must have the birth certificate of the baby with you. On its basis, a certificate of baptism will be issued.
Choice of Godparents
The choice of godparents should not be made for materialistic reasons. Priests advise inviting believers for this, who in the future are able to become spiritual parents and mentors for the godson, and, if necessary, replace his father and mother. They must necessarily belong to the Orthodox faith.
Future godparents are invited to the temple to talk with the priest. The clergyman will tell them how the child is baptized, explain their role in the ceremony and in the spiritual life of the future godson. Church rules strictly define the category of persons who cannot be godparents:
- the child's parents;
- atheists and representatives of other religions;
- temple staff;
- minors;
- persons who are married to each other.
Women are forbidden to be present in the holy monastery during critical days. Before the sacrament is performed, the godparents must observe three day post, confess and take communion.
Baptism of children in the church
The rules of the church forbade the parents of children to be with them during the ceremony. Today, the order of the ceremony has changed somewhat and an Orthodox priest can baptize a baby in their presence.
All participants in the ceremony need to pay attention to their appearance. It must comply with church requirements. Restrained tones are preferred in clothes. All those present must have pectoral crosses, and in the hands of baptismal candles.
Women are not supposed to wear short open dresses or skirts. The head is covered with a scarf or scarf. Flashy jewelry and bright makeup are excluded. Female children must also be covered. Men are allowed into the temple without a headdress.
Christenings of children of both sexes follow the same rules. The first sacred act is the laying on of the priest's hand on the baby. Such a gesture symbolizes the acquisition of the protection of God. The godparents answer on behalf of the godson some of the questions of the priest, then the priest anoints the child church oil(oil).
After the anointing, the godparents with the baby in their arms must go to the font. The priest blesses the water and immerses the baby in it three times. If a boy is being baptized, then the godmother brings him to the font, and if the girl is being baptized, the godfather. After bathing, you need to put on a baptismal shirt and cover your head. The priest performs the rite of chrismation, which happens only once in a lifetime.
Rules for baptism in the church
Then a small strand of hair is cut from the child's head. The baby is carried 3 times around the font. This means that he accepted the Orthodox faith and united with it forever. The whole ceremony is accompanied by constant recitation of prayers.
Upon returning from the holy monastery, all those invited gather for festive table. During the celebration, children are given gifts and warm sincere wishes.
Duration and cost of the ceremony
The duration and cost of the rite vary. Many parents are interested in how long the baptism of a child in the church takes. Much depends on the father. Most often, the ritual takes from 30 minutes to 2 hours.
The main material costs fall on the shoulders of the blood father and mother, although there was once a custom to fully pay for everything to the godfather. The cost of baptism in the church is indicated in the price list with the prices of church services. It can be found in the icon shop. You can find out how much it costs to baptize a child in a church from its employees. Traditionally, the amount ranges from 600 to 2000 rubles.
Everyone decides for himself whether to believe him in signs or not. There are beliefs associated with christening. Our wise ancestors advised to do the following:
- do not inform strangers about the date of the upcoming christening;
- only an even number of guests are allowed into the temple;
- before the christening, count all the money in the house - this will ensure the child a comfortable life;
- on the day of baptism, as well as on the days of church holidays, do not perform any work;
- do not open the doors of the house to anyone until all participants in the ceremony return from the temple;
- do not take a pregnant woman as godparents;
- on a holiday in the house do not make noise and do not quarrel;
- after the feast, the godmother and father should be the last of the guests to leave.
Orthodox priests teach that the mere fact of baptism is not enough to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. What is important is the further life in Christ and participation in all church sacraments. The Church calls on the parents of baptized children to live in her bosom and set a worthy example for the growing generation.
Rules for baptizing a child in a church: video
We often follow national traditions without even thinking about their meaning and origin. One of them, according to many Russians, is the custom of baptizing newborns. The sacrament of baptism is a rite of initiation into the church, and in a good way such a choice should be made by everyone on their own. However, today this procedure is perceived by parents as an integral part of the process of nurturing and educating a new person.
IN modern Russia the mass fashion for christening arose immediately after the dismantling of the socialist system, when the whole country suddenly rushed into the "bosom of the native church" to repent of what had been done during the years of atheism. Yesterday's members of the Communist Party, the destroyers of churches and critics of religion, having removed their caps and hats, lined up at the icons with candles in their hands. As if having broken the chain, the citizens of our country began to be baptized and in the same way introduce their children to the religion. As a result, the vast majority of today's youth were baptized at an irresponsible age, without asking their own opinion. It would seem that parents often make a choice for their child, for example - what language to speak, what vaccinations to do and which kindergarten to go to, but here, in my opinion, there is a very important difference: choosing a vital one is one thing, and another - voluntarily accepted.
In most cases, the main ideologists of the baptism of newborns are people of the older generation. Their main and, as a rule, the only argument “FOR” is the assertion that this rite is part of Russian traditions. However, if we recall the history of the emergence of Christianity in Russia, it becomes clear that it is more alien than close to the Russian people. After all, the baptism of Russia, according to official data, was carried out "with fire and sword", because. the indigenous people were very opposed to the imposition of a new foreign religion. During the "Christianization" of the Slavs, about 80% of the country's population was destroyed (~ 9 out of 12 million) !!! That is, the "reformers" were forced to cut out the entire conscious adult part of the citizens and leave alive only "youths who do not remember their fathers and grandfathers." During the introduction of the Christian religion, the ancient shrines of the Slavs were destroyed: temples, cultural monuments, pagan idols and temples were burned. And all this is historical facts studied within the framework of the school curriculum.
In addition, it turns out that even the very concept of "Russian Orthodox Church" is not legitimate, because scientifically, this "organization" is called the "Roman canonical church of the Byzantine persuasion."
The Christian "holy scripture" was created on the basis of Jewish texts. " Old Testament» The Bible is an abbreviated version of the Torah (the main book of the Jewish religion), it is simply teeming with a mass of facts of genocide and other atrocious crimes committed both by the characters themselves and by the Deity they revere (named: Yahweh, Jehovah, Sabbaoth, Elohim). Take, for example, the act of Noah - the great "righteous man" - the only one who, according to God, was worthy of salvation during the Great Flood. This "man" did not find anything better than to burn a good half of the living creatures he saved at the stake in gratitude to the "All-good" !!!
