Various rituals and ceremonies have become so firmly established in our lives that we have long ceased to be surprised by them. Their history of origin goes back to far, far pagan times, when people had almost no knowledge about the world around them. Almost no one at that time knew why it rains, what causes drought, what constitutes lightning, and so on.

The unknown is the most frightening, so people had to come up with some explanation even for natural phenomena. So the first pagan gods appeared: Perun, Veles, Makosh and others. People believed that they give them protection and patronage, and when angry, they can punish them.

The first rituals began to appear, designed to praise and appease the gods. Not a single holiday in Russia was complete without traditional songs, dances and bonfires in honor of these supreme beings.

How did the rites of the Slavs originate?

The more what people asked for coincided with reality, the more firmly the rites were fixed in human consciousness. For example, the weather is hot for a long time, people need rain. Residents light bonfires in honor of the god of lightning, dance, ask him to send down precious showers. But nothing happens...

After some time, people again arrange performances for the deity, and for greater luck, this time they also burn, for example, a bull in a fire. And so it turns out that soon the clouds really come in and the long-awaited rain comes! You can be sure that now, with every need to glorify this deity, one bull will also leave this world.

Rituals, regularly repeated, were fixed by people for many centuries. For example, seeing off winter - Maslenitsa. This holiday has survived to this day. Earlier, of course, it was noted much more widely.

For each day of Shrove Tuesday, some event was timed. On one day they went to relatives for pancakes, on another they arranged comic wall-to-wall fights, on the third they built castles and sculpted figures from snow. And, of course, on the last day, widespread festivities were held, treats with the final burning of an effigy of winter. We are celebrating this day now.

Of course, no one now thinks that spring will not come without this solemn meeting, but the holiday is still celebrated.

Rite of blood fraternization

There is an interesting custom, which is now called "drinking on brotherhood." Its essence is that people who have decided that they are now in strong friendships cross their arms with a drink (usually alcoholic) and drink it to the drop.

Once the ancestor of this custom was called "Blood fraternization". Two men (usually warriors) swore allegiance to each other until the end of their days. At the same time, each made an incision on his arm, part of the blood fell into a specially prepared bowl of wine, the incisions were firmly pressed, and then they drank the resulting drink in half.

As rituals arose in pagan Russia, so they continued with the advent of Christianity. The only difference was that now they were related to one supreme being, and not to a whole pantheon. The main deities merged with some saints, while the rest gradually disappeared into oblivion or became identified with evil spirits.

Accordingly, the nature of some customs has also changed. For example, earlier newlyweds, having sworn oaths of love and fidelity, went to worship the respective gods. Now it has been replaced by a church wedding.

On the day of Ivan Kupala, it was customary to arrange bathing and entertainment related to water: dousing, sprinkling, etc. Now the church celebrates the Nativity of John the Baptist on this day. Again, a man who baptized everyone with water.

In winter, January 6, paganism celebrated the day of the sun god, Mithra. Now this day is celebrated as Christmas Eve, the day before the Nativity of Christ.

Rites and traditions have been with us for many centuries. Let some of them have changed, lost some of their original meaning, but since people have not forgotten them for several centuries, it means that the truth is hidden somewhere in them.

Video on the topic of the article

The rite of exorcism is quite dangerous, and the church rarely gives permission for it. However, cases of the introduction of demons and demons into the bodies of people are still a real threat. Find out how an exorcism takes place and who can perform it.

In the article:

The rite of exorcism - what is it and where does it come from

The rite of exorcism consists in the removal of demons from the human body. Many believe that it comes from the Middle Ages - the time of the fight against witches, demons and other representatives of evil spirits. However, the theme of the introduction of spirits into the human body was present in shamanism, which existed long before the advent of Christianity. Most likely, the Catholic Church only gave a new name to this phenomenon. Similar rituals are found in all world religions.

Exorcism is the exorcism of the devil, but the church also includes the spirits that shamans turn to, and other entities, to the evil spirits. Now this name is considered common to all powerful rites of purification. For example, there are rites of exorcism of salt, water, oil and other inanimate things and products. It should be understood as the expulsion of evil spirits from food and things in which the demon has settled. They also expel evil spirits from the premises, which is also sometimes called exorcism. In addition, this rite was performed before baptism in Catholicism - it means the expulsion of evil from the human soul so that the Lord could enter it.

Exorcism and persecution of people by evil spirits is a common theme for modern cinema and classic horror films. Perhaps this was the reason for disbelief in the likelihood of becoming demon-possessed, suffering from possessed demons and demons. Priests argue that this problem is still relevant and it has not disappeared along with the Inquisition and the bonfires on which. Even in our time, when most people do not believe in the existence of evil forces, the rite of exorcism is quite relevant.

