The first sacrament of the child is a big event in the life of not only the baby himself, but also his parents. And, of course, this is an occasion for questions, doubts and, in a sense, anxiety. After all, it is a well-known fact that they take communion in the church with red wine.
Of course, many parents feel the excitement in this regard, because few people will want to give alcohol, even in small quantities, to their own child. Particularly strong doubts are overcoming those who plan to christen a nursing infant and, accordingly, take part in the sacrament of communion.
Often, parents are overwhelmed by issues related to the hygiene of the procedure. The sacrament of communion does not imply the use of individual dishes, even for the smallest. No less often, questions arise as to whether children are obliged to participate in the Eucharist after the baptismal rite. Are these sacraments inextricably linked?
What is baptism? Is it possible to partake of unbaptized children?
Baptism is the very first, main and main rite in the life of a Christian. Only after its passage do other sacraments become available for participation, and first of all, of course, the Eucharist. Accordingly, the answer to the question of whether it is possible to partake of the infant without baptism will be negative. Of course, adults who have not passed through this rite are not allowed to participate in communion. This rule is very categorical and there are no exceptions to it.
Questions about whether one can receive communion from unbaptized babies often arise in people who have little knowledge of Christian traditions, but who try to attend churches. They usually argue with the thesis that children are sinless, respectively, they can be allowed to church sacraments. However, it is not. For a person who has not passed through the rite of baptism, regardless of his age, in the sacrament there is not the slightest meaning. In other words, for a baby who has not been baptized, the Eucharist will be just a swallowed spoon of wine.
The meaning of the rite is not only that a person considers himself a Christian, but also in his spiritual rebirth. During this sacrament, all previously committed sins are washed away with water. It is as if a man dies for his former existence and is reborn from the Holy Spirit for a new, righteous life.
In this regard, modern parents, as a rule, not brought up in Christian traditions, often raise the question of the advisability of baptizing newborns. In the Orthodox tradition, there are no age restrictions for performing this rite. In the baptism of infants, special meaning is invested - this is a sign that parents will begin to raise and educate the baby in the Christian tradition.
What is the sacrament?
The Eucharist or the sacrament is one of the most important Christian sacraments. It consists in eating pre-consecrated bread and drinking wine. Accordingly, bread symbolizes the body of the Lord, and wine is the blood of Jesus.
The meaning of this ritual is that those who participate in it are united with God in Christ. Communion is necessary for a Christian to save his soul and gain eternal life in the kingdom of heaven.
This sacrament was established not at all by the clergy, but by Jesus himself during the Last Supper. This is described in all the Gospels, which, as you know, were written by the disciples of Christ, the apostles. The prehistory of the establishment of this sacrament, according to the Gospel written by John, was the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves.
In the theology of the Eucharist, the following meaning is also given: a person was expelled from Paradise and became mortal through food, and participating in the sacrament, he atones for this original sin. In other words, through the sacrament, the Christian accepts eternal life.
Communion is central to the sacraments of the Church, as it expresses oneness with God and allows believers to partake in the great sacrifice of Jesus.
"Substances of the sacrament." What is communed in the church?
For many modern parents who have not been brought up in Christian traditions, the question of what communion of infants is extremely relevant. The composition of what is in the communion cup, many of them care much more than the spiritual meaning of the sacrament.
Traditionally, bread and wine are used for the sacrament, as Jesus himself established during the Last Supper. In Orthodox Orthodox churches, a special bread, leavened bread, is used as a symbolic body of the Lord. It is called a prosphora.
Wine, symbolizing the blood of the Lord, in Orthodox churches is diluted with hot or warm water. But this is not done everywhere. For example, in Armenian churches wine is not diluted with water.
What wine is used in the sacrament?
Often in questions of parents about what communion of babies in the church, there is an interest in the sort of wine. This is really important, since this drink, even when diluted, can cause an allergic reaction in the newborn.
As a rule, in most Russian churches, fortified dessert wines made from red grape varieties, such as Cahors, are used to perform the sacrament of communion. However, the use of just such wines is not at all an unshakable rule.
Each locality has its own traditions of what wine will symbolize the blood of the Lord during the rite. For example, in Greek churches, parishioners are often communed with white wines or a mixture of them with red ones, and in Georgia, Zedasha is traditionally used.
Accordingly, for those parents who, for whatever personal reasons, it is important to know what communion of infants in the church, should talk with the priest, who serves in the church, where it is planned to join the sacrament with the baby. Do not be shy to ask questions to the clergy, especially if they are not dictated by idle curiosity, but by fears or doubts.
How soon after baptism do children receive communion?
