Orthodox Life Newly Baptized Welcome Once Again

SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM
The First Sacrament

Baptism is a Holy Sacrament by which we are born again past being immersed in water three times in the name of the Holy Trinity; the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

The Sacrament of Baptism has the first rank amid the Vii Holy Sacraments, as it is the door by which the believer enters the church and has the right to partake in the remainder of the Sacraments.

The Lord Jesus Christ instituted the Sacrament of Baptism past being baptized by John the Baptist in the River Jordan, when the Holy Spirit came upon Him as a dove, anointed Him, and then bodacious it after the resurrection when He said to His disciples: "Go therefore and brand disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew: 28:19), "He who is baptized will exist saved, but he who does not believe will exist condemned" (Mark 16:16).  Baptism is a redemptive Sacrament, necessary for redemption and entry to eternal life according to what the Lord said: "Nearly assuredly, I say to y'all, unless one is born of Water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God" (John iii). It is one of the four redemptive Sacraments:  Baptism, Myron, Confession and Communion of the Holy Torso and precious Blood of the Lord.  Through Baptism, the believer is reborn a spiritual birth from the H2o and the Spirit; his first nascence being from his parents.

The all-time time for Baptism is Sunday before Mass, as the priest is fasting because Baptism is death and resurrection, and Sunday is the weekly retentiveness of the Lord's Resurrection.  The wisdom of granting the Sacrament of Baptism right before the Mass, is and then that the baptized person and his parents may nourish the Mass, and receive the Holy Sacraments.

If the priest wants to administer the Sacrament of Baptism at dark, such as during Vesper of Baptism Sunday, he must be fasting for nine or seven hours at least, as Baptism is a Holy Sacrament which must non be performed by an unfasting priest.  He must also advise the parents to bring the newly baptized person to attend the Mass the following morning to receive the Holy Communion.

Considering that the Sacrament of Baptism is granted only in one case to the laic in life, by the priest, it is necessary for u.s.a. to speak as accurately as possible in regards to how the ritual is performed.

We shall first speak nearly the Absolution of the Woman, the one who gave birth to the child and is presenting her kid earlier the Lord for Baptism.

Secondly, we shall speak most the prayers of Renouncing Satan and confessing Christ and reciting the Apostolic Creed.

Then nosotros shall speak most the Liturgy of Baptism.

And finally, we shall explain the Rite of Baptism, then the discharge of the Baptismal water.

THE RITUAL OF THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM

This is divided into iv major parts :

• Women'due south Absolution
• Renouncing Satan
• Liturgy of Baptism
• Baptism & H2o Belch

Kickoff

WOMEN'Due south ABSOLUTION IF SHE GAVE BIRTH TO A Male person Child

twoscore days after her delivery, the adult female would have recovered from her puerperium and tiredness. Hence, she comes to the church with her baby to ask the priest to baptize him.

The priest wears the service garment or at least the "epitrachelion", and the deacons wear their white service garments. Then the priest, deacons, the woman with her kid, and family enter into the Baptistery in order for the necessary rites to take place.

The Baptistery must be wide, furnished and clean, adequate for the dwelling of the Holy Spirit, exactly similar the altar.

The removal of shoes is advisable.  Ancient rites mention that the adult who accepts the faith on behalf of the child, is to stand on sheep fur earlier the bishop or priest, and recite all that is required in a clear phonation.  The fur is a reminder of the leather garments which the Lord made for Adam and Eve after their autumn into sin.

On the eastern wall of the Baptistery must be placed a large icon of the Baptism of the Lord Christ by John the Baptist, and the Holy Spirit descending like a dove.

Near the Baptismal Font a small-scale wardrobe must be placed, containing three bottles of oil which are used in the Baptism.  These are the Apocalypse oil, the Ghaliloun, and the Chrism.

Every canteen is marked in clear handwriting.  Besides the ritual books and the cross specified for Baptism are placed, and a clean box containing the red ribbons that are placed around the baptized. If possible, a special crown is also placed therein.

In the Baptistery, a table must be placed, covered by a make clean cover for the child to be placed upon during the anointing of the Holy Myron. The baptized person is signed with 36 crosses of Myron later Baptism.

The first process performed by the priest is the prayer of absolution of the woman, and it signifies permission of entry to the church and receiving the Holy Communion after the period of giving birth and puerperium, however, it does not replace the Sacrament of Repentance and Confession.  The woman has to sit downwards with her confession father, to confess her sins done during that flow, then he gives her the adequate instructions and finally prays for her the absolution (for forgiveness of her sins).  At the end of the Liturgy she receives the Holy Sacrament with her recently baptized son, as it is not correct for her not to receive Communion with her baptized son.

NOTES:

The adult female enters the church and carries out the Sacrament of Confession and receives the Holy Communion if she does not have a monthly period.  We advise that the adult female choose the days when she does not have her period to request Baptism of her kid, and so as to be able to receive the Holy Sacraments with her child and attain her joy.

If she is menstruating, she is not allowed to receive Communion or whatsoever other ecclesiastical Sacrament, but she keeps reading the Holy Bible, fasting and praying with the Agbia in her house.

The guild of the Absolution Prayers of the woman is equally follows:

The priest says: Aleyson Emas (Have Mercy Upon United states O God the Begetter Almighty).

The Lord's Prayer.

The Thanksgiving Prayer with its responses, and upon doing the signs of the cross, he anoints the adult female saying, "...and for Your servant ..."

The priest performs the Pauline round of incense after he places five spoonfuls of incense in the censer, and with the known signs, says the Pauline mystery :

"O keen and eternal God, with no beginning or end....etc."  He raises incense on Baptismal font and blesses the attendants. One of the deacons read the Pauline (Hebrews i:8-12).  Speaks nigh the only Son Jesus Christ, "Whose throne is forever and always, with a scepter of righteousness and justice, who have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness", and who said in challenge, "Which of yous convicts me of sin" (John 8:46).