Moreover, the evil spirit is able to take advantage of the weakness of people's faith. After all, it is impossible to resist what you do not even believe in. Skepticism is not appropriate if we are really talking about the introduction of evil spirits into a person. But it should be remembered that science considers this phenomenon a symptom of a number of mental illnesses. - demonopathy, split personality, hysteria, psychosis, schizophrenia and many others. Not all lunatics are possessed, but not all possessed people need the help of a psychiatrist.

Exorcism spell - exorcism text

Proofreading exorcism is commonly called spells and prayers that are aimed at expelling evil spirits. As a rule, their meaning is to turn to the Lord for help in the fight against evil:

I appeal to you, unclean spirit, sent by evil. You are the very sin, deceit, blasphemy, fornication, murder. We pray to the Lord God for the strength to help drive you out. His greatness and strength will resurrect the soul of the servant of God (name) and the devilish spirit will be overtaken by a terrible judgment. Lord, help us cast out the demon from the flesh and soul of a servant of God. You, insidious enemy, leave the body that you have occupied, cleanse it of your essence. May your reign over the whole world end, may your kingdom be destroyed, may your poisoned arrows rot, may you be destroyed, defeated, destroyed and subdued, as you were spread out in Egypt, Jericho, Goliath and Haman. You are a human slave and we are strong over you. We have the power to torment you for your deeds. We expel you from the body you are tormented by. We expose you to hellish and eternal fire. May the power of the Lord triumph over you. Let go and get out wherever you hide. It is forbidden for you to return forever to this body and possess this soul.

While reading the words of exorcism, you cannot interrupt and stop, regardless of the circumstances in which you are - the demon only needs this, he will try with all his might to stop the process.

Orthodox exorcism prayer - how to exorcise evil

Exorcism (exorcism) in Transnistria

In addition to exorcism spells, it is recommended to read prayers. It could be "Our Father" or "Symbol of faith". In Catholicism, the following prayers are read - Gloria Patri Anima Christi, Ave Maria and Salve Regina. But there is also a special prayer of purification for exorcism in Russian. The language of prayer is not of great importance, the main thing is the meaning that is embedded in it:

We expel you, the spirit of all impurity, all satanic power, every hostile infernal encroacher, every legion, every assembly and sect of the devil, in the name and virtue of our Lord Jesus Christ, uproot and flee from the Church of God, from souls created in the image of God and the precious blood of the Lamb redeemed. You no longer dare, most cunning serpent, deceive the human race, persecute the Church of God and tear away and scatter the elect of God like wheat. The Almighty God commands you, whom until now you want to be equal in your great pride; who wants to save all people and bring them to the knowledge of the truth. God the Father commands you; God the Son commands you; God the Holy Spirit commands you. The majesty of Christ commands you, the eternal God of the incarnate word, who, for the sake of the salvation of our kind, who fell with your envy, humbled himself and was obedient even to death; who built his church on a strong rock and promised that the gates of hell would not prevail against her, for he himself would be with her until the end of time. The mystery of the cross and all the mysteries of the Christian faith are commanded by nobility. The high Mother of God the Virgin Mary commands you, who struck your haughtiest head from the first moment of her immaculate conception in her humility. The faith of the holy apostles Peter and Paul and the other apostles commands you. The blood of martyrs and all holy men and women commands you pious intercession.

Prayers read during the rite of exorcism should belong to the faith that the patient professes. The exorcist must also profess the same religion as the possessed.

How is an exorcism performed?

The ritual of exorcism in our time is usually recorded on camera. Video, as a rule, is necessary to demonstrate to non-believers in the existence of demons and demons. In addition, such videos are necessary for novice exorcists, who need to know what to prepare for and what the path they have chosen for themselves. In the old days, the inquisitor or priest who read the sacred words of the exorcism had an assistant who documented everything that happened to the patient and how the demon behaved. Besides, these are the modern church rules.

During the exorcism session, witnesses of what is happening must be present - at least one person. In the old days, the relatives of the patient were called, but now the situation with the witnesses has not changed much. There are many reasons for their presence. Relatives should make sure that the suffering of their loved one is over. Their observations will be made public, which will convince more than one person of the existence of a problem that most do not even believe in.