The second part of the Bible, the so-called. "New Testament", consists of 4 gospels (from Mark, Matthew, Luke and John), written after the death of Christ. There are more than a dozen apocryphal gospels (from Peter, Mary, Nicodemus, Philip, etc.), which, however, were not included in the canonical code by the repeatedly held Ecumenical Councils (meetings of representatives of the Christian church). In these texts, there are many discrepancies with the canonical versions. For example, in the Gospel of Judas (this also exists, but its authenticity is questioned by the official church), the fact of betrayal is presented as an initiative of Christ himself, necessary for him to fulfill the mission with which he was sent to Earth.
And in general, doesn't it seem strange to you to join the Russian tradition of faith in the Jewish God?
If we talk about church rites and customs, they, for the most part, are of pagan origin and were integrated into the Christian cult to speed up the process of replacing the old beliefs of the enslaved peoples.
For example, the tradition of celebrating Easter was taken from the cult of Osiris. According to Egyptian myth, the goddess Isis, after his tragic death, was able to collect all the pieces of her betrothed's body scattered throughout Egypt, with the exception of one very intimate part. Then she fashioned this organ herself, but its functioning required regular sacrifice, which was later replaced by the exchange of eggs and cylindrical cakes with a white top.
Ask any believer - does he know what he is celebrating? Most likely, in response you will hear a denial and an indication that this, they say, is also a “good tradition”.
And here is another opinion about the same custom, it is taken from the well-known Internet encyclopedia:
“The second big holiday among the Tengrians was the arrival of spring. According to a tradition that has its roots in India, it was celebrated on March 25th. It is known that Tengrians baked Easter cakes by this day. Kulich personified masculinity. In India and in many other countries, his symbol was the phallus. Tengrian Easter cake was given an appropriate shape, it was supposed to put two colored eggs next to it. This already has a connection with the phallic agricultural cults of India, but the connection of this custom with the Easter traditions of Christianity is just as obvious. Only Tengrian customs are older.” A similar pagan holiday of meeting spring is characteristic of almost all pagan beliefs known to science: March 25 was celebrated by the Egyptians as the day of the goddess Isis (among the Babylonians - Ishtar, among the Greeks - Cybele, among the Canaanites - Ast arta) and her beloved Adonis, Attis. The fact of the pagan basis of the holiday is not denied even by the Orthodox.
The rite of baptism is not a tradition even from a theological point of view, because There are no instructions and parting words to people from God on this subject in the Bible. If you really observe religious customs, then you need to do circumcision, because. it is this operation, according to the text of Scripture, that is an obligatory covenant for all Christians.
The Christian God commanded the circumcision of Abraham to all his male household members with the words:
“This is My covenant, which you must keep between Me and between you and between your descendants after you [in their generations]: let all the male sex be circumcised among you; circumcise your foreskin: and this will be a sign of the covenant between me and you. Eight days from birth, let every male child be circumcised in your generations, and My covenant on your body will be an everlasting covenant. The uncircumcised is the male who does not circumcise foreskin his [on the eighth day], that soul shall be cut off from his people, for they have broken my covenant.”
(Genesis 17:10-14)
But this custom is also taken from paganism, only there it has a completely different purpose. Among some ancient peoples, circumcision served as a religious rite, "a tribute to a cruel and evil deity, to whom it is necessary to sacrifice a part in order to save the whole, to circumcise a child in order to save his life." Thus, it is possible that circumcision was originally intended to replace the pagan rite of human sacrifice.
But back to christening...
When performing the ceremony, not only parents must be present, but also witnesses, called "godparents". All four should be guarantors of the future Christian upbringing of the child. Isn't it true, the procedure is almost like in Sberbank when obtaining a loan?
Of course, it would be possible to accept baptism as, for example, a family tradition, if it at least did not harm the child. But let's take a closer look at the occult and esoteric side of this action.
During the ceremony, the person being baptized goes through the symbolic procedure of death and rebirth in the Christian faith with a new name. It is believed that in this way he repeats the earthly path of Christ, dying and resurrecting already cleansed of sins. It is no secret that the name carries a certain program for a person, leaving a certain imprint on his whole life.
What names does the Russian Orthodox Church assign to Russian people during baptism?
Basically it's the names biblical heroes and canonized saints. ABOUT moral character The participants in biblical history have written more than one critical book, I’ll personally add - if an Orthodox believer thoughtfully read and analyzed the “holy” scripture (Bible), he would become not only an atheist, but an ardent opponent of this cult. My opinion is that almost none of his characters can be called a worthy representative of the human race.
Who canonize the church?
For the most part, these are great martyrs and hermits or people who died tragic death for the ideas of Christianity.
Answer the question for yourself - would normal parents want to identify the future of their child with such destinies in any way?
I'm sure not.
So, during the christening ceremony human soul passes through symbolic death, then, by means of a special set of actions, the program that was laid down by the name given to him initially is erased from the essence of the child, and a new one is set, corresponding to the one appropriated by the representative of the church.
At the same time, it is extremely unlikely that during baptism a child will be given a Slavic name. The vast majority of names permitted by the ROC are Jewish or Greek.
This, apparently, should also emphasize the “dzhevnuyu gusskaya tgaditsiya”?
In addition, it has been scientifically proven that water is the most powerful carrier of information and energy. What energy will be accumulated in the font (that is, the vat into which children are dipped) by the time the child is immersed in it - only God knows. About hygiene and temperature shock, which inevitably occurs in a newborn who does not yet have normal thermoregulation of the body, when immersed in a cold, albeit consecrated water not even worth mentioning.
The fact that at the end of the procedure a lock of hair is cut off in a special way (in the form of a cross) will help to finally dispel doubts about the occult origin of this rite, and hair is also an excellent carrier of human vital energy, which is often used in dubious magical rituals. It is believed that in this way, the newborn is blocked certain channels of energy and information interaction with the outside world.
One can, of course, not take seriously the esoteric aspects of the sacrament under consideration, but if the believer admits the existence of the divine, then why not assume the likelihood of such phenomena?
One way or another, the choice always remains with the parents themselves.
The rite of baptism
Almost all the ceremonies that take place in the church are based on magic. It is important to understand this.
Take, for example, the rite of communion: a person is given a loaf of bread - the flesh of Christ and red wine - his blood. And it is not important that a person drinks and eats it. The important thing is that he consciously tunes in to eating the flesh of Christ and drinking his blood.
In Voodoo magic - the most terrible of magics - this is the blackest rite: to eat the flesh of your defeated enemy and drink his blood to make his essence your slave forever.
In the rite of communion, the principle of identification is used. Identification means the transfer of astral-mental properties from one entity to another. That is, a person, identifying himself with Christ, takes on the properties of an already deceased person, thereby joining the world of the dead.
