Is it necessary to fast before the baptism of a child? What you need to buy for baptism. Baptism of the child. Confession and sacrament before baptism

Complete collection and description: prayer of confession before baptism for the spiritual life of a believer.

Repentance or confession is a sacrament in which a person who confesses his sins to a priest, through his forgiveness, is released from sins by the Lord Himself. The question of how to confess correctly, what to say to the priest, is asked by many people who join the church life. The preliminary confession prepares the soul of the penitent for the Great Meal - the Sacrament of Communion.

The essence of confession

The Holy Fathers call the Sacrament of Penance the second baptism. In the first case, at Baptism, a person receives cleansing from the original sin of the ancestors Adam and Eve, and in the second, the penitent is washed from his sins committed after baptism. However, from the weakness of their human nature, people continue to sin, and these sins separate them from God, standing between them as a barrier. They are unable to overcome this barrier on their own. But the Sacrament of Repentance helps to be saved and to acquire that union with God acquired at Baptism.

The Gospel says about repentance that it is a necessary condition for the salvation of the soul. A person throughout his life must continuously struggle with his sins. And, despite all the defeats and falls, he should not lose heart, despair and grumble, but repent all the time and continue to carry his life's cross, which the Lord Jesus Christ placed on him.

Realizing your sins

In this matter, the main thing is to learn that in the Sacrament of Confession a repentant person is forgiven all his sins, and the soul is freed from sinful bonds. The ten commandments received by Moses from God and the nine Beatitudes received from the Lord Jesus Christ contain the entire moral and spiritual law of life.

Therefore, before confessing, you must turn to your conscience and remember all your sins from childhood in order to prepare a real confession. How it goes, not everyone knows, and even rejects, but a true Orthodox Christian, overcoming his pride and false shame, begins to spiritually crucify himself, honestly and sincerely confess his spiritual imperfection. And here it is important to understand that unconfessed sins will be determined to a person in eternal condemnation, and repentance will mean victory over oneself.

What is real confession. How is this sacrament going

Before confessing to a priest, it is necessary to seriously prepare and realize the whole need to cleanse the soul from sins. To do this, you need to come to terms with all the offenders and those who have been offended, refrain from gossip and condemnation, any obscene thoughts, watching numerous entertainment programs and reading lightweight literature. It is better to devote free time to reading the Holy Scriptures and other spiritual literature. It is advisable to confess a little in advance at the evening service, so that during the morning Liturgy you will no longer be distracted from the service and devote time to prayer preparation for Holy Communion. But already, as a last resort, you can confess in the morning (basically everyone does this).

For the first time, not everyone knows how to confess correctly, what to say to the priest, etc. In this case, you need to warn the priest about this, and he will direct everything in the right direction. Confession first of all presupposes the ability to see and realize one's sins; at the moment of expressing them, the priest should not justify himself and shift the blame onto another.

Children under 7 years old and all newly baptized people receive communion on this day without confession; this cannot be done only to women who are in purification (when they have their period or after childbirth until the 40th day). The text of the confession can be written on a piece of paper so as not to get lost later and remember everything.

Confession procedure

In church, a lot of people usually gather for confession, and before approaching the priest, you need to turn to face the people and say out loud: "Forgive me, sinner," and they will answer: "God will forgive, and we forgive." And already then it is necessary to go to the confessor. Approaching the analogue (high stand under the book), crossing yourself and bowing to the belt, without kissing the Cross and the Gospel, bowing your head, you can proceed to confession.

Previously confessed sins do not need to be repeated, for, as the Church teaches, they have already forgiven, but if they have been repeated again, then one must repent of them again. At the end of your confession, you must listen to the words of the priest and the prayer of permission. When he finishes, cross himself twice, bow to the belt, kiss the Cross and the Gospel, and then, having crossed himself and bowed again, accept the blessing of his father and go to his place.

What to repent of

Concluding the topic “Confession. How is this sacrament going? ”, It is necessary to familiarize oneself with the most common sins in our modern world.

Sins against God - pride, lack of faith or unbelief, denial of God and the Church, careless fulfillment of the sign of the cross, not wearing a cross, violation of the commandments of God, mentioning the name of the Lord in vain, careless execution of prayer rules, non-attendance at church, prayer without diligence, talking and walking in church during the service, belief in superstition, appeal to psychics and fortune-tellers, thoughts of suicide, etc.

Sins against one's neighbor - upsetting parents, robbery and extortion, stinginess in charity, cruelty, slander, bribery, insults, taunts and evil jokes, irritation, anger, gossip, gossip, greed, scandals, tantrums, insults, betrayal, treason, etc. etc.

Sins against oneself - vanity, arrogance, anxiety, envy, vengefulness, striving for earthly glory and honor, addiction to money, gluttony, smoking, drunkenness, gambling, masturbation, fornication, excessive attention to one's flesh, despondency, longing, sadness etc.

God will forgive any sin, nothing is impossible for him, a person only needs to truly realize his sinful deeds and sincerely repent of them.

Confessions are usually made in order to receive Communion, and for this you need to talk for several days, which implies prayer and fasting, attending evening services and reading at home, in addition to evening and morning prayers, the canons: Theotokos, Guardian Angel, Penitent, to Communion, and, if possible , or rather, at will - Akathist to Jesus the Sweetest. After midnight, they no longer eat or drink, they begin the sacrament on an empty stomach. After receiving the Sacrament of Communion, one should read the prayers for Holy Communion.

