A good church for baptism perovo. Child baptism: rules, advice and practical issues. Baptism set for a boy includes

Interview before Baptism

The main purpose of public conversations is to convey the essence of the Orthodox faith and convince those who wish to accept Baptism or become a recipient of its truth.

The organization of such interviews depends on the rules established in the temple. Meetings can be regular - held on certain days for parents and future godparents, for example, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. In some churches, these conversations are strictly individual and scheduled at an agreed upon time. There are temples that, after listening to lectures, practice exams and issue a corresponding certificate. The duration of such a course can be up to 7 days.

The interview does not have to take place in the church where the baptism is planned. Out-of-town godparents can listen to public conversations in the church closest to them.

Communion and fasting before the Sacrament

A day or two before baptism, both parents and recipients need to visit the temple, confess and receive communion in order to be cleansed of sins before the bright event.

Before the sacrament of the cross one is supposed to fast for three days, abstaining from foul language, pleasures and amusements. On the day of baptism, the godparents are prohibited from eating until the end of the ceremony, since very often after the ceremony there is communion immediately, and the godparents are given the opportunity to take communion together with the godson.

Preparation for the rite of Baptism

At what age should a child be baptized? The Orthodox Church calls for infants to be baptized as early as possible, so that grace will quickly descend on the child and he will find his Guardian Angel. Most often, the 40th day of birth is chosen as the date of christening. There are several reasons for this: up to 40 days the woman in labor is not allowed to participate in church sacraments, after which a cleansing prayer is read over her, allowing participation in baptism; in babies in the first months of life, intrauterine reflexes do not completely fade away, so they easily tolerate being dipped into water; newborns behave more calmly when strangers (godparents, priest) take them in their arms.

On what days can a baby be baptized?

The baptism of children is carried out on any day, including holidays and Lenten days. On weekends, services are usually longer and the number of parishioners is larger, so it is better to arrange for a baptism on a weekday. On major holidays, when services of special content and duration are held, Baptism may not be held at all, it all depends on the specific church. It is also worth considering that during Lent, the treats at the christening celebration should be Lenten.

It is good to choose a day when the atmosphere in the church is calmer and there are few people, but it is better to agree with the priest about an individual sacrament, discussing the main nuances of organizing the ceremony:

• the date of the ceremony is agreed upon;
• a list of necessary baptismal accessories is announced;
• the name of the child, which he will be named at baptism, is specified.

Is it possible to baptize on critical days? On the days of monthly cleansing, women are forbidden to participate in church sacraments, so the date of baptism should be selected when the godmother and mother of the child do not have menstruation. If your period unexpectedly comes earlier or later and falls right around the time of christening, then you must inform the priest about this. The priest may recommend postponing the sacrament, and if this is not possible, then give certain recommendations. Most likely, the godmother will simply be present in the temple, without taking full part in the ritual, that is, she will not be able to accept the child from the font and hold him in her arms, and also venerate the icons. Offering prayers is permitted.

What you need to take to church for a girl’s baptism: list

Godparents need to prepare the necessary baptismal supplies in advance:

• A pectoral cross on a string or chain - should be bought by the godfather. If purchased in a jewelry store, then the priest must be warned before the sacrament begins so that he can consecrate the product. In the church shop, all the crosses have already been consecrated.
• - white cloth (diaper, towel) for taking from the font, bought or sewn by the godmother. In the cold season, you may additionally need a blanket or blanket to wrap your child before the bath and warm him up after.
• or a dress - clothes after the font are bought by the godmother. The cut of the shirt should be loose and give access to the chest, arms, and legs for the priest to anoint. The fabric should be natural and pleasant to the body, well absorb remaining moisture.
• . It is not necessary for a baby girl (up to 7 years old), but parents themselves prefer to wear caps for newborn children, even for boys. But for one-year-old babies and girls from one year old, lace scarves and headbands are selected - they beautifully complement the image. It is advisable to buy a product that matches harmoniously with the dress. In ready-made sets, all baptismal accessories are made in the same style, so this outfit will be preferable.
• Icon by name. If there is no image of the heavenly patron in stock, then you can purchase an icon of the Mother of God or revered saints - Nicholas the Pleasant, Panteleimon the Healer, Matrona of Moscow.
• Church candles for the sacrament.