In addition, there is another reason for the presence of witnesses - frequent fatal accidents. Evil forces can harm the physical body of a person in the process of exile. The non-infliction of physical harm by an exorcist must be recorded by witnesses, and these must be not only his assistants, but also people who are close relatives of the patient. Of course, witnesses must be warned about what they will have to see. Sometimes there is also a doctor who is engaged in providing exclusively medical assistance to those suffering from the machinations of the forces of evil.

Both the witnesses and the priest or exorcist must confess before the rite of exorcism. Fasting is also necessary, the longer the better, but as a rule, such patients cannot always wait for forty days, so three or nine days is the optimal time for fasting.

The evil spirit is trying with all his might to hide his presence from the clergyman, but the latter should not be deceived by him. He can bargain, the demon's offers are usually such that it's hard to disagree. According to the Gospel, the demons even bargained with Jesus Christ, as a result of which they agreed to go into the bodies of pigs instead of going to hell. Sometimes they ask tricky questions about the interpretation of the Bible and the norms of Christian morality. Theology is their favorite subject. If the exorcist answers correctly, most likely, he will be able to negotiate with the evil spirit about her departure. Humility and faith are the best weapons in this fight.

After revealing the essence of the essence sitting inside a person, the exorcist turns to the Lord and asks for strength for himself and the patient in order to successfully resist the creation of darkness. After that, texts are read aimed at expelling a harmful entity. It is at this time that the ceremony becomes spectacular, especially for the faint of heart. The patient speaks of himself in the third person, convulses, speaks in an unfamiliar voice. Sometimes demons behave relatively calmly, entering into dialogue with the clergy.

Any otherworldly phenomena should be ignored by the exorcist, the rite and the reading of prayers should not be interrupted. Sooner or later, the demon will be defeated with the help of faith in Divine help and the sacred words of prayers. Peace and tranquility will be the first signs of victory over the forces of evil. Far from always it turns out that one rite is enough. Sometimes the fight against evil takes several years - it all depends on the strength of the demon and the professionalism of the exorcist.

After the demon is sent back to hell, a prayer request for further protection for the victim and his loved ones is mandatory. It is known that the demon can return, and only a correct way of life from the point of view of Christian morality can protect against this. After getting rid of evil spirits, you should visit church more often, pray and confess. It is advisable to keep the post for a while. Sometimes the person from whom the devil was expelled does not remember anything that happened in his life from the moment the body was captured by evil spirits.

Who can perform an exorcism ritual

It is recommended to trust the exorcism of demons and demons clergy. The church rarely gives permission for such rites - it can only be carried out with the permission of a higher church leadership. In our time, exorcism is a rarity, but there are monasteries and churches where the treatment of possessed people is carried out on a regular basis. Exorcism is a complex and dangerous ritual, which is desirable to trust the real experts in this matter. In its process, people sometimes die, and the responsibility for this often falls on the shoulders of the exorcist.

If you intend to become an exorcist, it should be noted that not every person is suitable for this role. He must be pure in heart and conscience, try to live in accordance with the laws of the religion to which he belongs. The presence of serious sins on the conscience is a factor that indicates that you cannot engage in exorcism. Moreover, the demon will be able to use you for its own purposes if it comes into contact with you.

An important point is good physical health. Of course, there is nothing to do in such situations for a person with a weak nervous system. You must feel confident when dealing with demons - this will also have to be dealt with. The voices of demons are capable of causing almost physical suffering, but you cannot interrupt the reading of prayers - are you sure you are ready for this? The presence of mental disorders is also a serious obstacle.

Both assistants and the exorcist himself should not be squeamish, self-righteous, or suffering from pride. The demon will pour insults, trying to lead you into sin and interfere with the ceremony. He has telepathic abilities, and will go to reveal the secrets of all those present at the session. Other than that, blood and excrement is something you will see quite often. The evil spirit understands what emotions such a spectacle evokes in an unprepared person, and takes advantage of it.

Serious knowledge of theology, a thorough study of religious literature and diplomacy - this is what will come in handy for an exorcist. Demons enter into a dialogue with him, trying to bargain, to find a place to leave, so as not to return to hell. With the help of tricky theological questions, they often lure inexperienced exorcists into a trap. Knowledge of Latin will not hurt either - many texts useful in exorcising demons have been written in this language.

In recent years, the return to the faith of the ancestors has become very popular, Slavic communities are emerging everywhere that practice pagan rituals and worship the ancient gods. In this regard, the rite of "baptism" becomes widespread. It allows you to abandon Christianity and turn to another religion. It will not always be paganism, in some cases a person becomes a Buddhist or a Jew, for example. In any case, this ritual causes a lot of controversy and questions, up to doubts about its very existence and effectiveness. Let's try to find out if there is a rite of baptism, and find out its features.

