What is Baptism? Why is it called the Sacrament? You will find comprehensive answers to all these questions in this article, prepared by the editors of Pravmir.
Today I would like to tell the reader about the sacrament of Baptism and about the godparents.
For ease of perception, I will offer the reader an article in the form of questions most often asked by people about Baptism and the answers to them. So the first question is:
Baptism is one of the seven sacraments of the Orthodox Church, in which the believer, when the body is immersed in water three times with the invocation of the name of the Most Holy Trinity - the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, dies for a sinful life, and is reborn by the Holy Spirit for Eternal Life. Of course, there is a basis for this action in the Holy Scriptures: “He who is not born of water and the Spirit cannot enter the Kingdom of God” (John 3, 5). Christ says in the Gospel: “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; but whoever does not believe will be condemned ”(Mark 16:16).
So, baptism is necessary for a person to be saved. Baptism is a new birth for spiritual life in which a person can attain the Kingdom of Heaven. And it is called a sacrament because through it the invisible saving power of God - grace - acts on the baptized person in a mysterious, incomprehensible way for us. Like other sacraments, baptism is ordained by God. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself, sending the apostles to the gospel sermon, taught them to baptize people: “Go, teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28, 19). Having been baptized, a person becomes a member of the Church of Christ and from now on can proceed to the rest of the church sacraments.
Now that the reader is familiar with the Orthodox concept of baptism, it is appropriate to consider one of the most frequently asked questions related to the baptism of children. So:
Quite right, young children do not have independent, conscious faith. But do not her parents, who brought their child to be baptized in the temple of God, have her? Will they not instill in their child faith in God from childhood? Obviously, parents have this kind of faith and are more likely to instill it in their child. In addition, the child will have godparents - recipients from the baptismal font, who vouch for him and undertake to educate their godfather in the Orthodox faith. Thus, babies are baptized not according to their own faith, but according to the faith of their parents and godparents who brought the child for baptism.
The prototype of the New Testament baptism was the Old Testament circumcision. In the Old Testament, infants were brought to the temple for circumcision on the eighth day. By this, the parents of the child showed their and his faith and belonging to the chosen people of God. Christians can say the same about baptism in the words of John Chrysostom: "Baptism is the most obvious difference and separation of the faithful from the unbelievers." Moreover, there is a basis for this in the Holy Scriptures: “Circumcised by circumcision not made by hands, by the removal of the sinful body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ; being buried with Him in baptism ”(Col. 2: 11-12). That is, baptism is dying and burial to sin and resurrection for a perfect life with Christ.
These reasons are enough for the reader to understand the importance of infant baptism. After that, the following question will be quite natural:
There are no definite rules in this matter. But usually children are baptized on the 40th day after birth, although this can be done sooner or later. The main thing is not to postpone baptism for a long time unless absolutely necessary. It would be wrong to deprive a child of such a great sacrament for the sake of the prevailing circumstances.
The curious reader may have questions regarding the days of baptism. For example, on the eve of multi-day fasting, one most often hears the question:
Sure! But technically, it doesn't always work out. In some churches, during the days of Great Lent, people are baptized only on Saturdays and Sundays. This practice is most likely based on the fact that weekday Lent services are very long, and the intervals between morning and evening services can be small. On Saturdays and Sundays, services are somewhat shorter in time, and priests can devote more time to services. Therefore, when planning the day of baptism, it is better to know in advance about the rules observed in the temple where the child will be baptized. Well, if in general we talk about the days on which you can baptize, then there are no restrictions on this issue. You can baptize children on any day when there are no technical obstacles to this.
I have already mentioned that every person, if possible, should have godparents - receivers from the baptismal font. Moreover, children who are baptized according to the faith of their parents and recipients should have them. The question arises:
Church rules prescribe for a child to have a recipient of the same sex as the person being baptized. That is, for a boy - a man, and for a girl - a woman. In tradition, both godparents are usually chosen for the child: father and mother. This does not contradict the canons in any way. It will also not be a contradiction if, if necessary, the child will have a recipient of a different sex than the person being baptized. The main thing is that this is a truly religious person who subsequently conscientiously fulfills his duties to bring up a child in the Orthodox faith. Thus, a baptized person may have one or, at most, two recipients.
Having dealt with the number of godparents, the reader will most likely want to know:
The first and foremost requirement is the undoubted Orthodox faith of the recipients. Godfathers should be church-going people, living a church life. After all, they will have to teach their godson or goddaughter the basics of the Orthodox faith, give spiritual instructions. If they themselves are ignorant in these matters, then what can they teach the child? The great responsibility of the spiritual education of their godchildren is laid on the godparents, for they, together with their parents, are responsible for it before God. This responsibility begins with the renunciation of "Satan and all his works, and all his angel, and all his ministry, and all his pride." Thus, the recipients, being responsible for their godson, make a promise that their godchild will be a Christian.
