What are godparents responsible for? Do you know the responsibilities of godparents? -Who can’t be a godfather?

According to Russian custom Orthodox Church For the baptism of a child, one godfather of the same sex is enough, for a girl - a godmother, for a boy - a godfather. But at the request of the parents, there can be two godparents. The godfather of the same sex as the child will be the recipient of the font, and the responsibilities godparents- divided in half.

When choosing a godfather for your son, you should think seriously: what kind of man do you want your child to be in the future, what masculine character traits will he develop over time, and in general, what does the words “be a Christian” mean to you? A godfather can provide invaluable assistance in raising a son. It is important to remember that the godfather and godson must trust each other and be friends. Experienced priests advise choosing as godparents those who successfully raise their own children.

A good godfather has a lot to learn, and he himself knows how and loves to teach. Remember that the godfather is called to help in the Christian upbringing of the child, and not just to be a support for the family in different situations. Ideally, the godfather should be an example for the whole family - in faith, honesty, kindness. Another important circumstance is that it is desirable that the godfather is not new to the church; he should well understand the meaning of church life, know and love the services in the church.

Spiritual kinship is a strong connection between two souls for life. By finding a worthy godfather for your child, you will give him a priceless gift that he will appreciate when he becomes an adult.

What does a godfather need to prepare for the rite of Baptism?

The godfather chooses and buys in advance for the future godson pectoral cross, a chain for it, or a lace for a baby. Also, it’s worth taking care of purchasing a baptismal icon of the Guardian Angel ahead of time. It is also customary to give for Baptism an icon of the patron saint of the child in whose honor the name was given in baptism. It can be purchased, by agreement, by the child’s parents or godparents.

Godparents can order a measured icon for a child on Epiphany Day - an icon of the patron saint, the length of which is equal to the height of the child at birth. A measured icon is a valuable gift and a special blessing from godparents at a christening.

Traditionally, baptismal clothes - a shirt and diaper with a cross - are bought by the godmother. In the case when the boy has one godfather, the baptismal accessories can be chosen together with the baby’s own mother - the mother always knows best what is best for the child. To baptize a boy, you will need a white shirt and a baptismal diaper or a large, white, new towel, in which the godson is received from the font. As a gift to the godson's family, you can present any icons. If there are no icons in the apartment of the young parents, then it will be very good if the godfather gives them the main holy images that should be in the home of every believer - icons of the Savior and the Mother of God.

The godfather's job is to give the child a Children's Bible. This can be done on the day of Epiphany or during the first year of the baby’s life, on any holiday. A good christening gift would be any spiritual literature for family reading, as well as a prayer book with prayers for children, in a good quality leather binding, gift edition.

When preparing for Baptism, you will need to talk with the priest and find out what else is needed to perform the ceremony in the church - how many candles are needed, what icons can be placed on the lectern, etc. All this is worth finding out in advance so as not to fuss and waste time in solemn day. The godfather's responsibilities also include paying for the baptismal ceremony in the temple.

What should godfathers do during the sacrament of baptism?

During the baptismal ceremony, the godfather holds the child in his arms, if it is an infant, starting from about two years old, children stand independently, in front of the godfather, while reading prayers.

After the vows of negation from evil forces that the godfather gives for the child, the prayer Creed is read. This prayer is read by heart by the godfather, as a sign of confession of faith and guarantee for the baby.

Before immersion in the font, the godfather frees the child from diapers, or helps the baby take off his clothes, and hands him over to the priest for immersion. The godfather receives the child from the font into the white baptismal cloth, in the old days called “rizka” or “kryzhma”. The priest, with the help of his godfather, dresses the newly baptized person in a white baptismal shirt. At the end of the sacrament, the godfather with the child in his arms walks around the lectern three times, the Gospel is read, and the ceremony of cutting hair is performed as a sign of the godson’s surrender to the will of God.

Personal christening preparation for the godfather

According to the rules of the Russian Orthodox Church, the child's godparents and parents must attend a mandatory course of public conversations before baptism. Each church has its own procedure for conducting public conversations. You can find out about this from the candle maker when you sign up for baptism.