The priest wishes that the baptized child resembles the image of Lord Christ in righteousness and truth, loving virtue and holiness and hating vice and evil.

The hymn of the Trisagion is recited then the priest prays the Prayer of the Gospel, and a deacon reads the Psalm 31:i,2,  "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered..."

By Baptism we get remission of original and actual sins and God forgets them, then we go equally pure as Adam before the autumn.

Then the Gospel : Luke 2:21-35.  Where the circumcision of Jesus is narrated, information technology is exchanged past Baptism in the New Testament, as Baptism is a spiritual circumcision, as our instructor St. Paul says: "In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision fabricated without hands by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in Baptism, in which yous also were raised with Him through religion in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead" (Colossians 2:11,12). In Baptism the onetime nature is completely removed, not only a small part of the body every bit in the Old Testament circumcision.  Equally man is born with the old nature contaminated by Adam"south sin.  Also the purification rite is mentioned, which was done for the woman subsequently xl days of her delivery, and which was accomplished past the Lord Jesus and His Female parent the Virgin, despite that He does not need such purification as He is the Holiest of Holies, and was born of the Virgin St. Mary by the Holy Spirit, dissimilar all humankind.  He instituted the police force and accurately accomplished the police force.

The Three Major Litanies are prayed: Litany of Peace, Litany of the Fathers and Litany of the Congregations, and so the Orthodox Creed.

  The priest asks God to look upon the adult female, fill her with the Holy Spirit, and purify her from all sins.

The attendants pray the Lord's Prayer...and the priest prays the 3 Absolutions and the approving while placing the cross on the woman's caput.

The priest anoints the woman by the simple oil (Note: Information technology is more often than not composed of olive oil, unlike the Myron oil which is composed of some thirty kinds of fragrances. The simple oil is the Apocalypse Oil).

The woman is anointed to be healed from any disease, as in the parable of the Expert Samaritan. (Luke 10). Then the woman becomes set to enter the church and receive the Holy Communion after the Sacrament of Confession.

NOTES:

The aforementioned rite of absolution of the woman is done for a woman who aborted a child involuntarily due to an accident or other, but voluntary abortion is considered murder and necessitates a police of repentance start.

ABSOLUTION OF THE WOMAN IF SHE GAVE BIRTH TO A FEMALE CHILD

The woman comes to the church with her babe girl later on eighty days of commitment, to cognominate her.  The eighty days for the female child, and forty days for the boy is identified in the Volume of Leviticus, Chapter Twelve. Although there may not be an explanation for this difference in the New Testament, we must obey this commandment without argument or complaint, equally the Christian Church obeyed this divine order through all eras, and allow united states recollect also the obedience of the Virgin Mary to this divine order.  Despite her conceiving Christ past the Holy Spirit in all purity, and delivering Him in a miraculous Virginal birth, she did not come to the temple before completing the days of her purification according to the law of Moses, which is forty days for the boy (Luke 2: 22-24).

NOTES:

The parents must be committed to the period of xl days for the male child, and eighty days for the female kid, and must non surpass them for any reason, so they practise not sin against their children.  This means disregarding the idea of making a vow for Baptism in sure remote places, or at certain feasts which are months away. The child must be baptized at the specific fourth dimension, and if a vow is made, they fulfill information technology at the correct fourth dimension, without delaying Baptism.

The forty days menstruation for the male child and eighty days for the female kid, exists in normal circumstances but if the new-born is sick and his parents are agape the baby will die, they must request the priest to cognominate and anoint the babe with the Myron, fifty-fifty if the child is one twenty-four hours old, and under any circumstance (as the priest may not be fasting or unable to baptize him past immersion); the baptism must be carried out quickly, then that the kid does non die without Baptism and is deprived from entry or sight of the Kingdom, co-ordinate to the words of our beloved Savior (John 3).  The method to be followed is that someone, except the mother, should take the child to the church building to be baptized.  If the infant lives, the Baptism is right and should not be repeated.

If his parents neglect the Baptism, and the child dies without Baptism, information technology is the right of the church to impose a punishment on the parents for a period of 1 yr, of prayers and fasting with prostration. They may too be forbidden to receive the Holy Eucharist during this whole year.

       But the rite of the woman'southward absolution is as follows :

After fourscore days the adult female brings her female child to church building for Baptism.

The priest prays Aleyson Emas, the Thanksgiving Prayer, and places five spoonfuls of incense into the censer with the known signs, and then prays the Pauline mystery, "O Great and eternal God...", he then raises the Pauline incense on the Baptismal font and blesses the attendants.

The deacon reads the Pauline Epistle to the Corinthians (one Corinthians 7:12-14), which speaks about how the believing woman is a blessing for her husband.

The hymn of the Trisagon is chanted, then the Prayer of the Gospel, and Psalm 44 : "The queen shall be brought to the rex", these specific words from the Psalm are called, because the kid that is to exist baptized is female.

The Gospel of Luke (ten:38-43), speaks about Mary and Martha who were exemplary in their love of God, hearing and practicing His commandments, and offering the service of sacrifice. The priest asks God that the newly baptized female child may emulate them past choosing the correct path..

The 3 Major Litanies:  Peace, Fathers and the Congregations, are said, followed past the Orthodox Creed.

The same previous prayer is said where the priest requests God to fill the woman with His Holy Spirit, and purify her from sins.

This is followed by the Lord'due south Prayer, and the priest prays the three absolutions and the approval while placing the cross on the woman's head.

The priest anoints the woman by the simple oil or Apocalypse oil, which is present in the Baptism room. Hence, the woman is ready to enter the church and receive the Holy Communion of our God Emmanuel.

