Baptism is an obligatory rite for believers. Orthodox priests say that it is necessary to baptize a child, otherwise he will not fall into the kingdom of God. This is also stated in the Gospel of John, who was a beloved disciple of Jesus Christ.
To baptize a child means to provide him with divine protection for life.
The ritual is explained by modern scientists. According to this theory,
thoughts are material, and many people, saying the same prayers, create a substance called egregor. Egregor Orthodoxy is one of the most powerful on the planet, since it was created a long time ago and is supported by a large number of people. This self-developing multidimensional structure helps and gives protection to those who are connected to it through the
rite of Baptism and constantly communicate with prayers.
Since Orthodoxy is essentially a highly moral teaching, it is advisable to baptize a child even from a scientific point of view.
Before the Baptism of the baby, the Orthodox Church insists on the fulfillment of the main condition: the presence of godparents. These people must be baptized. The godfathers have the duty of raising a child in the spirit of Orthodox traditions. In addition, they should be prepared for the fact that if something happens to the biological parents of the godson, they must take the child under their shelter and take care of him. According to the canons of the Church, a husband and wife cannot baptize a child. The godmother must be over 13 years old and the godfather no younger than 15 years old.
Now about what is needed for Baptism. Godfathers should come to the temple with consecrated pectoral crosses. The godmother's clothes are a scarf on her head and a dress with her shoulders closed, its length below the knees. The church does not prohibit wearing high-heeled shoes, but the godmother should think about whether she can stand in such shoes from half an hour to two, while the ceremony lasts. It is advisable for the godfather to wear a long-sleeved shirt and trousers.
According to the old tradition, the ceremony of Baptism is held on the fortieth day after the birth of the child. It was believed that until this time the woman had not yet fully recovered physically and mentally from childbirth. Today, priests do not insist on the exact observance of this provision, because Baptism can be held at any convenient time. A good sign is considered if the Baptism of a child takes place on Easter or another Orthodox holiday.
In special cases, it is allowed to baptize a child before the fortieth day and not even in the church. This may be due to the illness of the baby. In this case, the ceremony is carried out in order to protect the baby as soon as possible and provide him with the protection of God for healing.
It is important that Baptism is not appointed during the period when the mother or godmother has critical days. At this time, women are generally forbidden to enter the temple.
A few weeks before the Baptism, the godfathers must confess, they must repent of their sins and partake of the sacrament.
On the day of the ceremony, the godfather should not eat. Intimate relationships are also contraindicated.
According to popular tradition, godparents bear all the costs. Most Orthodox churches do not have official rates for Baptism. According to the law of God and man, after the rite, the godparents donate to the temple as much as they can. It is only necessary to buy some of the things for Baptism. The answer to the question of how much it costs to christen a child is expressed in the cost of a towel in which the godmother will take the baby after the font, shirt, bonnet and cross on a chain. The cross is buying the godfather.
Baptism is a Sacrament during which a child is born again, cleansed, and passes under the protection of God.