Baptism is a great sacrament of the Orthodox Church. One should prepare for it by fasting, confession and communion in order to participate in the sacrament with a renewed and pure soul. You can receive communion at Sunday service, on the eve of baptism. In many churches, it is customary to baptize children on Sundays, after the Liturgy.

If you are participating in the sacrament of Baptism for the first time, you need to get acquainted with the order of the sacrament - what sacred rites and prayers are performed and in what order, what the godfather has to do during the ritual. You can talk about this with the priest during public conversations or in person, in church.

Responsibilities of a Godfather

The main thing is to set an example of decent masculine behavior. To do this, you need to communicate with your godson more often when he grows up, talk about different topics. Christian upbringing assumes that godparents will periodically go to church with the child, accessible language explain the essence of what is happening in the church, ensure that the godson regularly confesses and receives communion.

You need to be ready to help advise parents in any difficult situation, and, if necessary, financially. When the child becomes a schoolchild, his godparents enroll him in Sunday school.

In old Russia there was a custom according to which it was the godparents who made the choice educational institution for the child, and then helped in arranging his personal life.

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Baptism of a child is a responsible step. Parents must not only be sure that the baby needs this, but also choose the right godparents. After all, according to the purpose of the godparents, the upbringing of the child in faith and piety depends on this.

About godfather

If women often take a more responsible approach to such an event as baptism, then men can leave some details and moments to chance. This should not be done, because every godfather must remember that for his actions he will ultimately bear responsibility before God. Therefore, the godfather must first thoroughly learn his responsibilities in order to know what to do in a given situation.

Preparation

They must remember that if they are offered such a responsible role, they cannot refuse, it is considered bad sign. Having accepted their new status as godparents, they must carefully understand what they will need to do or not do in order to prepare for the ceremony. So, a few days before the baby’s baptism, godparents must fast and not be sexually active. It is also worth remembering that atheists, as well as married people, cannot be godparents. What should the godmother and godfather understand? The duties assigned to them must be strictly fulfilled, whether they like it or not. Previously, a child had only one godparent, of the same gender, but today this has changed a little, but the main one is considered to be the godparent who is the same gender as the baby. It is also worth remembering that the godparents must bear all the costs of preparing the ceremony. A man buys a cross and also pays for the services of the church (photographer), a woman buys a baptismal shirt and a towel - kryzhma. Also, the godmother should prepare treats for guests who came to congratulate the child on such an important day as baptism.

Ceremony

The godmother must remember that during the baptism ceremony you cannot wear makeup, i.e., use any cosmetics. Any jewelry is also not welcome, but you can and even need to put on your own. The duties of a godfather during baptism do not imply anything difficult. You just need to hold the baby and do everything the priest says. It is also better to first learn the “Creed” prayer; it will need to be said during the baptism ceremony. during the ceremony the same.

Life

It is worth recalling once again that the main godfather for a child is the person who is of the same sex. If there was a godfather, he must clearly understand his responsibilities. After all, it is he who will have to tell the baby who God is, what faith the child is and how to behave correctly in various situations. church rituals. Knowing the responsibilities of a godfather, a man must lead an honest, pious life, because the child will also look up to him and look closely at his manner of behavior. It is a misconception that godparents should only give gifts to the baby on numerous holidays, but this is not enough. It is the godmother and godfather, whose responsibilities are the spiritual upbringing of the child, who are responsible for what kind of person the child will become and how he will settle down in society in the future.

DatsoPic 2.0 2009 by Andrey Datso

Quite a few of us were baptized as infants. And of course, we cannot remember how it all happened. It may also happen that we are asked to become the godmother or father of the baby. And then, we need to know the whole Sacrament of Baptism and whether we can become someone’s recipient. And when a joyful event occurs in our family - the birth of a child, then we need to think about who we can entrust with the spiritual upbringing of our child.

What should a godfather do during Baptism?

Being a godfather is very responsible and honorable. The Orthodox Church conducts small children through the rite of Baptism according to the faith of their godparents and parents. Since, by participating in the Sacrament, godparents take on great responsibility for the little parishioner of the Church, of course, they should be Orthodox believers.