What is "baptism"?

According to church canons, a Christian must be baptized. Through this ritual, he enters into a covenant with God and becomes a member of the church, who must abide by certain rules and take an active part in the life of the community. Moreover, many clergy argue that baptism, which belongs to the category, must be supported by other sacraments. To do this, a Christian must attend services and be regularly filled with the grace of God.

We will not describe the rite of baptism itself, we think it is familiar to many. But let us clarify that its essence is the renunciation of one's former life and rebirth in God. From that moment on, the Christian is forgiven all his former sins, and he becomes pure in the face of the Creator.

For those who are disillusioned with Christianity and want to leave the church once and for all, a rite of baptism was invented. The removal of Christian baptism implies a release from religious ties and a return to freedom of choice. In recent years, an increasing number of people wish to take advantage of this opportunity, which indicates the depopularization of Christianity in general.

However, the church almost never takes into account the rite of "baptism", it is considered an invention and just a certain sequence of simple actions. Let's find out the official position of the clergy on this issue.

Christianity and the Ritual of Baptism

When we talk about Christianity, we must at least take into account the position of two religious movements:

• Catholicism;
• Orthodoxy.

Oddly enough, but when it comes to the rite of "baptism", the opinion of the clergy of both confessions becomes the same - it is impossible to refuse the accepted baptism through any actions. The Church says that a person can renounce God and faith, but does not have the opportunity to return to a past life. Baptism as a kind of energetic seal will always accompany a former Christian. Therefore, in the event of a change in his decision, he can always return to the bosom of the church. For this, it is enough to simply repent, but it is not required to be baptized again.

Despite such an unequivocal opinion of church leaders, many want to undergo the rite of baptism. There are cases when people filed lawsuits against the Catholic Church demanding that they remove themselves from the lists of the baptized. Until 2009, Catholicism had a practice of formal renunciation of the church, which included sending a special paper to church leaders with their will. If it was satisfied, opposite the column where the data on the applicant's baptism had previously been indicated, a note was made about his rejection of Christianity. However, this fact was purely formal.

Who needs to be baptized?

The rite of baptism among Christians is usually required in several cases. They can be divided into three categories:

• Atheists. Many people were baptized at an unconscious age, when they did not have the opportunity to make an independent choice in favor of a particular religion. Most often, Christian upbringing ended with just this rite, so a person boldly considers himself an atheist and experiences some discomfort from the fact that he is attached to the Christian sacraments. To get rid of invisible shackles, an atheist seeks to conduct a rite of baptism.
• Religious changers. This reason is the most common in modern society. For some reason, a Christian wants to change his faith and find himself in other denominations. In order to surrender to the new religion with all my heart and soul, a rite of baptism is performed. The removal of Christian baptism allows a person to be spiritually reborn in a new quality.
• There are situations in life when a person completely reconsiders his scale of values ​​and determines that the spiritual component of life does not include the observance of Christian canons. The idea of ​​how to replace faith in God may not occur to someone who dreams of finding the meaning of life. But he understands that he does not want to be bound by the sacrament of baptism with the Christian church.

Depending on how deeply the person was connected with Christianity, the rite of "baptism" changes. It is conditionally divided into simple and complex.

Types of Christians who have come to renounce the faith of Jesus Christ

We have already specified that the rite will depend on the strength of faith. We can distinguish two types of former Christians:

• unconscious;
• conscious.

The first type could have been baptized in childhood or at a later time, but was never particularly interested in church traditions. Such people usually wear a cross and celebrate Easter, but they practically do not go to church and do not observe fasts.

The conscious type are those who are really interested in religion. Such baptized Christians willingly attend church, follow all the rules and study special literature. But at some point they experience disappointment in Christianity or do not find what they were looking for.

General characteristics of baptism

A person who wants to return to the faith of their ancestors or go to any other religious denomination must move away from Christianity. This is quite difficult to do, because it will require serious work on oneself and renunciation of the former faith at three different levels:

1. Physical. This is the simplest, and we can say that the initial stage of the rite of baptism. To do this, you just need to stop going to church, observe various rituals, remove all church Christian paraphernalia and abandon Orthodox holidays. Usually this stage does not require any effort, because a person who has made a decision for himself to renounce Christianity can easily survive the departure from church spiritual nourishment.
2. Intellectual. It is this level that is key and prepares a person for baptism. Do not rush and approach the ceremony under the influence of momentary emotions and feelings. After all, a person must consciously make a decision and realize the need to move away from Christianity. If doubts and questions remain in the process of intellectual work, then it is necessary to wait for a feeling of complete confidence and weigh all the pros and cons. After all, the rite of baptism among the Slavs involves a conscious rejection of Christian slavery.
3. Energy. This level can be called the final one, it includes the rite itself and the receipt of a new Slavic name. We will talk about this now.