In Orthodoxy, there are no rules prescribing when and how to receive communion of infants after baptism. There is not even a single tradition accepted by the people. In Russia, christening was carried out both on the 8th day after birth, and on the 40th. They could christen the baby on any other day.
After the rite of baptism, a person, regardless of his age, is allowed to participate in the sacrament of the Eucharist. There is no schedule governing the number of participles or the intervals between them. Accordingly, if adults are guided by the dictates of the soul or the instructions of priests before participating in the Eucharist, then the question of when and how they receive the communion of infants is the final word for their parents.
Is it obligatory to receive communion of children? How old is this to do?
It is a very widespread misconception that baptized babies must be communed. This is not at all true. The sacrament of baptism does not impose an obligation on the child’s parents to bring him to the Eucharist. There are no prescriptions or decrees governing the age at which babies are communed in the church. The decision on the participation of the newborn in the sacrament is made by the parents of the child. The priest can only explain to them the meaning of the sacrament rite, talk about why you need to participate in it. A clergyman cannot force the Eucharist.
In pre-revolutionary times, when religion was an integral part of every Russian’s life, questions about when and how they receive communion of infants after baptism and whether it should be done were not relevant. People came to church service, of course, young mothers had children in their arms. At the end of prayers, all parishioners lined up for the sacrament. Accordingly, the priest communed with both the child and his mother, as well as other people present in the temple.
That is, questions about the age at which babies receive communion did not arise, because the Eucharist was a traditional, integral and natural part of life. Baptized newborns were communed with their mothers. Of course, there was no communion frequency schedule either. At least once a week, on Sundays, newborns participated in the Eucharist, of course, if their parents attended the service.
In modern conditions, not all parents can afford a weekly visit to Sunday service. Not everyone understands why they partake of infants. Church officials do not oblige newborn parents to participate in the sacrament. Even if the baby is in the arms of the father or mother, then only adults can take communion. Moreover, you can never get up for the sacrament. But refusing to participate in the Eucharist with a child, one should not forget that a person’s habits are formed in his earliest childhood, when he is just beginning to learn the world.
Are there any differences between the participles of children and adults?
Often, parents believe that it is not hygienic how they partake of infants after baptism. Breastfeeding is better kept and brought to the Eucharist at an older age. Many are also embarrassed by the fact that the blood of Christ symbolizes an alcoholic drink.
Indeed, no special conditions for participation in the sacrament of newborns, as well as older children, are provided. That is, the baby will be communed with the same spoon and the same drink as other parishioners.
The only difference between participation in the Eucharist for adults and toddlers is that children are not given the body of the Lord, since infants will not be able to eat bread symbolizing it. The prosphora is given to the mother or father of the baby, the child himself receives only a spoonful of the Lord’s blood.
Of course, the place in the line for the body and blood of the Lord plays an important role in the way communions of babies in the church are played. Parents with babies in their arms are always allowed to participate in the sacrament first.
How often do you need to receive communion?
There is no consensus on how often it is necessary to partake of the infant after baptism. The decision on how long the time intervals between the Eucharist will be for the child's parents. Of course, clergymen have recommendations regarding the participation of children and their parents in the sacrament.
On the question of how often one needs to receive communion, most priests agree that this should be done weekly. Adults are recommended to participate in the sacrament at least once a month. However, a person who has been baptized can participate in the Eucharist at any time, even after each church service he has attended, if he experiences such a spiritual need.
Of course, the most logical decision on how to receive communion of infants, how often this should be done, is to simply follow the child's parents. This means that if the mother or father of the baby line up for the Holy Gifts, then you need to take the child in his arms, and not exclude him from participating in the sacrament. So people behaved in the old days, it makes sense to follow the custom.
Do they partake of the Great Lent? What is fasting time for a Christian?
The question of how communion of infants during Lent arises among parents no less often than others. This is due to the reluctance of people to violate any of the church rules, which they simply do not know about.
What is Lent? Without a doubt, everyone, even a person far from religion, knows that this is a time of rejection of certain types of food and abstinence from amusement. However, fasting time is not at all a period of following a peculiar diet and not the so-called “fasting days”.
Restrictions in food and lifestyle practiced during this period pursue only one goal - focusing the Christian on spiritual needs and problems. This time should be devoted to thoughts about the eternal, about the needs of the soul, about which not enough attention is paid to in the daily hustle and bustle of everyday life. In fasting, believers pay especially much attention to prayer and, of course, visit temples more often. And, of course, the sacrament of communion is held these days.
How is Communion of Babies in Great Lent? Traditionally, this is done after Saturday and Sunday church services. In general, the sacrament can be taken not only on weekends, but also on Friday and Wednesday. The sacrament itself, performed during this period, has no differences from the Eucharist held on other dates.
