Baptism
and
Chrismation
— The Beginning of a New Life
Bishop Alexander Mileant
Translated by Seraphim Larin and Fr. German Ciuba
In the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, the basis of
salvation for every human being lies in spiritual birth:
“Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the
Kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is
born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:5-6). This birth with water and
Spirit is accomplished through the Mystery of Baptism.
Through
Baptism an individual is cleansed from the pollution of sin, freed from the
bondage to wicked passions and reborn for a spiritual life. Because Baptism
possesses such enormous spiritual power, it is performed only once, even though
the baptized person may subsequently lead a life-style that does not conform to
the high Christian calling. Thus, it is as though in baptism the Holy Spirit
lights a spiritual candle in the heart of the individual: this flame may flare
or flicker feebly, but it is never extinguished. The primary goal in our life
is to kindle this benevolent fire of grace into a bright flame.
In
this article, we will try to reveal the meaning and power of the Mystery of
Baptism, and of the Mystery of Chrismation, which is closely associated with
it, in the hope that a more detailed acquaintance with these Holy Mysteries may
induce readers to take advantage of the great spiritual riches received through
Baptism.
The Mystery of Baptism
The
mystery of baptism is closely related to the
presence of sinful decay in mankind. Each human is born into the
world with a nature flawed by sin. Over the years, like a malignant growth, sin
spreads and grows stronger, slowly enslaving the soul. Consequently, not only
the individual but society as a whole is poisoned with sin, and it is from this
determinant that all human miseries are born: crime, suffering, various
offenses, physical death, and most importantly--spiritual death.
Jesus
Christ, the Only-begotten Son of God, came to Earth to destroy sin and grant
mankind an opportunity to obtain eternal
and joyful life in the Kingdom of Heaven. Spiritual rebirth begins with a
man's faith in Jesus Christ, a true desire to be liberated from the tyranny of
sin, and a drive to lead a life in accordance with God’s will. Our Lord Jesus
Christ likened this spiritual rebirth to the resurrection of the dead when He
said: “Most assuredly, I say to you, the
hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of
God; and those who hear will live” (John 5:25). However, faith and desire
by themselves are not sufficient. What is needed is the power of grace, which realizes the spiritual rebirth of an individual. This power of grace
permeates the soul of the person submerged in water during baptism.
The
Mystery of Baptism was established by our Lord Jesus Christ after His
Resurrection, when He appeared to His disciples and said: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in
the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit …He who believes
and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mt.
28:19-20, Mk 16:16). Following
Christ’s directive, the disciples went forth and preached faith in Jesus Christ
and baptized those who were converted. The first baptism of a multitude
occurred on the day the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles. It was here,
after hearing the Apostle Peter’s sermon, that the listeners asked what they
had to do to be saved. Whereupon the Apostle replied: “Repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus
Christ for the remission of sins; and
you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:37-38).
In
his Epistle to the Romans, the Apostle Paul reveals further the significance of
baptism: “Do you know that as many of us
were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were
buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from
the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of
life” (Rom. 6:3-4). In dying on the Cross, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
carried all our sins with Him, thereby cleansing us. His death on the Cross has
the power to wash away sin. Those who are baptized are immersed into the death
of Christ, into the purifying force of Christ’s suffering on the Cross. This
power completely destroys every sin, so that not even a trace remains. It can
be likened to placing a piece of ore in a chemical solution so that all
impurities are eaten away, leaving pure gold.
One
who is purified from sin is emancipated from its tyranny and freed to follow a spiritual life. The
Holy Scripture calls this spiritual birth the “first resurrection,” as opposed to the second, physical
resurrection, which will occur before the end of the world (Rev. 20:5). The baptized
person becomes a beloved child of God, His adopted son or daughter, by the
grace of Christ.
This
does not mean that, because of baptism, a person is freed from all temptations
or from the spiritual fight. Spiritual struggles are unavoidable for every
person who exists in this world of temptation. But a person who is not baptized
lacks the power to fight the bondage of sin, and is enslaved to it, whereas
someone who is baptized is liberated from sin and receives assistance to fight
against temptations.