Baptism among atheists

The rites of baptism differ from each other. The simplest ritual is performed by atheists. It usually takes the form of a joke, when a group of like-minded people gather around the renunciator, and he publicly declares his rejection of the Christian religion and promises never to approach the church again.

This action does not change a person's life in any way and is psychological in nature. Therefore, the rite has no rules, and the person himself invents the text.

Conversion to another religion

If you decide to change your faith and become, for example, a Jew, then you should contact a rabbi. It is he who will decide how to introduce you to a new religion. Of course, it cannot be argued that there is a certain pronounced rite of baptism. But each clergyman will be able to carry out a series of manipulations that will remove the energetic seal of Christianity from you and allow you to consider yourself a member of a different religious community.

Baptism in Slavic

The rite of baptism and naming is used by Slavic priests. It allows you to free yourself from the slavish bonds of a religion alien to the Slavs and return to your primordial gods, who will help and inspire the newly found member of the community. Before finding out its details and looking for a place where to conduct a rite of passage for baptism, it is worth deciding how you will conduct it.

We have already mentioned that a person who was not too closely connected with the church can perform the ceremony on his own. But in the case when you are not confident in your abilities, you should turn to the priests and the community. Then the rite will be performed according to all the rules, and the participation of many people in it will give it special strength. In addition, it is impossible to go through the naming ritual on your own, it refers to certain sacraments that are performed only among the initiates. Therefore, in any case, you will have to turn to Rodnovers (people who have returned to the faith of their ancestors) in order to complete your rite of renunciation of Christianity. Keep in mind that without a new name, the ritual doesn't make any sense.

How to conduct the rite of baptism yourself?

It is better to perform the ceremony in nature, in this case you will be fueled by the power of all the elements. But since you will need a container with water, you can only carry out your plan on your own personal plot. Before the ceremony, get a sharp needle and fill the container with water. Please note that you will need to submerge your head in water.

The ceremony is best done in the early morning and on an empty stomach. The exact words that should remove baptism have not been invented. But in the ritual, the main thing is the actions and your thoughts. Therefore, be extremely focused and do not allow extraneous thoughts to enter your mind. Before the start of the ceremony, it is necessary to renounce Christianity by pronouncing aloud in an arbitrary form the words you have invented. Then you need to pierce your finger with a needle and drop blood into the water, before immersion, you must appeal to the blood of your ancestors and declare that water washes away baptism from you and returns your soul to the faith of your ancestors and under their protection. You need to plunge into the water with your head and stay in this state for about twenty seconds. After emerging, you must glorify all the Slavic gods and ask for protection from Rod.

Baptism with the help of priests

Turning to the Rodnovers, you will entrust the baptism to special people - priests. Such a rite will be more correct and effective. The place where the rite of baptism will take place will be determined by the priest himself, and the entire community will be present in the process.

All Slavic rituals are held in nature, where an altar is arranged. It is best if there is a reservoir nearby. For the ceremony, you will need a baptismal shirt and a cross, if the shirt is not preserved, then you can take any other instead.

A person must hold a shirt in his hands during the ceremony and be inside the circle outlined by a knife near the altar. Before the ceremony, the priest asks the person about the seriousness of his intentions and each question must be answered in the affirmative. Next, the priest performs a series of manipulations with the help of a ritual knife:

• cuts off energy ties with Christianity;
• opens the fontanel and "heals" traces of cut strands during baptism;
• removes the seals imposed by the priest on the forehead, ears, eyes, lips, chest and limbs;
• throws off his shirt and cross into the fire;
• energetically erases chrismation from the body.

After the manipulations, a person must be attached to the gods of his ancestors. For this purpose, two right palms of the priests are placed above his head and, when rotating salting (counterclockwise), they call on Rod nine times. On this, the rite of baptism is considered perfect.

naming

This action is a sacrament, therefore it is carried out, unlike baptism, only in the presence of priests. You cannot choose your new name, it is given to the worshipers by the gods. This usually happens on the third, ninth or fortieth day after the baptism. Moreover, a person acquires two new names. One of them will be the one by which the members of the community recognize him. But the second is secret, except for priests and gods, it cannot be revealed to anyone. During this ritual, the beneficiary enters the water completely naked, and new names are given to him under the splash of water in his ear.