Baptism is a rite of blocking the development of a person's essence, a rite of connecting another donor to the egregor of the Orthodox Church.
This is a way to make a person blind so that he does not understand what is happening in his life and in the world around him.
What is baptism?
Let's turn to the brochure "On the sacrament of baptism", published by the Orthodox publishing house "Blagovest" in 2001 and analyze some points of this rite.
"... man is naturally born a sinner and guilty before the justice of God."
The main task of the church is to awaken a sense of guilt in a person, make him pray and repent, and keep him in fear.
If this succeeds, the person becomes a “servant of God” (remember: “A servant of God is baptized in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit…”), a “slaughtered sheep” and joins the “flock” of Christ’s sheep, and becomes ideologically controlled. To this is added energy dependence, which is placed on a person during the rite of baptism.
“If it is necessary to baptize a born baby, then the priest reads a special prayer over his mother on the fortieth day.”
From this, I think, it is already clear that in the rite of baptism there is a connection with the energy of death.
With chrismation, a person receives the "gifts of the Holy Spirit." Otherwise, these gifts are called "seals of the gift of the Holy Spirit." These seals are applied crosswise to the forehead, eyes, nostrils, mouth, ears, chest, arms and legs.
Thus, 2, 3 and 4 energy centers are closed, which are responsible for the inviolability of the will, clairvoyance, creativity and feelings of a person), the organs of perception of information are also blocked.
Miro, by the way, is also used to anoint the dead.
tonsure.
Small strands are cut crosswise at the back of the head, near the forehead, on the right and left sides of the head. Then the hair is rolled into a piece of wax and thrown into the font.
In magic, this is called - envoltation to death!
With the help of this ritual, a person is completely attached to the Christian egregor, and at the same time to the egregor of magic.
Churching.
The priest reads a prayer: “Now release Thy servant, Master, according to Thy word in peace: as if my eyes have seen Thy salvation, if Thou hast prepared before the face of all people, the light in the revelation of tongues, and the glory of Thy people Israel” - everything is clear, comments are redundant.
On the early stages the rite of baptism had no biblical basis.
Adolf Harnack, a well-known theologian, writes about this:
"It is impossible to directly prove that Jesus instituted baptism, since the words quoted by Matthew (28:19) are not the saying of God."
It is also curious to note that baptism is performed in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, which was not in any of the early manuscripts.
Adolf Harnack points out that "this trinitarian formula is foreign to the mouth of Jesus and did not have the authority in the apostolic age that it should have if it came from Jesus himself."
Another point is the inconstancy of the sacrament of baptism in general Christian theology.
Baptism, as it is now understood, means that the Holy Spirit, the third member of the Trinity, enters into a person and takes away his sins. If this is accepted, then it is not clear how, at a later stage in the life of the same person, Satan drives the Holy Spirit out of him and leads the person into sin by temptation.
The question arises: can the devil tempt a person who is filled and guarded by the Holy Spirit?
Thus, it is quite clear that baptism is not at all based on the teachings of Jesus.
And let's hear what eniologists say about the rite of baptism.
Anastasia NATALICH, eniocorrector, ENIO Research Center:
"It is believed that a baptized child is protected by divine power, and an unbaptized one is more vulnerable. The natural desire of parents - to protect their child from all sorts of troubles - obliges them to follow traditions. Everyone does it, so it's "right."
Suddenly something happens, the thought immediately arises: "Maybe because he is not baptized, which means he is not protected?" You need to understand that the best protection of the child is the parents. That's how nature works.
Conflicts, misunderstandings, troubles between father and mother are reflected in the child.
As for the ceremony, then, firstly, to conduct it at an unconscious age is a violation of the will of a person.
Christ was baptized at the age of 33. A person must decide for himself whether he needs it or not.
Secondly, water is involved in the rite of baptism - a universal carrier of information that ideally preserves and structures information. What information church water carries is another question ...
It is not uncommon for a person to be given a second name at baptism. During the correction, eniologists, as a rule, see exactly the second name of the child.
Another parallel channel opens in a person, which gives a serious energy load on fate. The same burden arises if a person is named after someone else.
If a child has two names, he begins to live as two streamers, and the passage of fate is somewhat more difficult.
Any rite introduces a person into an altered state of awareness. The same effects have hypnosis, meditation, breathing exercises, contemplation, defocusing of attention, prayer, etc.
But in an altered state of consciousness, a person cannot fully analyze what is happening and there is a very high probability of an alien influence on his consciousness, in other words, zombies.
The cross as a symbol of death
Since the existence of the cross as a symbol in Western culture is directly related to Christianity, let's start with a consideration of the Christian understanding of this symbol. According to Christians, Jesus Christ, the founder of Christianity, died on the cross. Moreover, as the Christians themselves say, "he truly died." Moreover, he died with great suffering.
Execution on the cross, a common procedure in the Roman Empire, was used as the ultimate punishment. It was considered a shameful execution, and was applied to especially dangerous and malicious criminals - Christian evangelists tell us about this. Let us especially note that according to the same Christian sources, Jesus only died on the cross. Resurrected, i.e. he came to life "in the flesh" in a completely different place, three days later.
It is not difficult to guess that the cross for Christians, as well as for the contemporary inhabitants of the Roman Empire, unambiguously symbolized death. A shameful, painful death.
In this, and in no other sense, the cross entered the symbolism of Christianity. This was very well suited to the spiritual and philosophical foundations of Christianity, for which main point has what will happen to a person after death, which gave Christians the "opportunity" to treat human life "in the flesh" with contempt and led to such monstrous practices as "mortification of the flesh."
It was this symbol, due to its deadly meaning, that was chosen by the warriors of the Crusades. The presence of a cross on their clothes symbolized the death they carried to all "infidels". This directly led to the fact that for non-Christian peoples, in particular for Muslims, the cross acquired the same meaning - it became a symbol of death.
For the new Russian history, the cross became even more deadly in its meaning during the Great Patriotic War, when the symbol of the cross, we note - the same as that of the crusaders, was carried by the most ferocious invaders that Russia had ever encountered.
Another function of the cross, coming from its symbolic meaning- the meaning of death, firmly entrenched in folk life. This is the erection of a cross on human graves. As you can see, this function comes directly from the meaning of the cross, which in the given circumstances symbolizes - here is death, here lies a dead person.
Let us now consider how many rituals and ways of using the cross as a symbol look in the light of this meaning of the cross.