St. Mark the Ascetic
explains the Mystery of Baptism in the following words: “By baptism you have
put on Christ, and you have the strength and weapons to subdue (sinful)
thoughts ... Holy baptism completely emancipates one from slavery to sin... If,
after baptism, we become subject to sin, it is not because our baptism was
imperfect, but rather because we neglect the Commandments and prefer to dwell
in self-indulgence through our own choice. Whether to bind ourselves again to
evil desires or to remain free through the fulfillment of the Commandments is a
matter for our free will .... When, after holy baptism, we are able to keep the
Commandments, but do not do so, we again unwillingly become enslaved to sin,
until we entreat God to eradicate our sin by repentance.”
Every
Christian must understand that, by surmounting temptations, he improves morally, while growing and
becoming stronger spiritually. The key to this is personal effort. If there
were no struggle, there would be no righteous people. In one’s battle against
temptations, a Christian is not alone, but receives enormous help from the Holy Spirit through Chrismation, which
is usually performed immediately after the baptism.
The Mystery of Chrismation
Just
as the death and resurrection of Christ culminated in Pentecost--the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles--so the
baptism of a Christian attains its fulfillment in Chrismation. In Baptism, one
puts on the death of Christ, and also his resurrection; in Chrismation, one is
given the grace of the Holy Spirit. Thus one can see how the miracle of
Pentecost is continually renewed in the Church through these mysteries.
The
meaning of Chrismation lies in the most important and fundamental words of the
mystery, which make up the concluding utterance: “The seal of the gift of the
Holy Spirit.” They stand as (a)
the concluding act confirming the entry
of the baptized person into the Church, and (b) the source of grace-filled
strength granted to grow stronger and ripen to perfection in the spiritual
life.
St. Cyprian writes, “People baptized in church are imprinted
with the Lord’s seal just as the christened Samaritans once received the Holy
Spirit from the Apostles Peter and John, through the laying on of hands and
prayer…What they were lacking, (namely the Holy Spirit, as they were baptized
in the name of Christ only), the Apostles Peter and John fulfilled ... That
also happens with us ... we become complete with the Lord’s seal” (Acts 8:14-17). St. Cyprian confirms
that the ancients, in speaking of birth through water and the Spirit,
understood birth through water to refer to physical baptism, while Chrismation
was the birth through the Spirit. St.
Ephraim of Syria (4th century)
writes: “The seal of the Holy Spirit
seals all the entries into your soul, while the seal of Chrismation seals all
your limbs.”
During
Apostolic times, the gifts of the Holy Spirit were bestowed through the laying on of hands. We read about this in Acts (8:14-17 and 19:2-6): the
Apostle Paul met some disciples in Ephesus who had received only the baptism of
John. When he learned of this they “were baptized in the name of the Lord
Jesus. And when Paul laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them.”
How
was the blessed laying on of hands replaced by anointing with chrism? Most
probably, because the Apostles could not physically visit every newly baptized
convert and lay hands on him, they replaced this practice by the anointing with
chrism, which was blessed by them
and distributed to the representatives of many churches. As we are reminded by
the Apostle Paul: “Now He who establishes us with you in
Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the
Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee” (2
Cor. 1:21-22). The integral words of the Mystery, “the seal of the gift of the
Holy Spirit,” thus also have a basis in these words of the Apostle.
Further
on, St. Paul writes: “And do not grieve
the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption” (Ephesians
4:30). In the Holy Scripture, the “day of redemption” refers to baptism,
while “being sealed” by the Holy Spirit means the seal of the Holy Spirit that
follows immediately after baptism.
The
oil of the Chrism and no other substance is used in the Mystery of Chrismation,
because even in the Old Testament oil was used to endow people with particular
spiritual gifts (Exodus 28:41; 1 Samuel 16:13; 1 Kings 1:39). The renowned
third-century writer Tertullian had this to say: “After emerging from the
baptismal font, we are anointed with a blessed oil just like the ancients were
anointed for priesthood with the oil from the horn.”
The
word “Christian” has always been
closely associated by the Holy Fathers of the Church with the word
“Chrismation.” Christian means Anointed. “Having
become a communicant of Christ,” writes St.
Cyril of Jerusalem, “you are
worthy to be called Christians, i.e., anointed ones, even as God said: 'Do not
touch my anointed ones'” (Psalm
105:15 [LXX 104:15]).
