The Different Ministrations

The Sacraments of Baptism and Chrismation.

        Baptism is the Sacrament whereby a person who believes in Christ, does, through immersion, thrice performed with the words: “The servant of God N. is baptized in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,” die unto his or her former sinful life and receives the grace of the Holy Spirit, which confers a renovated and holy life.

        Chrismation is the Sacrament whereby the person who has received baptism does, through the anointing of the different parts of the body with holy chrism, with the words “the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit,” receive the grace of the Holy Spirit, confirming him or her in the renovated, Christian life. At present both sacraments are normally performed together, and form one church rite.

        In view of the great importance of these two Sacraments in the life of a Christian, they are preceded by certain sacred acts which prepare persons to receive them worthily, and followed by other acts, impressing on the Christian the memory of their deep significance. To the former acts belong the rites of conferring a name, of doing reverence to the holy temple, and of reception among the catechumens. The latter acts are: ablutions, tonsuring, and joining the Church.

Prayer For a Woman Who Hath Given Birth to a Child, and Naming the Child. At the present time it is customary to administer the Sacrament of Baptism to a child soon after its birth. Therefore the Orthodox Church cares for the babes of Christian parents as for her children. As soon as a child is born in a Christian family, a priest is called and prays, in the name of the entire Church, “that the Lord may preserve the mother and new-born babe from all evil, shelter them under the shelter of His wings, forgive the mother’s trespasses, raise her from the bed of sickness, and vouchsafe that her babe may do reverence to His holy temple.” The priest recites this prayer wearing the Epitrachelion (stole).

        In obedience to the statutes of the Church, the babe, on the eighth day after birth, is brought before the doors of the temple, whereby its parents signify their desire that it should also be a Christian. Here it is met by the priest, who blesses it (signs it) in the name of the Lord, gives it a Christian name, i.e., the name of some Saint, and prays to God “that the light of His countenance be signed upon it; that it be signed with the Cross of the only-begotten Son of God in its heart and understanding; that it may flee from the vanity of the world and every evil device of the Enemy and may keep God’s commandments, and that the name of God may remain on it forever unrenounced.” The babe is given a Christian name in token of its covenant with Christ, as a pledge that it may hope for salvation with the Saints, and as a reminder that it must emulate the life of the Saint whose name it bears. From this moment the babe enters the class of catechumens, i.e., of those who are preparing to receive holy Baptism. In our country, the ceremony of naming is usually performed within the first days after birth, immediately after the prayer for the mother, and not before the door of a church, but at home, because the severity of the climate does not allow of carrying so young a babe out into the open air.

        As the giving of a name is of great importance in a person’s life, the day which is sacred to the memory of the Saint whose name he or she bears is called a person’s “name’s day,” and, to that person, is a festive one, on which he or she asks the help of God and the Saint towards leading a life worthy of that name. Christians look at their Saints as on their guardian angels; hence a person’s “name’s day” is also called his or her “angel’s day.”

Prayer on the Fortieth Day After Birth. In imitation of the Virgin who, on the fortieth day after the birth of the Infant Jesus, brought Him to the temple, to present Him to the Lord, every Christian mother should bring her babe to church on the fortieth day after birth. The priest meets them in the vestibule, blesses mother and child, and prays that the Lord may bless them, purify and sanctify the mother and hold her worthy to partake of the Holy Eucharist,* and the babe borne by her to receive the Sacrament of Baptism.

The Rite of Reception Among the Catechumens. This rite is performed just before baptism. The candidate for baptism is conducted or carried into the vestibule of the temple and stands before the font, looking towards the East, ungirdled, bareheaded and barefooted, with hands hanging down.

        By this ceremony he indicates that he desires to cast off the old man and don a new man, after the image of Christ; that he aspires from darkness unto light, of which the East is the symbol, and humbly awaits illumination from Christ. The priest breathes thrice in his face, blesses him and lays his hand upon his head. The priest’s breath recalls the breath of life which the. Creator breathed into the nostrils of the first created man, and betokens the breath of new life imparted through the Sacrament of Baptism. The blessing in the name of Christ betokens separation from the community of the unbelieving, and the imposition of the hand — the entry under the shelter of the Church. Laying his hand on the catechumen’s head, the priest recites the preliminary prayer, in which he asks that the Lord may inscribe him in the Book of Life and receive him into His holy flock. This prayer is followed by the catechumen rites:

        Exorcism, — the Renunciation of the Devil, — the Declaration of the desire to join Christ, the Profession of Faith, and the Worship of the Holy Trinity.