Only according to the faith of parents and godparents, the Orthodox Church baptizes infants. When the sacrament of baptism of the baby is performed, his godfather (of the same gender as the child himself) will hold his godson. We understand that small man When Baptism occurs, he is not able to comprehend what is happening, so his godfather will pronounce the vow of faith before Christ for him and, accordingly, renounce Satan. And from this moment on, the Angels begin to protect the baby through the faith and prayers of the godparents and parents.

Responsibilities of godparents after Baptism.

It is very important that godparents participate in Church life, so that they are not so-called believers, but truly live Orthodox customs. Why is this so important? After all, the duties of godparents begin to come into force after Baptism, and are not limited only to the rite of the Sacrament.

Let's look at the three main responsibilities of godparents:

Prayer – the godfather is obliged to constantly be in prayer for his godson. He asks God to keep the child and give wisdom as he grows. The godparent, by his example, must teach the godson to remain in prayer with reverence, respect and gratitude to God. The baby needs to know that we place all our worries in our hands. loving God. And that prayer is a conversation with God the Father, which He always expects from us.

Creed – when the baby grows up and begins to understand the basics of existence, we need (as godparents) to lead him to a conscious prayer of repentance. And then, again, showing an example of personal spiritual life, teach them to follow Christ. With love in our hearts, and only this way, we can make a child fall in love with God.

Moral teaching - baby from the very beginning small age will learn to abide in love, virtue, and mercy when the godparents spend a lot of time teaching the child this. The child must understand that being a Christian and simply being called are two different things.

The Church teaches us that on Judgment Day we will give an account to God for how we brought our godson, as well as our children, to Christ. Our godchildren will be a clear indicator of how obedient and faithful we ourselves have been to God. Therefore, accepting an agreement to be a godparent is very, very responsible and we must not forget about this.

What can you give to your godson?

Certainly, a good gift for our godson there may be a pectoral cross. What it will be made of will depend on the capabilities and efforts of the godparents. But the main thing is that the cross should be of the form that is accepted in the Orthodox Church.

And even earlier, in those distant times, it was customary to give a silver spoon as a gift. This spoon was called a “tooth gift.” It was used when the baby first began to eat from a spoon.

Today, few people can afford such a gift. But if you don’t have enough money for a silver spoon, the baby’s daily items will come in very handy. You will please not only your godson, but also his parents.

How to choose the right godfather for your child?

It is very important that godparents be baptized Orthodox believers. Pay attention to whether your godparents can instill in the child a love for God and the Church. Do they themselves have a church life to be good example for your baby? We should not base our choices solely on financial assistance from godparents or friendly feelings.

You need to think about whether your successors will be spiritual educators for your child?

It is possible for the child to have one godfather. It is important that he be of the same gender as the baby. And of course, so that he has the above criteria.

Who shouldn't be a godfather?

Under no circumstances should non-Christians - Muslims, Jews, atheists, Buddhists, and so on - be godparents. Even if these people are your close friends and good buddies, under no circumstances should you transfer the spiritual education of your child to non-Christians.

There are exceptional options - when there is no Orthodox friend nearby, then you can admit to the Sacrament of Baptism one of your friends who belongs to a different Christian denomination: Protestant or Catholic. This can only happen if you are confident in the person's sincere walk for Christ.

There is also an old tradition of the Orthodox Church that a husband and wife cannot become the adoptive parents of the same child. Therefore, young people who want to get married should think about this before responding to an offer to become godparents to one child.

Is it true that a girl can only baptize a boy first?

There is such a superstition, but this opinion has nothing to do with Christian roots. This erroneous transmission of an initially false view gave rise to such a superstition that if the first godson is a girl, this will prevent the young woman from getting married. An Orthodox Christian should not base her opinion on fictitious restrictions that are not taught by the Orthodox Church.

Conclusion.

Obviously, it would be reasonable if people who have life experience in the Christian life, having a good conscience and respect from people and God. If, moreover, we can see the good fruits of their upbringing of their own children, then our hearts will be calm and grateful to God for the help provided in guiding our children through the lives.