If the godson is already an adult and himself utters the words of renunciation, then the godparents present at the same time become sureties before the Church in the fidelity of his words. The godparents are obliged to teach their godchildren to resort to the saving Sacraments of the Church, mainly confession and communion, should give them knowledge about the meaning of worship, the peculiarities of the church calendar, about the blessed power of miraculous icons and other shrines. Godfathers should teach those they have received from the font to attend church services, fast, pray and observe other provisions of the church charter. But the main thing is that godparents should always pray for their godson. Obviously, strangers cannot be godparents, for example, some compassionate grandmother from the church, whom the parents persuaded to "hold" the baby for baptism.
But it is also not worth taking as godparents simply close people or relatives who do not meet the spiritual requirements that were set out above.
Godparents should not become an object of personal benefit for the parents of the baptized person. The desire to become related with a profitable person, for example, with a boss, often guides parents when choosing godparents for a child. At the same time, forgetting about the true purpose of baptism, parents can deprive the child of a real godfather, and impose on him one who subsequently will not at all care about the spiritual upbringing of the child, for which he himself will also answer before God. Unrepentant sinners and people leading an immoral lifestyle cannot become godparents.
Some of the details of baptism include the following question:
On such days, women should refrain from participating in church ordinances, which include baptism. But if this did happen, then it is necessary to repent of it in confession.
Perhaps someone reading this article will become godfather himself in the near future. Realizing the importance of the decision, they will be interested in:
There are no special rules for preparing recipients for baptism. At some churches, special conversations are held, the purpose of which is usually to explain to a person all the provisions of the Orthodox faith regarding baptism and acceptance. If it is possible to attend such conversations, then it is necessary to do so, because it is very useful for future godparents. If the future godparents are sufficiently churched, constantly confess and receive communion, then attending such conversations will be a sufficient measure of preparation for them.
If potential recipients themselves are not yet sufficiently churchly, then a good preparation for them will be not only the acquisition of the necessary knowledge about church life, but also the study of Holy Scripture, the basic rules of Christian piety, as well as a three-day fast, confession and communion before the sacrament of baptism. There are several other traditions concerning the recipients. Usually the godfather takes on the payment (if any) of the baptism itself and the purchase of a pectoral cross for his godson. The godmother buys a baptismal cross for the girl, and also brings the things necessary for baptism. A baptismal kit usually includes a baptismal shirt, a sheet, and a towel.
But these traditions are optional. Often, different regions and even individual churches have their own traditions, the implementation of which is strictly monitored by parishioners and even priests, although they do not have any dogmatic and canonical foundations. Therefore, it is better to learn more about them in the temple in which the baptism will take place.
Sometimes one hears a purely technical question related to baptism:
This question does not lie in the spiritual realm governed by canonical rules and traditions. But I think that the gift should be useful and remind of the day of baptism. Useful gifts on the day of baptism could be icons, the Gospel, spiritual literature, prayer books, etc. In general, in church shops now you can find a lot of interesting and soulful things, so acquiring a worthy gift should not be a big difficulty.
A fairly common question asked by unchurched parents is the question:
It is quite obvious that no, for they will in no way be able to teach their godson the truths of the Orthodox faith. Not being members of the Orthodox Church, they generally cannot take part in church sacraments.
Unfortunately, many parents do not ask about this in advance and, without any remorse, invite non-Orthodox and non-believers to be godparents to their children. At baptism, of course, no one talks about this. But then, having learned about the inadmissibility of the deed, the parents run to the temple, asking:
First of all, such situations show the extreme irresponsibility of parents when choosing godparents for their child. Nevertheless, such cases are not uncommon, and they are found among unchurched people who do not live a church life. An unambiguous answer to the question "what to do in this case?" it is impossible to give, because there is nothing like this in church canons. This is not surprising, since canons and rules are written for members of the Orthodox Church, which cannot be said about heterodox and non-believers. Nevertheless, as a fact, the baptism took place, and it cannot be called invalid. It is legal and valid, and the baptized person became a full-fledged Orthodox Christian, tk. was baptized by an Orthodox priest in the name of the Holy Trinity. No re-baptism is required, there is no such concept at all in the Orthodox Church. A person is born physically once, he cannot repeat it again. Likewise, only one time a person can be born for spiritual life, therefore there can be only one baptism.
I will allow myself a small digression and tell the reader how one day I had to witness one not very pleasant scene. A young married couple brought their newborn son to the temple for baptism. The spouses worked for a foreign company and invited one of their colleagues, a foreigner, by the Lutheran faith, to become the godfather. True, a girl of the Orthodox faith was supposed to become the godmother. Neither the parents, nor the future godparents were distinguished by special knowledge in the field of the Orthodox faith. The parents of the child were hostile to the news of the impossibility of having a Lutheran as godfather of their son. They were asked to find another godfather or baptize the child with one godmother. But this proposal made the father and mother even more angry. The persistent desire to see this particular person as the recipient prevailed over the common sense of the parents and the priest had to refuse to baptize the child. Thus, the illiteracy of the parents became an obstacle to the baptism of their child.