Don't be afraid to go to confession. How is it going? You can read the exact information about this in special brochures that are sold in each church, they describe everything in great detail. And then the main thing is to tune in to this true and salutary deed, because an Orthodox Christian must always think about death so that it does not catch him by surprise - without prayers of repentance and communion.

There are countless clergymen who perish without unction in various disasters! And there is nothing to say about the laity.

Who and when invented and introduced this undoubted stupidity into the church doctrine: that supposedly without unction before death, the soul goes to hell ?!

What should be done before a child is baptized?

Parents need to choose good godparents before baptizing their child. Then the parents of the child and the godparents undergo a special interview with the priest, are recorded at a certain time and day when the sacrament will be performed. You will also need to know certain Christian prayers for memory, prepare a baptismal set for a baby, a baptismal towel, a pectoral cross with a chain. The pectoral cross serves as an image of our life cross, which manifests itself in all sorrows, joys, worries and concerns. If a person carries his life cross with dignity and without murmuring, then he will rejoice at his salvation and will be in paradise abodes. The task of the godparents and the parents of the baby is to show him a good example with their lives, to teach the basic principles of Christian behavior and worldview.

What you need to know before baptizing a child

Parents of the child and his godparents should know certain Christian prayers, which include the prayer "Our Father", "Heavenly King", "Virgin Mary, rejoice", and also know by heart, or at least be good at reading the "Symbol of Faith" prayer. When you come with a baby to church for his baptism, you need to know why you want to do it. Parents and godparents always wish the child well and good. The highest blessing for every person is the salvation of his soul. The life that is given to us on earth is temporary and fleeting; it is a preparation for eternity. The eternal fate of the soul depends on how we live it. If a child is baptized, they will pray for him in church and at home, he will be brought up in a Christian spirit, strive to do good deeds and please God, then there will be all chances for the salvation of his soul. And this is the goal and responsibility that is entrusted to parents and godparents by God himself.

The baptism of a child is an event that occurs only once in a lifetime. It should be a stepping stone on the path of the spiritual ladder. Walking up the stairs is always more difficult than going down. The same applies to the spiritual life: doing good deeds, especially when we don't feel like it, is much more difficult than relaxing and allowing ourselves to say or do something thoughtlessly. In the Holy Scriptures it is written that for every idle word, i.e. rash, a person will be held accountable before God on the day of the Last Judgment. Raising a child is a very difficult and responsible job. After baptism, the Lord gives invisible grace not only to the child to grow physically and spiritually, but also to his parents and godparents to properly raise the baby. The main thing is that they listen to the suggestions that the Lord will send through their hearts and thoughts.

Fasting, confession and communion before the baptism of a child

There are dioceses of the Orthodox Church, where fasting, confession and communion before the baptism of the child of his godparents are a strict requirement for the baptism of a child. In other dioceses, this is expressed in the form of a wish. Fasting, confession, and the sacrament are important aspects of spiritual preparation for the ordinance. Responsible parents and godparents of the baby will have to follow his spiritual life, and this cannot be done without a personal example that the baby will see.

Fasting before the baptism of the child with the godfather and godmother

Godparents who are preparing for the sacrament of confession and communion should eat lean food and pray more for several days. Fasting usually lasts three to seven days. On these days, the godfather and godmother should not eat foods that contain meat, milk and its derivatives, eggs and other animal products. On these days, you need to try to diligently fulfill your morning and evening prayer rule, not watch TV, not engage in empty activities, avoid various entertainment.

Confession before the baptism of a child

The godmother and godfather should prepare well for the confession that will take place before the baptism of their godson or goddaughter. During the confession before the baptism of the child, you need to sincerely tell the priest about those words, thoughts and actions that you regret. Perhaps you have offended someone and brought pain with your thoughtless word. There are people to whom you did not pay enough attention, although they really needed it, and you could do it. Perhaps you have judged someone or envied someone. Before confession, you can retire somewhere, think well and analyze your behavior. The sacrament of confession is called in another way the sacrament of repentance. The word repentance occurs and this sacrament is expressed in Greek by the word "mitanoya", which means "change." After confession, in which you tell about what you repent of, you need to make every effort to make your spiritual change. Those nasty thoughts, words and deeds should be tried to be avoided and tried not to be done again.

Communion before the baptism of a child

The sacrament of Holy Communion or the Eucharist is one of the most amazing moments of the manifestation of God's grace in the life of people. This sacrament cannot be understood by the human mind. However, the soul and body of a Christian perceives the Eucharist to the extent that it is ready for it. During the sacrament, under the guise of bread and wine, believers partake of the very Body of our Lord Jesus Christ. In this way, we unite with God Himself. In order to at least a little comprehend this sacrament and prepare for it, before the sacrament, they usually observe fasting and begin the sacrament of confession, and also read special prayers. These prayers are contained in the Orthodox prayer book, they are called "Follow-up to Holy Communion." Also, before this sequence, believing Christians read the canon of repentance to our Lord Jesus Christ, the canon to the Most Holy Theotokos, as well as the canon to the Guardian Angel and the canon to Holy Communion. If these prayers are read thoughtfully and reasoned about their meaning, then a picture of the Last Judgment opens up before a person, God's love for righteous people and anger towards sinners. Also, these prayers contain a large number of examples when people who committed very terrible sins, such as fornication and murder, came to repentance and received God's mercy and forgiveness. These prayers are designed to warm up the heart of a Christian and make him capable of receiving God's grace. Now there are Orthodox prayer books in which there is a parallel translation from the Church Slavonic language into Russian. If you do not have such a prayer book, and you do not understand the meaning of some words, you can search for these prayers in Russian on the Internet. You can print them out and keep in front of your eyes while reading prayers in Church Slavonic. When you come across an incomprehensible moment or word, you can watch it in Russian.