What you need to buy for a boy's baptism: list

The list of things for a boy’s christening is practically the same. Godparents and parents will need to bring with them:

• Pectoral cross - , or .
• - terry or cotton (according to the season).
• or a ready-made baptismal set without a headdress. For newborn boys, a cap is allowed.
• A personalized icon or image of the Savior.
• Church candles.
• A second small towel so that the priest can dry his hands. Afterwards it remains for the needs of the church.
• A bottle of water, a pacifier.
• Spare clothes.
• Birth certificate, passports of mom and dad.

Rules and responsibilities of parents and godparents

All those invited to the temple for the sacrament must wear crosses and also know their responsibilities.

Godfather and godmother The girl should be received from the font and held in her arms throughout the entire sacrament by the godmother, the boy by the godfather. The godparents will also have to dress the baby in baptismal clothes, so it is good if they have experience interacting with newborns. The recipients, instead of the baptized person, renounce the unclean and his deeds and take a vow of allegiance to the Lord, thereby promising God to help the newly-made Christian believe and live according to the laws of the church. Mom and Dad The parents of a child under seven years of age (infant) must give their consent to baptism, since they are the ones who will be involved in the spiritual education of the child and his inclusion in the church. A child over 7 years old (adolescent) makes this decision himself.

The presence of the mother at the baptism depends on how many days have passed since the birth. Only after 40 days and after reading a cleansing prayer is the young mother allowed to attend the ceremony.

When, after baptism, the priest conducts churching: he brings and places the baby to the icons of the Savior and the Mother of God (the boys are first brought into the altar), then after that he is given either to the godparents or to the father and mother present.

The first communion may be scheduled for some other day, for example, in a week. Parents or mother will need to come with the child to the morning prayer service so that the priest will give the baby communion. Children need to receive Holy Communion as often as possible, preferably every week.

Grandmother and grandfather

Grandparents present at the baptism offer prayers and can help the godparents change the child’s clothes. Being one of the closest relatives, they take part in solving organizational issues. If desired, they can buy additional baptismal accessories, for example, a blanket, blanket, booties, socks, which will be needed during the sacrament and will also be useful to the child in the future.

What prayers do you need to know to baptize a child? The main prayer said by the person being baptized or his recipients is. You need to know it by heart, or at least read it confidently from the page, understanding the meaning. This prayer consists of 12 statements and briefly describes the essence of the Orthodox faith. The godfather and godmother also recite the prayer words of the godfather and godmother, in which they ask to be named godparents and to be blessed for this sacred mission. It is customary to know the prayers that are well known to all Orthodox believers and “Virgin Mother of God, Rejoice.”

Orthodox believers know about the seven Christian sacraments, one of which is baptism. The teaching says that every Orthodox Christian needs to be baptized in order to save his soul and gain the Kingdom of Heaven after physical death. God's grace descends on those who are baptized, but there are also difficulties - everyone who accepts the ritual becomes a warrior of God's army, and the forces of evil fall upon him. To avoid misfortunes, you need to wear a cross.

The day of baptism is very important for a believer - it is like the day of his second birth. This event must be approached with full responsibility. Let's talk about what the baby needs to perform the sacrament, what to buy and take with him, what godparents should do, how to celebrate this holiday at home.If the godparents (godparents) take on part of the responsibility for organizing the ceremony, this will be correct. Preparations for the holiday are carried out by all its participants, especially the baby’s relatives.

When is the best time to baptize a baby?

According to custom, the baby is baptized on the 8th or 40th day after birth. There are circumstances that can affect the timing of the baptism of an infant: if the baby is sick, the illness poses a threat to life, you can baptize him earlier. Orthodoxy says that after christening a person has a guardian angel who is always behind his right shoulder. He will protect the baby and can save him. It is believed that the more prayers addressed to an angel, the stronger he will be.

Some people prefer to wait until the little man grows up and becomes stronger. The other side of the coin is that while the child is an infant, he sleeps in the arms of his godmother and calmly endures the sacrament. The older he gets, the more difficult it is for him to serve quietly. At 2 years old, the baby is spinning, wants to run, go outside. This creates difficulties for the priest and godparents, because the action can last more than an hour. Bathing a baby in the font is also easier.