Thank God that such situations have never been encountered in my priestly practice. The curious reader may well assume that there may be some obstacles to receiving the ordinance of baptism. And he will be absolutely right. So:
Orthodox Christians believe in God the Trinity - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The founder of the Christian faith was the Son - the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, a person who does not accept the Divinity of Christ and does not believe in the Holy Trinity cannot be an Orthodox Christian. Also, a person who denies the truths of the Orthodox faith cannot become an Orthodox Christian. A priest has the right to refuse a person in baptism if he is going to accept the sacrament as a kind of magical rite or has some kind of pagan belief regarding baptism itself. But this is a separate issue and I will touch on it later.
A very common question about receivers is the question:
Yes they can. Contrary to popular belief, there is no canonical prohibition for spouses or those intending to marry to be godparents with one child. There is only a canonical rule that prohibits the godfather from marrying the child's own mother. The spiritual relationship established between them through the sacrament of baptism is higher than any other union, even marriage. But this rule does not in any way affect the possibility of marriage of godparents or the ability of spouses to become godparents.
Sometimes unchurched parents of children, wanting to choose godparents for their children, ask the following question:
At first glance, this is a rather complex issue, but from the church point of view, it is resolved unambiguously. Such a family cannot be called a full-fledged one. And in general, one cannot call a prodigal cohabitation a family. Indeed, in fact, people living in a so-called civil marriage live in fornication. This is a great misfortune in modern society. People baptized in the Orthodox Church, at least aware of themselves as Christians, for some incomprehensible reason refuse to legitimize their union not only before God (which is undoubtedly more important), but also before the state. There are a myriad of excuses. But, unfortunately, these people simply do not want to understand that they are looking for any excuses for themselves.
For God, the desire to "get to know each other better" or "unwillingness to stain the passport with unnecessary seals" cannot be an excuse for fornication. In fact, people living in a "civil" marriage trample on all Christian concepts of marriage, family. Christian marriage presupposes the responsibility of the spouses for each other. During the marriage, they become a single whole, and not two different people who have made a promise from now on to live under the same roof. Marriage can be compared to two legs of one body. If one leg stumbles or breaks, won't the other bear the entire weight of the body on itself? And in a "civil" marriage, people do not even want to take responsibility for stamping their passports.
What, then, can we say about such irresponsible people, while wanting to be godparents? What good can they teach the child? Could they, having very shaky moral foundations, be able to give a good example to their godson? Not at all. Also, according to church canons, people leading an immoral life (“civil” marriage should be regarded as such) cannot be recipients of the baptismal font. And if these people finally decide to legalize their relationship before God and the state, then they, moreover, will not be able to be godparents for one child. Despite the seeming complexity of the question, there can be only one answer - unequivocally: no.
The topic of gender relations is always very acute in all areas of human life. It goes without saying that this translates into various issues directly related to baptism. Here is one of them:
In this case, they will have to terminate their relationship and limit themselves only to a spiritual connection, because in the sacrament of baptism, one of them will become the recipient - the godparent of the other. Can a son marry his own mother? Or a daughter to marry her own father? Obviously not. Of course, the church canons cannot allow this to happen.
Much more often than others, there are questions about the possible susceptibility of close relatives. So:
Grandfathers, grandmothers, uncles and aunts may well become godparents with their little relatives. There are no contradictions to this in the church canons.
According to rule 53 of the VI Ecumenical Council, this is unacceptable.
Based on the fact that a spiritual relationship is established between the godparents and the godparents, an inquisitive reader may ask the following question:
Yes, this is perfectly acceptable. Such an action does not in any way violate the spiritual relationship that has been established between parents and recipients, but only strengthens it. One of the parents, for example, the mother of a child, can become the godmother of the daughter of one of the godfathers. And the father may well be the godfather of the son of another godfather or godfather. Other options are possible, but, in any case, spouses cannot become recipients of one child.
Sometimes people ask this question:
Yes maybe. In general, this question is very urgent. From time to time I have to hear a request to become a godfather from people who are completely unfamiliar to me. Parents bring their child to baptism. For some reason, there was no godfather for the child. They begin to ask to become a godfather for the child, motivating this request by the fact that they heard from someone that in the absence of the godfather, the priest must fulfill this role. We have to refuse and baptize with one godmother. A priest is the same person as everyone else, and he may well refuse strangers to be godfather to their child. After all, he will have to bear responsibility for the upbringing of his godfather. But how can he do this if he sees this child for the first time and is completely unfamiliar with his parents? And, most likely, he will never see again. This is obviously not possible. But a priest (even if he himself performs the ordinance of baptism) or, for example, a deacon (and the one who will concelebrate the sacrament of baptism to the priest) may well become recipients of the children of his friends, acquaintances or parishioners. There are no canonical obstacles to this.
Continuing the theme of receptivity, one cannot but recall such a phenomenon as the desire of parents due to some, sometimes completely incomprehensible, reasons "to take the godfather in absentia."
