The birth of a child is one of the most important events in the life of each family, which remains in memory for many years. However, in addition to physical birth, there is also a spiritual birth that occurs in the baptismal font during the Sacrament of Baptism. What is the Sacrament of Baptism and what is necessary for it? The answer to these, and many other questions you will find in this article.
If one is not born of water and the Spirit, he can not enter the Kingdom of God (John 3: 5) - this saying of Christ brings us the Gospel of John. Having accepted Baptism and sanctified the waters of the Jordan, the Savior of the world speaks directly of baptism as a birth from water. Afterwards, after His resurrection, He sends all his followers to preach throughout the world: Go, teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to do all that I have commanded you (Matthew 28: 19-20). ). Thus, the Sacrament of Baptism was established by Christ himself and is the means leading to eternal life. This is the very first and mandatory sacrament for everyone who believes in the Resurrected Savior of the world, a door opening the opportunity to embark on other ordinances of the Church, such as: Communion, Marriage and others.
During the early Christianity, most of the participants in the sacrament of Baptism were adults. But this does not mean that the first Christians did not baptize the babies. The book of the Acts of the Apostles more than once describes the case when all the members of the household of one or another person accepted Baptism without exception. Because in those days, both adults and children were baptized. Subsequently, since the IV century, when Christianity became the state religion of the Roman Empire and spread among the broad masses of the population, baptism began to be performed mainly on children. This state of affairs remains even now, although in our time many adults and established people enter the Church of Christ through the baptismal font.
Also from this time there is a special institution of the Baptismal converts, or - the godparents.
Who participates in the sacrament of Baptism?
Participants in Baptism are the infant himself, on which the sacrament is performed, and his followers, who instead of the kid answer the priest's questions and pronounce the confession of faith. To the issue of choosing godparents for a child, one must take special responsibility! It's not just your friends who will give your baby gifts and attend family holidays. These are spiritual parents who are responsible for raising a child in the Orthodox faith and in the norms of Christian morality. Therefore, the godparents themselves should first of all be baptized in Orthodoxy and live a church life, that is, regularly receive Holy Mysteries. Before the sacrament, they also need to confess and receive communion, be ready to answer the priest's questions and be able to read the Creed. Unfortunately, not everyone has friends who can comply with these rules. However, if they have a desire to become the godparents of your child, then after talking with the priest in any temple, they will be able to get help in training. We should note that people who accepted monastic tonsure can not be godfathers! 
In our time, it is customary to take a couple of godparents to participate in the sacrament - a man and a woman. It is extremely undesirable that it should be a married couple. Although there are no direct prohibitions regarding this condition in the canons, but the tradition that has developed in the people forbids the husband and wife from being the godparents of one child. In general, according to church rules, only one of the godparents according to the sex of the baby is considered to be the godfather: for the boy - a man, for the girl - a woman. But in modern practice, it has long been accepted that both are godparents.
In ancient times, when mortality was very high, and life expectancy was low, the godparents in the event of trouble became guardians for orphaned children, or helped raise and train their godson a trade, in the event of the death of one of the parents. Now the living conditions have become relatively better, but very well, when the godparents, in addition to their spiritual duties, also participate in the process of education in their spiritual life, the qualities of a worthy person and citizen.
The biological parents of the child must also be present at the time of Baptism. Within forty days after giving birth, the mother can not participate in the sacraments of the Church, which is associated with certain physiological features of the postpartum period. Then a special prayer is read over it - and she, like the father of the child, must attend the Baptism of her baby.
What is necessary for the Sacrament of Baptism?
.jpg)
For the commission of Baptism, the godparents usually buy:
Towels
Of course, for baptism one can also use ordinary clothes, but if you have the desire and the opportunity to better buy a baptismal suit or dress. Kryzhma is a baptismal diaper, which, after the sacrament, is preserved in the family, because it contains drops of the consecrated oil. Sometimes it can embroider the name of a newly baptized baby.
The cross is better to buy a small one and on a short chain or lace so that it can not get tangled around the baby's neck. A nominal icon is an image of a saint whose name will be worn by a baby, or, respectively, a saint. First, parents will pray at the image of the heavenly patron of their child, and then their child will be taught to pray with the Hilly world.
In breezy preparations, most importantly, do not forget that the baptism of an infant is not just a traditional rite, but a mystery that opens the door for a small Christian to divine grace. And it depends on us, adults, what kind of person the baptized baby will grow and what will be his way to God.