After the baptism of the child, you need to try in the near future so that the baby also begins the sacrament of Holy Communion.

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Baptism of the child. Confession and communion before baptism.

I will say this, I am a believer, I visit church from time to time, light candles, give notes, but I do not stand services. I have never confessed or received communion in my life! And, frankly, I have no such desire. First, there needs preparation for the procedure (as far as I know) to observe fasting, read prayers, attend services - for me this is problematic and dreary. Well, and secondly, as it is psychologically I am not ready for this procedure of confession and communion. After visiting the church, I arrived upset, the words of Batiushka confused me. As far as I know, my friend baptized my son 5 years ago - no one there confessed or took communion.

So I want to know from you, who baptized their children or were godparents, did you go through these procedures? How critical is it if you simply baptize without confession and communion. This is a very exciting question for me.

P.S. And at the same time a question - which cross is better for a child to buy silver or gold?

Ask at another church.

And again, all of this should be voluntary, and not forcing yourself. As for me, do not want to - do not take communion, the church in any case has no right to refuse to baptize your child.

Better silver. It is better to hide the cross with which they baptized later, and what to wear, buy a gold one, dedicate it in church and let it wear it.

But in general, a strange approach. dreary .. Why are you baptizing the child? (in no way accept as condemnation, I just do not understand)

We bought gold crosses for the elder and now the younger, we did not ask to consecrate, in the church they know how and what to do, maybe they sprinkled holy water (I don’t know), we bought the chain for the elder, but it was not useful (the priest puts on over his head, 40 cm short for this), now they did not buy the youngest, they will give a ribbon in the church, we will buy it later.

The baptism of a child is an important event for parents. Therefore, you need to prepare for it in advance, both spiritually and materially. You have to choose a temple, godparents, attend explanatory talks before christening and purchase baptismal accessories.

What parents need to know

Baptism is carried out starting from the 40th day from the moment of the birth of the child.

The girl must have a godmother, the boy must have a godfather

Godmothers cannot be married

The godmother must be over 15 years old, and the godmother must be over 13

A pregnant woman can become a godmother if her child is over 40 days old.

The duration of the fast before baptism is three days. On the day of baptism, food must not be taken before the ceremony.

Before filming a christening, you need to get a blessing from the priest

Ideally, godparents and parents should know by heart the "Symbol of Faith" and "Our Father" prayers. The "Symbol of Faith" is read during baptism

If you wish, you can make a donation for the sacrament of baptism. In some temples the donation amount is fixed.

Baptism of a child takes place both individually and in a group

Baptism of a child lasts from 40 minutes

First of all, before the christening, parents need to answer the question: "Why do we want to baptize the child?" Today, the baptism ceremony for many married couples has lost an important spiritual component. Some baptize children at the insistence of older relatives, others pay tribute to traditions.

If you are in doubt about whether to baptize your baby, wait a little. Some spouses believe that the child should make the decision to be baptized independently and consciously, and therefore refuse to baptize the newborn.

Those who decide to baptize a baby at an early age fast before the sacrament, read prayers, confess and receive communion. Another responsibility of the parents is the choice of godparents for the baby.

Tips for godmothers and dads

Godfathers are the child's spiritual mentors. They are responsible for the religious and moral education of the child.

If godparents have doubts about whether they will be able to cope with the responsibilities assigned to them, advise them to attend explanatory talks before the christening. Conversations take place in a temple or church in the form of lectures on the topic of religion. Those present can ask questions of the ministers of the church. In some temples and churches, at the end of the talks, they issue certificates of their passage.

It is not scary if the godparents have not learned the Symbol of Faith prayer. During baptism, it can be repeated after the priest.

What you need to buy before christening:

Pectoral cross. Usually the godfather gets it for the boy, and the godmother for the girl.

Christening gown, hat and towel. Both godparents and parents themselves can buy these things.

The godparents can give the baby an icon depicting a saint patronizing a newborn. This is a saint with the same name as a child or a saint whose commemoration day falls on the birthday or christening of a baby

The sacrament of baptism

During baptism, godparents and parents renounce sins and the devil, repeating the words indicated by the priest, and promise to keep the Christian commandments. Then the godparents give the baby to the priest, who dips the baby into the baptismal font three times, and then performs the rite of chrismation. Then, with the child in their arms, the godparents walk around the font three times.

After the ordinance of baptism, a home celebration is usually held with the participation of the closest family members.