The very meaning of receptivity presupposes the acceptance by the godfather of his godson from the font itself. By his presence, the godfather agrees to be the recipient of the baptized and undertakes to educate him in the Orthodox faith. This cannot be done in absentia. In the end, a person whom they are trying to "write in absentia" as godparents may not agree at all to this action and, as a result, the baptized person may be left completely without a godfather.
Sometimes we hear questions from parishioners about the following:
In the Orthodox Church, there is no clear canonical definition as to how many times a person can become a godfather during his life. The main thing that a person who agrees to become a receiver must remember is a great responsibility for which he will have to answer before God. The measure of this responsibility determines how many times a person will be able to take upon himself the receptivity. This measure is different for each person and, sooner or later, a person may have to abandon the new receptivity.
If a person feels an inner unpreparedness or has fundamental fears that he will not be able to conscientiously fulfill the duties of a godparent, then he may well deny the child's parents (or the baptized one himself, if it is an adult) to become the godfather of their child. There is no sin in this. It will be more honest in relation to the child, his parents and himself than, taking responsibility in the spiritual upbringing of the child, not to fulfill his immediate duties.
Continuing this topic, I will give a few more questions that people usually ask about the number of possible godchildren.
Yes, you can. There are no canonical obstacles to this.
There are no canonical prohibitions on this. But technically it can be quite difficult if babies are baptized. The receiver will have to hold and receive both babies from the font at the same time. It will be better if each godson has his own godparents. After all, each of those baptized separately are different people who have the right to their godfather.
Probably, many will be interested in the following question:
Minor children cannot become godparents. But, even if a person has not yet reached the age of majority, then his age should be that when he will be able to realize the full weight of the responsibility he has assumed and will conscientiously fulfill his duties as godfather. It seems that this may be the age close to adulthood.
The relationship between the child's parents and godparents also plays an important role in the upbringing of children. It is good when parents and godparents have spiritual unity and direct all their efforts to the proper spiritual education of their child. But human relationships are not always cloudless, and sometimes one hears the following question:
The answer suggests itself: to make peace with the parents of the godson. For what can a child be taught by people who have a spiritual relationship and are at the same time at enmity with each other? It is worth thinking not about personal ambitions, but about raising a child and, having gained patience and humility, try to improve relations with the godson's parents. The same can be said for the parents of the child.
But a quarrel is not always the reason that the godfather cannot see the godson for a long time.
I think that the objective reasons are the physical separation of the godfather from the godson. This is possible if the parents moved with the child to another city or country. In this case, all that remains is to pray for the godson and, if possible, communicate with him using all available means of communication.
Unfortunately, some godparents, having baptized the baby, completely forget about their immediate duties. Sometimes the reason for this is not only an elementary ignorance of the recipient about his duties, but his falling into grave sins, which make their own spiritual life very difficult. Then the parents of the child involuntarily have a completely legitimate question:
The Orthodox Church does not know the rite of rejection of the godparents. But parents can find an adult who, not being the actual recipient of the font, would help in the spiritual upbringing of the child. At the same time, he cannot be considered godfather.
But having such a helper is better than depriving the child of communication with a spiritual mentor and friend altogether. After all, a moment may come when a child begins to seek spiritual authority not only in the family, but also outside it. And at this moment such an assistant would be very useful. And the child, as he grows up, can be taught to pray for the godfather. After all, the child's spiritual connection with the person who received him from the font will not be severed if he takes responsibility for the person who himself has not coped with this responsibility. It happens that children surpass their parents and mentors in prayer and piety.
Prayer for a sinner or a deluded person will be an expression of love for that person. After all, it is not for nothing that the Apostle James says in his epistle to Christians: “Pray for one another in order to be healed, the intensified prayer of the righteous can do much” (James 5:16). But all these actions must be coordinated with your confessor and receive a blessing for them.
And here's another interesting question that people periodically ask:
There is always a need for godparents. Especially for children. But not every adult baptized person can boast of a good knowledge of the Holy Scriptures and church canons. If necessary, an adult can be baptized without godparents, because he has a conscious faith in God and can quite independently utter the words of renunciation of Satan, combine with Christ and read the Creed. He is fully aware of his actions. The same cannot be said for babies and young children. The godparents do it all for them. But, in case of extreme need, you can baptize a child without recipients. Such a need, undoubtedly, can be the complete absence of worthy godparents.
The godless time has left an imprint on the destinies of many people. The result of this was that some people, after long years of unbelief, finally acquired faith in God, but when they came to the temple, they did not know if they had been baptized in childhood by believing relatives. A logical question arises:
According to Canon 84 of the VI Ecumenical Council, such people must be baptized if there are no witnesses who could confirm or deny the fact of their baptism. In this case, the person is baptized, pronouncing the formula: "If he is not baptized, the servant (servant) of God is baptized ...".