Throughout
these excerpts of the Apostles Paul and John, the term anointing indicates that the Christian is endowed with gifts of the
Holy Spirit, which traditionally from the times of the Old Testament were
transmitted to the chosen ones through anointing with holy oil. We read in the Apostle John’s epistle: “But you have an anointing from the Holy
One, and you know all things.” And further, he says, “But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and
you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning
all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you
will abide in Him” (1 John 2:20-27).
The
narratives from the Acts of the Apostles confirm that, apart from receiving
spiritual gifts from the Holy Spirit, the laying on of hands or the Chrismation
after baptism served both as a confirmation of the bestowal of Baptism and a
seal of the union of those baptized with the Church. That is why these acts
were performed by the Apostles themselves, and subsequently, by their successors,
i.e., bishops. While a person is born
through baptism for a spiritual life,
Chrismation makes him a participant in
the Church's life of grace.
The Service of
Baptism and Chrismation
Part 1.
The Service of the Catechumens.
THE FIRST, PREPARATORY PART of the
Mystery of Baptism is performed in the entrance of the church. In ancient days
the people preparing for baptism were called catechumens. This preparatory
period sometimes lasted several years, during which time the candidates studied
the Christian Faith and God’s commandments. They were allowed to attend certain
church services by standing in the narthex only, and had to leave at the
Deacon’s exclamation, “All Catechumens depart.” In the first part of Baptism,
the Priest reads prayers of exorcism, in which he asks God to free the
Catechumen from all evil influences. The Catechumen then solemnly renounces the
devil, confesses his faith in Jesus Christ and reads The Creed. The Priest then
lightly blows three times into the face of the Catechumen, makes the sign of
the cross over his chest and lays his hands on his head, reading the following
prayer:
Prayer for the Catechumen.
Priest: Let us pray to the Lord.
Choir: Lord, have mercy.
IN THY NAME, O Lord God of truth, and in the Name of
Thine Only-begotten Son, and of Thy Holy Spirit, I lay my hand upon Thy
servant, (name), who has been found worthy to flee unto Thy holy Name, and to
take refuge under the shelter of Thy wings. Remove far from him his
former delusion and fill him with the
faith, hope and love which are in Thee; that he may know that Thou art the only true God with Thine
Only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and Thy Holy Spirit. Enable him to walk in all Thy commandments, and
to fulfill those things which are well pleasing unto Thee; for if a man do
those things, he shall find life in them.
Inscribe
him in Thy Book of Life, and unite him to the flock of Thine inheritance.
And may Thy holy Name be glorified in him,
together with that of Thy beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and of Thy
life-giving Spirit. Let Thine eyes ever regard him with mercy, and let Thine ears attend unto the voice of his supplication. Make him to rejoice in the works of his hands, and in all his generation; that he may render praise unto Thee, that he may sing, worship and glorify Thy
great and exalted Name always, all the days of his life.
For all
the Powers of Heaven sing praises unto Thee, and Thine is the Glory, of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of
ages.
Choir:
Amen.
1st Prayer of
Exorcism.
Priest: Let us pray to the Lord.
Choir: Lord, have mercy.
THE LORD PUTS you under a ban, O Devil: He who came
into the world, and made His abode among men, that He might overthrow your
tyranny and deliver men; who also upon the Tree did triumph over the adverse
powers, when the sun was darkened, and the earth did quake, and the graves were
opened, and the bodies of the Saints arose; who also by death annihilated
Death, and overthrew him who exercised the dominion of Death, that is you, the
Devil.
I
charge you by God, who revealed the Tree of Life, and arrayed in ranks the
Cherubim and the flaming sword which turns all ways to guard it: be under a
ban. For I charge you by Him who walked upon the surface of the sea as it were
dry land, and laid under His ban the tempests of the winds; whose glance dries
up the deep, and whose interdict makes the mountains melt away. The same now,
through us, puts you under a ban. Fear, begone, and depart from this creature,
and return not again, neither hide yourself in him neither seek to meet him,
nor to influence him, either by night
or by day; either in the morning or at noonday; but depart hence to your own
infernal abyss until the great Judgment Day which is ordained. Fear God who sits
upon the Cherubim and looks upon the deeps; before whom tremble Angels and
Archangels, Thrones, Dominions, Principalities, Authorities, Powers, the
many-eyed Cherubim and the six-winged Seraphim; before whom, likewise, heaven
and earth do quake, the seas and all that they contain. Begone, and depart from
this sealed, newly enlisted warrior of Christ our God. For I charge you by Him
who rides upon the wings of the wind, and makes His Angels spirits, and His
ministers a flaming fire: Begone, and depart from this creature, with all your
powers and your angels.