Being a godmother is a great honor, but also a great responsibility, because she has to become the spiritual mentor of her godson or goddaughter. If your loved ones have given you such an honor, it means they express special trust in you and hope that you will fulfill this role with dignity.

However, keep in mind that in addition to performing the duties of a godmother at baptism, you will later have to instruct your godson in matters of the Christian faith, take him to communion, and set an example of behavior for him.

As for preparing for baptism, this stage takes the godmother several days. What does the godmother do during baptism? What does she need to know about the ritual of this sacrament? We will answer these and some other questions.

According to the church charter, the godmother cannot be the child’s mother, a nun, an unbeliever or an unbaptized woman. Not only the mother’s friend, but also one of the relatives, for example, the baby’s grandmother or aunt, can act as a godmother. However, the adoptive mother cannot serve as a godmother either during or after the baptism.

How to prepare a godmother for the baptism ceremony

Preparations for baptism for the godmother begin several days before this ceremony. She, like her godfather, needs to fast for a period of time. three days, and then confess and receive communion.

You also need to talk with the priest, who will tell you in detail what the godmother needs to know about this sacrament and what she will have to do during the baptismal ceremony.

As a rule, the duties of a godmother in preparation for baptism include knowing by heart some of the prayers that will need to be read during this ceremony: “Creed”, “Our Father”, “Hail to the Virgin Mary”, “Heavenly King”, etc.

They express the essence of faith, help to cleanse oneself from sin and gain strength to overcome obstacles in life. life path. Although in some parishes knowledge of these prayers is not required: during the ceremony, the godparents will only need to repeat some phrases after the priest.

The godmother's preparation for the baptismal ceremony does not end there. She will need to purchase the things necessary for this ceremony and know what actions she will have to perform during the ceremony. However, let's talk about everything in order.

What else does a godmother need to know about the rules for baptizing a child? You should dress modestly for a christening. You cannot come to the temple in trousers, and the skirt must be below the knees. Women's head Orthodox church must be covered with a scarf.

What should a godmother do during a baptism? The ritual consists of the rite of catechumen (reading special prayers over the child), his renunciation of Satan and union with Christ, as well as confession Orthodox faith. The godparents say the appropriate words for the baby on his behalf, renouncing the unclean spirit and promising to remain faithful to the Lord.

If a girl is being baptized, then the godmother should hold her in her arms during the baptism ceremony; if the ceremony is being performed by a boy, then the godfather. Although this can also be done by one of the godparents who better acquainted with the baby and next to whom the child feels more comfortable.

However, in any case, the godmother must be well acquainted with the child in order to maintain emotional contact with the baby and be able to calm him down if he cries.

After this, as a child is baptized, immersing him three times in water in the font and reading prayers at the same time, the godmother must take him in her arms. To do this you will need a kryzhma - a white towel. According to superstitions, drops from a baby’s face cannot be wiped off so that his life is happy.

Then the child is put on a cross (if it was not purchased in a church, it will need to be consecrated in advance) and a baptismal outfit - a shirt to the toes for a boy and a dress for a girl. The baby will also need a cap or scarf.

Even during preparation for baptism, the godmother is obliged to choose these things for the child. In the old days, women sewed them themselves, but nowadays baptismal attire and kryzhma can be bought in a store or church shop.

These things are not washed after christening and are not used for their intended purpose. It is recommended to keep them throughout a person’s life, as they serve as amulets, helping him avoid various troubles and diseases.

What else does a godmother need to do when baptizing a child? After initiation into the font, the godparents and the priest walk around it three times with the baby as a sign of spiritual joy from the union of the new member. Christ Church with the Savior for eternal life.

After the ritual of anointing, when parts of the child’s body are anointed with myrrh and prayers are read, the priest washes the myrrh with a special sponge moistened with holy water.

Then the priest lightly trims the child’s hair on four sides, which is folded onto a wax cake and lowered into the font, which symbolizes submission to God and sacrifice in gratitude for the beginning of spiritual life.

(The godmother will need a small bag in which to place the baby's cut hair, which can then also be stored with the towel and shirt.)