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Pre-baptismal interviews, pre-baptismal interviews

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Among the large number of different church rites, the sacrament of Baptism is of particular importance. Since ancient times, the Orthodox Church has performed this rite on babies. Therefore, it is very important to choose good guarantors, because a child cannot yet be responsible for himself. According to all the rules, the godparents should have a conversation with the priest before the baptism of the child. . About what kind of conversation it is, how it goes and how long it lasts, and will be discussed further.

Announcement conversations before baptism, rules of conduct

Announcement conversations are the main ritual that takes place before baptism for a long time. People who were going to convert to Christianity, first "announced", in other words, for a couple of years they studied the basic principles of the faith, were interviewed.

But such people could not participate in general liturgies, confess and receive communion. Only after completing all the tasks and observing all the rules, one or three years later, a person could receive Baptism on Easter. Such a long journey was made by people for the sake of initiation into the Christian faith.

Godparents are the most important personalities during the sacrament. They are the ones who receive the new baptized baby from the font. The godmother and father must be baptized, unlike parents, who may not enter the church. Baptism should be based on the faith of the godparents.

How are baptismal conversations going? For this, the godparents must come to the holy father, with whom the parents talked the day before. He will initiate them into all the details of the sacrament. How long the conversation lasts before baptism depends on the godparents, because they will have to complete a number of tasks received from the priest.

It is also important to remember that the child's spiritual mentors must be properly chosen:

close relatives - parents, grandfathers, grandmothers - cannot baptize a child;
monks or those who intend to become monks cannot take care of a child;
one child cannot be baptized by a husband and wife;
mentally unbalanced people cannot take part in the ceremony;
a person who is deprived of the opportunity to enter the church, that is, with a penance imposed, does not have the right to baptize a child.

The process of preparing for the sacrament of Baptism is very responsible. And this applies not only to the material side. It is not enough just to buy a cross, kryzhma, pay for the procedure and sit at the festive table. It is important to prepare yourself spiritually and meet all the requirements of the church.

Conversation before baptism for godparents, first lesson

Given the large influx of people wishing to be baptized and christened a child, in 2013 the patriarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church decided that a conversation in the church before baptism should be held. These conversations should be conducted for both biological and godparents. Without public talks, the holy father has no right to conduct the rite of the sacrament of Baptism.

Announcement conversations before baptism for godparents take place in two stages. First, the priest explains what role the godparents will play in the child's life. They will be obliged to be responsible for the soul of the child. Then the priest explains the procedure of the sacrament and tells what each godfather has to do. Then he issues a homework assignment - what spiritual mentors should know.

The main provisions of the assignment are as follows:

know by heart the seven commandments of Christ and the ten commandments written in the Old Testament;
godparents must necessarily confess and receive Holy Communion;
to learn the prayers "Our Father" and "Theotokos Virgin";
Either memorize the "Symbol of Faith" or read it confidently, understanding the meaning of what has been said;
know the components of the New Testament, as well as completely read the Gospel of Mark;
before the sacrament of baptism, one should receive communion, confess, and also observe a three-day strict fast.

Also, at the first meeting with the holy father, personal data are filled in for godparents and the child who will be baptized.

The fulfillment of the assignment by spiritual parents can sometimes last a month, therefore, it is necessary to plan the date of the christening, relying on the successes of the future godfathers and godfathers.

Conversation before the baptism of the child with godparents, second lesson

The second conversation is a very important stage in the preparation for the sacrament of Baptism. First, the priest checks how well the godparents have mastered the theories: the Symbol of Faith prayer, the Gospel and the Our Father and Virgin Mary prayers, as well as all the commandments. If everything is in order with theoretical knowledge, then the priest should confess the godparents.

This is done in order to make sure of the sincerity of the faith of the guarantors. Then future spiritual mentors receive communion. If the godparents refuse to confess and receive communion, their father asks them to be removed and replaced with other, more conscientious persons. He has the right to this, since the godparents must strictly comply with the established rules of the ceremony.

The process of conducting catechism with the godparents is called catechesis. This process is so serious that it can drag on indefinitely, so baptism is often postponed and rescheduled. Those who successfully pass the conversation in the church are issued a certificate of announcement, which is certified with a seal and signature.

If the godfather or mother lives in another city, they can have an open talk at the place of their actual residence, and bring a certificate with them for baptism.

A lot also depends on the priest who conducts the catechesis. Some are limited to a couple of questions, others with their own severity and in accordance with all the rules conduct a conversation. Both cases may be true.

Conversation with parents before baptism

Biological parents are passive participants in the baptismal process. With them, the holy father coordinates the main issues:

date of baptism;
time of the ceremony;
baby clothes;
the name that will be given to the baby after baptism.

Before discussing the above-mentioned issues, the father learns from the parents how often they visit the temple, whether they pray, whether they receive communion. After that, he tells about the further actions of the parents after baptism. They undertake:

to give communion to the child;
drive to the temple;
prays for him;
to actively educate within the framework of the Orthodox faith.

After baptism, Jesus Christ should become the main mentor in the baptized family.

Parents should remember that they, like godparents, are responsible for the soul of the baby until his adulthood, therefore, they should fully contribute to his spiritual development.

Thus, the rite of Baptism carries a number of preparatory actions, the main of which remains public talks with both biological parents and godparents. Spiritual parents bear great responsibility for teaching their children to church laws, therefore their knowledge and skills must be at a high level.

To help and make sure of the truth of the knowledge of godparents will help catechumens, which must be taken very responsibly.