For
glorified is the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
now, and ever, and unto ages of ages.
Choir:
Amen.
4th Prayer of
Exorcism.
Priest: Let us pray to the Lord.
Choir: Lord, have mercy.
O LORD AND MASTER; who hast created man in Thine own
likeness, and bestowed upon him the power of life eternal; who also despisest
not those who have fallen away through sin, but hast provided salvation for the
world through the Incarnation of Thy Christ: Do Thou, the same Lord, delivering
also this Thy creature from the bondage of the enemy, receive him into Thy heavenly kingdom. Open the
eyes of his understanding, that the
illumination of Thy Gospel may shine brightly in him. Assign unto him an
angel of light, who shall deliver him
from every snare of the adversary, from encounter with evil, from the demon of
the noonday, and from evil thoughts.
Expel from him
every evil and unclean spirit which hides and makes its lair in his heart, (these words are repeated three times while breathing on the
catechumen)
— the
spirit of deceit, the spirit of evil, the spirit of idolatry and of every
covetousness; the spirit of falsehood and of every uncleanness which operates
through the prompting of the Devil. And make him a reason-endowed sheep in the holy flock of Thy Christ, an
honorable member of Thy Church, a child of the light, and an heir of Thy
Kingdom; that having lived in accordance with Thy commandments, and preserved
inviolate the Seal, and kept his
garment undefiled, he may receive the
blessedness of the Saints in Thy Kingdom.
Through
the grace and bounties, and love towards mankind of Thine Only-begotten Son,
with whom Thou art blessed, together with Thine all-holy and good and
life-giving Spirit: now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Choir:
Amen.
The sponsors
with the catechumen turn about and face the West, with their backs to the
priest. The priest then asks the following questions.
Priest: Do
you renounce Satan, and all his works, and all his angels, and all his service,
and all his pride?
Catechumen: I
do renounce him. (This is repeated three
times)
Priest:
Have you renounced Satan?
Catechumen: I have renounced him. (This is repeated three times)
Priest:
Breathe and spit upon him.
The sponsors and the
catechumen to be baptized spit symbolically toward the west. Then they turn
back to the East, and stand facing the priest.
Priest:
Do you unite yourself unto Christ?
Catechumen: I do unite myself to
Christ. (This is repeated three times)
Priest:
Have you united yourself to Christ?
Catechumen: I
have united myself to Christ. (This is
repeated three times).
Priest:
Do you believe in Him?
Catechumen: I believe in Him as King
and God.
The Creed.
I BELIEVE IN ONE GOD, the Father almighty, Maker of
heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.
And in
one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only-begotten, begotten of the
Father before all ages. Light of Light, true God of true God; begotten, not
made; of one essence with the Father, by whom all things were made; who for us
men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate of the Holy
Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became man. And He was crucified for us under
Pontius Pilate, and suffered, and was buried. And the third day He rose again,
according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sits at the right
hand of the Father. And He shall come again with glory to judge the living and
the dead; whose Kingdom shall have no end.
And in
the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father; who
with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by
the prophets.
In one
Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. I acknowledge one Baptism for the
remission of sins. I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the
world to come. Amen.
Priest:
Have you united yourself to Christ?
Catechumen: I
have united myself to Christ (this is
repeated three times).
Priest:
Bow down also before Him.
Catechumen: I
bow down before the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit: the Trinity, one
in Essence and undivided.
Priest:
Blessed is God, who desires that all men should be saved, and come to the
knowledge of the truth, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.
Choir:
Amen.
Part 2
The Sacrament of Baptism.
The priest
leads the sponsors with the catechumen into the Baptistry, or the place where
Baptism is performed. Lighted candles are given to the sponsors. A censing is
made around the baptismal font. At the conclusion of the censing, the priest begins.
Priest:
Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit:
now and ever, and unto ages of ages.
Choir:
Amen.
Deacon intones the Litany: In peace let us pray to the Lord.
Choir:
Lord, have mercy.
For the peace from above and for the salvation of
our souls, let us pray to the Lord.
That
this water may be sanctified with the power, effectiveness, and indwelling of
the Holy Spirit, let us pray to the Lord.