Interestingly, no one ever knows on which day he will receive his new name. It is believed that everything depends on how effectively the process of baptism went. In the case when a person has a very powerful natural energy, naming is the most difficult. After all, the new name should reflect all the characteristics of the individual, and this is very difficult.

Everyone has the right to choose, especially when it comes to religion. But many people are afraid of punishment for the rite of baptism, although almost all Rodnovers claim that under the protection of the ancient gods, a person has nothing to fear and worry about. Nobody knows if this is true. But after all, the right to choose from a person cannot be taken away.

Andrey, Lesnoy, Sverdlovsk region

How does the rite of dethronement take place?

Hello. I have such a question. In 1987 I was baptized in the Evangelical Christian Baptist Church. In 1991, I got married and got married in an Orthodox church in the Perm Territory, the priest recommended that I accept Orthodox baptism, but at that time he married us. In 2009, at the insistence of my mother - and I myself have long wanted to - I was re-baptized Orthodox in my homeland in the Sverdlovsk region. My wife and I have been married for 25 years, we have not had children. We are getting divorced now. Do we need to get married if at the time of the wedding I was not baptized in the Orthodox way? And if you get divorced, then how? Where did you get married or can it be done anywhere? Well, I would like to understand the sequence of such a procedure.

Hello! Since you belong to the parishioners of the ROC MP, you also have to make a church divorce according to their rules, and this is basically the “Determination on the reasons for the termination of a marriage union, consecrated by the Church”, published by the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church, 1918.

And the order of divorce is as follows:

1. Go to the parish church closest to you. You can consult with the priest available there, who can better know the local practice of such cases.
2. Find out who the ruling bishop is and where the diocesan administration is located.
3. In the diocesan administration, you draw up a petition addressed to the ruling bishop with a request for divorce, where you indicate the reasons that prompted you to such a decision. Sample petitions can be found on the website of the diocese or on the website http://prosud24.ru/cerkovnyj-razvod/.

Reading time: 10 minutes

One of the most important events in the life of a believer is the sacrament during which he is accepted into the faith and the church. The baptism of a child, both a boy and a girl, is carried out according to certain rules of the church. The sacrament is performed according to a rite that has not changed over several centuries. Relatives and godparents should carefully and in advance prepare for this significant event.

What is child baptism

The rite of baptism of a child is a responsible step for believing parents and their baby, a procedure after which a person is accepted into the Christian faith and the church. Baptisms have a long history, but the basic rules and canons have survived to this day. The holy baptism of a child is not a tribute to fashion or tradition, the rite saves the baby from sins (hereditary or personal) and a birth takes place for a holy, spiritual life.

Name choice

If the name by which the baby is registered on the birth certificate is not in the calendar, then you should decide on the choice of another. They select names consonant with worldly names for the baptism of a child, for example, Zhanna - Anna, Sergey - Sergius. When there is no such correspondence in the church calendar, the name of the saint is used, who is honored immediately after the birth of the baby. When choosing a name, it is better to seek help from a clergyman, and not do it yourself. In church rites, the name given during the sacrament is used. It must be known in order to honor the heavenly intercessor.

What is the best age to baptize a child?

The Church recommends that the baby be christened as early as possible.. Catholics and Orthodox appoint the baptism of a child in the first months from the date of birth, although it is allowed to do the ceremony to a person of any age. Some postpone baptism until the time when a person can independently decide on the choice of religion. Often the date of the sacrament is set for the 40th day of the baby's life. The choice of a baptismal date, which establishes when to baptize a child, has several reasonable explanations:

• newborns up to 3 months easily tolerate diving with their heads;
• babies behave more calmly and are not afraid when they are picked up by strangers;
• the mother of the baby is allowed to enter the church after 40 days from the date of birth.

Baptism of a child - rules and signs

If the baptism of an infant is carried out according to all the rules, preparation for the sacrament should begin in advance. For future godparents, the church prescribes going to confession a few days before the date of the christening, repenting and taking communion. It is also recommended to fast for 3-4 days, although this condition is not mandatory. On the morning before the ceremony, godparents should not eat or have sex the day before.

What days are children baptized in the church

You can conduct the sacrament of baptism of a child on any day, whether it is festive, ordinary or Lenten. In church calendars there are no prohibitions on certain dates for the ceremony. The only exceptions are Christmas, Easter and Trinity, when the churches are overcrowded and it will be difficult to hold the sacrament. Some temples have their own schedule related to the internal routine. When choosing the day on which the baptism of children will be scheduled, it is better to consult with the priest.