SECOND

PRAYERS OF RENOUNCING SATAN

Absolution prayer for the child's mother (whether male or female) : The priest places the cross on the woman's head and prays asking God to absolve and anoint the child's female parent and make her worthy to share in the Holy Sacraments without falling into condemnation.  The woman who gives birth to a child should not receive Holy Communion before her child's Baptism. Hence,  this will motivate her non to filibuster the kid's Baptism according to the law (40 days for the male child and 80 days for the female child). In this fashion, she will receive the blessing of absolution of the adult female related to the child'southward Baptism before their Communion, and this absolution is the legal permission for entry to church building and receiving the Holy Sacraments after delivery.  He also supplicates unto God to anoint the child, and proceed him/her to grow in grace, stature, faith, hope and love.

The priest prays the known litany of the Catechumens.

The priest prays for the children proceeding for Baptism while placing the cross on their heads, request God to forgive their sins and brand them worthy of the pure Sacrament of Baptism, and to enlighten their hearts to run across in  purity the manner of eternal life, and glorify God all the days of their lives.

The priest prays on the Apocalypse oil bottle, asking God to let this oil undo the works of devils and their magic, and and so get an anointing oil for organized religion in Christ.

Another prayer on the oil is done, asking that this oil becomes a sermon oil to cast away all evil deeds.

First, the priest asks the mothers that they have removed whatever jewelry from their children. He and so takes the canteen of oil to anoint the children (males then females) every bit follows :

He anoints the brow maxim, "I bless you ( Name of the Child) in the proper name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. A sermon oil for (Name of the Child ) in the church building of God, one Holy, Universal and Apostolic, Amen.

So he anoints the heart (chest), hands and back saying : "This oil abolishes the ability of the adversary Amen." The deacons respond, "We ask this from God."

The priest says a prayer where he glorifies God for His groovy love to humankind, as He has taken u.s. from darkness to His splendid lite, and asks Him to write the names of those children who came forward for Baptism, in the Book of Life, counting them amongst His believers, preparing them temples of the Holy Spirit and granting them growth in religion and grace and complimentary them from the bondage of abuse, to the liberty of the glory of God's children.

The priest asks about the names of the baptized and so prays saying: "We also ask the Almighty God...for your servants whose names are presented (it is preferable to mention the names  ( [one] ) individually) make them worthy to win grace which they require, purify them from sins of the world and complimentary them from bondage of abuse..."

V The deacon says: "Pray for those whose names are said and then that the Lord may brand them worthy of the Holy Baptism for the forgiveness of their sins".  The congregation answers, "Lord take mercy." The priest prays to ask God to brand the children worthy of grace.

The mother kneels down facing the E whilst carrying her child (if the person beingness baptized is sometime plenty, they must kneel). Then the priest prays :

"We also ask perseveringly...God to open up their hearts and enlighten them by the calorie-free of knowledge."

"For by calling Your Holy Name, all the powers of the evil adversary perish."

NOTES:

We kneel during these prayers to signify our contrite souls asking of the Lord to complimentary us from the bondage of Satan, like the Phoenician adult female who knelt at the feet of Jesus and asked Him to bandage out the demon from her girl (Marker 7:26).

The priest places his paw on the child'due south head saying :

"In the proper name of the only begotten Son Jesus Christ, I prepare this body for purification...", the deacons respond : "Amen."

"In the proper name of the only begotten Son Jesus Christ, may he/she be free from all the devils...", the deacons respond : "Amen."

"In the proper noun of the only begotten Son Jesus Christ, may he/she be purified from all devils...", the deacons answer : "Amen."

RENOUNCING SATAN AND RECITING THE ORTHODOX CREED

ane.         RENOUNCING SATAN ...

The mother undresses her child and holds him/her with her left arm, looking towards the Westward and lifts her right paw, reciting afterward the priest the following statements of Renouncing Satan (if the baptized is non a kid, he recites the Statements personally) :

"I renounce yous Satan and all your profane deeds, and all your evil followers, and all your bad debits, all your ability, and all your detested worshipping, all your evil traps and your regular army and your dominion and the balance of your deceit.  I renounce you, I renounce you, I renounce you".

NOTES:

Undressing the child reminds united states of the nakedness of Adam and Eve when they obeyed Satan and disobeyed the commandment of God, so they were put to shame before Him and hid from Him (Genesis three:7-10) when they realized their nakedness.  Such is what sin and Satan do to homo beings, they strip them from all virtues and the protection of grace, and hence put them to shame earlier others.

Facing the Westward symbolizes exile and separation from God, and submission to the dominion of Satan, who was the starting time to exist exiled and separated from God; falling from his celestial rank due to pride.

The management of the Westward signifies the end, death and darkness, just as how the dominicus sets in the west. Also, we say about the deceased that the sunday of his life has set.  The ancient Egyptians built their cemeteries facing West.  Nosotros notice this in the historical city of Aswan; all the temples are along the eastern banks of the River Nile, while all the tombs in the Valley of the Kings, are situated on the western bank of the River Nile. Also, the Pyramids at Giza, which were the once tombs of kings, is situated forth the western banking company of the River Nile.

The Due west symbolizes darkness, for one time the lord's day sets in the west, the sky is replaced with the darkness of night.

The West symbolizes night and darkness which signify sin and evil.  In the Greek linguistic communication the word for evil : K a K I a, and the discussion for darkness : X a K I, are quite like.

Sunset signifies darkness of sin which leads to grief, every bit the Psalmist said, "Weeping may endure for a night, (weeping of repentance and remorse) but joy comes in the forenoon" (Psalm 30:v). Joy, because of the credence of our repentance, and partaking in the Mass and Communion of the Holy Sacrament, and life in the light of Christ.