That
there may be sent down into it the grace of redemption, the blessing of Jordan,
let us pray to the Lord.
That
there may come upon this water the purifying operation of the transcendental
Trinity, let us pray to the Lord.
That we
may be illumined by the light of understanding and piety, by the outpouring of
the Holy Spirit, let us pray to the Lord.
That
this water may prove effective unto the averting of every snare of enemies,
both visible and invisible, let us pray to the Lord.
That he who is baptized therein may be made
worthy of the incorruptible Kingdom, let us pray to the Lord.
For him who is now come unto holy Baptism,
and for his salvation, let us pray to
the Lord.
That he may prove himself a child of the
Light, and an heir of eternal good things, let us pray to the Lord.
That he may be a member and partaker of the
death and resurrection of Christ our God, let us pray to the Lord.
That he may preserve his baptismal garment and the betrothal to the Spirit pure and
blameless unto the dreadful Judgement Day of Christ our God, let us pray to the
Lord.
That
this water may be to him a bath of
regeneration, unto the forgiveness of sins, and a garment of incorruption, let
us pray to the Lord.
That
the Lord God will hearken unto the voice of our petition, let us pray to the
Lord.
That He
will deliver him and us from every
sorrow, anger, and want, let us pray to the Lord.
Help
us; save us; have mercy on us; and keep us, O God, by Thy grace.
Commemorating
our most holy, most pure, most blessed and glorious Lady Theotokos and
ever-virgin Mary, with all the saints, let us commend ourselves and each other,
and all our life unto Christ our God.
Choir: To Thee, O Lord.
Prayer for Blessing of the Water.
GREAT ART THOU, O Lord, and marvelous are Thy works,
and there is no word which is sufficient to hymn Thy wonders (thrice).
For
Thou, of Thine own good will, hast brought into being all things which before
were not, and by Thy might, Thou upholdsest creation, and by Thy providence
Thou orderest the world. When Thou didst join together the universe out of four
elements, Thou didst crown the circle of the year with four seasons. Before
Thee tremble all the Powers endowed with intelligence. The sun sings unto Thee.
The moon glorifies Thee. The stars meet together before Thy presence. The light
obeys Thee. The deeps tremble before Thee. The springs of water are subject
unto Thee. Thou hast spread out the heavens like a curtain. Thou hast
established the earth upon the waters. Thou hast set round about the sea
barriers of sand. Thou hast poured forth the air for breathing. The Angelic
Powers serve Thee. The choirs of the Archangels fall down in adoration before
Thee. The many-eyed Cherubim and the six-winged Seraphim as they stand around
and fly, veil their faces in awe before Thine ineffable glory.
For
Thou, who art God inexpressible and everlasting, hast descended upon earth, and
hast taken on the semblance of a servant, and wast made in the likeness of man.
For, because of the tender compassion of Thy mercy, O Master, Thou couldest not
endure to behold mankind oppressed by the Devil; but Thou hast come, and hast
saved us. We confess Thy grace. We proclaim Thy mercy. We conceal not Thy gracious
acts. Thou hast delivered the generations of our mortal nature. By Thy birth
Thou hast sanctified the Virgin’s womb. All creation magnifies Thee, who hast
manifested Thyself. For Thou, O our God, hast revealed Thyself upon earth, and
dwelt among men. Thou hast hallowed the streams of Jordan, sending down upon
them from heaven Thy Holy Spirit, and hast crushed the heads of the dragons who
lurked there.
Wherefore,
O King who lovest mankind, come Thou now and sanctify this water, by the coming
of Thy Holy Spirit. (thrice)
And
grant unto it the grace of redemption, the blessing of the Jordan. Make it the
fountain of incorruption, the gift of sanctification, the forgiveness of sins,
the remedy of infirmities, the final destruction of demons, unassailable by
hostile powers, filled with angelic might. Let those who would ensnare Thy creature
flee far from it. For we have called upon Thy Name, O Lord, and it is
wonderful, and glorious, and terrible unto adversaries.
The Priest
then blesses the water by dipping the fingers of his right hand into it and tracing
the sign of the Cross three times saying:
Let all adverse powers be crushed beneath the sign
of the image of Thy Cross. (thrice)
We pray
Thee, O God, that every aerial and unseen phantom may withdraw itself from us;
and that no demon of darkness may conceal himself in this water; and that no
evil spirit which instills darkening of intentions and rebelliousness of
thought may descend into it with him
who is about to be baptized.