        In the Exorcisms the priest, in the name of the Almighty, commands the Devil to depart from the person who has been sealed with the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and prays that God may expel the impure spirit from the catechumen and make him a member of His holy Church. At the words “Expel from him every evil and impure spirit which hideth and maketh its lair in his heart,” the priest blows on the mouth, brow and breast of the catechumen in token of the expulsion from his soul of all impurity.

        After these prayers, the catechumen is turned with his face towards the West, which symbolizes darkness and evil, and to the thrice repeated question, uttered by the priest: “Dost thou renounce satan and all his works, and all his angels, and all his service, and all his pomp?” he answers, with hands uplifted, “I do.” Then the priest asks thrice “Hast thou renounced satan?” and he answers, “I have,” and, at the priest’s command, signifies, by blowing and spitting, his contempt of all things devilish.

        Having renounced the devil, the catechumen turns again towards the East, with his hands down, and to the priest’s thrice repeated question “Dost thou unite thyself unto Christ?” he answers, “I do.” The priest again asks, “Hast thou united thyself unto Christ?” He answers, “I have.” The priest then asks, “Dost thou believe in Him?” to which the catechumen answers “I believe in Him as King and God” — and forthwith recites the Creed. The last two questions the priest utters thrice, and each time receives an affirmative answer, which is followed each time by the Creed.

        Having received the catechumen’s renunciation of his former sinful life, the expression of his readiness to live with Christ and his profession of faith, the priest commands him, as a new member of the Kingdom of Christ, “Bow down also before Him.” The catechumen bows himself to the ground before the Holy Trinity, saying, “I bow down before the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the Trinity one in essence and indivisible.” — The rite concludes with a prayer in which the priest asks the Lord to count the catechumen worthy to receive holy Baptism.

        The same rite is performed over adult candidates for baptism, and over infants. But as an infant cannot speak for itself, its sponsors answer for it. Both the catechumen rites and that of Baptism are performed for adult persons in a church, in the presence of the faithful. But in the case of infants, it is allowed to perform both at the parents’ home, when the babe’s weakness and the severity of the climate do not allow of taking it to church.

The Order of Baptism and Chrismation.

        To perform the Sacrament of Baptism, the priest puts on light-colored or white vestments, to express the joy of the Church at receiving a new member. Candles are lit around the edge of the font, the censer is swung, and the sponsors are given candles to hold. The lighted candles symbolize the spiritual illumination which is imparted through the Sacrament of Baptism, while the clouds of incense indicate the grace of the Holy Spirit, through whose operation man’s regeneration takes place in this Sacrament.

        The Order of Baptism consists of the consecration of the water, the anointing of the water and of the person baptized with consecrated oil, the immersion of the person into the water, the investing him with white garments, anointing with chrism or myrrh; the circumambulation of the font, and readings from the Holy Scriptures.

        To the petitions of the Great Ectenia, with which the rite of Baptism begins, are added petitions, “That this water may be sanctified through the power and action and descent of the Holy Spirit... — That there may be sent down into it the grace of redemption, the blessing of Jordan... — That he may prove himself to be a son of light, and an heir of eternal good things... — That he may be a member and partaker of the death and resurrection of Christ our God...” The priest then offers a prayer, “Wherefore, O King Who lovest mankind, come Thou now through the descent of Thy Holy Spirit, and sanctify this water (thrice).” At the words of the prayer, “Let all adverse powers be crushed beneath the sign of the image of Thy Cross,” he blesses the water thrice and blows upon it. By this act he expresses his belief that the devil is expelled by the name of Jesus Christ.