Renouncing Satan ways that we are breaking the covenant with him, which is the covenant of obeying him, which he had with our first fathers.  When Adam and Eve submitted to his will and obeyed his evil counsel, they disobeyed God and brutal from grace, but similar Satan. Hence he grabbed them to do his volition.  Adam and his descendants became slaves of Satan, subsequently breaking the commandment of God, and thus fell from grace and divine comfort.

Renouncing Satan ways that the person is refusing to remain under the chains of Satan, and so refuses all his profane deeds and all his plans and deluding tricks, all his deceit, and deadly lies.

Renouncing Satan means casting him out of our lives, and cleaning the trunk and eye, so that the Holy Spirit can dwell in the pure body and pure centre (which had previously been  contaminated by the devil), and so the body becomes a temple for the Holy Spirit.

Renouncing Satan means that we are catastrophe all relations with him, hence we shall not have from him any guidance or seduction or tricks, and we do not accept Satanic deeds, or bargain with such people, such equally clairvoyance, magicians, so on.

The priest breathes three times on the child, and orders the profane spirit to come out from this kid's life, past the social club and ability of the Holy Spirit.  The mother or  guardian father should take special notice of this, in society that they may non allow Satan to enter the child's life or have whatsoever share with the child in any way.

2.         CONFESSING CHRIST AND RECITING THE ORTHODOX CREED...

The mother looks towards the East with her kid on her left arm, and raises her right hand to repeat subsequently the priest:

"I confess to you lot O Christ my God and to all Your redeeming laws and enlivening service and Your life giving works.

I believe in one God the Father the Almighty, and His But Begotten Son Jesus Christ and the Life-Giving Holy Spirit, and the resurrection of the trunk, and the One, Holy, Universal and Apostolic Church, Amen".

The priest so asks her 3 times : "Do you believe on behalf of this child?" And iii times she responds, "I believe."

NOTES:

Facing the East signifies new birth, every bit the day starts by the rising of the sun in the Due east, and with sunrise a new twenty-four hours begins.

Facing the East signifies light, "For it is God who commanded lite to smoothen out of darkness who has shone in our hearts to requite the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (two Corinthians 4:half-dozen).

As life and light are strongly related, the East became a symbol of life and we encounter this relation in the words of the Psalmist : "For with You is the fountain of life; In your light we come across light" (Psalm 36:nine), and, "Christ is life and the dayspring from on high" (Luke vii:78), and to enlighten those sitting in darkness, He visited usa and redeemed usa from sin. "The people who sat in darkness saw a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death, lite has dawned" (Matthew 4:16).

The one who leaves the direction of the West and faces the East proves that he hates and renounces sin and its darkness, yearns for holiness and light which are granted in Baptism, a new pure life renewed mean solar day by day according to the image of his Creator.

He who faces the East proves that he seeks the showtime heavenly life, as the kickoff paradise was planted by God, a garden eastward in Eden (Genesis two:8).

Christ is the light that shone on u.s.a.. "But to you who fear My Name the Son of righteousness shall arise" (Malachi 4:2).

The Wiseman saw the star of Christ in the Due east at His nativity: "We have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him" (Matthew two:2).

Isaiah said: "Glorify the Lord in the dawning calorie-free"  (Isaiah 24:15), "And behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the mode of the East" (Ezekiel 43:2).

When the mother or the guardian father says, "I believe for this child", they mean they believe in the grace that is granted to the kid in the Sacrament of Baptism, which is the grace of sonship to God and the spiritual training for the Kingdom of God. This also means that they undertake to teach the child the principles of faith, church tradition and dogmas, as if engraving on rock.

The raising of the manus and the Covenant with the Lord Christ

When the baptized or the kid's parent faces the E and raises their right hand, repeating the words of the covenant with Christ, they are praying for God's help to fulfill this holy covenant.

NOTES:

Some people say, when the mother turns from the West to the Eastward, she must change her child from her left arm to her right arm, hence this means that she will heighten her left hand during the confession for Christ and the reciting of the Orthodox Creed.  I believe this is not correct that she heighten her right hand while renouncing Satan, and her left mitt while confessing Christ. The Baptismal Rites does not imply this, and therefore, I believe the correct position is for the kid to remain on the mother'southward left arm in both cases, and thus her right hand is raised in both cases.

Raising the hand has various implications. We shall mention a few :

When the person requiring Baptism raises the right manus while looking towards the West and renouncing Satan, they must open the palm of their hand as if fugitive Satan every bit an enemy and destroyer.

When the person requiring Baptism raises their right hand while looking towards the East and reciting the Orthodox Creed, they undertakes earlier God to keep what is said, and hence the raising of the hand signifies the undertaking of an adjuration, just as in court and oath is taken to indicate the seriousness of what the speaker says and the necessity of commitment to this undertaking.

Afterwards the Rite of renouncing Satan and the confession of Christ is completed, the deacon says :

"From God we ask for the blessing of Baptism for the child."

"From God we enquire for the baptized to complete his life in rejecting Satan and his evil thoughts and destructive counseling."

"From God we ask God's providence for the baptized for his struggle as a servant of Christ, keeping His commandments and practicing His will, as he lives truly according to the Gospel of Christ."

"From God we ask providence for the mother or guardian begetter to accomplish their duty in bringing up the kid in the fright of God, and alert them to follow in God's path throughout their life."

3.         OTHER PRAYERS

The priest prays request God to : "Establish the obedience of your servants ... give them the power to abandon their past sins, reinforce their faith so null volition separate them from You.  Set up them on the foundation of Your Churchly faith, call them to Your pure lite. Make them worthy of Your great grace...".