Rules for the baptism of a child in the Orthodox Church

When you decide to baptize a child, it is important not only to choose a temple, to purchase baptismal supplies, but also to get acquainted with the conditions determined by the church, which parents and guests must follow. The church rules indicate that everyone should be with pectoral crosses. Women should wear closed dresses, cover their heads with a scarf. The baptism process lasts at least half an hour, the baby will be in her arms, so it is better to give up uncomfortable high-heeled shoes.

Men will need a suit that is dark, but not black. Although the church does not set strict rules regarding the appearance of men, it is not necessary to come to the place where the ordinances are performed wearing shorts and a T-shirt. On the eve of the solemn event, relatives, as well as godmothers and fathers, must confess. A few more days before the sacrament takes place, fasting should be observed.

What is needed for the baptism of a boy's child

When a boy is baptized, the godfather is necessarily involved in the ceremony. Traditionally, he takes on all financial obligations, buys a cross for the ceremony and a gift. The custom of paying for the ritual is not always assigned to the godfather; depending on the financial situation, the baby's parents can make a donation to the church. Buy a baptismal set, which includes a shirt, a blanket, sometimes a bonnet, belongs to the godmother. She is also responsible for buying a kryzhma and a silk scarf for a clergyman.

Christening girls

At the sacrament of baptism of a girl, the godmother is considered the main recipient. Its main task is to read the "Symbol of Faith" prayer during the ceremony. If learning the text by heart is difficult, you can take a hint with words. Traditionally, a woman gives a baptismal set, buys a kryzhma (white towel) for the godchildren. As a gift, you can present an icon with a saint, whose name is the goddaughter. The godfather must buy a cross, and also financially helps the girl's parents by paying for the ceremony.

Choice of godparents

One of the main tasks of parents is to choose the right godparents (grandparents) from Orthodox Christians for their newborn. These are not just those people who give gifts to the baby for the holidays, but also engage in spiritual education, teach the rules of Christian life and the basics of the Orthodox faith. According to the church charter, one godparent is obligatory: for a girl - a woman, for a boy - a man, but often both the godmother and the godmother are invited for the baptismal procedure. Both recipients must be Orthodox Christians.

The recipients cannot be changed, so parents should carefully choose mentors for their crumbs. Often relatives of the baby are invited to this responsible “position”. Grandmothers, uncles, older sisters and any other people close to the family can become godparents. If you choose godchildren from the family, then the godson will communicate with them more often, for example, at family events. In addition to the conditions set by the church, it is worth paying attention to the following qualities of potential godparents:

• reliability;
• responsibility;
• high moral and ethical values.

Who has no right to be a godfather

According to the norms of church law, sometimes a person cannot become a godfather or mother. The high responsibility that is imposed on the recipients determines the circle of persons who cannot claim such an honorary role. Cannot become godparents:

• spouses or bride and groom for one child;
• parents for their baby;
• monks and nuns;
• non-Orthodox, unbaptized;
• immoral or insane;
• children (boys under 15, girls under 13).

The sacrament of baptism - rules for godparents

Responsibility for the upbringing of their godchildren in the Orthodox spirit is assigned to the recipients. Preparing for this most important stage in a child's life plays a huge role, although it does not require much effort. Previously, the recipients need to pass a special interview by visiting the church. The godmother helps the natural parents to prepare some items for the baptism of the child. It is important that she knows how to handle the child, she can take off his clothes, put on a baptismal set.

The godmother plays the most important role when the sacrament is performed on the girl. In the case of male babies being baptized, the godfather has a great responsibility. He takes the baby after dipping in the holy font, when the baby is wrapped in kryzhma. Another godfather can participate in the purchase of a baptismal set, a cross. All material expenses are secondary, the main condition for the baptism of a child is the sincere faith of relatives and godparents.

What you need to know

The godparents are entrusted with the enormous responsibility of the spiritual upbringing of the godson, teaching him the basics of the Christian faith. If the recipients are not well informed, then you should fill in the gaps, study the relevant literature, talk with the priests. Before the sacrament, it is better to learn about the rules of the ceremony. It is important to clarify at what stage the godmother takes the baby, and when the godfather holds the baby, at what moment the child is wrapped in a kryzhma, and when they put on a baptismal shirt.

Prayer for the baptism of a child for godparents

To accept the sacrament of baptism, a person (or godparents, if the ceremony is performed on a child) needs to know two fundamental prayers for all Christians: “Our Father”, “Symbol of Faith”. It is better to know their text by heart and understand the meaning. In the modern church, they are loyal to the fact that the recipients do not remember prayers. It is allowed to read them according to the prayer book.