How to prepare for the sacrament?
In addition to questions about how many months you can partake of the baby and how the sacrament occurs, many parents are also concerned about how to prepare for participation in the Eucharist. In the Orthodox tradition, it is customary to pray before Communion, to fast and to confess. Of course, this applies to adult Christians.
There is no question about how fast the babies receive communion, about any fasts, confessions and preliminary prayers, because the child cannot but eat, and he is still not able to talk. But does this mean that preparing for the sacrament is not necessary? Not at all. Parents of a newborn are preparing for communion, both for themselves and for the baby.
Quite a lot of questions arise in connection with the need for confession. Often, parents of children do not understand why it is needed if they have not sinned. Indeed, those caring for newborn children do not have time for transgressions, but does this mean that they really did not exist? Sin is not only any action, but also thoughts, emotions. Irritation, anger, murmuring, despondency are sins. Confession is a way of repentance, purification of the soul. It is repentance that prepares the soul of a Christian for accepting the grace that the sacrament of communion carries within itself. Therefore, confession is a prerequisite for admission to the Eucharist.
As for immediate actions, for example, when it is necessary to feed babies before the upcoming communion, neither the church nor the parents have a single opinion on this matter. The process of preparing newborns for the sacrament is individual. The main thing is that the baby and his parents are comfortable during the service and when accepting the Holy Gifts.
Often young parents, focusing on the questions of whether they receive communion, when and how to do it, what is included in the process of preparing newborns for the sacrament, completely forget that other people are present in the church. If the baby is hot or cold, wants to eat or drink, you need to change the diaper, the baby will start to cry, scream. The angry cries of children are not the best sound for prayer, they distract almost all the believers present in the church hall. Therefore, it is extremely important before visiting the temple with a newborn in her arms to determine the optimal time interval between feedings, dress the baby in accordance with temperature conditions and take a bottle of water and a dummy with him.
Children traditionally begin to fast and confess at the age of seven. However, to gradually accustom the kids to the restrictions you need to start at an earlier age. In the event that fasting is observed in the family and the parents themselves regularly receive communion, no special efforts will be needed.
What do you need to remember when taking the sacrament?
When thinking about how to give the baby the right part, many parents are interested in the formalities related to the procedure itself. Do they need to be baptized with a small child in their arms? Should the newborn be especially dressed up? Are there any rules governing the baby’s pose in her arms? There are a lot of questions like these.
Although there are no restrictions on issues related to whether the baby can be communed, when and how to do this, there are still some church traditions. As a rule, to communion with the babies in their arms, people line up after Sunday morning or Saturday services.
The secret, but invariably observed procedure for receiving the sacrament is as follows - at first the parishioners take communion with the newborns, then the older children. Following them, the sacrament is accepted by men, and only after them comes the turn of women. This is not an unshakable rule, but it is precisely this order that has historically developed.
When approaching the priest, the newborn should lie on the right hand of the mother or father. , . , , . .
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Often young parents consider themselves obligated to defend the whole service with the baby in their arms, even if the baby tosses and turns, begins to cry, scream. In this case, parents usually feel shy and try to somehow quietly calm the baby. However, such actions are usually unsuccessful. On the contrary, the fuss of parents with a screaming child in their arms further distracts from the church service and the prayers of the other parishioners in the temple hall.
Meanwhile, there is no need to defend the entire service or to take a place "in the forefront", fearing a long wait for the sacrament. If a child is restless or adults first take a newborn to church service and still do not know how small they will behave, it is better to stand behind, in close proximity to the exit.
If the baby begins to cry, or if he needs something, you can always go quietly, and then return to service. The church does not require parents with newborns in their arms to be continuously in the hall during the entire ministry. It is not necessary to fear that it takes too long to wait for the sacrament. Mother or father and baby will always be allowed to go forward, regardless of where in the temple hall they are located.
When gathering with a newborn for church service, do not worry too much about formalities. In the Orthodox tradition, there are no strict rules governing the introduction of newborns to the Holy Gifts. The only condition that must be met is the passage of the baby through the baptismal rite.
When preparing to partake of the sacrament together with a newborn, one should not think about formalities, but about spiritual problems. You need to drop the fuss and focus on the main thing, for example, on the love of your child and the idea of his future. Children very subtly feel the mental state of their parents, especially mothers. If in the temple the mother begins to get nervous, fuss, worry, this will be passed on to the baby, and he will cry.
In addition, young parents need to remember that other people are in the church. You should respect the rest of the parishioners and try not to cause inconvenience to the worshipers.