But do
Thou, Master of all, show this water to be the water of redemption, the water
of sanctification, the purification of flesh and spirit, the loosing of bonds,
the remission of sins, the illumination of the soul, the laver of regeneration,
the renewal of the spirit, the gift of adoption to sonship, the garment of
incorruption, the fountain of life. For Thou hast said, O Lord: “Wash, be
clean, and put away evil things from your souls.” Thou hast bestowed upon us
from on high a new birth through water and the Spirit. Wherefore, O Lord,
manifest Thyself in this water, and grant that he who is baptized therein may be transformed; that he may put away from him the old man, which is corrupt
through the lusts of the flesh, and that he
may put on the new man, and be renewed after the image of Him who created him; that being buried, after the
pattern of Thy death, in baptism, he
may, in like manner, be a partaker of Thy Resurrection; and having preserved
the gift of Thy Holy Spirit, and increased the measure of grace committed unto him, he
may receive the prize of his high
calling, and be numbered with the firstborn whose names are written in heaven,
in Thee, our God and Lord, Jesus Christ. For unto Thee are due all glory,
dominion, honor, and worship, together with Thy Father, who is from
everlasting, and Thine all-holy, and good, and life-giving Spirit, now and
ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
(The prayer
for blessing of the oil may be found in the service book.)
The Anointing with
Oil.
Anointing the
water thrice, the Priest says: Let us attend! Alleluia.
Choir:
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.
The Priest
anoints the forehead, the breast and the shoulders of the catechumen, saying: Blessed is God, who
illumines and sanctifies every man that comes into the world, now and ever, and
unto ages of ages.
The
servant of God, (name), is anointed
with the oil of gladness; in the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit. Amen.
Unto the healing of soul and
body.
Unto the hearing of faith.
Thy hands have made me and
fashioned me.
That he may walk in the way of Thy commandments.
This anointing
with oil denotes the catechumen's healing from infirmities of soul.
Then
submerging the catechumen three times into the blessed water, the priest says:
The servant of God (name), is baptized, in the Name of the Father, Amen; and of the Son, Amen; and
of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Prayer for the
Garment
The priest
then takes the white baptismal garment symbolizing purity of soul, and placing
it upon the newly baptized says:
Priest: The servant of God (name), is clothed with the garment of
righteousness; in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Spirit. Amen.
Choir: (8th tone) Grant unto me a robe of light, O Thou who clothest
Thyself with light as with a garment; O most merciful Christ our God.
Part 3
The Sacrament of Chrismation.
Prayer before
Chrismation.
BLESSED ART THOU, O Lord God Almighty, Source of all
good things, Sun of Righteousness, who shinest forth upon them that were in
darkness the light of salvation, through the manifestation of Thine
Only-begotten Son and our God; and who hast given unto us, unworthy though we
be, blessed purification through hallowed water, and divine sanctification
through life-giving Chrismation; who now also hast been graciously pleased to
regenerate Thy servant who hast newly received Illumination by water and the
Spirit, grant unto him forgiveness of
sins, whether voluntary or involuntary. Do Thou, the same Master, compassionate
King of all, grant also unto him the
seal of the gift of Thy holy, and almighty, and adorable Spirit, and
participation in the holy Body and the precious Blood of Thy Christ. Keep him in Thy sanctification; confirm him in the Orthodox faith; deliver him from the evil one, and from his
snares. And preserve his soul in
purity and uprightness, through the saving fear of Thee; that he may please Thee in every deed and
word, and may be a child and heir of Thy heavenly kingdom.
For
Thou art our God, the God who shows mercy and saves; and unto Thee do we
ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and
ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
When anointing
with the Holy Chrism, the Priest says:
The seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit. Amen, as he anoints the
forehead, eyes,
nose, lips, ears, chest, hands and feet of the newly-baptized person.
The priest
then leads the sponsors and the newly-baptized person in a procession around
the baptismal font, and everyone sings:
As many
as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. Alleluia. (thrice)
This procession in a circle denotes the unbreakable
union of the newly-baptized person with Christ, and also that he becomes like
him.
The Epistle and Gospel.
Deacon: Let us attend.