The Lord is always with you!

From this video you can find out how the conversation with the priest goes before the sacrament of baptism:

What should be done before a child is baptized?

What you need to know before baptizing a child

Fasting, confession and communion before the baptism of a child

Fasting before the baptism of the child with the godfather and godmother

Confession before the baptism of a child

Communion before the baptism of a child

After the baptism of the child, you need to try in the near future so that the baby also begins the sacrament of Holy Communion.

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How to prepare godparents for a child's baptism

It is worth remembering that Baptism is one of the most crucial moments in a person's life. By making vows of fidelity to Christ, the godson in an incomprehensible way for the first time in his life unites with the Lord, becomes able to perceive the grace of the Holy Spirit. From the moment of Baptism, a person - even a tiny baby - becomes a member of the Church, prayers are now offered up for him in the temple. The Guardian Angel, through the prayer of parents and godparents, intercedes for the child before God. The Sacrament must be taken seriously and consciously.

When we baptize a baby, all responsibility for his spiritual development falls on the godparents. The preparation for the sacrament must be given the maximum possible time and the utmost attention. For future godparents, preparation for Baptism implies confession, communion on the eve of the sacrament, and attending public talks in accordance with the routine adopted in your church.

If you are participating in Baptism for the first time, it will be useful to familiarize yourself with the order of the sacrament - the order of rites, prayers and chants. Thus, you will understand the general meaning of what is happening during the service. Remember that the godparents are not only formally required to be present, but must certainly pray for the spiritual child, together with the priest performing the sacrament. According to church tradition, before participating in important sacraments - Baptism, Wedding, - it is necessary to prepare for confession, confess and receive the Holy Mysteries.

Fasting, prayer, confession before baptism

How much to fast - it is best to consult a confessor. If your spiritual father is not there, you can talk to a priest you know from the temple that you regularly visit. On days when there is no church fast, three days are usually fasted before the sacrament. There are times when the priest blesses to observe fasting for only a day or two. This is possible, for example, on a bright, Easter week, when the whole Church celebrates Easter and there are no fasting days at all. However, even these days it is necessary to give up entertainment, TV, and even more noisy parties before communion.

The priest should be told that you are about to become the child's godfather and ask for advice on how to best prepare for the ordinance. Perhaps, in addition to fasting and confession, he will offer to read specific spiritual literature. Either way, take the blessing and do as it says. With the blessing, everything will turn out in the best possible way.

Christians prepare for communion not only by fasting, but also by prayer. With attention, delving into the meaning of each word, the rule for Holy Communion is read. It is included in all traditional prayer books. Baptism of children is often performed in churches on Sundays after the liturgy. At this liturgy, future godparents can partake of the Holy Mysteries and participate in the sacrament of Baptism with a renewed spirit. With a different schedule, you can confess and take communion at the liturgy closest to the day of Epiphany.

We offer to find out and the rite of the Sacrament of Baptism here

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Before the baptism of a child, parents and godparents go through several stages of preparation. You need to foresee many nuances: attending explanatory conversations, buying a pectoral cross and a baptismal shirt, choosing a temple for the sacrament.

The baptism of a child is an important event for parents. Therefore, you need to prepare for it in advance, both spiritually and materially. You, godparents, will attend explanatory talks before christening and purchase baptismal accessories.

What parents need to know

. Baptism is carried out starting from the 40th day from the moment of the birth of the child.

. The girl must have, the boy must have a godfather

. Godmothers cannot be married

. The godfather must be over 15 years old, and the godmother must be over 13

. A pregnant woman can become a godmother if her child is over 40 days old.

. The duration of the fast before baptism is three days. On the day of baptism, food must not be taken before the ceremony.

. Before filming a christening, you need to get a blessing from the priest

. Ideally, godparents and parents should know by heart the "Symbol of Faith" and "Our Father" prayers. The "Symbol of Faith" is read during baptism

. If you wish, you can make a donation for the sacrament of baptism. In some temples the donation amount is fixed.

. Baptism of a child takes place both individually and in a group

. Baptism of a child lasts from 40 minutes

Those who decide to baptize a baby at an early age fast before the sacrament, read prayers, confess and receive communion. Another responsibility of parents is to choose godparents for the baby.

Tips for godmothers and dads

Godfathers are the child's spiritual mentors. They are responsible for the religious and moral education of the child.

It is not scary if the godparents have not learned the Symbol of Faith prayer. During baptism, it can be repeated after the priest.

What you need to buy before christening:

. Pectoral cross. Usually the godfather gets it for the boy, and the godmother for the girl.

. Christening gown, hat and towel. Both godparents and parents themselves can buy these things.

. The godparents can give the baby an icon depicting a saint patronizing a newborn. This is a saint with the same name as a child or a saint whose commemoration day falls on the birthday or christening of a baby

The sacrament of baptism

After the ordinance of baptism, a home celebration is usually held with the participation of the closest family members.

Dear parents, we are very glad that you have decided to baptize your child, because Baptism is a sacrament that the church has been conducting through its apostles (archbishops) since the time of Jesus Christ. And Jesus himself showed humility as the true God by being baptized by a sinful man.