They kneel down and the priest prays for them, placing the Cantankerous on their heads maxim :   "Enlighten their understanding by the light of cognition, cast abroad every magic, seduction and evil deed, and may they deserve the intimacy of the new Baptism and the incorruptible garment and the forgiveness of sins, as You prepare them to exist a temple for Your Holy Spirit".

NOTES:

Kneeling for the second time may mean a thanksgiving bow for the grace of freedom from the dominion of Satan and sin, and the acceptance of the soul in the Church Community, but as the leper did when he was healed from his leprosy which denoted his sin, "He returned and with a loud phonation glorified God, and barbarous downward on his confront at His feet, giving Him thanks" (Luke 17:fifteen,sixteen).

The priest takes the holy oil (Ghaliloun) and anoints the baptized on their middle, back and arms with the sign of the Cross saying : "I anoint yous (the baptized Name) by the ointment of joy, opposing all the deeds of the adversary to implant you in the pleasant olive tree, in the One Holy Universal, and Apostolic Church of God".

NOTES:

Nosotros notice there are iii kinds of oil used in Baptism :

Unproblematic oil    2.  Ghaliloun Oil     three.  Myron

Elementary Oil: pure olive oil, nigh probably the oil upon which the Apocalypse Vigil of Easter Saturday was prayed.  It helps the Baptized to accept the Word of God and sympathise the Gospel, and simply take organized religion.

Ghaliloun Oil: chosen an ointment of joy, which helps the soul to rejoice in the Discussion of God, the acceptance of faith and entry to the Church Community.

Myron Oil: is the Seal of the Holy Spirit, and it is with this oil that the child is anointed after Baptism, on the body; the senses, joints and middle. All the body'south organs are sanctified, and hence the body becomes a temple of the Holy Spirit. The anointing of the Myron are like a royal seal, signifying that this body is a possession of the Truthful King and Lord Jesus Christ.  The devil cannot approach it to dwell in it or possess it,  as he has no rule over it. Information technology is possessed past
the Lord Jesus and sealed by His Seal, that is, the sign of the Cantankerous.

The priest prays the prayer of the laying of easily on the catechumens (coming for Baptism) afterward anointing them with the Ghaliloun maxim : "Search the hearts of Your servants who came to the intimacy of Your grace, and if the evil of Satan is subconscious in them, declare it, bandage it out from the souls and bodies of Your servants, renew their lives and so they may wear the garments of conservancy and the weapons of undefeated faith, to go Your flock and sons of Your heavenly shelter and heirs of Your  incorruptible eternal Kingdom of Christ."

Then the priest prays : "Save Your creation from the bondage of the enemy.  Accept them in Your Kingdom.  Open their hearts to polish by the light of the Gospel of Your Kingdom, and may their lives be accompanied by the angels of light to salvage them from every conspiracy and every arrow that flies by day and the pestilence in darkness and the terror by dark, and cast away from them all intrigues of the profane souls.  The wicked soul that worries their hearts, cast information technology away, make them sleep in Your Holy flock of Your Christ, pure members in the Apostolic Church, pure vessels, clean-living souls and children of the light and heirs of the Kingdom. Through Jesus Christ..."

Third

SANCTIFICATION OF THE BAPTISMAL WATER

INTRODUCTION

It is called The Liturgy of Baptism, and is similar to the Liturgy of Eucharist.  Information technology includes the Thanksgiving Prayer, readings from the Pauline and Catholic Epistles, the Book of Acts, from the  Psalms and Gospels. Then the Litanies are said, followed past an inaudible prayer said by the priest while kneeling before the Baptismal Font. The prayer is very moving and spiritual : "Send Your power from on High and help me to perform the service of this great heavenly Sacrament, and may Christ be imaged in those granted the anointment of the new Baptism from me.  Build them on the foundation of the Apostles and prophets that they may never perish. Implant inside them truth in Your One Holy, Universal and Apostolic Church to progress in worshipping Yous ..."

The prayers proceed similar to the rites of the Liturgy of Eucharist, with the priest, deacon and congregation, until such a time when the priest pours the Holy Myron in the Baptismal Font accompanied by three signs of the cross.  This is the moment of the dwelling of the Holy Spirit and the sanctification of the Baptismal h2o.  Psalm 150 is then chanted while the priest baptizes the child. Baptism hither replaces the Communion in the Rite of the Eucharist.

Sanctification of the Baptismal water, through prayers, is done to prepare for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and pouring the Myron oil into the h2o causes the water to get living water, capable by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, to grant new nascence to the soul and body, and become effective in the salvation of the baptized, enabling them to walk along the path of salvation, and hence enter and see the Kingdom of God.  Information technology likewise gives the baptized the right to become a child of God and the Church, having the correct to partake of all the other Sacraments, such every bit Repentance, Communion, Matrimony and Priesthood.

St. Cyril the Great resembled the Baptismal water at the moment of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, to a bowl with water which is placed on the fire so it gains heat. Likewise, the Baptismal water gains the power and reflection of the Holy Spirit, to be born of God and the Church as spiritual children.

St. John the Baptist says, "He will cognominate yous with the Holy Spirit and burn" (Matthew 3:xi).  Sanctification of the h2o is accomplished through the prayer of the gathered church (priest, deacons, congregation), the reading of the Word of God, the signs of the Cross, and finally past the pouring of the Myron into the Baptismal water then that the Holy Spirit dwells on the water grants the baptized person a new nature. "The earth was without class and void, and darkness was on the face of the deep.  And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters, then God created all the creatures, the light, the ferment the earth, the seas, sun, moon, grass herbs, trees, animals, birds and concluded by creating human on His image and likeness.  Then God saw everything that He had fabricated, and indeed it was very good" (Genesis i).

In Baptism, man is void of whatever virtue, and his soul is empty because of the original sin, so the Spirit of God hovers over the Baptismal font in the likeness of God in righteousness and holiness of truth; just as the first creation was from h2o and spirit, so also the new creation is from h2o and spirit, the Baptismal water upon which dwells, the Holy Spirit.