In addition to cemeteries, crosses are now being installed on Christian temples and churches. A characteristic feature of many Christian churches, as you probably know, is the presence in them of human remains - relics. In this sense, the Christian temple is a grave, a burial place, which is already enough to place a cross over it - a symbol of death. But there are also living people in the temple. What are they doing there? They are preparing for death. They are trying to atone for sins in order to receive some benefits after death. Even if they do not master the technique of mortifying the flesh, they attach particular importance to the moment of death, since it is a special moment for them - the beginning of existence after death. In a sense, we can say that they are already half dead, and the temple crowned with a cross is for them a kind of common grave grown out of the ground - a bridge from this world to the next.
Think now what happens when a person "crosses himself," or worse, puts this symbol of a painful and shameful death on himself. By this, a person shows other people that he is, as it were, dead or striving to die, since earthly life for him is, in general, an insignificant phenomenon in comparison with the eternity coming after death, the "mortal eternity."
Consider what happens when a priest baptizes your child by placing a symbol of death on it.
Buildings and people bearing the symbol of the cross, with the help of this symbol, show that they no longer belong to the world of the living, but belong to the world of the dead. In addition, it becomes clear that the religion that has chosen the cross as its main symbol is a cult of death, a religion of the dead, a "dead" religion. Beautiful on the outside, but rotten on the inside. Death for a Christian is a meeting with his Jewish god.
Well, the one who loves the cross loves the very process of killing and tormenting his god. Only those who do not think about the subject of their faith can wear such crosses. But this cross is worn by almost all Christians. They wear it and don't even think about what they wear. They don't think. Weaned! And you start talking to them - they snap. So much faith sits in their stupid and irresponsible brains. In paganism, by the way, they did not wear dead gods. In paganism, carrying images of dead gods on oneself was generally unimaginable idiocy. But that's what Christians do. "Wild" paganism received a "worthy" replacement. The priests can interpret this obscurantism with the cross as they please. It comes to the fact that Christ dying on the cross is called "a symbol of eternal life"Christians will swallow everything they are told or written. They will not even ask questions. Interpretation is a way to fool their heads. After all, naive fools will swallow and not even think about it.
Despite my purely physical aversion to anything to do with Christianity, I can't help but admire iconoclastic Christians. This trend arose in the 8th century. They rejected the cross as an instrument of torture and execution. Peacocks were especially active. They were simply taken and killed on the orders of Empress Theodora. For Christians, murder is the most universal way of proving one's innocence in intra-Christian strife.
We can also recall John Wicklier (1320-1388), who, being a Christian, rejected icons and the cult of saints. The followers of John Wicklier called the cross a rotten pillar worthy of reverence no more than the trees in the forest - at least they are alive. Well, very logical conclusions.
And if Christ were strangled with an iron collar in the East, then all Christians would wear small iron collars around their necks. If they burned Christ in Rome on a gridiron, Christians would wear small bars on chains. If Christ were wheeled somewhere in Italy, then all Christians would wear small wheels on themselves. If they cut off his head on a guillotine in France, Christians would wear small guillotines. They would put him on a stake in Romania - Christians would wear small pegs with a "rescuer" strung on them. Do not hesitate - they would wear it and not think about it.
The Christian cross is an instrument of execution. This should never be forgotten. After all, even if you think, purely aesthetically: well, what is so beautiful in christian cross? Why do Christians wear this terrible symbol around their necks with a dead person or with a person in death throes? Think about it, and everything will become crystal clear.
All thick Christian treatises that reveal the "higher meaning" of the Christian creed are a complete swindle.
By itself, a clean cross without any Christs is a very ancient symbol. Of course, the priests did not invent him. It was known thousands of years before Jesus Christ. The cross as such is an ancient pagan symbol of fire and the Sun. The Old Slavonic word "Kres" means "Fire". Christianity only vulgarized and mutilated this symbol by hanging a corpse on it and placing down half of the St. Andrew's oblique cross along with a sign at the top: "Jesus Christ is the King of the Jews."
The funny thing is that Jesus Christ was crucified not on the Christian cross that is familiar to us, but on two crossbars in the form of the letter "T". On the same crosses, for example, 6,000 slaves were crucified along the road from Capua to Rome after the defeat of Spartacus's army in 71 BC. X.
Vladimir Avdeev writes beautifully about the Christian cross in his book “Overcoming Christianity”, chapter 9: “Christian researchers deliberately ignore the fact that even the helmets of Achilles and Sennacherib were decorated with crosses. At the head of the Roman legions they wore banners decorated with crosses. Crosses were discovered in the funeral burials of almost all peoples long before people of different continents and races first saw each other.
Aztecs and Etruscans in different parts of the world, not even suspecting the existence of each other, even 1000 years before the birth of Christ, decorated their temples with it. The cross was a familiar decoration of the facade of the ancient Phoenician cities. When missionaries from Europe first reached the island of Java, the first thing they saw in the native village was the decorations in the form of crosses in the huts. And when Schliemann discovered the ruins of the legendary Troy, wherever he turned his eyes, he saw a whole scattering of amulets with this sign. But these simple facts are completely hushed up.
The cross is a symbol of impeccable morality among Buddhist rulers. On the neck of the ambassadors who brought tribute Egyptian pharaoh even 1500 years before the birth of Christ, there were also crosses. It has now been established that the cross was sacred among the Germans, Indians, Celts, Persians, Slavs, when they all made up one people and spoke the same language.
During excavations in Punjab, a Buddhist medal was found with the image of the Great Deliverer, who also held a cross in his hand. The cross was used by the Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt, who were depicted only with this sign in their hands, and this meant that they were the saviors of Egypt. In general, throughout the pagan world, the cross served to designate symbols of victory and power.
Even those well-known modern man pagan gods, like Bacchus and Serapis, were also designated by crosses, as a result of which things sometimes came to funny curiosities. So, hastily remaking a pagan temple into a Christian one, the inflamed fanatics sometimes limited themselves to breaking "filthy idols", without changing anything else. The church fathers looked at this through their fingers. And in fact: what difference does it make to "true believers in Christ", the hand of which master inscribed this cross, the main thing is that it exists, which means there is a symbol for "God's flock" - a common denominator.
In Mexico, a thousand years later, the same thing happened: the natives enthusiastically surrounded the Christian missionary, willingly accepting the cross. The cross was just a tribal sign of the natives, who found the imported Christ very attractive, designated as their own idol. Hospitable, unsophisticated people, they joyfully began to be baptized, offering prayers to their deity. This, of course, was interpreted as "the all-pervading power of Christianity."