Something I'm all about children and about children. Among the readers, perhaps, there are people who have not yet been honored with the saving sacrament of baptism, but with all their souls strive for it. So:
A person's knowledge of faith begins with the reading of the Holy Scriptures. Therefore, a person who wants to be baptized first of all needs to read the Gospel. After reading the Gospel, a person may have a number of questions that require a competent answer. Such answers can be obtained at the so-called catechumens, which are held in many temples. At such conversations, those who wish to be baptized are explained the basics of the Orthodox faith. If such conversations are not conducted at the church in which a person is going to be baptized, then you can ask all the questions of interest to the priest in the church. It will also be useful to read some books that explain Christian dogmas, for example, the Law of God. It will be good if, before accepting the sacrament of baptism, a person memorizes the Symbol of Faith, in which the Orthodox doctrine about God and the Church is summarized. This prayer will be read at baptism, and it would be great if the baptized person himself confessed his faith. The immediate preparation begins a few days before the baptism. These days are special, so you should not scatter attention to other, even very important, problems. It is worth devoting this time to spiritual and moral reflections, avoiding fuss, empty conversations, participation in various amusements. It must be remembered that baptism, like other sacraments, is great and holy. It must be approached with the greatest awe and awe. It is advisable to observe fasting for 2-3 days, those living in marriage on the night before to refrain from marital relations. You need to be extremely clean and tidy for baptism. You can put on new smart clothes. Women should not wear make-up, as always, when visiting the temple.
There are many superstitions associated with the sacrament of baptism, which I would also like to touch upon in this article. One of the most common superstitions is:
This statement is also a superstition that has no basis either in Holy Scripture or in church canons and traditions. And happiness, if it is deserved before God, will not disappear from a person.
Another bizarre thought that I have heard on numerous occasions:
Sure. Such a delusion has nothing to do with church canons and traditions and is also a superstition. Participation in church ordinances can only be for the benefit of the expectant mother. I also had to baptize pregnant women. Babies were born strong and healthy.
A lot of superstitions are associated with the so-called rebaptism. Moreover, the reasons for such a crazy action are sometimes indicated very bizarre and even funny. But most of these rationales are pagan and occult in origin. Here, for example, is one of the most common superstitions of occult origin:
Honestly, hearing such statements, I want to laugh heartily. But, unfortunately, there is no laughing matter. What kind of pagan obscurity an Orthodox person has to reach in order to decide that baptism is a kind of magic ritual, a kind of antidote to corruption. An antidote to a certain undefined substance, the definition of which no one even knows. What is this ghostly corruption? It is unlikely that someone from those who are so afraid of her will be able to clearly answer this question. This is not surprising. Instead of looking for God in life and fulfilling His commandments, the “church” people with enviable zeal are looking for the mother of all evil — corruption — in everything. And where does it come from?
I will allow myself a small lyrical digression. A man is walking down the street, stumbled. All - jinxed! We urgently need to run to the church to light a candle so that everything is fine and the evil eye will pass. While walking to the temple, I stumbled again. Looks like they not only jinxed, but also put some damage! Wow, infidels! Well, nothing, now I will come to the church, I will pray, I will buy candles, I will stick up all the candlesticks, I will fight the corruption in full. The man ran to the church, stumbled on the porch again and fell. All - lie down and die! Damage to death, a generic curse, well, and there is also some disgusting thing, I forgot the name, but also something very scary. Three-in-one cocktail! Against this, candles and prayer will not help, this is a serious matter, an ancient voodoo spell! There is only one way out - to be baptized anew, and only with a new name, so that when these same voodoo slander on the old name were whispered and needles were stuck into the dolls, all their spells would fly by. They will not know the new name. And all the witchcraft is done in the name, didn't you know? What fun it will be when they will whisper and conjure intensely, and everything will fly by! Bam, bam and - by! Eh, it's good when there is baptism - a cure for all diseases!
This is approximately how superstitions associated with rebaptism appear. But much more often the sources of these superstitions are the workers of the occult sciences, i.e. fortune-tellers, psychics, healers and other "gifted by God" personalities. These indefatigable "generators" of newfangled occult terminology go to all sorts of tricks to seduce a person. Family curses, and celibacy crowns, and karmic knots of destinies, transfers, love spells with lapels and other occult nonsense are used. And the only thing that needs to be done to get rid of all this is to cross. And the damage was gone. And laughter and sin! But many fall for these near-church tricks of the "mothers Glafir" and "fathers Tikhonov" and run to the church for re-baptism. It is good if they say where they got such an ardent desire to be baptized, and they will be denied this blasphemy, having previously explained what trips to occultists are fraught with. And some do not even say that they have already been baptized and are being baptized again. There are also those who are baptized several times, because previous baptisms "did not help." And they won't help! It is difficult to imagine greater blasphemy over the sacrament. After all, the Lord knows the heart of a person, knows about all his thoughts.
It is worth saying a few words about the name, which is so advised to change "kind people". The person's name is named on the eighth day from birth, but since many do not know about this, basically the prayer for naming the name is read by the priest immediately before baptism. Surely everyone knows that the name is given to a person in honor of one of the saints. And it is this saint who is our patron and intercessor for us before God. And, of course, it seems that every Christian should call on his saint as often as possible and ask his prayers before the throne of the Almighty. And what actually happens? Not only does a person neglect his name, but he also neglects his saint, after whom he is named. And instead of calling on his heavenly patron, his saint, at the moment of trouble or danger, he visits fortune-tellers and psychics. A “reward” for this will be followed by a corresponding one.