It is impossible to carry out Baptism from day to day. Baptism requires the preparation of parents and godparents. Baptism consists of a series of liturgical activities related to each other. Baptism consists of the rite itself and its public part, in which the family of the baptized child and the entire church community, which prays for the catechised (i.e., the one who receives the baptism), takes part.

The baptismal ceremony consists of:

a) prayers for the mother after childbirth and giving a name to the child (private ceremony, lasts 15 minutes);
b) introducing the child to the community of believers during the Divine Liturgy (public ceremony, lasts 5 minutes);
c) the Baptism itself (private ceremony, lasts 45 minutes);
e) the introduction of the baptized person into the temple and his first communion (public ceremony). Only after this, the rite of Baptism is considered completed, an entry is made in the metric, and a document of Baptism is also issued.

Before meeting with the priest, decide who will be the godfather.

The family decides whom to choose the godfather / godmother (successor) and in honor of which saint the child will be named at Baptism.
An Orthodox believer must be the godfather. During the preparation for the ceremony, the priest conducts a spiritual conversation with the godfather (recipient), during which the priest explains the role of the godfather in the sacrament of Baptism and the obligations that he undertakes. From the point of view of church law, the godfather at Baptism becomes the father or mother of the baptized, therefore, when choosing a godfather, it is worth talking about a loved one who will be next to the child and will be an excellent example of participation in the life of the church for him. Ideally, if the godfather is not a blood relative. If the family does not have acquaintances who could adequately cope with the role of godfather, the priest will help choose a godfather from among the believers of the church community.

What should a godfather do before baptism?

Before Baptism, the Godfather must take part in a spiritual conversation, defend the Divine Liturgy, confess and receive communion.
The godfather must know the basic Orthodox prayer "The Symbol of Faith", which he will read at Baptism.

When they meet, the family makes an agreement with the priest about:
a) the time of the ceremony of naming the saint and the announcement of the child at the Divine Liturgy;
b) the time of the Baptism
c) the time of the first communion, with which the rite of Baptism ends.

What things need to be prepared for Baptism?

Cross, candles, baptismal cloth (maybe a white towel). Orthodox crosses and candles can be bought in our church.

Dear parents, if you have questions or think you may not be able to fully implement any of the above recommendations, do not hesitate to contact a priest. The purpose of baptism is not a perfectly performed ceremony, but a true desire to be baptized. On the other hand, we must not forget that Baptism is part of our spiritual struggle on earth, which is associated with overcoming difficulties. Anyone who tries to make his path easier for Christ ceases to carry the cross that the Savior took on his shoulders. The priest is responsible before God for any relaxation of the rite and can do so for God's love or for reasons of missionary work, but not out of carelessness or haste.

Baptism of an adult

Baptism of an adult differs from Baptism of a child in the size of the preparation. The adult must go through the preparation for Baptism (catechesis), where he will be trained and shown that he really wants to be an active member of the local community of believers. The preparation of adults lasts about a year - this is the actual period of catechesis (the preparatory period during which the convert receives instructions in the faith), the duration depends on the priest, who decides whether the catechized person is sufficiently prepared and how ready he is to become a member of the Church of Christ. In special cases of threat to life, the period of catechesis can be greatly reduced. The most frequently catechized people are baptized on Holy Saturday before Easter.

What do we get with Baptism?

With Baptism, the Lord forgives us all sins, frees our thoughts for understanding the Gospel, introduces us to the acceptance of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, gives us his gifts that sanctify us and give us strength in the fight against sin.

What is needed to be baptized?

The responsibility for the Baptism of a small child rests on the shoulders of the parents and the godfather, while the adult assumes the obligation, with the help of the confessor, to properly prepare for Baptism. Preparation is considered regular participation in Sunday services, reading and studying the Gospel, growing in prayer and, of course, working for the local Orthodox community of believers.
An adult, just like a child, must have a godfather - a practicing Orthodox Christian. The godfather, by his active life in the church, should be an example for the new convert.

The first step on the path to receiving Baptism is to contact your confessor, who at the beginning of the conversation will point you to further steps.

Symbol of faith

I believe in one God, the Father, Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, visible to all and invisible.
And in the only Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only one-born, who is of the Birth Father before all ages; Light from the Light, God is true from God, true, born, uncreated, consubstantial with the Father, Imzhe all was.
We are for the sake of man and ours for the sake of salvation that came from heaven and was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and Mary the Virgin, and became man.
He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried.
And resurrected on the third day according to Scripture.
And ascended into heaven, and sit at the right hand of the Father.
And the packs that come with the glory of judging the living and the dead, His Kingdom will have no end.
And in the Holy Spirit, the life-giving Lord, who is from the Father who proceeds, who is worshiped with the Father and the Son, and who is glorified by the prophets.
In one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.
I confess one baptism for the remission of sins.
I tea the resurrection of the dead.
And the life of the future age. Amen.

Two small prayers of the godparents for their godchildren

Lord Jesus Christ, wake Thy mercy on my (my) godson (goddaughter) (names), preserve him (her) under Thy roof, cover from all evil lust, drive away from him (her) every enemy and adversary, open him (her) ) ears and eyes of the heart, grant tenderness and humility to his (her) heart.

Save, Lord, and have mercy on the godson (goddaughter) of my (my) (names) and enlighten him (her) with the light of the mind of Thy Holy Gospel and guide him (her) on the path of Thy commandments and teach him (her), Savior, to do Thy will as Thou art our God, and we glorify Thee, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever and ever. Amen.