Everything was surprisingly similar in China, where the missionary Rhodes saw children with a forehead decorated with a cross from birth, and he also thought that everyone here was ready to accept Christianity. Analyzing the data of excavations in the Slavic steppes, it is not difficult for us to guess now why Andrew the First-Called, also in a state of passion, exclaimed: "The steppes of Scythia are ablaze with faith!"
In the Lama's domain, Buddhists were also very fond of wearing crosses, and in Central Asia, in the gorges of the Himalayan mountains, the warriors wore a tattoo in the form of a cross on their faces and the missionaries also easily converted them to Christianity. Even Negroes in Senegal also decorated themselves with a cross. The vast territories of Asia, Africa and America, which had never heard of Christ, worshiped the cross from ancient times. In the Sahara, in Polynesia, in Patagonia - everywhere the missionaries saw the cross, and everywhere they inspired mass conversions to Christianity."
What is Baptism as a Sacrament? How does it happen?
Baptism is the Sacrament in which the believer, when the body is immersed three times in water with the invocation of God the Father and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, dies for a carnal, sinful life and is reborn from the Holy Spirit into a spiritual life. In Baptism, a person is cleansed from original sin - the sin of the forefathers, communicated to him through birth. The Sacrament of Baptism can be performed on a person only once (as well as a person is born only once).
The baptism of an infant is performed according to the faith of the recipients, who have a sacred duty to teach children the true faith, to help them become worthy members of the Church of Christ.
The baptismal set for your baby should be the one recommended to you in the church where you will baptize him. They will easily tell you what you need. This is mainly a baptismal cross and a baptismal shirt. The baptism of one baby lasts about forty minutes.
Christening set for a girl has like a row common features, and a number of differences from that for a male baby. The most important part of it is, of course, the pectoral cross, which is given to the baby by her godfather. But in addition to it, a set of appropriate christening clothes, which includes a scarf, a dress and a towel (kryzhma). It is necessary in order to wrap the baby after dipping into the font. Christening sets for girls are often decorated with embroidery and other decorative elements. But make sure there aren't too many of them. This can create inconvenience for both the girl and the godparents during Baptism. A baptismal set for a boy, as a rule, is more restrained in decor and consists of a baptismal shirt, a hat and, again, a cape towel. And, of course, a pectoral cross. Sometimes christening sets are also complemented by booties. When purchasing a baptismal set for a boy, pay attention that all things are as convenient as possible. This is true, both for clothes for girls and for boys.
This sacrament consists of the Announcement (reading special prayers - “prohibitions” over those preparing for baptism), renunciation of Satan and union with Christ, that is, union with Him, and confession of the Orthodox faith. Here, for the baby, the godparents should pronounce the appropriate words.
Immediately after the end of the Announcement, the Baptism begins. most notable and important point- three times immersion of the baby in the font with the pronunciation of the words: “To the servant of God is resounding (servant of God) (name) in the name of the Father, amen. And the Son, amen. And the Holy Spirit, amen". At this time, the godfather (of the same sex as the person being baptized), taking a towel in his hands, is preparing to receive his godfather from the font. After that, the one who has received Baptism is dressed in new white clothes, a cross is put on him.
Immediately after this, another Sacrament is performed - in which the gifts of the Holy Spirit are given to the person being baptized, while anointing the parts of the body in the name of the Holy Spirit, strengthening him in spiritual life. After that, the priest and the godparents with the newly baptized go around the font three times as a sign of the spiritual joy of union with Christ for eternal life in Heavenly Kingdom. Then an excerpt from the letter of the Apostle Paul to the Romans is read, dedicated to the topic of baptism, and an excerpt from the Lord Jesus Christ sending the apostles to the worldwide preaching of faith with the command to baptize all nations in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. After the myrrh, the priest is washed from the body of the baptized person with a special sponge dipped in holy water, with the words: “Thou hast been justified. Thou hast been enlightened. Thou hast been sanctified. Thou hast been washed in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. You were baptized. Thou hast been enlightened. Thou hast been anointed. Thou hast been sanctified, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, amen.”
Next, the priest cuts the hair of the newly baptized cross-shaped (on four sides) with the words: “ Slave gets haircut(but) God's(name) in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, amen”, folds her hair on a wax cake and lowers it into the font. The tonsure symbolizes obedience to God and at the same time marks the small sacrifice that the newly baptized brings to God in thanksgiving for the beginning of a new, spiritual life. After the utterance of petitions for godparents and the newly baptized, the sacrament of baptism ends.
This is usually immediately followed by churching, which marks the first bringing to the temple. The baby, taken by the priest in his arms, is carried by him through the temple, brought to the Royal Doors and brought into the altar (only boys), after which he is given to his parents. Churching symbolizes the dedication of the baby to God according to the Old Testament model. After baptism, the infant should be given communion.
Why are only boys brought to the altar?
In principle, boys should not be brought there either, this is just a tradition. The Sixth Ecumenical Council determined: None of all those belonging to the category of the laity should be allowed to enter the sacred altar ... (). Renowned canonist ep. gives this decree the following commentary: “In view of the mystery of the bloodless sacrifice offered at the altar, it was forbidden, from ancient times of the church, to enter the altar to anyone who did not belong to the clergy. "The altar is for sacred persons only."
They say that before you baptize your child, you should confess and take communion.
Even regardless of the Baptism of the child, Orthodox Christians are called by the Church to regularly approach and saint. If you have not done this until now, then it will be good to take the first step towards a full-fledged church life by anticipating the Baptism of your own baby.
This is not a formal requirement, but a natural internal norm - because, introducing the child to Church life through the sacrament of Baptism, introducing him into the Church's enclosure - why should we ourselves remain outside of it? For an adult who has not repented for many years, or never in his life, has not begun to receive the Holy Mysteries of Christ, at this moment is a very conditionally Christian. Only by prompting himself to live in the sacraments of the Church does he actualize his Christianity.
How Orthodox name name the baby?
The right to choose the name of the child belongs to his parents. In choosing a name, lists of the names of saints can help you - the saints. In the holy calendar, the names are arranged in calendar order.
There is no unequivocal church tradition of choosing names - often parents choose a name for the baby from the list of those saints who are glorified on the very day the child is born, or on the eighth day, when the rite of naming is performed, or during the period of forty days (when the Sacrament of Baptism is usually performed). Wisely choose a name from a list of names church calendar of those that are close enough after the child's birthday. But by the way, this is not some kind of obligatory church establishment, and if there is some deep desire to name the child in honor of this or that saint, or some kind of vow on the part of the parents, or something else, then this is not an obstacle at all. .