The first thing mom and dad do before the sacrament is choose a spiritual name for the baby. In our country, a tradition has developed of calling a baby in the world by a name other than the one given to him at baptism in the church - this is a custom justified in Orthodoxy, since it is believed that only the mother and father, the priest and the recipients can know the church name.

Then the little man will be more protected from life’s adversities. In the church, you can agree that the baby is named after the saint on whose day the baby’s birth date falls.

Recommendations for preparing for the baptism ceremony of a small child

How to organize a child's christening? You need to visit the temple where the procedure will take place. In the church shop you can ask any questions you may have. The church minister in the shop will offer you to read a brochure about baptism, which describes all the rules. The date of birth of your baby will be written down, and the desired church name of the baby and the names of his godparents will be asked. For the ceremony, a voluntary payment is made in the form of a donation, which goes to the needs of the temple. How much should I pay? The amount of donation may vary from church to church.

Before the sacrament of baptism, godparents must be sent for an interview with the priest. If the baby’s mother and father come along with them and take part in the conversation, this will only be a plus. The priest will tell you how the baptism of a young child is performed, and what you need to take with you. He will definitely ask during the conversation whether the mother and father and the baby’s adoptive parents are baptized. If not, then the unbaptized should be baptized before the sacrament is performed on the baby. During the conversation, the priest will give recommendations to the baby’s family and set a day and time for the child’s baptism. On this day, you should arrive early in order to have time to get your bearings and prepare. Many parents invite a photographer to their child’s christening and take photos and videos. You need to know that to record videos and take photographs, you must ask permission and blessings from the priest.

Who to choose as godparents?

Usually, godparents are people of the same sex as the baby: for girls it is a woman, for boys it is a man. You can invite two godparents of different genders. Then the baby will have a spiritual father and mother.

The question of who is worthy to become your baby's godfather is very important. Godparents become the baby's second parents. Think about who treats the little man better, who is ready to bear responsibility for him, give him a spiritual example, and pray for him? Most often, relatives and family friends become recipients.

It is best if the godfather is a deeply religious person who knows and observes church traditions and laws. This person should often visit your home, since he is responsible for the upbringing of the little man, primarily spiritual. He will be next to your baby all his life.

You can choose your mother’s or father’s sister or brother, a close friend or family friend, or the baby’s grandmother or grandfather as your godfather.

The recipients must be baptized themselves - this must be done in advance. Parents need to understand that the issue of choosing godparents must be approached very seriously.

Who can't become a godfather?

The laws of baptism in the Orthodox Church are such that the following cannot become a godparent:

1. atheists or non-believers;
2. monks and nuns;
3. mentally ill people;
4. children under 15 years of age;
5. drug addicts and alcoholics;
6. promiscuous women and men;
7. spouses or sexually close people;
8. baby's parents.

Brother and sister cannot be godparents to each other. If you are baptizing twins, you must not do it on the same day. Twins may well have the same godparents.

Memo for godparents

• Appearance. The baby's adoptive parents must come to church with their crosses around their necks. If it is a woman, she wears a skirt that is below the knee and a jacket with sleeves to the temple. A headdress is required for the godmother. The rules for being in church also apply to a man’s clothing: you cannot expose your knees and shoulders, that is, even in hot weather you will have to give up shorts and a T-shirt. A man is in the temple with his head uncovered.
• Purchases and payment. People often ask, who should buy a cross for a child’s baptism? Who pays for the procedure? There is a certain procedure for baptizing a newborn child and preparing for it.
  1. It assumes that the godfather buys a cross for the godson and also pays for the baptism. The godmother buys a cross for her goddaughter. It is best to choose a cross made of ordinary metal or silver. It is not customary to use a golden cross at a ceremony. When choosing a cross, make sure that it cannot injure the baby; let the cross have oval edges.
  2. In addition to the godmother's cross, you need to buy a towel, baptismal shirt and sheet in advance. She buys kryzhma - the material in which the baby is baptized. Caring mothers keep the material for many years, as it helps to cure the child from illness. The sick little man is wrapped in kryzhma, and he begins to recover. It should be stored in a place hidden from prying eyes, since it is believed that through it it can be used to damage the baby.
• Preparation. People appointed as spiritual parents are obliged to prepare themselves for the baptism ceremony of a small child. Preparation includes strict fasting, starting a few days before the event, and refusal of entertainment and pleasure. The day before, it’s a good idea to take communion in church, before going to confession. You must take your child's birth certificate with you to church. You can watch the video of the baptism in advance to roughly understand the sequence of events.
• Prayer. Recipients are required to learn the “Creed” prayer. This prayer is read by the priest three times during the sacrament of baptism of the child; the godfather may also be asked to read it by heart.