What you need to know before baptizing a child

Parents of the child and his godparents should know certain Christian prayers, which include the prayer "Our Father", "Heavenly King", "Virgin Mary, rejoice", as well as know by heart, or at least be able to read well. When you come with a baby to church for his baptism, you need to know why you want to do it. Parents and godparents always wish the child well and good. The highest blessing for every person is the salvation of his soul. The life that is given to us on earth is temporary and fleeting; it is a preparation for eternity. The eternal fate of the soul depends on how we live it. If a child is baptized, they will pray for him in church and at home, he will be brought up in a Christian spirit, strive to do good deeds and please God, then there will be all chances for the salvation of his soul. And this is the goal and responsibility that is entrusted to parents and godparents by God himself.

Fasting, confession and communion before the baptism of a child

Fasting before the baptism of the child with the godfather and godmother

Confession before the baptism of a child

Communion before the baptism of a child

After the baptism of the child, you need to try in the near future so that the baby also begins the sacrament of Holy Communion.

Baptism is the spiritual birth of a person! This is a sacrament that is performed by the Lord Himself! And the priest in baptism (as in fact in any other sacrament) is only a mediator between God and man.

After baptism, the one over whom this sacrament was performed - become a full member of the Orthodox Church, become a part of it.

Baptism should not be accepted by a person or his children only by virtue of tradition, nationality, or for some other reason (everyone is baptized, and I’m worse !!!).

The only reason for baptism is the SINCERE FAITH of the baptized person (his parents) in Jesus Christ and there can be no other reason! That is why the baptized person (his parents) should know (at least not for the first time to hear about her already at baptism) the Symbol of Faith prayer, which summarizes the foundations of the Orthodox doctrine.

Moreover, there is every reason to believe that baptism accepted by a person without faith, simply by tradition, not only will not be beneficial, but can be harmful, since the sacraments established by God Himself are not toys and not some kind of magic gadgets. and such a "play" with the Lord God will not lead to anything good.

Well, if faith in Christ is sincere, then, of course, the baptized person or his parents, if this is a child, should TRY to lead a Christian lifestyle. Try to live according to your conscience, not doing to others what you do not want yourself or your children!

Here, with your permission, I will allow myself a small, but, in my opinion, very important digression ...

An amazing thing. We all know this seemingly "banal" truth from a young age. Indeed, what could be easier - both you and you. But at the same time, we violate or completely forget about this truth with amazing consistency, not understanding or not wanting to understand what terrible consequences such violations lead to. Indeed, this commandment was given by God for a reason, no !!! This is the LAW of God and it is fulfilled with even greater accuracy than any law of physics. And if you have done harm to another person, then this evil is EARLY or LATE - but it will IMPOSSIBLY affect you or your loved ones. And not because God demands revenge, of course not. On the contrary, if a person does not repent of the evil he has done, that is, does not ask for forgiveness for him, does not want to correct himself, then the only way to remove sin (and hence its consequences) from him is suffering, sorrow, pain. Now attention to the question ?! WHY, knowing full well of this, all the same, with rare constancy, do with others the wrong way, not the right way, but because it is beneficial for us? Why a mistake do we need such a "benefit"?

Don't know? ... I don't know either. But if you think about it more often, then there will definitely be fewer such “benefits” in our life.

So, let's continue ...

A prerequisite for sincere faith is Christian participation in church sacraments. Especially in the sacraments of confession and communion. It is impossible, considering yourself an Orthodox Christian, without taking communion. Taking communion, under the guise of bread and wine, we receive the Flesh and Blood of Christ, from the Lord Himself we receive the hope for salvation, for eternal life, we believe that we will be resurrected as Christ was resurrected! Accordingly, without receiving communion, we voluntarily deprive ourselves or our child of God's help, reject (since we do not accept) the Sacrifice of Christ on the Cross, brought by Him for each of us. By this, we are committing a mystically grave sin, since (I repeat again) we voluntarily refuse Christ, make His sacrifice for us - REVERSE!

That is why it is not only desirable, but NECESSARY to give communion to a child after the sacrament of baptism performed over him !!! You can't help but do this. It will certainly be bad for the baby to one degree or another.
Try not watering your favorite (or less so) houseplant for several days. A few weeks? A few months! What will become of him? But the same thing happens with the human soul, deprived of the sacrament, this spiritual food. It withers, hardens and eventually dies, which simply cannot be reflected on the body.

Therefore, I will repeat again, it is MANDATORY to commune the child after baptism !!! And no words can convey the importance of this. It just needs to be done!

How often? At least once a month, but this is the minimum. It is much better if the parents give the baby communion once a week, this is the most optimal option.

Up to 3 years of age, a child absolutely does not need any preparation for the sacrament, which means:

That you can feed your baby even a few minutes before communion; that it is not necessary to come to the beginning of the service (if the service is from 8-00, then you can come to 9-00, that is, about an hour after the beginning of the service). In other words, a child does not need preparation for the sacrament, unlike an adult, since he does not have any sins.

Starting from the age of 3, 4 or even 5 years (which is decided individually by the parents themselves), the little man needs to be taught to take communion on an empty stomach, and from the age of 7 the child needs to confess before communion, which at first is purely educational in nature ...