There is another superstition directly related to the sacrament of baptism itself. Almost immediately after baptism, the ceremony of cutting hair follows. In this case, the receiver is given a piece of wax, in which it is supposed to roll the cut hair. This wax is to be thrown into the water by the receptacle. This is where the fun begins. No one knows where the question arises:
No, this is superstition. According to the laws of physics, wax cannot sink in water at all. But if thrown from a height with sufficient force, then at the first moment he really will go under water. Fortunately, if the superstitious recipient does not see this moment and "fortune-telling on baptismal wax" will give a positive result. But, should the godfather notice the moment the wax is immersed in water, lamentations begin right there, and the newly-made Christian is almost buried alive. After that, it is sometimes difficult to bring the parents of the child out of the state of terrible depression, who are told about the "sign of God" seen at baptism. Of course, this superstition has no basis in church canons and traditions.
Summing up, I would like to note that baptism is a great sacrament, and the approach to it should be reverent and deliberate. It is sad to see people who have received the sacrament of baptism and continue to live the same sinful life. Having been baptized, a person must remember that now he is an Orthodox Christian, a warrior of Christ, a member of the Church. This requires a lot. First of all, to love. Love for God and neighbors. So let each of us, regardless of when he was baptized, fulfill these commandments. Then we can hope that the Lord will lead us into the Kingdom of Heaven. That Kingdom, the way into which the sacrament of Baptism opens to us.
In the earthly life of a person, it communicates and draws closer to God. Few of those who do not go through this: we are baptized in childhood, or an adult independently and consciously comes to Christ.
The Orthodox life consists half of fasts: many days, one day.
Is it possible to baptize a child during fasting is a frequently asked question.
Baptism is one of the seven ordinances that occurs on any day of the year. The Great, Rozhdestvensky, Petrov and Dormition fasts are no exception. The error arose, rather, because of the Wedding, which is not performed on these days, but this law was applied to Baptism. In reality, things are different.
About posts:
Advice: it is more common to baptize babies and adults on Saturday and Sunday, but they choose another day if they wish. Therefore, fasting is not a hindrance for Christening.Baptism of a child in a church
Great, Dormition fasts are considered strict, when a person prays especially fervently, cares about the purity of his soul and avoids entertainment.
As for bodily abstinence, even fish is allowed to be eaten only on holidays:
On Lazarev Saturday, eating fish caviar is allowed.
And since many events in a person's life are accompanied by festive feasts, it is not forbidden by the Church to set the table on strict days only with lenten dishes. And the fun will be inappropriate.
Important: but this is not a ban on the sacrament, but the point is how the parents themselves are set up and ready for the ceremony. If after the Baptism it is planned to invite family and friends to a feast, it is better to choose a day that does not fall on the days of repentance; otherwise, it would be prudent to refrain from the vivid celebration of this event.
In addition, during the forty days before Easter and two weeks before the feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, services of special content and lengthy time are performed. Therefore, it is advisable to coordinate with the priest the possibility of christening.
Sacrament of Baptism
There is often controversy between Baptism in infancy and adulthood.
The task of the parents of the baby is to help develop not only physically, but also spiritually.
The soul of a baby is pure and sinless, in order to protect it, you need prayer, a conversation with God. Only after Christening can you pray for a person, submit notes about health.
Therefore, parents at an early age introduce the child to church life. And godparents join in to help - people who bear the responsibility for the formation, development of the godson's soul.
These are the second most important people close to you, after your own parents, and in spiritual matters they can be more weighty than mothers and fathers.
Most often, girlfriends and friends who are far from the Orthodox faith and the church are taken as godparents. Many do not attend church, do not know how to pray, do not confess, do not receive communion, cross the threshold of the church only on major holidays - Easter, Christmas.
On this day, there are practically no boundaries between the worlds. Light energy predominates. Therefore, in the Transfiguration of the Lord, the signs are accurate, and the conspiracies and rituals of white magic are especially powerful. Apple Savior is the time when you can change your destiny, cleanse your inner energy, and receive the protection of higher powers. It is filled with deep sacred meaning. This is a day of positive energy flows that you can use for your own good. How? Long-term observations, signs, various ritual actions, which are especially reliable and effective, will prompt.
The Transfiguration of the Lord is a big Christian holiday with a fixed date that never changes. Therefore, in 2018, as always, it is celebrated on Sunday 19 August.
In the people, the holiday is simultaneously called the Apple or Second Savior, Savior on the Mountain, Pea Day, First Autumn.
This is one of the three Spas, which are traditionally celebrated in August. The energy of the holiday is optimistic, filled with light, kindness and mercy. August 19 is a real opportunity to change life for the better, to transform along with nature. Apples consecrated in the church are endowed with special energetic power.