Nuances of christening

• A little man can be baptized on any day of the week - on holidays and weekdays, on Lent and on an ordinary day, but most often christenings take place on Saturday.
• The foster children are supposed to pick up the child from the parents in advance and go with him to church on the appointed day and time. Their parents follow them. There is a sign that the godfather should chew a clove of garlic and breathe in the baby’s face. In this way, evil forces are driven away from the baby.
• Only the closest people are present at the ceremony in the temple - the parents of the boy or girl receiving the sacrament, maybe grandparents. The rest can come to the house of the baptized person after the ceremony and celebrate this event at the festive table.
• Baptism of an infant does not always take place in the church itself. Sometimes the priest conducts the ceremony in a specially designated room.
• If necessary, parents can arrange a ceremony at home or in the maternity hospital. To do this, you need to come to an agreement with the priest and pay all his expenses for organizing the sacrament.
• The priest reads prayers and anoints the newborn. Then he cuts a lock of hair from his head, as if making a sacrifice to God. Then the baby is lowered into the font three times, the priest says: “Here is the cross, my daughter (my son), carry it.” Together with the priest, the godfather says: “Amen.”
• The child's parents also come to church, observing Orthodox customs. They dress as is customary in the temple. During the ceremony, the mother can pray for her child. Such prayers will surely be answered.
• In the evening, relatives and friends come to the holiday with gifts. Their choice depends on wealth and imagination: toys or clothes, baby care items or an icon of the baby’s patron saint.

Features of christenings for boys and girls

The christening of a girl and a boy differs little. During the ritual, the godfather carries the male child behind the altar, but the godmother does not carry the female child there. The christening of a newborn girl requires the presence of a headdress, that is, a headscarf is put on her. When a little boy is christened, he is in the temple without a headdress.

If both godparents participate in the ritual, then first the godmother holds the boy, and after bathing in the font, the godfather picks him up and carries him to the altar. The girl is held in her arms only by her godmother. This is the main difference in the ritual for children of the opposite sex.

If the procedure for baptizing a small child is followed, the child’s blood and spiritual parents will prepare for christening, and the child will grow up healthy and cheerful. When he grows up, he will become a highly spiritual person striving for a righteous life.

Clinical and perinatal psychologist, graduated from the Moscow Institute of Perinatal Psychology and Reproductive Psychology and Volgograd State Medical University with a degree in clinical psychology

The reasons why people decide to baptize their children sometimes turn out to be very original in the sense that they have nothing to do with the Church.

Baptism can be perceived as following a family structure:

« Our family follows the tradition of baptizing children. And I don't want to give up on her“, says one of the users.

Sometimes baptism is perceived as a national tradition:

« I won’t call myself a churchgoer; for me it’s more a matter of continuity and some kind of identification: a Russian person is an Orthodox Christian».

This statement is accompanied by a lengthy justification:

« People (for the most part) profess (feel a sense of belonging) to the religion that has historically developed on the territory of their state. Hindus do not convert to Christianity, the Japanese do not strive for Judaism, and Iranians are indifferent to Zen. Everyone minds their own business».

Sociological surveys reveal from two-thirds to 80% of such non-church people, “Orthodox by culture”, in Russian society. We even like to appeal to this number on occasion. But it seems that it is with these people, when they turn to the church, wanting to baptize their children, that the greatest number of misunderstandings, sad and comical situations occur, the essence of which is the same: they do not really understand what they are asking for, but they certainly demand that what they ask is done.

Godparents without “fanatical piety”

« I baptized two of my children and an older relative, and everything was easy, sincere and festive...

Now the priest sternly asked me when I confessed and received communion for the last time, how often I go to church and which one, what prayers I know. I am not different from many of my compatriots in my overly fanatical piety, so I honestly answered that I do all this at the behest of my soul, not rarely, but not every day. I received the answer: “I’m tired of baptizing atheists!»