Of course, an adult also needs to receive Communion (at least once every two to three months, or even better - once a month), but adults, of course, need some preparation for this sacrament (for details, see the section "What you need to know before Communion").

By the way, the parents of the child to be baptized, as well as the godparents of the baby REAL In this way, it is recommended to receive communion on the eve of the sacrament (one day, two days, or a week, it does not matter). This will certainly have the most favorable effect on the child.

The next thing I would like to say is PRAYER, the prayer of parents for their child. A question of enormous importance. The prayer of a mother and father for her child is what he needs like air.

Prayer and regular communion with the baby after baptism are two cornerstones in the care of parents for the young soul of their child. This is, in a way, the basis, the skeleton to which, over time, everything else will attach.

And, of course, as the child grows up, the example of his parents will play an important role for him. If a person sees in dad and mom a sincere faith in Christ, their participation in the sacraments and church life, then all this simply cannot but touch his heart.

Here I will again allow myself a small digression ...

We all see - what is the world around us now. We see how it affects fragile hearts. It seems to me that the main problem of modern young people (and maybe not only young people) is the inability to distinguish Good from Evil.

Indeed, in order to know "what is good and what is bad", you need an AUTHORITY who would tell about it. And now we, basically, decide for ourselves what is good and what is not. I am my own - AUTHORITY! And from this all the problems!

For a Christian, there is only one absolute authority - CHRIST! It is He who helps us to distinguish good from evil, light from darkness. Thanks to him, we know how to act and how not to act. And now, in the modern world, this knowledge is dear. They create barriers in us that cannot be crossed. And this does not mean that a Christian will not commit a bad deed, not at all. But this definitely means that even though we have sinned, we know that we have gone astray. Our conscience convicts us, causing suffering to soul and body. And at any moment of our life, no matter how low we fall, we can return to the path of Truth. This is the difference between Christians and unbelievers, this is what these barriers set by our Christian conscience give us and our children. I think it is unnecessary to explain how all of the above is important for YOUR child and how much all this will affect his whole life!

So, let's continue ...

Last but not least: We always want the best for our child. Our baby deserves the best kindergarten, the best school, the best teachers, the best clothes, toys, etc. The list is endless.

But WHY, why, with all this, we so often just do not give a damn about the soul of a child? Why do we often care about her last or not at all ?!
Probably, it's all about our faith. In how hot and sincere she is and in how much we ourselves care about our soul. After all, if we believe in Christ only in words, then how can we instill something in our children? It's like taking a drag on a cigarette to read a moral to a child about the dangers of smoking.

But, if so, then you need to be ready for the fruits of such (godless) upbringing, and these fruits, believe me, will not keep you waiting long.

And if you have read this spiritual instruction to the end, then if you do not fulfill it, please do not bother the Creator with the most common and, probably, the most stupid question: “ Lord - for WHAT? !!!».

What godparents need to know

Godparents are those people who (at best) give their godson a birthday present once a year.

Unfortunately, in most cases, this is precisely the idea of the duties of godparents in relation to the child they baptized, and it is with these ideas that this article is called upon, to the best of its ability, to fight.

But are gifts really that bad ?! No, of course not! Give for health and, not necessarily, only for birthday. Moreover, the child himself, most likely, will remember you precisely by these gifts (or their absence). But, the bottom line is that this is not the main thing. The main thing that godparents should and must take care of is the SOUL of a little Christian!

But how, how can you take care of your soul?

1.Pray for your godson. And always, when you pray for your loved ones, for those whom you love and who are dear to you, be sure to mention the godchildren in your prayers, of course, about health and salvation. It is not for nothing that the godparents are called not aunt and uncle, but namely mother and father.

2. A very important point. Be sure to ask if your godson's parents give communion? And if not (they do not receive communion), by all means remind them of this. Above, I explained in some detail how important the sacrament is for a young Christian, and if this does not happen due to the laziness and negligence of the parents, then the godparents should fill this annoying gap. Up to the point of leading the baby to communion ourselves.

3.As the godson grows up godparents should try educate a child in the Orthodox faith. That is, to give him certain knowledge about God, about the Mother of God, about saints, about the Church, etc. Of course, the responsibility for such knowledge to a greater extent rests with the parents, because the child spends most of the time with them. But (THIS IS IMPORTANT !!!) - godparents MUST at least somehow participate in this process.

How does all this happen in practice? It's very simple: at least sometimes you yourself lead the child to communion. At least sometimes talk with them about faith (of course, for this you yourself must know at least its basics). Give the godchildren some kind of children's spiritual literature (the same children's Bible or the Law of God), etc. etc. All these are of course only examples. How to act specifically is up to you personally.

In these three of your duties, your care for the baby's soul will be shown.

And finally, the last thing godparents need to know. Attention, this is very IMPORTANT !!!

You must understand that baptism over a child is by YOUR FAITH. It is you, not the baby, who will deny Satan and unite with Christ during baptism. And if there is NO faith in you, then this can ultimately be very detrimental to your godson. Please read this again - it is actually IMPORTANT!

Actually, this is all the godparents need to know. But, I would like to remind once again that it is more important here not only to know, but follow the knowledge gained.

Priest Vitaly Konstantinov
Belgorod, 2013