        The water being consecrated, the priest proceeds to consecrate the oil by prayer, in token of reconciliation, and while “Alleluia” is being solemnly sung, he makes with the oil the sign of the Cross on the water. Before this rite the admonition, “Let us attend!” is uttered, to draw to it the attention of those present, and to signify that it conveys a mystical meaning. As water, which once upon a time submerged the entire human race, symbolizes purification, and oil gathered from the olive tree, a branch of which was brought to Noah in the ark by the dove, in token of reconciliation, symbolizes mercy, so the connection of both these symbols signifies that the purification of man by the waters of baptism takes place through the mercy of God.

        Having thus prepared the material for the Sacrament, the priest now proceeds to prepare for it the person about to receive it. He anoints the brow, ears, breast, hands and feet with the consecrated oil, in token that, through baptism, man, like unto a branch of the wild olive tree, is grafted unto the good olive tree, which is Christ. As man dies in baptism to his former life and comes forth a new man to battle with evil, so the anointing with oil serves him, as one dead, as a preparation for burial and, as a soldier of Christ — as a preparation to the struggle with iniquity.

        The act of baptism itself is performed by the thrice repeated immersion of the recipient of the Sacrament into the water, with the words, “The servant (or handmaid) of God N. is baptized in the name of the Father, Amen, and of the Son, Amen, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.” During the immersion he who is baptized is turned to the East. At this moment the grace of the Holy Spirit descends on him and gives him a new life, washing away all sins from his soul; while being immersed, he is entombed with Christ; when lifted out of the water, he rises with Him. The blessings which man receives in the Sacrament of Baptism are expressed in the words of the Psalm (31st) which is sung immediately after the immersion: “Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not sin... Many are the scourges of the sinner, but mercy shall encircle him that hopeth in the Lord. Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous; and glory, all ye that are upright of heart.”

        In token of the purity of the neophyte’s soul the priest invests him with a white garment, calling it, “the robe of righteousness,” and in token that he shall live after baptism, he places round his neck a Cross, the symbol of walking after Christ. During the robing, a troparion is sung, indicating the meaning of the white garment: “Grant unto me the robe of light, O Thou Who coverest Thyself with light as with a garment, O Christ our God, plenteous in mercy.”

        As special help from God is needed to follow after Christ and preserve the soul’s purity, obtained through baptism, the Sacrament of Chrismation is administered to the neophyte immediately after the robing. The priest makes the sign of the Cross with chrism on his brow, eyes, nostrils, lips, ears, breast, hands and feet, saying each time, “The seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Through this unction is imparted the grace of the Holy Spirit, which confirms in the new life and gives the strength to live in Christ.

        The priest now walks three times around the font with the neophyte and sponsors, to the chant: “As many as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ.” The circumambulation of the font signifies the triumph and joy of the Church, because a Christian has been joined with Christ forever.

        The Order of the Sacrament concludes with a reading from the Apostle, in which the meaning of baptism is set forth, also the benefits bestowed by this Sacrament, and the duties which it imposes on us, — and with a reading from the Gospel, on the institution of the Sacrament by Jesus Christ.

Note 1st. — Of baptism performed by a layman. — The right to administer the Sacrament of Baptism belongs to the priests. But in an emergency, when no priest is to be had, and the Candidate for baptism is feeble, and there is danger of his dying before he can be baptized, any layman has the right, and indeed the duty, to perform the rite by thrice repeated immersion, or even by aspersion or by pouring of water on the head, with the words “the servant (or handmaid) of God N. is baptized in the name of the Father, Amen, and of the Son, Amen, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.” Such a baptism is entirely valid. Later on, the priest does not repeat the rite, but only completes it by saying the omitted prayers and performing the omitted rites, then enters it into the church register.

Note 2nd. The sponsors.— At every baptism whether of an adult or of an infant, sponsors are absolutely necessary. If the former, they serve as witnesses of the neophyte’s profession of faith and the vows he takes, if the latter, they answer all questions for the infant. After baptism they assume the spiritual care of the neophyte and are bound to be his guides in Christian life and to see to his religious education. Through these duties a spiritual relationship is established between the sponsors and their god-child, also the latter’s parents; the sponsors are god-fathers and god-mothers. As the sponsors assume important responsibilities towards their godchildren, the Church rules that they shall have attained the age of discretion — (the godfather to be not under 15, the godmother not under 13) — that they shall be persons of good moral standing with a knowledge of the fundamental doctrines of the Orthodox Church, and themselves Orthodox. Persons of other Christian confessions are permitted to take part in the rite of baptism as “honorary persons,” but in that case it is absolutely necessary that the god-father should be Orthodox if the neophyte is of the male sex, or the god-mother, if of the female sex. Parents may not be sponsors for their own children; nor may monks or nuns be sponsors.