The commentator was offended. But how can I explain to her that baptism is not just a “holiday”, and Christianity is not only “God in the soul”?

Another case:

« Our godfather was a relative’s brother. He’s generally a hard-working guy, from the village, all the women there come to him for help, and he doesn’t take a penny from anyone, he’s always happy to help. He also turned out to be unworthy».

Are a godfather and a “good man” the same thing?

« A friend asked me to be her baby's godmother. I prepared thoroughly - I bought everything I needed at the Baptism store, got myself mentally ready, and now I read about the interview and was upset. I don’t particularly observe Orthodox customs, what if the priest won’t allow me to see this sacrament?».

Obviously, in the minds of such people, baptism is just a beautiful rite. So complaints are flying across the Internet about the refusal to “perform the ritual.” Or the fact that for some reason the “ritual” was carried out not individually or in the main church (which was chosen by the applicants for being beautiful and ancient), but in a small baptismal church (or even in a separate baptismal room), where the photographer and camera operator could turn around normally.

Is church just beautiful?

Baptize... without an interview

However, the main wave of indignation is caused by the requirement for parents and godparents to undergo public conversations. As the main argument against them, participants in online discussions cite the practice that existed in the Church in the 1990s, when everyone who came was baptized upon first conversion.

However, let’s figure out what public conversations are in general and why they arose.

The introduction into church practice of preparatory conversations for those being baptized themselves (in the case of adults being baptized), as well as for parents and godparents (in the case of infant baptism), is regulated by the document “On religious, educational and catechetical service in the Russian Orthodox Church,” which entered into in force on December 28, 2011.

It says, in particular:

« It is unacceptable to perform the Sacrament of Baptism on adults who, not knowing the basics of faith, refuse to prepare to participate in the Sacrament.”

“The Sacrament of Baptism cannot be performed on a person who denies the fundamental truths of the Orthodox faith and Christian morality. People who wish to be baptized for superstitious reasons cannot be allowed to participate in the Sacrament of Baptism.”

That is, the main purpose of the conversations preceding baptism is not at all to conduct a “test for a good person,” as the authors of some of the above entries considered. Their goal is to explain to a person the basics of the religion to which he converts himself or converts a child.

At our request, the cleric of the Church of St. Nicholas at the Straw Gatehouse, Priest Dimitry Turkin, comments on the situation:

For many years, priests had to baptize almost everyone who asked for it. Very few baptized people became parishioners. Sometimes people who were very far from the true faith and did not seek to know this faith were accepted into membership of the Church. There is hope that this situation has passed forever.

So, you need to accustom yourself to the idea that you need to prepare for baptism, and if there is objectively no such readiness, then there will be no baptism.

Currently, preparation for baptism consists of listening to lectures mainly by future godparents. Of course, like any new business, it is not without its shortcomings. Essentially, we are trying to revive the practice of catechumens before baptism. This is an obvious benefit for the Church, so the world does not want to accept it.

The mistake of those who critically evaluate our attempts to resist the formal attitude towards the Sacrament is that it seems to them that we are trying to force someone to teach something. In fact, we are still trying, forgive the rudeness, to simply filter out those who do not want to learn anything themselves. Believe me, they do not need either Christ or His Church.

It is very good that someone declares: “the baptism of a child is the reason to start going to church.” Attending preparatory lectures is precisely the beginning of going to church. In addition, this is also a way to begin to understand something in church life. But we can no longer count on “suddenly they will start.”

Imagine the feelings of a priest forced to baptize everyone who comes for years. Believe me, it is very difficult and painful for the soul to pray with and for those who themselves do not want anything and simply indifferently defend the time of the Sacrament.

In fact, we don't turn anyone away. If a person has completed the preparation, then he is allowed to be baptized. It’s just that those who have decided for themselves that they don’t need anything from the Church other than the fact of baptism do not come to our conversations and therefore do not come to be baptized or baptize their children.

There were many different cases of baptism, but I don’t remember a single one when a person who initially showed indifference became a parishioner.

In general, over the time that has passed since the introduction of public conversations into church practice, the attitude towards them has become calmer. However, the phrase in the title of this section still occupies a leading place in the list of search queries.

Interview stumbling blocks

In addition to the very fact of their holding, public conversations raise a number of questions.