When choosing a name, you can get acquainted not only with what this or that name means, but also with the life of the saint in whose honor you want to name your baby: what kind of saint is it, where and when did he live, what was his lifestyle, on which days his memory is celebrated.
Why do some churches close the church for the time of the sacrament of Baptism (not doing this during other Sacraments) or ask people who call themselves Orthodox not to enter it?
Because during the Baptism of an adult, it is not very pleasant for the person being baptized or the baptized person, if strangers look at him, sufficiently bodily exposed, observe the greatest sacrament, the curious look of those who have nothing to do with prayer. Thinking and prudent Orthodox person he will not go simply as a spectator to someone else's Baptism, if he was not invited there. And if he lacks tact, then church ministers act prudently, removing the curious from the temple at the time of the sacrament of Baptism.
What must come first, faith or baptism? Is it possible to be baptized to believe?
Baptism is a Sacrament, that is, a special action of God, in which, with the reciprocal desire of the person himself (certainly the person himself), he dies for a sinful and passionate life and is born into a new life - life in Christ Jesus.
And on the other hand, this is what a baptized and churched person should strive for all his life. All people are sinners, and one must strive for such an acquisition of faith, with which deeds are combined. Faith, among other things, is an effort of the will. In the Gospel, one person who met the Savior exclaimed: “I believe, Lord! Help my unbelief." () This man already believed in the Lord, but he wanted to believe even more, stronger, more decisively.
Strengthening in faith will be easier if you live the church life, and not look at it from the outside.
Why do we baptize babies? They still cannot choose their own religion and consciously follow Christ?
A person is saved not on his own, not as an individual who single-handedly decides how he should be and act in this life, but as a member of the Church, a community in which everyone is responsible for each other. Therefore, an adult can vouch for the baby and say: I will try to make sure that he grows up kind. Orthodox Christian. And while he cannot answer for himself, his godfather and godmother pledge their faith for him.
Does a person have the right to be baptized at any age?
Baptism is possible for a person of any age on any day of the year.
At what age is it best to baptize a child?
You can baptize a person at any time from his first to his very last breath. In ancient times, it was customary to baptize a child on the eighth day from birth, but this was not a mandatory rule.
It is most convenient to baptize a child during the first months from birth. At this time, the baby still does not distinguish his mother from the “alien aunt”, who will hold him in her arms during Baptism, and the “bearded uncle”, who will always come up to him and “do something with him”, is not terrible for him.
Older children already quite consciously perceive reality, they see that they are surrounded by people they do not know, and their mothers are either not at all or for some reason she does not go to them, and may experience anxiety about this.
Is it necessary to be baptized again if a person was “baptized by a grandmother at home”?
Baptism is the only Sacrament of the Church, which, in the case of emergency a layman can do. During the years of persecution of the Church, cases of such baptism were not rare - there were few churches and priests.
In addition, in the old days, midwives sometimes baptized newborn babies if their lives were in danger: for example, if the child received a birth injury. This baptism is commonly referred to as "immersion." If a child died after such a baptism, then he was buried as a Christian; if he survived, then he was brought to the temple and the priest made up for the baptism performed by the layman with the necessary prayers and sacred rites.
Thus, in any case, a person baptized by a lay person must “refill” the baptism in the temple. However, in the old days, midwives were specially taught how to properly perform baptism; in the Soviet years, it is often completely unknown who baptized and how, whether this person was trained, whether he knew what and how to do. Therefore, for the sake of confidence in the actual performance of the Sacrament, priests most often baptize such "immersed" as if there was doubt whether they were baptized or not.
Can parents attend Baptism?
They may well, and not just be present, but pray with the priest and godparents for their baby. There are no obstacles to this.
When is Baptism performed?
Baptism can take place at any time. However, in churches, the procedure for performing Baptism is established differently depending on the internal routine, opportunities and circumstances. Therefore, you should worry in advance about how to find out about the procedure for performing Baptism in the temple in which you want to baptize your child.
What does an adult person who wants to receive the Sacrament of Baptism need?
For an adult, the basis for Baptism is the presence of a sincere Orthodox faith. The purpose of Baptism is union with God. Therefore, those who come to the baptismal font need to decide for themselves very important questions: does he need this and is he ready for this? Baptism is inappropriate if a person with his help is looking for some earthly blessings, success, or hopes to solve his family problems. Therefore, one more important condition for Baptism is a firm desire to live a Christian life.
After performing the Sacrament, a person must begin a full-fledged church life: to visit the church regularly, to learn the service, to pray, that is, to learn life in God. If this does not happen, Baptism will not make any sense.
It is necessary to prepare for Baptism: at least carefully read these catechumens, read at least one of the Gospels, know by heart or close to the text the Creed and the prayer "Our Father".
It would be just wonderful to prepare for confession: to remember your sins, wrongs and bad inclinations. Many priests do it very correctly when they confess catechumens before Baptism.
Is it possible to baptize during Lent?
Yes, you can. Moreover, in former times, fasting served as a preparation not only for a certain holiday, but also for the entry of new members into the Church, i.e. to the baptism of the catechumens. Thus, in the ancient Church people were baptized mainly on the eve of major Church feasts, including during Lent. Traces of this are still preserved in the peculiarities of the services of the feasts of the Nativity of Christ, Easter and Pentecost.
In what case can a priest refuse a person to be baptized?
The priest not only can, but must also refuse to baptize a person if he does not believe in God as he teaches to believe. Orthodox Church because faith is a sine qua non for Baptism.
Among the grounds for refusing baptism may be a person's unpreparedness and a magical attitude towards baptism. The magical attitude to Baptism is the desire to use it to protect oneself from the forces of evil, to get rid of, to receive all kinds of spiritual or material "bonuses".
Baptize will not be persons in drunk and leading an immoral lifestyle up to their repentance and correction.
What to do if it is known for sure that a person was baptized, but no one remembers the name with which he was baptized? Baptize a second time?
This situation occurs quite often. It is not necessary to baptize a person a second time - you can baptize only once. But you can give a person a new name. Any priest has the right to do this simply by confessing a person and communion him with a new name.
How many times can you be baptized?
Definitely one time. Baptism is a spiritual birth, and a person can be born only once. IN Orthodox Symbol Faith says: "I confess one baptism for the remission of sins." Secondary baptism is not allowed.