After this, the priest reads prayers for the child and his godparents, followed by churching. The priest carries the baby around the temple. If it is a boy, then he is brought into the altar. At the end of the ritual, the child is applied to one of the icons of the Savior and to the icon of the Mother of God, and then given to the parents.

In addition to the things necessary for the ceremony, the godmother can give the baby an icon with the image of his patron saint, a “measured icon”, a children’s Bible, a prayer book or items that do not have a church focus (clothes, shoes, toys, etc.), and also assist his parents in organizing a festive feast on the occasion of the christening.

We have already told you what the godmother has to know and do during the baptism ceremony of the child. But your mission doesn't end there. As already mentioned, you will need to be involved in the life of your godson and beyond.

You will attend church with your child if his parents are unable to do so due to illness or absence. You will need to promote the spiritual growth of your godson, give him advice in difficult life situations. In a word, take care of him along with his parents, because now you are responsible for the new member of the Christian church before God.

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One of major events in the life of a believer, this is a sacrament during which he is accepted into the faith and the church. The baptism of a child, both a boy and a girl, is carried out according to certain rules churches. The sacrament is carried out according to a ritual that has not changed for several centuries. Parents and godparents must prepare carefully and in advance for this significant event.

What is baby baptism

The rite of baptism of a child is an important step for believing parents and their baby, a procedure after which a person is accepted into the Christian faith and church. Christenings have a long history, but before today the basic rules and canons have been preserved. Holy baptism The birth of a child is not a tribute to fashion or tradition, the ritual saves the baby from sins (hereditary or personal) and birth takes place for a holy, spiritual life.

Choosing a name

If the name with which the baby is registered on the birth certificate is not in the calendar, then you should decide on choosing another one. They select names for the child’s baptism that are consonant with the world, for example, Zhanna - Anna, Sergei - Sergius. When there is no such correspondence in the church calendar, the name of the saint is used, who is honored immediately after the birth of the baby. When choosing a name, it is better to seek help from a clergyman rather than doing it yourself. In church rituals, the name given during the sacrament is used. It is necessary to know him in order to honor the heavenly intercessor.

At what age is it better to baptize a child?

The Church recommends scheduling a baby's christening as early as possible. Catholics and Orthodox Christians schedule the baptism of a child in the first months from the date of birth, although a person of any age is allowed to perform the ceremony. Some people postpone baptism until a person can independently decide on his choice of religion. Often the date for the sacrament is set on the 40th day of the baby’s life. The choice of the date of baptism, which establishes when to baptize a child, has several reasonable explanations:

newborns up to 3 months can easily tolerate head-first dives;
babies behave calmer and are not afraid when strangers pick them up;
The mother of the baby is allowed to enter the church after 40 days from the date of birth.

Child christening - rules and signs

If the baptism of an infant is carried out according to all the rules, preparation for the sacrament should begin in advance. For future godparents, the church prescribes going to confession a few days before the date of christening, repenting and receiving communion. It is also recommended to fast for 3-4 days, although this condition is not mandatory. On the morning of the ceremony, godparents should not eat or have sex the day before.

On what days are children baptized in church?

You can carry out the sacrament of baptism of a child on any day, be it a holiday, an ordinary day, or a fast day. IN church calendars there are no prohibitions on certain dates of the ceremony. The only exceptions are Christmas, Easter and Trinity, when the churches are crowded and it will be difficult to conduct the sacrament. Some churches have their own schedule related to internal regulations. When choosing the day on which the baptism of children will be scheduled, it is better to consult with a priest.

Rules for baptizing a child in the Orthodox Church

When you decide to baptize a child, it is important not only to choose a temple and purchase baptismal supplies, but also to familiarize yourself with the conditions defined by the church that parents and guests must follow. Church rules state that everyone must be with body crosses. Women should wear closed dresses and cover their heads with a scarf. The baptism process lasts at least half an hour, the baby will be held in your arms, so it is better to avoid uncomfortable high-heeled shoes.