Priest: Peace be unto all.
Choir: And to Thy spirit.
Deacon: Wisdom!
Reader: The Prokeimenon in the Third Tone. The Lord is my light and my
salvation: whom then shall I fear?
Verse: The Lord is the strength of my life: whom
then shall I fear?
Deacon:
Wisdom!
Reader: The
lesson from the Epistle of the holy Apostle Paul to the Romans. Deacon: Let us attend!
Reader:
BRETHREN:
Do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus, were
baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into
death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father,
even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united
together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the
likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with
Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be
slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with
Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ,
having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion
over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life
that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead
indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Deacon: Wisdom! Attend! Let us
hear the holy Gospel.
Priest:
Peace be to all.
Choir: And to thy spirit.
Priest:
The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew.
Choir: Glory to Thee, O Lord,
glory to Thee.
Deacon: Let us attend.
Priest:
THEN
THE ELEVEN DISCIPLES went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed
for them. When they saw Him, they worshipped Him; but some doubted. And Jesus
came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven
and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in
the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to
observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always,
even to the end of the age.” Amen.
Choir: Glory to Thee, O Lord,
glory to Thee.
Prayer.
O THOU WHO, through holy baptism, hast given unto
Thy servant forgiveness of sins, and hast bestowed upon him a life of regeneration: Do Thou, the same Lord and Master, ever
graciously illumine his heart with
the light of Thy countenance. Maintain the shield of his faith unassailed by the enemy. Preserve the garment of
incorruption that Thou hast clothed him
with pure and unspoiled, upholding unblemished in him by Thy grace, the seal of the Spirit, and showing mercy unto him and unto us, through the multitude
of Thy mercies.
For
blessed and glorified is Thine All-honorable and majestic Name, of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; now and ever, and unto ages of ages.
Choir: Amen.
Priest: Peace be to all.
Choir: And
to thy spirit.
Deacon: Let
us bow our heads unto the Lord.
Choir:
To Thee, O Lord.
Prayer.
HE WHO HAS PUT ON THEE, O Christ our God, bows also his head with us, unto Thee. Keep him ever a warrior invincible in every
attack of those who assail him and
us; and make us all victors, even unto the end, through Thine incorruptible
crown.
For
Thine it is to show mercy, and to save us, and unto Thee do we give glory,
together with Thy Father who is from everlasting, and Thine All-Holy, and good,
and life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.
Choir:
Amen.
The Priest sprinkles the
newly-baptized saying: You are justified, you are illumined, you are sanctified, you are
washed in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
You are
baptized, you are illumined, you are anointed, you are sanctified, you are
washed in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Prayer for Tonsuring.
O MASTER, LORD OUR GOD, who has honored man with
Thine own image, Thou hast fashioned him from a reason-endowed soul and a
comely body (for the body serves the reason-endowed soul): for Thou hast set
the head on high, and hast endowed it with the most important of the senses,
which, nevertheless, do not impede one another; and Thou hast covered the head
with hair, so it will not be injured by changes in the weather, and hast fitly
joined together all his members, that he may give thanks with them unto Thee,
the Great Designer. Thou, the same Master, through Thy chosen vessel, the
Apostle Paul, hast given us a commandment that we should do all things to Thy
glory: Bless, now, Thy servant, (name),
who is come to make a first offering shorn from the hair of his head, and likewise his Sponsor; and grant that they may all
exercise themselves in Thy law, and do those things which are well pleasing in
Thy sight.
For
Thou art a merciful God, who lovest mankind, and unto Thee do we give glory, to
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of
ages.
Choir: Amen.
Taking the
scissors, the priest cuts the hair of the newly-baptized person in the form of
a cross.
Priest:
The servant of God, (name), is
tonsured in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Choir: Amen.
The cutting of the hair signifies a man's submission
to God.
Priest: Glory
to Thee, O Christ our God and our hope, glory to Thee.
Choir:
Glory to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now, and ever, and unto
the ages of ages. Amen. Lord, have mercy; Lord, have mercy; Lord, have mercy. Father,
bless.
Priest:
May Christ our true God, through the intercessions of His most pure Mother, and
of all the Saints, have mercy on us and save us, forasmuch as He is good and
loves mankind.