Eating apples before the Savior was not allowed, especially for women In ancient times, the Slavs had a strict ban on eating the fruits before a special ritual. The tradition of blessing the harvest has survived to this day. Until the apples, pears, grapes in the Apple Savior are consecrated by the priest in the church, you cannot cook or eat them fresh. The strictest prohibitions apply to apples. Moreover, the consequences of violating the taboo are more destructive for women, who so take upon themselves the original sin of Eve.
What else cannot be done on this day:
The first thing they do is take a basket of fruits and go to the service in the temple, where, after the festive prayer service, the priest in snow-white clothes will sprinkle the fruits brought with holy water. It must be remembered: the harvest is brought to the church first of all as a token of gratitude to God. Only then will they acquire special properties.
It is believed that a consecrated apple will bring health, happiness and good luck. Anyone who did not eat such a fruit on the Apple Savior can be sick and suffer for a whole year until the next Transfiguration. Apples harvested on August 19, even if they are of late varieties, keep well. The first thing plucked from the tree must be eaten, saying: "What is far-fetched will come true, what will come true will not pass." This is done to make wishes come true.
It is not forbidden to baptize children on the Apple Savior; on the contrary, on this holiday there are even a little more godparents than on weekdays.
You need to be attentive to the signs and do the following:
Holiday weather - forecast for January: if it rains - snowy winter, hot dry day - frosty January without precipitation. Rainy Transfiguration of the Lord - it will rain often in the fall.
The apple, a round symbol, can participate in many rituals on this day. Magic rituals performed on the Apple Savior will be easy and effective, and fortune-telling will be reliable. Special personal energy costs will not be required. Faith in ritual, light thoughts and feelings are important.
Trim the apple so that the cut rind is in the form of a ribbon. If you cut it off, and the tape breaks, you won't get married this year. In the case when a long ribbon is obtained, the peel is thrown over the shoulder with the left hand. The Sivol, which turned out after the fall, will tell the further fate of the girl: it will resemble the first letter of the name of the future spouse.
Take apples according to the number of men you are interested in. Write a name on each. Then take it to the garden or balcony overnight. Early in the morning see the result:
For a group of girls and guys, take a consecrated apple, each of which should be fixed on a string. Make a fire and spin the fruits with the greatest strength. Whoever has an apple falling into the fire faster will marry or get married earlier. The one who turns out to be the last one should not dream of a wedding until the next Savior.
The more apples you distribute to loved ones and the poor, the richer you will be this year. To avoid problems with money, consecrate apples, give them to the poor. Eat one yourself, saying: “Soothing the need, a health resort for wealth. In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit! May it be so!"
To draw attention to yourself, you need to cut the apple in half. Three nettle leaves are placed between the halves, connecting the fruit together. They bring it to their lips and say: “Fly here like a nettle that burns with fiery passion, for the two of us the most beautiful. May it come true for the benefit of those in love and their loved ones. " The conspired apple is hidden in a secret place. After it rots, the remainder is buried near the beloved's dwelling.
To make the contact with the leader friendly, in the church they light a candle for health and say: “God Almighty, having flamed with his mercy, have mercy on your servant (name of the boss) and over me (name). From now on, let it be so. ”
Apple Savior is loved in Russia. This is a holiday of gratitude and light, positive changes and faith in the future. Nature transforms itself and gives us the strength to change the course of fate for the better. What was conceived will certainly come true if the heart and soul on this day are filled with bright feelings. May the outgoing summer remain a good memory, and the coming autumn will bring wonderful changes for the better.
* Photos by Olga Kasyanchuk and Alexander TaldinThe Transfiguration of the Lord is a big Christian holiday with a fixed date that never changes. Therefore, in 2018, as always, it is celebrated on Sunday 19 August. This is reported by hronika.in.ua with reference to the media.
In the people, the holiday is simultaneously called the Apple or Second Savior, Savior on the Mountain, Pea Day, First Autumn.
This is one of the three Spas, which are traditionally celebrated in August. The energy of the holiday is optimistic, filled with light, kindness and mercy. August 19 is a real opportunity to change life for the better, to transform along with nature. Apples consecrated in the church are endowed with special energetic power.
What is forbidden to do on this day
In ancient times, the Slavs had a strict ban on eating the fruits before a special ritual. The tradition of blessing the harvest has survived to this day. Until the apples, pears, grapes in the Apple Savior are consecrated by the priest in the church, you cannot cook or eat them fresh. The strictest prohibitions apply to apples. Moreover, the consequences of violating the taboo are more destructive for women, who so take upon themselves the original sin of Eve.
What else cannot be done on this day:
It is strictly forbidden to work. Allowed to cook and maintain the garden. You can not do field work, build anything, knit, sew, clean up the house. It is believed: if you collect grain for the Savior, it will deteriorate very quickly. The entire harvest must be taken before the Transfiguration of the Lord.