Firstly, at the very beginning of the conversation, apparently, they were carried out, as they say, “with zeal beyond reason.” The correspondent knows of a case when several years ago in the summer an Orthodox couple from Moscow tried to baptize their third child in Vologda with their parents.

After sitting through a two-hour lecture with three children from zero to four years old in her arms, the mother then tried to talk to the priest about “mitigating the procedure.” To which I received the answer: “ Either sit through two more meetings, or go to be baptized at your place of residence».

In Moscow, after asking the same couple a few questions, the priest told the parents to prepare for communion. The child was baptized on the next convenient day for them.

Priest Dimitry Turkin comments:

The participation (NB, not the presence) of godparents and (or) parents is mandatory in cases where they are not churchgoers or are not parishioners of a given temple. If parishioners who confess and receive communion in church ask for baptism, they receive permission without preparation.

If these are people from another parish, then in a short conversation they must show their degree of church membership and, then, based on the results, they will either receive permission to be baptized, or they will be offered to undergo preparatory conversations.

Cases of a routine attitude towards catechesis (both on the part of participants and on the part of organizers) were also noted in online records:

« It's just something like a lecture. I went for three Saturdays. Dad was sitting with the baby. I don't regret it. At least I took a little nap».

In other cases, the very content of the conversation raised questions. The Regulations “On Religious-Educational and Catechetical Ministry” provide for:

“The catechumen of adults involves several conversations, including the study of the Creed, selected passages of Holy Scripture, the foundations of Christian morality, including ideas about sins and virtues, and an introduction to the liturgical life of the Church.”

The official document prescribes: when necessary, there should be at least two conversations, but their content and duration are determined by the catechist “with love and prudence.” However, life practice can often differ significantly:

« I went last year, and they gave me videos on my laptop to watch with speeches by clergy about the benefits of the very talk I came to.».

Sometimes the meaning of the conversation, according to the testimonies of those announced, came down to maintaining superstitions associated with baptism:

« The interview was more like a conversation about life. The main thing that worried them was whether we were dating our godfather, whether we were living together as a man and a woman, or whether we were getting married...»

In other cases, the content of the conversation itself is generally difficult to understand:

« The inappropriate lady who conducted this interview took it upon herself to tell why small children die, but there was no logic in it».

Sometimes those who came were clearly not ready for the teaching to move “to a practical level.” Although, perhaps, the tone of the conversation was not entirely correct:

« The abbess of the church (I could be wrong) conducted a monologue about what irresponsible, sinful, low people we all are.

There were many godparents and parents, some tried to ask questions, to which they received short answers in the style of: “There’s a book, everything is written there, what’s not clear?»

True, our godfather, convicted of fornication by the whole crowd (he had already been living with a girl for a long time), got married. Perhaps we are not Orthodox and should not be baptized, but this is not the way to convey it.”

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Christening is a great sacrament, a responsible and important step in the life of both the child and his parents. This means the acceptance of the newborn by the church, and in its guise by the Lord himself. This procedure is one of the oldest and has a centuries-old history. The tradition itself, although it has changed to this day, has still retained all the most basic rules and canons.

You can find out how a boy’s christening takes place in our article. Baptism prepares a little person for life through spirituality and faith, and to those who know and understand this, the Almighty bestows his eternal grace.

In Christian culture, there are a number of rules for the baptism of a boy and a girl, as well as the duties of godparents, which must be strictly fulfilled.

Basic church laws when baptizing a boy:

a few days before the christening, it is very desirable that the godparents undergo a rite of purification and confess;

• everyone who takes part in the ritual must come to the temple in advance, be peaceful and calm;
• the parents of the child in church during the sacrament should not be present in the church;
• the boy is brought into the temple by his godmother as soon as the priest gives her a sign;
• the child does not have to be dressed, you can wrap him in white cloth;
• godparents clearly repeat all the prayers after the priest, thus renouncing everything sinful and accepting God’s commandments for fulfillment;
• the boy is turned to the west, anointed with oil and immersed in the font (the arrival of the Holy Spirit);
• then they put on the baptismal set and place it on the chest (protection from sin);
• then there is a passage around the font (a Christian symbol of eternity);
• at the end, the priest himself carries the boy to the altar, where the completion of the sacrament takes place;
• After the christening, everyone present goes to the orphanage for the celebration.