THE RITE OF THE SANCTIFICATION OF THE BAPTISMAL Water

The baptismal font is filled the clean water. Then the following steps and prayers have identify :

ane          The priest takes the elementary oil or Apocalypse oil, and pours it into the Baptismal water 3 times with the sign of the Cross, and with every sign of the cantankerous, the deacons say, "Amen".

2.         He prays inaudibly or quietly : "Call Your servants to the pure low-cal, make them worthy of this bully grace of the holy Baptism, fill them with the power of Your Holy Spirit...".

3.         So after bestowing peace, he prays the Thanksgiving Prayer.

4.         He places five spoonfuls of incense in the censer together with three signs of the cantankerous, and then prays the mystery of the Pauline incense, "O God the Great and Eternal".

v.         One of the deacons read the Pauline epistle to Titus (2:11-38) which talks about the divergence in attitude of a person before Baptism, in ungodliness and worldly lusts, and after Baptism, living righteously in love and peace with all people. He calls Baptism, "The regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit" (3:5).

6.         The priest prays the second Pauline mystery, "O God of cognition, giver of wisdom...", asking God to grant us a mind gratis of wandering, and a articulate agreement that we may learn and understand the teachings of St. Paul, so that we may emulate him in deed, struggle and in religion and receive the glorious imperishable crown.

Then he prays the Cure-all mystery, asking God to help him and his people to walk in the steps of the apostles, and to imitate and share in their struggle for God's sake, in club to spread the faith and proclaim the good news of the unsearchable riches of God's mercy, and to bless this vine which His right hand has planted through His holy apostles teachings, preaching and epistles.

vii.         Meanwhile i of the deacons reads the Catholicon from the Commencement Epistle of St. John (5:5-14), which speaks about overcoming the world by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and nigh the 3 witnesses : the spirit, water and claret, and all these are nowadays in Baptism. Baptism is founded on the Blood of Christ and the atonement of the Cross, the font is filled with h2o, and past prayer the Holy Spirit dwells upon it. Hence, the presence of all three - the Spirit, the water and the blood - causes Baptism to be correct and effective.

8.         The priest prays the Praxis (Acts) mystery, asking God to take from him this sacrifice of incense, and send down upon him and His congregation in return His abundant mercy, making them pure from all sin, and making them worthy to serve Him in holiness and righteousness all the days of their life.  1 of the deacons read the Praxis from the Book of Acts (8:26-xl), which mentions the incident of the Ethiopian eunuch, who was baptized afterwards he proclaimed the true faith in Jesus Christ saying: "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God" (Acts 8:38), and then St. Philip baptized him past immersion in the nearby river, and and so they came upwardly out of the water, just equally the Lord Jesus on His baptism, "Then Jesus, when He had been baptized, came upward immediately from the water"  (Matthew 3:16).

9.         The Trisagon is sung and the priest says the Prayer for the Gospel with its relevant responses.

x.       A deacon then reads Psalm 31 (i,2), blessing those whose sins are forgiven and transgression is covered by Baptism.  Then the gospel is read from St. John (iii:i-21) which narrates the meeting of Nicodemus with the Lord Jesus, and the speech communication of Christ about the importance of Baptism and His definite assurance of its necessity for salvation and entering the Kingdom of God, saying: "About assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again (from above) he cannot meet the Kingdom of God" (John iii:3), and, "Most assuredly, I say to you lot, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of sky" (John 3:5), "That which is built-in of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit" (John 3:vi), and, "We know that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God" (1 Corinthians 15:five), but the spiritual person born of the Holy Spirit.

11.       During the Gospel reading, the priest prays the mystery of the Gospel : "O You, who are long suffering, abundant in mercy and truthful, receive our prayers...".

12.       The priest so prays the Vii Minor Litanies, every bit in the Laqqan Prayer, and the Sacrament of Anointing the Sick, and others. These are :

The Litany of the Sick

The Litany of Travelers

The Litany of the air of heaven, or fruits, according to the flavour.  In the period between 12 Baounah to ix Baba, the Litany of water is said every bit it is the alluvion season.  In the period from 10 Baba to x Tubah, the Litany of plants is said as it is the season of plantation.  In the period from 11 Tubah (Epiphany) to 11 Baounah, the Litany of air and fruits is said,
every bit during this time plants bear fruits and need adequate environment then it flourishes. Then comes the harvest.

The Rex's Litany

The Litany of the Deceased

The Litany of Oblations

The Catechumens Litany where the priest asks God to have mercy on them and let His Word abide in their hearts, and make them worthy of the New Birth (Baptism) for the forgiveness of sins, and preparedness for them to go holy temples for His Holy Spirit.  These litanies are prayed past the priest raising incense.

13.       The priest prays a short prayer saying : "Send Your holy power to precede the Baptism and fix Your servants to receive this pure Baptism for the remission of their sins."

14.       The priest prays for the laying on of hands, that is, he places his hands on the head of the baptized saying, "Dwell upon them Lord, walk with them and help them in every skillful human activity".

15.       The priest kneels humbly before the font, resembling the River Jordan.  And then the priest prays maxim : "Cleanse my soul and body's profanity, purify me completely.  Transport Your power from on high and strengthen me to perform the service of this great heavenly sacrament.  May Christ be formed in them, who are beingness granted the seal of new nascence, from me a sinner", as if saying with St. Paul :  "My little children, for whom I labor in nascency again until Christ is formed in you" (Galatians 4:19), "build them on the foundation of the apostles and prophets", as if maxim with St. Paul, "Having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone" (Ephesians two:20).