Men will need a dark suit, but not black. Although the church does not establish strict rules relatively appearance men do not need to come to the place where the sacraments are performed wearing shorts and a T-shirt. On the eve of the solemn event, the parents, as well as godmothers and fathers, must confess. A few days before the sacrament takes place, you should fast.

What is needed for the baptism of a boy child

When a boy is christened, the godfather is always involved in the ceremony. Traditionally, he takes on all financial obligations, buys a cross for the ceremony and a gift. The custom of paying for the ritual is not always entrusted to the godfather; depending on the financial situation, the child’s natural parents can make a donation to the church. It is up to the godmother to buy a baptismal set, which includes a shirt, a blanket, and sometimes a cap. She is also responsible for buying kryzhma and a silk scarf for the clergy.

Girl christening

At the sacrament of baptism of a girl, the godmother is considered the main recipient. Its main task is to read the “Creed” prayer during the ceremony. If it is difficult to memorize a text, you can take a hint with words. Traditionally, a woman gives a baptismal set and buys a kryzhma (white towel) for her godchildren. As a gift, you can present an icon of the saint whose name the goddaughter bears. The godfather must buy a cross, and also helps the girl’s parents financially by paying for the ceremony.

Choosing godparents

One of the main tasks of parents is to choose the right godparents (fathers) from Orthodox Christians for their newborn. These are not just those people who give gifts to a child on holidays, but also engage in spiritual education, teach the rules of Christian life and the basics of Orthodox doctrine. According to the church charter, one godparent is required: for a girl - a woman, for a boy - a man, but often both the godmother and the godfather are invited for the baptism procedure. Both recipients must be Orthodox Christians.

Receivers cannot be changed, so parents must carefully select mentors for their child. Often the child’s relatives are invited to this responsible “position”. Grandmothers, uncles, older sisters and any other people close to the family can become godparents. If you choose adoptees from the family, the godson will communicate with them more often, for example, at family events. In addition to the conditions set by the church, it is worth paying attention to the following qualities of potential godparents:

reliability;
responsibility;
high moral and ethical values.

Who has no right to be a godfather

According to the norms of church law, sometimes a person cannot become a godfather or godmother. The high responsibility that is imposed on the recipients determines the circle of people who cannot claim such an honorable role. The following cannot become godparents:

spouses or bride and groom for one child;
parents for their baby;
monks and nuns;
non-Orthodox, unbaptized;
immoral or insane;
children (boys under 15, girls under 13).

The sacrament of baptism - rules for godparents

Responsibility for raising their godchildren in Orthodox spirit assigned to recipients. Preparation for this most important stage of a child’s life plays a huge role, although it does not require special effort. Previously, recipients need to undergo a special interview by visiting the church. The godmother helps the parents prepare some items for the child's baptism. It is important that she knows how to handle the child, that she can take off his clothes and put on the baptismal set.

The godmother plays the most important role when the sacrament is performed on a girl. In cases where male infants are baptized, the godfather bears great responsibility. He takes the baby after immersing himself in the holy font, when the baby is wrapped in kryzhma. The godfather can also participate in the purchase of a baptismal set or cross. All material expenses are secondary; the main condition for a child’s baptism is the sincere faith of the relatives and godparents.

What you need to know

Godparents are entrusted with the enormous responsibility of spiritual education of the godson, teaching him the basics of the Christian faith. If the recipients are not sufficiently informed, then they should fill in the gaps, study the relevant literature, and talk with priests. Before the sacrament, it is better to learn about the rules of the ceremony. It is important to clarify at what stage the godmother takes the baby, and when the baby is held by the godfather, at what point the child is wrapped in kryzhma, and when the baptismal shirt is put on him.

Prayer for the baptism of a child for godparents

To receive the sacrament of baptism, a person (or recipients, if the ceremony is performed on a child) needs to know two fundamental prayers for all Christians: “Our Father”, “Creed”. It is better to know their text by heart and understand the meaning. IN modern church They are tolerant of the fact that recipients do not remember prayers. It is allowed to read them according to the prayer book.