If twin boys undergo the baptism ceremony, then their godparents must be different, but they can be baptized on the same day.

There are also questions that the baby’s parents, in particular the mother, need to know. Basically, the church does not allow her presence in the temple during the ceremony, but if the desire is strong enough, this is possible if the following conditions are met:

• the priest must read a special prayer both before and after the sacrament;
• mother undergo a confession ritual (if she has not done this in the near future);
• the mother must fast for several days immediately before the christening.

On average, the entire ceremony takes from 30 minutes to an hour. The main thing is that everything goes right, this is very important for the boy, and for the godparents, and for his parents, because from now on they are one spiritual family, blessed by the Almighty.

Baby boy christening set

This set is also a very important component of the sacrament. Therefore, adults need to approach their choice with all seriousness and responsibility. It includes:

• the most important element is the kryzhma (a white diaper, often openwork with embroidered initials of the baby or an Orthodox cross);
• baptismal shirt (simple or elegant with trim);
• white blanket.

It is not necessary to purchase a cap and socks for a boy. The set itself is a relic that should be kept in the house for many years; it cannot be used in everyday life. But it is worth remembering that kryzhma is endowed with healing properties, so if a child suddenly gets sick, then this baptismal cloth can help him recover.

There is also a belief: if parents want the next boy born into this family to be friends with his brother, then he too will be baptized in this baptismal shirt.

Boy's christening, rules for godmother

There is a certain set of rules for each of the godparents, which must be strictly followed, because the whole future life of the baby depends on it.

• Rules for a godmother:
• must not be pregnant;
• have no mental illness;
• conduct a confession before the ceremony;
• not be married to a godfather and not be his close relative;
• not to be a nun;
• be of age.

What does the godmother buy for a boy’s christening:

• the fabric in which the baby is wrapped (kryzhma);
• baptismal set (shirt, blanket, maybe a cap);
• silk scarf for the priest.

Boy's christening, rules for godfather

• confess before the sacrament of baptism;
• not be married to the godmother, not be her closest relative;
• have no problems with the law or mental illness;
• not to be a minister of the church (monk);
• reach adulthood.

What does a godfather buy for a boy’s christening:

• purchasing a cross for a child;
• buying a gift;
• fulfillment of all financial obligations.

Responsibilities of godparents at the baptism of a boy

• be sure to be an example for inheritance;
• regularly prays for his godson;
• to guide the boy on the true path according to God's commandments;
• always keep in touch with him (even if they live far from him);
• be present at the baby's first communion;
• in the event of illness or death of parents, take full responsibility for raising the child.

But the most important thing is that the godparents understand the importance of their rank, and the boy knows that there are always people next to him who will help, advise, and support. Godparents are spiritual educators, and their role in the life of a godson cannot be overestimated.

Responsibilities of the godfather at the baptism of a boy

Another quite important responsibility of a godfather is buying a gift for his godson. And its implementation must be treated with special understanding. According to tradition, the godfather must present a silver spoon at the christening.

It must be said that products made from this noble metal are the most common gifts for baptismal rites. This is a symbol of prosperity and fullness of life. A Bible can be a wonderful gift. Reading it will help in shaping the boy’s spiritual world.

Also often with engraving. This thing becomes very personal for a child and goes with him along the path of life, protecting him from all kinds of adversity.

In addition, the godfather can give:

• silver or gold jewelry;
• personalized photo album;
• clothes;
• thematic religious and fiction books;
• various toys.

Boy baptism names

Choosing a name for christenings is a very important issue when preparing for them and quite a big problem, since sometimes there are different opinions, which are not always possible to reconcile. But most often parents turn to the priest.

If the boy’s name is Orthodox, then you don’t have to change it, but still many try to do this, because in this way they want to protect the baby from everything bad. The name is selected mainly according to the calendar, taking into account the day (or period) in which the child was born, and the name can be either in tune with the worldly or completely different from it.

What is needed for a boy's baptism

Baptism of a child is the great mission of man on Earth. What is needed for the baptism of a child or a boy - the main thing is that you need to be especially careful and prepared. Godparents should read as much spiritual literature as possible in order to be able to help their godson in any life situation.

And what is important, the godfather as a man must develop and shape the best masculine qualities, such as: courage, endurance, self-control, willpower and spirit. After all, the role of godparents does not end immediately after the baptismal ceremony; this is a long journey of development for a little person, and there can be no room for error.