Responsibilities of Godparents

The role of godparents does not end after the sacrament of baptism, they need to pay much attention to the spiritual education of the godson. By personal example, the recipients should demonstrate human virtues to the baby, teach him the basics of the Christian religion. With a Christian upbringing, children need to learn to resort to the sacraments of confession, communion, and familiarize themselves with the dates of church holidays. Godparents give knowledge about the grace-filled power of the icon of the Mother of God, and other shrines.

Godparents teach godchildren to attend services, pray, observe fasting and other provisions of the church charter. Of the many tasks assigned to godparents, the most important is the daily prayer for your godson. Throughout life, one should maintain a warm and trusting relationship with the godson, be with him in sorrow and joy.

How is the rite of baptism

The sacred sacrament is carried out according to a certain plan and in an established order, which has not changed for many years. The baptism of a child is called a spiritual birth, the main participants in the process are the priest, godparents and the newborn. According to ancient customs, the baby's parents should not be present during the ceremony, but today they are loyal to this, they allow mom and dad to the sacrament. The procedure can be divided into the following steps:

1. The rank of announcement. At that stage, over those preparing for baptism, the priest reads prohibition prayers three times against evil and the renunciation of the baby from him. The baby is wrapped only in diapers, his chest and face should be free.
2. Prohibition on unclean spirits. Turning to the west, the priest reads prayers against Satan three times.
3. Renunciation of receivers. The clergyman asks questions, and the recipients are responsible for the baby.
4. Confession of fidelity to the son of God. The godparents with the baby turn to the east and again answer the questions of the priest. At the end of the rite of confession of fidelity, the recipients read the prayer "Symbol of Faith".
5. Consecration of water. The priest dresses in white clothes and conducts the ceremony. The recipients pick up a candle, 3 more are lit from the eastern side of the font. After reading the prayer and asking for illumination of the water, the clergyman baptizes the water three times and blows on it.
6. The consecration of the oil. This stage of baptism is carried out similarly to the illumination of water. Batiushka blows into the vessel with oil three times, overshadows it with the sign of the cross, and reads a prayer. Holy oil is anointed with font water, the baptized.
7. Three times immersion of the baby in the font. The clergyman baptizes the child by immersing him in water three times. The procedure is accompanied by special prayers. After the baby is dipped into the font three times, the priest passes the baby to the recipients. The godfather takes the child of the boy, the godmother takes the girl. The baby is wrapped in a baptismal towel or kryzhma.
8. Dressing the baby in christening clothes. The christening ceremony continues with the putting on of baptismal shirts on the newly baptized, and even the baby is put on a cross.
9. Mystery of chrismation. The priest anoints the forehead, eyes, cheeks, chest, arms and legs of the baby, saying a prayer. The boy is carried three times around the altar, the priest helps the girls to venerate the icon of the Mother of God. The process is accompanied by the prayer of churching.
10. Ritual of hair cutting. The clergyman cuts off some hair from the newborn's head. This hair, at the end of the sacrament, remains in the church as a symbol of the first sacrifice to God.

Christening celebration

The holy sacrament of the baptism of the baby ends with a family celebration. On the solemn table there should be dishes from dough and cereals. Often guests are treated to pancakes, pies and other pastries. Traditionally, poultry meat is served on the table; earthenware is used to bake it. An indispensable treat should be vegetables and greens, symbolizing spring and the beginning of a new life. Godparents and guests present the baby with a gift. There are no special requirements for the choice of presentation. You can give everything: from the icon of a saint to a set of silver spoons.

What to do with baptismal things

How to be baptized is described in detail in the Bible, and recommendations for the use of baptismal paraphernalia are completely absent. Because of this, there are many opinions and advice. Priests can recommend parents several options for storing kryzhma:

• put it in a corner of the chest of drawers and take it out in extreme cases (if the baby is sick or behaves restlessly);
• place the kryzhma near the crib, hiding from public view, so that she protects the baby.

When the baby will not wear a cross all the time, it can be stored together with the kryzhma in a chest of drawers. If opinions may differ regarding the use of kryzhma, there are actions that are absolutely impossible to carry out with it. The christening towel must not be washed, thrown away, or another person baptized in it. The baptismal shirt is put in a box or a special bag, and kept for a lifetime. There is an opinion that it has healing power, the shirt can be applied to the sore spot of the person who was baptized in it.

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