16.       The priest then prays the three Major Litanies.

17.       The attendants pray the Orthodox Creed.

eighteen.       The priest takes the Holy Ghaliloun oil, pours some of it into the Baptismal font iii times with the sign of the Cross to sanctify the water.

19.       The priest prays, "We ask You lot our King for Your servants, sanctify them and strengthen them so through this h2o and oil You abolish all the power of the adversary and wicked spirits, prevent them from perishing...".

xx.       He breathes three times in the water while praying, "Sanctify this water and this oil to cause new birth, amen.  Eternal life, amen.  An incorruptible garment, amen."

21.       He makes the sign of the cross on the water three times saying, "O God the Pantocrator, touch this water so
by it and by Your Holy Spirit You may renew the nascence of Your servants."

22.       The congregation chants the Aspasmos, "Hail to John the forerunner ... Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, Saint Mary",  then the Liturgy of Baptism Starts.

THE LITURGY OF BAPTISM

1.         The priest, while signing the water, says : "The Lord exist with y'all all"  And the congregation responds, "And with your spirit".

The priest says : "Elevator up your hearts".  And the congregation responds, "They are with the Lord".

The priest says : "Let us thank to the Lord" And the congregation responds, "It is right and worthy".

The priest continues : "We lifted our eyes to You Lord ... Yous split the springs and valleys ... You ordered the rock to overflow water for your people..."

These three sections are prayed by the priest, following the example of the three prayers which follow the bestowal of peace with the sign of the cross : "The Lord exist with you all", in the Liturgy of Eucharist.

2.         the priest says "Agios"  three times with three signs of the Cross in the h2o, followed by  "Holy, Holy, Holy, truly O Lord You are Holy ... grant the water the grace of the Jordan, the power and heavenly comfort.  Upon the dwelling of Your Holy Spirit, grant information technology the blessing of the Jordan, amen ... give information technology power to become life-giving water, amen..".

iii.         He makes the sign of the cantankerous three times on the water saying, "Your servants who offered       their children to Y'all, receive them ... Continue them in the Orthodox Organized religion all the days of their        lives, grant them imperishable honey..." The congregation responds, "Our Father who art in Heaven...",  followed by the priest saying the iii absolutions.

4.         The priest takes the holy Myron oil and pours a piffling into the Baptismal water three times, each fourth dimension with the sign of the Cantankerous to sanctify the water.  He does this while saying the three known signs similar to those of the Offering. The deacons respond each time with "Amen".  Here the Holy Spirit dwells upon the Baptismal water, and is capable of granting new birth to the baptized person and to purify them from their sins.

5.         The priest says the following verses from the Psalms (28: ii,3; 31: v; 65:11; 50:vii,9,10; 132:13), while moving the water with the Cross. The deacons respond after every sentence with, "Alleluia", followed past, "Glory be to God...".

NOTES:

The priest stirs the h2o with the Cross while reciting the Psalms, resembling the angel who was stirring the water of the puddle of Bethesda to gain power of healing, "For an angel went downwards at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water, and so whoever stepped in commencement afterward the stirring of the water, was fabricated well of whatever disease he had"  (John five:iv).

half dozen.         The congregation sings the Communion hymn, Psalm 150, during the Baptism.

4th

BAPTISM Past IMMERSION

1.         The deacon or guardian takes the naked kid from the Westward and brings them to the baptismal Font to the left of the priest and gives the child to him.

ii.         The priest holds the child from under the arms while facing the baby is towards the Westward.

3.         He gradually dips the child into the water, until the child is completely immersed, while maxim: "I cognominate yous ... (if the infant's does not have a Christian name, the priest must give them a name from the Holy Bible, or a saint's name) ... in the name of the Father...", and this is the first immersion.

4.         He lifts the child from the h2o and breathes into them, and so immerses the kid again saying: "And the Son...", this is the second immersion.

5.         Then he lifts the kid from the water and breathes into them again, so immerses the child for the third fourth dimension in the water while maxim: "And the Holy Spirit", and this is the third immersion. Then he lifts the child from the water and breathes into them for the third fourth dimension.

6.         The priest lifts the child by his hands higher up the Baptismal font with his face up downwards and so that any water in the babe'southward mouth or olfactory organ may come up out. If the child delays in breathing, the priest may shake them gently, and breathe in their face to regain normal breathing.

NOTES:

ane.         Nosotros run across the priest receiving the kid from the left, and then afterwards baptism giving the child to the mother from the right side.  This activeness signifies that Baptism transforms us from the side of rejection, which is darkness, to the side of credence, which is the light. The Syrian Fraction mentions, "Instead of the sin permeating the earth, the Son died on the Cross and restored us from the left to the right providence".

2.         The 3 immersions in Baptism is in the proper noun of the Holy Trinity : The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, for the Lord Jesus taught His saintly disciples, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the proper noun of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, educational activity them to observe all things that I take allowable you" (Matthew 28:19,20).

As Baptism is death with Christ and resurrection with Him, through it the believer is granted the blessings of salvation that is accomplished by the death of Christ on the Cross, and equally Christ died and was buried for three days, and then likewise immersion of the baptized occurs three times in the Baptismal h2o, and so the child immerges from the Baptismal font as Christ the Lord came out of the tomb. "Cached with Him in baptism, in which y'all also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead" (Colossians 2:12).

3.         The priest must exist conscientious with the Baptismal water during Baptism, when taking the child from the Baptismal Font, and handing them to the mother, and so that no h2o spills out from the font and is trodden by feet.

4.         The mother must take care of the water that is used to wash the towel the babe is wrapped in after baptism, and the baptism clothes the kid wears post-obit baptism, likewise equally the water that is used to bathroom the infant after the baptism. The water should be disposed of in a leap or well, then that it not be trodden on, for the water contains the holy Myron oil.