Therefore, when preparing to become godparents, you need to weigh the pros and cons many times, try to understand yourself, study religious literature, be educated in the field of spirituality, and most importantly, be a true example for the child.

Life prepares challenges for everyone, but not everyone can cope with them. And often times come when it is not parents, close relatives or friends who can help, but godparents, because their spiritual level and knowledge of life are quite high.

They are like “faithful companions” who walk with a person through life, and when necessary, lead him to God through communion, confession, and prayer. And it is thanks to them that from early childhood the child feels boundless confidence, care and grace of the Almighty.

The Lord is always with you!

Watch also the video about the sacrament of baptism:

What is baptism, why is it really needed, what is the essence of baptizing a child? What are the rules for baptizing a child in the church, how is the baptismal ceremony performed? What needs to be done before baptism and after baptism? Do you need godparents and how to choose a godparent? These and many other questions confront parents who are about to baptize their child. In this material you will find answers to the most common questions about the baptism of a child.

Child baptism ceremony

The essence of child baptism

Baptism is one of the seven sacraments of the Orthodox Church, in which the convert is immersed three times in a font of blessed water with the invocation of the name of the Holy Trinity - the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The essence of child baptism is that the little person “dies” to a life of sin and is reborn to life with God through a mysterious ceremony.

The Bible says:

Anyone who is not born of water and the Spirit cannot enter the Kingdom of God

In. 3:5

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; and whoever does not believe will be condemned

Mk. 16:16

This rite was established by the Lord Jesus Christ himself when He was baptized by John the Baptist (known as the Baptist) in the waters of the Jordan River.

Baptism is necessary for a person to save his soul. This is a new birth for spiritual life in which a person can reach the Heavenly Kingdom. Through baptism, in a mysterious, incomprehensible way for us, the invisible power of God - grace - acts on a person. Jesus Christ, sending the apostles to preach the gospel, taught them to baptize people:

Go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit

Matt. 28, 19

Having been baptized, a person becomes a member of the Church of Christ and can begin other church sacraments. If parents wish their child a worthy, moral life - with God, the Creator of the world and the Source of all that is good and bright - this path should begin with baptism.

Some believe that a child should be baptized by his own choice at a conscious age. But that's not true. If parents want to raise a child to be a moral, strong-spirited personality based on Christian values, then baptism is necessary at a very early age, since it washes away the mark of original sin and allows the child to participate in the sacraments, without which there will simply be no spiritual development.

Another popular myth is that the need for baptism is to bestow health through the sacrament. A similar approach generally applies to all church sacraments, when people are convinced that unction or communion - it doesn’t matter - is aimed at solving pressing, earthly issues of a person, such as healing from illnesses or obtaining material benefits. Baptism is the child’s entrance into the Church, the community of people of the Orthodox faith. His health will depend, not least of all, on the lifestyle of his parents and their prayers for him, as well as on compliance with the simplest principles of proper care for the baby.

Child baptism in church

Church rules state that after his birth the ceremony is performed according to existing custom on the 40th day. But depending on the circumstances, this can be done earlier or later. For example, after birth a child is weak and sick, God forbid - near death. Baptism gives you a chance to pray to God for the child and to give him communion immediately after the completion of the sacrament.

For baptism, you need to choose the temple in which the ceremony will be held, pre-select godparents, go through a public conversation (at which the church minister will tell you about all the rules), the child needs to choose a name at baptism, although it may coincide with the one given at birth.

Parents and godparents need to prayerfully prepare for this event, as well as know the basic Orthodox prayers, which the priest will first inform you about. The following attributes must be prepared for the sacrament of baptism: a pectoral cross, baptismal clothing, a towel, candles, an icon of the heavenly patron of the person being baptized. This entire “set” can be purchased at the temple.

How to choose a temple for child baptism

The temple for performing the sacrament of baptism can be any Orthodox temple of the Russian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate or another canonical Local Orthodox Church, either located directly next to the family’s place of residence, or chosen at will.

Archpriest

VSEVOLOD CHAPLIN

Rector of the Church of St. Theodore Studite at the Nikitsky Gate, Moscow

Priest

ANTON RUSAKEVICH

Rector of the Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Gorodomlya Island