In many families, the holiday is not only the birthday of the child, but also the date of his christening. Indeed, for Christians this ritual is of great importance, because it gives the child protection and is the beginning of a new, spiritual life of a person. Like any ritual, Orthodox baptism of a child in the church is subject to certain rules, the execution of most of which falls on the shoulders of the priest, but some points for the proper conduct of the rite should be known to the godparents and biological parents.
The rules of the child's baptism in the church for parents
The tradition of baptizing newborns appeared around the 6th century (previously the sacrament was carried out at a conscious age), and since then the ritual has been attempted as early as possible. Usually, this is done on the 40th day after birth, since the mother of the child is not allowed to participate in the sacrament before, although in special cases Orthodox baptism of a child under the age of 40 days and in the presence of the mother is allowed. Parents have several important responsibilities in preparation for the sacrament. First, they have to choose the kid's name, which he will be called at baptism. This should be the name of an Orthodox saint, randomly chosen, most revered by the parents or commemorated on the birthday (baptism) of the child.
Secondly, it is necessary to choose godparents. According to the rules of the godfather, they choose one sex with a newborn, but due to the complexity of the duties, the tradition of choosing both the godfather and the godmother for the child was established. It can not be relatives or people intending to marry. They must be baptized and believers. Gentiles and minors can not become godparents. However, in any case, you should turn to the priest for the blessing of the chosen godparents.
Thirdly, parents themselves must prepare for the rite: to pass an interview with a priest and fulfill all his requirements. In general, this is the knowledge of important Christian prayers and the preparation of special subjects for baptism.
Church rules for the baptism of the child for the godparents
The godparents should also attend the interview with the priest, where they will be told about the necessary actions. They will also need to know the basic prayers, because they can be asked to
Prepare the baptismal items should the parents of the baby, but most often in this help the godparents by agreement, of course. But the greatest work of the godparents will begin after the ritual, they should take care of the child's spiritual development , help him in everything, especially if the parents can not do it themselves.