5.         When both male and female children are presented for baptism, the male child is baptized get-go, to symbolize man being the head of the woman.

THE RITE FOR DISCHARGING THE BAPTISMAL WATER

If the priest wants to discharge the Baptismal water later Baptism, he washes his hands with some water to clear what clings to them from the Myron oil, then washes around the Baptismal font what was sprinkled from the Baptismal h2o that contained some Myron, and pours it into the font.

Then the priest prays, "Nosotros enquire and entreat Your goodness, O Philanthropic One, O Lord, to return this h2o to its first nature to be restored to the earth..."

And so he opens the plug below the Baptismal font so all the water trickles into the reservoir in the ground.  Thus the Baptismal rite ends.

NOTES:

ane.         It is non appropriate to keep the Baptismal waters which comprise the Apocalypse oil, Ghaliloun oil and Myron oil, without discharge for a long time, otherwise the water, due to the oils, may rot.  Information technology is appropriate for the Liturgy of Baptism to be prayed at each Baptism and for the water to be immediately discharged after Baptism. In extreme atmospheric condition, the water must not be kept in the Baptismal font for more than three days.

2.         It is wrong to add new water to the Baptismal water afterwards its sanctification, as nosotros do not add vino to the chalice after the sanctification and transubstantiation.

three.         When edifice the Baptismal font, intendance must be given to get in deep and wide plenty to contain adults of other denominations, who join our Church and are baptized, or certain persons whose baptism, for various reasons was neglected by their parents. Hence during baptism, the priest says, "If you ... were non baptized, I now baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit", and immerses the person three times as usual.

If the Baptismal font is not spacious enough to incorporate an adult, it is possible to provide a large container big enough to go far possible to completely immerse the person co-ordinate to the Baptismal Rite by immersion. Following the baptism, the container must exist broken or merely specified for this purpose equally information technology is sanctified and ordained by prayers and Myron poured into it.

four.         It is meliorate to build a sink near the Baptismal font for the priest to wash his hands after Baptism, so he does not wash his hands in the font, and for the sink to catamenia into the same reservoir equally the Baptismal font.

THE ADULT BAPTISM IS As FOLLOWS ...

If the person to be baptized is a man, then after completion of the Rite of Renouncing Satan and recitation of the Orthodox Creed, and the Liturgy of Baptism, the attendants should leave the Baptismal room, and then the baptized may undress, and go down into the Baptismal font immersed up to his cervix, so the priest comes and dips his head in the Baptismal h2o three times maxim: "I cognominate you lot ...) in the proper noun of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit".

Then the priest leaves the room, and the baptized person arises out of the Baptismal water and dries his body by the prepared towel, and so wears his underwear. Then the priest comes and
anoints him with the Myron oil 36 times. And then he dresses in garments appropriate for this happy occasion.

If the person to be baptized is a woman, after the priest prays the Liturgy of Baptism and performs the Rite of Renouncing Satan, the profession and Orthodox Creed, he leaves the room and asks the deaconess to assist the woman to undress, and get down into the Baptismal font immersed up to her neck.  So the priest enters and places his hand on the woman's caput (preferably he should be standing behind a drape) and immerses her in h2o three times while proverb: "I baptize y'all ... in the proper noun of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit".  She may wear a white garment specified for this occasion with which she enters into the Baptismal font.  And so the priest leaves the room, and the woman arises from the Baptismal font and dries her body with the prepared towel, and clothes herself accordingly for this occasion.  The priest comes and anoints her with the holy Myron oil on her external members only, such as on her head, her senses; ears, eyes, nostrils, oral fissure and both wrists. Thus the Sacrament of Holy Chrism is performed.

THE BAPTISM OF BLOOD

During the days of persecution, many pagans believed in Christ from simply being touched by witnessing the strong religion of the Christians who were martyred for Christ. As a consequence, these pagans welcomed martyrdom for Christ, even though they had previously not been baptized.

In this state of affairs, the blood which they shed is recognized, and considered a "Baptism of Blood". hence, they receive the crown of martyrdom and eternal life. In essence, Baptism is dying with Christ, and these martyrs shed their blood honorably for and with Christ.

Many saints spoke about the "Baptism of Blood". St Cyril of Jerusalem said, "Whoever does not take Baptism has no salvation, except the martyrs, who without the Baptism of water are granted conservancy by the Baptism of Blood".  When our Savior was crucified on the Cross, He was wounded by a spear in His side, and water and blood came along. Too, during times of peace, baptism is carried out through h2o, and during times of persecution, past blood. The Savior Himself called martyrdom past blood and Baptism by proverb: "Are you able to potable the loving cup that I am almost to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" (Matthew twenty:22).

St. Cyril the Dandy said: "Some received conservancy and eternal life without whatsoever need for signs from the h2o, as they were baptized by blood".

THE BAPTISM OF A DYING PERSON

If a kid got sick before their baptism and their parents were frightened the child may die, the child must be baptized fifty-fifty if they are a 24-hour interval old.  In this case another person, other than the mother, must take the child to the Church building for baptism, and then the priest must anoint the child with the Myron.  The Rites mention (in the third affiliate) : "If the newly born was in fear of death before the female parent is purified from blood, someone else may take the kid to be baptized, equally the delivering woman must stay away from Church twoscore days if she delivered a boy and eighty days if she delivered a female person kid."

In the occasion of baptizing a dying child, it is not possible to exist restricted with all the conditions of Baptism, so the child may be baptized past wiping the whole body past h2o instead of immersion, and if time is limited, the rite of fasting for a priest before baptism may not occur.

If the child dies, their soul will go to paradise as a pure angel, but if the child lives, the baptism must not be repeated, every bit it is binding. Baptism but takes place once.

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Source: https://www.copticchurch.net/introduction-to-the-coptic-church/sacraments/1_baptism

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