The child's baptisms are the rules

Baptism is a momentous moment in the life of every child when he attains his own guardian angel and enters the bosom of the church. Orthodox parents believe that from now on the child will be protected from worldly temptations and evil and will always be able to find solace and protection in the faith. But the christening of the child has its own rules, which must be observed in order to properly perform the rite.

What do you need to know about preparing for baptism?

Traditionally, the baby is baptized 40 days after the delivery, but if the crumb was born sick or premature, that is, there is a certain threat to his life, and earlier baptism is allowed. After all, after the ritual of the baby, according to the teaching of the church, behind the right shoulder appears the guardian angel, who will protect him from spiritual and physical illnesses throughout his life. Before entering the temple for baptism, parents should take care of the following:

1. Choose a church name. In our time it is not necessary if the child is named for the holies. But many prefer to choose another, not mundane, name in accordance with the old rules and customs of the child's christening. Previously believed that this would help to more reliably protect the crumb from the bad influence on his fate from others.
2. Decide with the godparents. It should be believers and people who visit church constantly, who will pray for the godson and instruct him in the faith. Before the ceremony, they should receive communion and confession. The godparents should be chosen from among the Orthodox and baptized. The rules of christening for a girl say that she must necessarily have a godmother female, and at the christening of a boy can not do without a godfather-man. But the presence of godparents of both sexes is allowed. Categorically they can not be, except for atheists, alcoholics and drug addicts, monks, people leading an immoral lifestyle, mentally ill, blood parents of the child or persons married. Choosing a godmother pregnant is also prohibited.
3. Choose the place and time of baptism. You can baptize a kid any day, even in a fasting or a holiday. According to folk tradition, this is better done on Saturday.
4. Purchase the necessary accessories. An important rule of the child's christening is that the payment of the rite is assigned to the godfather. He also buys a cross, if his godson is male. A godmother gets the cross. It can be both gold and silver. Also the godmother orders the kryzhma - a special veil in which the baby is wrapped during baptism, and an icon with the name of the saint - the patron saint of the child.

What does the rite of baptism look like?

On the appointed day the godparents should take the baby from the house in advance and take him to the church, where his mother and father soon come. At the same time, after entering the living quarters for the godson, the godfather and mother should not sit down. Usually only relatives and close friends are present at the rite. Women should be dressed appropriately: long skirts, a closed jacket, a headscarf or shawl on the head. Bright makeup will look inappropriate. Men are also unacceptable to appear in the temple in shorts or T-shirts.

All present must have crosses. If any of the women present are on a monthly basis, they can not attend the ceremony. After chrismation, the priest cuts off a small strand of hair from the head of the baptized person, which is the pledge of consecration to God. Then he dips the baby three times in a font and puts a chain with a cross on it, saying: "Here is your cross, my son (my daughter), carry it." Godparents repeat the "Amen" for the cleric.

The rules of the child's christening in the case of the boy differ only in that the male child is brought into the altar in contrast to the girls. It is believed that he can be a potential clergyman. During the ritual the boy holds the godmother in his arms, and the girl - the godmother.