Responsibilities of godparents

The role of godparents does not end after the sacrament of baptism; they need to pay a lot of attention to the spiritual education of the godson. On personal example Receivers must demonstrate human virtues to the child and teach him the basics of the Christian faith. With Christian upbringing, children need to learn to resort to the sacraments of confession, communion, and become familiar with the dates church holidays. Godparents give knowledge about the gracious power of the icon Mother of God, other shrines.

The godparents teach the godchildren to attend services, pray, observe fasting and other provisions of the church charter. Of the many tasks assigned to godparents, the most important is daily prayer about his godson. Throughout your life, you should maintain a warm and trusting relationship with your godson, be with him in sorrow and joy.

How does the baptism ceremony take place?

The sacred sacrament is carried out according to a specific plan and in an established order, which does not change for many years. The baptism of a child is called a spiritual birth, the main participants in the process are the priest, godparents and the newborn. According to ancient customs, the baby’s natural parents should not be present during the ceremony, but today they treat this with loyalty and allow mom and dad to attend the sacrament. The procedure can be divided into the following stages:

The rite of announcement. At that stage, over those preparing for baptism, the priest three times reads prohibitory prayers against evil and the baby’s renunciation of it. The baby is wrapped only in diapers, his chest and face should be free.
Prohibition on unclean spirits. Turning to the west, the priest reads prayers against Satan three times.
The renunciation of the recipients. The priest asks questions, and the recipients are responsible for the baby.
Confession of fidelity to the son of God. The godparents and the baby turn to the east and again answer the priest’s questions. At the end of the rite of confession of allegiance, the recipients read the prayer “Creed.”
Blessing of water. The priest dresses in white robes and performs the ceremony. The receivers each take a candle in their hands, and 3 more are lit on the eastern side of the font. After reading the prayer and asking for illumination of the water, the priest baptizes the water three times and blows on it.
Blessing of the oil. This stage of baptism is carried out similarly to the illumination of water. The priest blows into the vessel with oil three times, makes the sign of the cross over it, and reads a prayer. The water of the font is anointed with sacred oil when the person is baptized.
Immersion of the baby in the font three times. The priest baptizes the child by immersing him in water three times. The procedure is accompanied special prayers. After the baby is dipped into the font three times, the priest hands the baby over to his receivers. The godfather takes the boy's child, and the godmother takes the girl's child. The baby is wrapped in a baptismal towel or kryzhma.
Dressing the baby in baptismal clothes. The baptism ceremony continues with the putting on of baptismal shirts on the newly baptized, and the baby is also given a cross.
Sacrament of Confirmation. The priest anoints the baby’s forehead, eyes, cheeks, chest, arms and legs while saying a prayer. The boy is carried around the altar three times, the priest helps the girls to venerate the icon of the Mother of God. The process is accompanied by a prayer of churching.
Hair cutting ceremony. The priest cuts some hair from the newborn's head. At the end of the sacrament, this hair remains in the church as a symbol of the first sacrifice to God.

Celebration of christening

The holy sacrament of baby baptism ends with a family celebration. The ceremonial table should include dishes made from dough and cereals. Guests are often treated to pancakes, pies and other pastries. It is traditional to serve poultry; clay dishes are used for baking it. An indispensable treat should be vegetables and herbs, symbolizing spring and the beginning of a new life. Godparents and guests present the baby with a gift. There are no special requirements for choosing a gift. You can give anything: from an icon of a saint to a set of silver spoons.

What to do with baptismal items

How to be baptized is described in detail in the Bible, but there are no recommendations for the use of baptismal paraphernalia. Because of this, there are many opinions and advice. Priests can recommend several options for storing kryzhma to parents:

put it in a corner of the chest of drawers and take it out in extreme cases (if the baby is sick or is acting restless);
place the kryzhma near the crib, hiding it from public view, so that it protects the baby.

When the baby does not wear the cross all the time, it can be stored along with the kryzhma in the chest of drawers. While opinions may differ regarding the use of kryzhma, there are actions that absolutely cannot be carried out with it. The baptism towel cannot be washed, thrown away, or baptized another person in it. The baptismal shirt is put into a box or a special bag and kept for life. It is believed that she has healing power, the shirt can be applied to the sore spot of the person who was baptized in it.