Before the Apple Savior, there is a strict ban on eating apples for women whose children have died. The taboo concerns mothers who have lost their babies. However, mothers who have lost their adult son or daughter also forbid themselves to eat apples and dishes made from them until the Second Savior comes. All because of the ancient legend, which is still believed in Russia. In the underworld on this day, children receive golden apples. Only those whose mothers ate apples before the Apple Savior remain without wonderful fruits.
It is also better for unmarried guys not to eat apples until the Transfiguration of the Lord - the wife will be crying and ugly.
It is forbidden to swear, have fun, consume any alcohol, meat, fatty dishes, eggs, because the holiday is celebrated on the day of the Assumption Lent. On the table there can be only vegetable and fish dishes, as well as all kinds of dishes from apples and other fruits.
You shouldn't kill flies on the Second Savior. If she sat down twice on her hand, this is a sign symbolizing the fulfillment of desires. The insect cannot be driven away - it is better if it flies away of its own accord.
What needs to be done on the day of the Second Savior
The first thing they do is take a basket of fruits and go to the service in the temple, where, after the festive prayer service, the priest in snow-white clothes will sprinkle the fruits brought with holy water. It must be remembered: the harvest is brought to the church first of all as a token of gratitude to God. Only then will they acquire special properties.
It is believed that a consecrated apple will bring health, happiness and good luck. Anyone who did not eat such a fruit on the Apple Savior can be sick and suffer for a whole year until the next Transfiguration. Apples harvested on August 19, even if they are of late varieties, keep well. The first thing plucked from the tree must be eaten, saying: "What is far-fetched will come true, what will come true will not pass." This is done to make wishes come true.
It is not forbidden to baptize children on the Apple Savior; on the contrary, on this holiday there are even a little more godparents than on weekdays.
You need to be attentive to the signs and do the following:
Consecrated apples are first given to young children and sick people.
Take them to the grave of deceased relatives and friends. It's good if you leave a couple on the abandoned ones. So get help from those who have passed away. It is strongly advised to visit the dead for those who accidentally fell with a basket of apples on the day of the Middle Savior.
Lenten pancakes with peas were prepared for Yablochny Spas. If you eat at least one pancake, you will be full of strength and energy for a whole year.
At the end of the day, you need to go out into the field and say goodbye to the summer Sun, thank the heavenly forces for the harvest. City dwellers can look out the window at sunset and say gratitude.
If the apple pie cracks during cooking, a long journey awaits someone close to you.
They were picking fruits in the garden, and a burdock clung to you? Expect a bountiful harvest next year.
Peas are harvested on the Second Savior in Russia. While collecting, pay attention: a lot of wormy and rotten beans - have accumulated a lot of sins. If a basket of peas accidentally crumbles, you will certainly get rich.
It is useful to sit on the holiday of the Transfiguration under the crown of an apple tree in order to strengthen health, harmonize the state of mind.
The hair is combed with an apple wood comb. This procedure improves blood circulation and relieves headaches.
If there is a wart, cut the apple crosswise. Draw a cut along it, and bury the fruit in a secret place.
Unmarried people asked the apple tree for beauty, decorating their hair with leaves.
Signs and superstitions: is it possible for pregnant women to baptize a child 2018-12-16 14:15 4200
Religious beliefs are an integral part of any culture, and they always establish certain canons of behavior in society, including all kinds of prohibitions. However, sometimes these taboos are not well known to people. That is why young parents often have a question about the possibility of inviting a pregnant friend or relative to be the godparents of their child.
For many centuries, there were many different superstitions and restrictions around the expectant mother, including prohibitions on participating in church rituals. At the same time, in our days, more progressive signs have appeared that do not prohibit women in the position of becoming godparents even before the birth of their own child. What beliefs to pay attention to can only be decided by the person himself, based on his beliefs and views, writes the spellon you website.
A couple of centuries ago, our ancestors were firmly convinced of the dangers of baptism for a pregnant woman. They believed that the goddaughter or son would take away the well-being of the unborn baby and the love of his mother. Therefore, a native child who is in the womb at the time of baptism may be born with a programmed unhappy fate.
An even darker belief claims that by agreeing to become a godmother, a pregnant woman is already acquiring a child who will take the place of her own child in life. In this case, the baby may be born already dead.
Nowadays, the official church does not consider pregnancy an obstacle to participation in the baptismal ceremony. Quite the opposite, the priests are sure that a future mother is better than any other woman able to feel the spirit of love and care for the baby, and at the same time to "try on" future parenting responsibilities.
However, even now for a lady in a position, there are certain "contraindications" to participation in the ceremony, concerning her well-being. If a woman has a hard time tolerating pregnancy, then it is worth considering that the ceremony is quite lengthy in time and requires endurance and some physical effort from the godmother. If you are not sure that you can stay on your feet for a long time, and even at the same time hold a baby, and sometimes quite an adult baby, then you should not expose your health to such a test.
Before accepting the offer to become a godmother, a woman in a position should think about whether she can fully fulfill her duties in relation to the godson, having her own newly born baby in her arms. After all, this role is not limited to buying gifts for his birthday, but involves full participation in the child's life and spiritual guidance in the development of his personality.