What to do if you do not know whether you are baptized or not, and there is no one to find out from?
You need to be baptized, but at the same time warn the priest that you may be baptized, but you don’t know for sure about it. The priest will perform Baptism according to a special order for such cases.
What duties do godfathers and mothers have towards their godchildren?
Godparents have three main duties towards godchildren:
1. Prayer. The godfather is obliged to pray for his godson, and also, as he grows, teach him to pray, so that the godson himself can communicate with God and ask Him for help in all his life circumstances.
2. Doctrine. Teaching the godson the basics Christian denomination.
3. Preacher. By your own example, show the godson human virtues - love, kindness, mercy, and others, so that he grows into a real good Christian.
How should future godparents prepare for the Sacrament of Baptism?
Godparents are guarantors for their godson. They are entrusted with the duty to take care of the spiritual and moral education of their godchild. Godparents teach him the basics of the Orthodox faith, prayer and the way of life of a true Christian. Consequently, the godparents themselves must know both the Gospel and church life well, have good prayer practice, and regularly participate in divine services and Church Sacraments.
Have you decided to become a godfather, but do not meet the requirements? Make it a reason to start moving in that direction. To get started, listen to the catechumens in the temple or at specialized courses organized in your diocese. Then read your choice of Mark or Luke. Choose for yourself - the first is shorter, the second is clearer. You can also find them in the Bible; Specifically, the New Testament. Carefully read the text of the Creed - during Baptism, one of the godparents reads it by heart or from a sheet. It would also be good if by the time of Epiphany you knew the prayer “Our Father” by heart.
After Baptism, deepen and expand your knowledge of bible history, pray at home and participate in church services– in this way you will gradually acquire the practical skills of a Christian.
Is it possible to become a godfather in absentia without participating in the Baptism of an infant?
The original name of godparents is godparents. They received such a name because they "received" the baptized from the font; at the same time, the Church, as it were, delegates to them part of her concern for the new Christian and teaching him Christian life and morality, therefore, not only the presence of godparents during Baptism and their active participation is obligatory, but also their conscious desire to take on such responsibility.
Can representatives of other religions become godparents?
Definitely not. In Baptism, the recipients testify to Orthodox faith, and according to their faith, the infant receives the Sacrament. This alone makes it impossible for representatives of other religions to become godparents at Baptism.
In addition, the godparents take on the obligation to educate the godson in Orthodoxy. Representatives of other religions cannot fulfill these duties because for us Christianity is not a theory, but life itself in Christ. This life can only be taught by those who themselves live this way.
The question arises: can then representatives of other Christian denominations, for example, Catholics or Lutherans, become godparents? The answer is no - they can't for the same reasons. Only Orthodox Christians can become recipients at Baptism.
Which of the things you need to bring with you to Baptism and which of the godparents should do this?
For Baptism you will need a baptismal kit. As a rule, this is a pectoral cross with a chain or ribbon, several candles, a baptismal shirt. The cross can also be purchased in ordinary stores, but then you should ask the priest to consecrate it. You will need a towel or diaper to wrap and dry the baby after the font. According to an unwritten tradition, a godfather acquires a cross for a boy, and a godmother for a girl. Although this rule does not have to be followed.
How many godfathers and mothers should a person have?
One. As a rule, the same sex as the child, that is, for a boy - a godfather, and for a girl - a godmother. The opportunity for a child to be both a godfather and godmother is a pious practice. It is not customary to have more than two recipients.
How to choose godparents for a child?
The main criterion for choosing a godfather or godmother should be whether this person can subsequently help in the Christian upbringing of the person received from the font. The degree of acquaintance and just the friendliness of the relationship are also important, but this is not the main thing. In the old days, concern about expanding the circle of people who would seriously help the newborn child made it undesirable to invite the next of kin as godparents. It was believed that, by virtue of natural kinship, they would help the child anyway. For this reason, family grandparents, brothers and sisters, uncles and aunts rarely became foster parents. Nevertheless, it is not forbidden, and now it is becoming more and more frequent.
Can a pregnant woman become a godmother?
Maybe. Pregnancy is not an obstacle to acceptance. In addition, if a pregnant woman herself wants to receive the Sacrament of Baptism, then she may well do it.
Who can't be a godmother?
minors; Gentiles; the mentally ill; wholly ignorant of the faith; intoxicated persons
What should godparents give to a godson?
This question lies in the realm of human customs and does not concern the spiritual life regulated by Church rules and canons. In other words, this is a personal matter of the godparents. You may not give anything at all. However, it seems that the gift, if there is one, should be useful and remind of Baptism. It can be the Bible or the New Testament, a pectoral cross or an icon of the saint in whose honor the child is named. There are many options.
If godparents do not fulfill their duties, is it possible to take other godparents and what needs to be done for this?
IN literally words are not possible. The godfather will be only the one who perceived the child from the font. However, in a sense, this can be done. Let's draw a parallel with a normal birth: for example, a father and mother, having given birth to their baby, refuse him, do not fulfill their parental duties and do not take care of him. In this case, the child can be adopted by someone and raised as a native. This person will become, although adopted, but a parent in the true sense of the word. It is the same with spiritual birth. If real godparents do not fulfill their duties, and there is a person who can and wants to take on their function, then he should receive a blessing for this from the priest and after that begin to take care of the child in every possible way. And "godfather" at the same time it can also be called. At the same time, a child cannot be baptized again.
Can a young man become godfather to his bride?
Definitely not. Between godparent and a godson, a spiritual kinship arises, which excludes the possibility of marriage.
How many times can a person become a godfather?
As many as you think possible. Being a godparent is a big responsibility. Someone may dare to take on such responsibility once or twice, someone five or six, and someone perhaps ten. Everyone determines this measure for himself.
Can a person refuse to become a godfather? Wouldn't that be a sin?
Maybe. If he feels that he is not ready to be responsible for the child, then it will be more honest to both the parents and the child and to himself to say this directly, rather than formally becoming a godfather and not fulfilling his duties.
Is it possible to become a godfather for two or three children from the same family?
Yes, you can. There are no canonical barriers to this.
We suffered with the christening of our son. The husband wanted to take only his godfather best friend and he is a seafarer. I had to adapt to his floating (in every sense of the word) schedule. As for evil, this comrade's short vacation fell just on fast days…
If you ask ten pairs of parents why they baptize their child, you can get ten different answers. Some will say that he was like everyone else - otherwise what, everyone will have godmothers, but ours does not?