The Rites of Ablution and Tonsure.

        In ancient times neophytes did not lay aside their white garments for seven days, nor wash the spots on their bodies which had been anointed with holy chrism; and, that the seal laid on them by the unction might not be defaced, they wore wreaths or bandages. On the eighth day they came to church, and there the priest loosed the girdle of their garments, removed the bandage from their brow and washed the anointed parts. At present this ablution is performed immediately after the reading of the Gospel. The priest first prays, “O Thou Who, through holy baptism, hast given unto Thy servant N. remission of sins, and hast bestowed upon him a life of regeneration: Do Thou Thyself, O Master and Lord, be pleased to illumine his heart with the light of Thy countenance continually. Keep the shield of his faith unassailed by the enemy. Preserve pure and unpolluted the garment of incorruption wherewith Thou has covered him, upholding inviolate in him by Thy grace the seal of the Spirit, and showing mercy unto him and unto us, according to the multitude of Thy compassions. O Master, Lord our God, Who through the font bestowest heavenly Illumination upon them that are baptized, Who hast regenerated Thy newly-enlightened servant by water and the Spirit, and hast granted unto him remission of his sins, whether voluntary or involuntary: Lay Thine almighty hand upon him and preserve him by the power of Thy goodness. Maintain inviolate the pledge of the Spirit, and make him worthy of life eternal and of Thy favor.” Then he sprinkles the neophyte with water, reminding him that, “Thou art justified, thou art illumined, thou art sanctified. Thou art washed in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and of the Spirit of our God”; after which he wipes with a sponge the anointed parts of his body, reminding him that, “Thou art baptized. Thou art illumined. Thou hast been anointed with Chrism. Thou art sanctified. Thou art washed: in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”

        Immediately after the ablution, the tonsure of the hair is performed. It was customary among the ancient Hebrews to shear the hair and burn it on the altar in token of entire self-consecration to God. This ancient custom passed into the Christian Church. Christians shear the hair of newborn infants in token that, having received baptism, they have become citizens of the Kingdom of God on earth, and have consecrated themselves to the service of God, before Whom they have promised to cut away from their souls sinful thoughts and passions. After the ablution, the priest performs the tonsure in the name of the Most Holy Trinity, praying that God may help the neophyte to become learned in His law and to live according to that law.

The Rite of Joining the Church.

        The neophyte has now the right to enter the church, to take part in all the prayers and to partake of the Holy Eucharist. The first time he comes to church, he does so with some solemnity and this act is called, “joining the Church,” (i.e., “being admitted into the community of Christians.”) The priest meets the neophyte at the entrance of the church, takes him or her on his arms and after making the sign of the Cross before the main door, says: “The servant (or handmaid) of God N. is admitted to join the Church in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit; now and ever and unto the ages of ages; amen.” Then he leads or carries the neophyte into the church with the words, “He (or she) cometh into Thy house to worship toward Thy holy temple.” Pausing in the middle of the church, he repeats the words of admission, and adds: “In the midst of the church shall he hymn Thee.” Once again he repeats the words of admission before the Royal Gates, and, if the neophyte be of the male sex, leads or carries him into the sanctuary; if of the female sex, he brings her only as far as the Royal Gates, and repeats the prayer of St. Symeon, “Now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, O Master....” Then he gives up the neophyte to the sponsors.

        As infants, at the present day, are, usually baptized before the fortieth day after birth, the rite of their admission into the church usually takes place the fortieth day, when the mother brings her babe herself to present it to the Lord and to receive herself the permission to partake of Holy Communion. Formerly a mother used to receive communion on that day and the child also receives it then for the first time. The latter custom prevails to this day.

        The Sacrament of Baptism properly performed cannot be repeated; that of Chrismation can be repeated only for such persons as having renounced the faith of Christ and adopted paganism, Mohammedanism, or Judaism, etc., again return to Christ.