Others - that Russians must be Orthodox, others - that in this way the child will receive a personal angel and will be protected from all evil (although this is nothing more than religious superstition) ...
In the church, baptism is explained like this ...
- This is the spiritual birth of a person, after which he enters the church life as a full-fledged Christian.
- This is not a guarantee, but it is more likely that growing up, the child will be interested in the dogmas of his faith, becoming Orthodox not only “de jure”, but also “de facto”.
- For a baptized child, you can write notes, put candles in the temple, order a magpie, and so on.
- If the baby for some reason leaves this world - although, of course, who talks about this if the baby was born healthy! - it will be possible not only to bury him in the church cemetery, next to his relatives (this is also allowed for the unbaptized), but also to write his name in the church book so that he can be buried in the church.
If for you baptism is just a fashionable holiday that must be ended with a cheerful feast, think: are you ready to give up meat and dairy dishes at the festive table? After all, in fasting they are forbidden to all Christians ...
Are children baptized on fast days
Church Answer: Yes!
Both newborns or children and adults can be baptized on any day of the week and year.
Do not confuse the laws according to which this sacrament is performed with the wedding. After all, as you know, newlyweds cannot be married in fasting (since fasting is a time for abstinence and renunciation of earthly goods, and after the wedding, the couple ... well, you understand). It is possible to be baptized, officially becoming one of the Orthodox, these days.
Official opinion! Here is how the priest comments on the question of interest to us:
What if it's Great Lent?
On the eve of Easter, baptism is also not prohibited.
By the way! The first Christians who converted to the faith of Christ back in ancient Roman times were baptized precisely on major holidays - at Christmas, the Baptism of the Lord, Easter.
This was explained simply: there were few converts, moreover, all visits to churches were secret, and christening on a holiday was simply convenient for both the priest and the neophyte.
Of course, some parents are “scared off” by the thought of the impossibility of noisily celebrating the baptism of their son or daughter in a restaurant. But in this case, you can ask if the institution you have chosen has a decent lenten banquet menu.
Often restaurants and even small cafes can surprise you with exquisite, but at the same time meatless dishes. In addition, in honor of the christening, the priest may allow the family to drink some red wine.
But this does not mean that you can throw a noisy party with karaoke, dancing and sitting at the table almost until the morning. Fasting is still a time for abstinence. So a modest dinner in the circle of the closest - good decision, and a "wedding" for a hundred people with a toastmaster and musicians is nothing but a sin.
By the way! In addition to Easter or Great (forty days, the time of which depends on the time of the onset of Easter - a holiday with an unfixed date), there are three more long fasts:
- Petrov. The start date of the fast is "floating" - this is the second week after the Trinity. The end is June 29 (or July 12, according to the old style), the feast of Peter and Paul, after which it got its name. If easter post lasts exactly 40 days, then this one can be either a little longer than a week, or a month and a half.
- Uspensky. Dedicated to the day of the Assumption of the Virgin. Start - 1 (or 14) August, end - 14 (27) August. Also known as Spasovka.
- Christmas. The people also called Filippov or Korochun. Start: November 15 (28), end - December 24 (or January 6).
What if the baby was born during Lent?
In this case, one of the relatives or acquaintances will definitely please you: the baby will be happy and rich! Although, of course, all this is only superstition, albeit church ones.
So, our people believe that a person born on Easter:
- will surely become famous when he grows up;
- he will also encounter diseases many times less;
- if he was born not just for a holiday, but at noon, he will become a significant figure in world history.
What to do if the priest refuses
Many priests do not undertake to baptize children in the days before Easter, as they are very busy with services in churches. Services during this period should be held especially often.
What to do?
- If you want the spiritual birth of your child to be carried out by a family confessor (or you live in a village where there is only one church), it is better to postpone the baptism to another day. So it will be more convenient not only for you and the priest. Think about the guests, who, on the eve of Easter, are also often busy baking Easter cakes and other pre-holiday concerns.
- If your baby has just been born, but he is weak, and you want to baptize him right away, talk to the priest. Knowing your difficult situation, he will not be able to refuse. Although - in such cases, baptism is often carried out not in a city / rural church, but in a chapel located in the maternity hospital or nearby.
- Everything is fine with the child, but for some other reason you are in a hurry with baptism (for example, a banal situation - future godparents cannot take time off from work for other days, or even be away altogether)? In this case, call or visit a few more churches. Perhaps one of the temples will not refuse you - there are churches in which several priests rule at the same time, and their work schedules are less busy. And now it is not difficult to get to another district or village, everyone has a car.
Well, what not to do is to argue with the holy father. If he refused, it is better to politely ask why. If it's loaded, there's nothing you can do about it. If he is just worried about the proposed noisy feast, you can calmly explain that you respect the requirements of the church and refuse to “guzzle” and vodka.
On topic: Helpful!
How to choose the date of baptism and godparents.
Priest's advice:
Do babies need to be baptized at all? Are we depriving them of their freedom of choice in this way?
Father says:
With the birth of a child, parents have to solve many important questions about raising a baby. One of the most important questions for Orthodox parents is when to baptize a newborn. The rite of baptism involves some preparation, and how to properly organize christening, read on.
At what age should the ceremony be performed
The ministers of the church do not give an exact answer to the question of when it is better to baptize a newborn, because many people go through the rite of baptism already as adults. However, according to folk omens The child must be baptized before the age of 7. It is also believed that the baby should not be carried to the temple until the 40th day. This is due to the fact that the mother has not yet fully recovered from the birth and cannot attend church at this time. But there are emergency situations as well.
According to Archpriest Alexander Soyuzov, a child can be baptized from the first day of birth. After all, earlier, if a child was born weak or premature and his life was in danger, the priest was invited to the house to perform the rite of baptism. There is a lot of evidence that after the christening, the child recovered faster and grew up as a pious person, because the prayer of the parents is the strongest.
If your child is healthy and you want to baptize him in the temple, after the child is 40 days old, you must choose any day to perform the ceremony.
It is believed that the sooner a newborn is christened, the better, because after the ceremony he receives the protection and support that the Almighty gives us.
It is up to you to choose when it is better to baptize a child, but remember that the rite of baptism is a great and joyful sacrament that requires some preparation.
Preparation for the ceremony
Before the sacrament of baptism takes place, parents need to resolve several organizational issues. Firstly, you need to go to the temple and get advice from the priest on how and when you can baptize a child. After explaining all the nuances of the rite, the priest will appoint you the day and time when you can baptize the newborn.