Choir:
Amen
Part 4
Prayers at the Fortieth Day
On the fortieth day the infant is brought to the Temple to
be churched, that is, to make a beginning of being taken into the Church. The
priest makes the sign of the Cross over the infant, and, touching his head, he
saith the following prayers.
O LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who by Thy word hast created all things, both reason-endowed men and animals,
and hast brought all things from nothingness into being, we pray and implore
Thee: Thou hast saved this Thy servant, (mother's
name), by Thy will. Purify her, therefore, from all sin and from every
uncleanness, as she now draws near to Thy Holy Church; and make her worthy to
partake, uncondemned, of Thy Holy Mysteries.
And
bless the child which has been born of her. Increase him; sanctify him;
enlighten him; render him chaste, and endow him with good understanding. For Thou
hast brought him into being, and hast
shown him the physical light, and
hast appointed him to be made worthy
in due time of the spiritual light, and that he may be numbered among Thy chosen flock, through Thine
Only-begotten Son with whom also Thou art blessed, together with Thine
all-holy, good, and life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.
O LORD OUR GOD, who wast brought on the fortieth day
as an infant into the Temple according to the Law, by Mary the Bride unwedded,
who also was Thy holy Mother; and wast borne in the arms of Symeon the Just, do
Thou, O Master all-powerful, bless also unto every good deed this infant which
has been brought here, that he may
present himself unto Thee, the
Creator of all men, and rear him
well-pleasing unto Thee in all things; and drive far from him every adverse power, through sealing with the sign of Thy
cross; for Thou dost preserve infants, O Lord. And grant that he may receive the portion of the elect
ones of Thy kingdom, and be preserved, together with us, through the grace of
the holy, and consubstantial, and undivided Trinity.
For
unto Thee are due all glory, thanksgiving and worship, together with Thy Father
who is from everlasting, and Thine all-holy, and good, and life-giving spirit,
now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.
Choir: Amen.
Addendum
Some Remarks about Baptism
About Immersion into Water.
Baptism
should be performed through immersion into water. The Greek word “baptizo” means “immersion.” The baptism
of a eunuch by Philip is described in Acts (8:38): “So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the
eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. Now when they came up out
of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away.” The triple
immersion into water is accompanied by the utterance of the words, “The servant
of God is baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit,” in accordance with the command of Christ Himself (Mat. 28:19). This
was the way baptism was performed in the ancient Church, as mentioned in the
Epistle of the Apostle Barnabas. Tertullian clearly observes that through
Christ’s prescribed words, “the manner of Baptism had been determined.” He testifies to the triple immersion, as well
as the need for the baptized to renounce Satan and his angels and to confess
the faith thereafter.
Baptism of Infants.
The
baptism of an infant reflects the parents’ burning desire to have their child
partake of Christ’s blessings as soon as possible. Having been baptized, the
child starts to develop in a church environment. For the child, the church is
his familial home.
The
practice of baptizing infants is quite ancient, dating back to Apostolic times,
and has its beginnings in Christ’s words: “Let
the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the
Kingdom of Heaven” (Mat. 19:14).
The
Apostles’ writings contain many examples of whole families being christened, e.g., the house of the jailer, the house
of Stephen (1 Cor. 1:16). Nowhere is it mentioned that infants were excluded.
In their sermons to the faithful, the Holy Fathers of the Church insisted on
the baptism of infants. St. Gregory the Theologian had this to
say to Christian mothers: “Do you have an infant? Do not allow its corruption
be strengthened through time; let the child be blessed in infancy and
consecrated to the Holy Spirit from its youth. Because of your weak nature are
you afraid of the seal ... O faint-hearted mother of little faith? But Anna,
even before giving birth, promised Samuel to God, and, soon after his birth,
consecrated and brought him up to be a priest, unafraid of human frailties but
having faith in God.”
At
the same time, it is essential that those who bring infants to be baptized
understand the responsibility they have taken on, for the upbringing of the
child in the faith and in Christian good deeds. We find these directives in the
book, On the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy, attributed to St. Dionysius the
Areopagite, a holy father highly regarded by the Church: “Our teachers saw
fit to allow the baptism of infants under the holy conditions that the natural
parents entrust them to one of the faithful, who in turn would thoroughly
instruct the child in spiritual matters, and would subsequently be concerned
about the child, like a father sent from above, and a guardian of the baby’s
eternal salvation. It is the promise of that person (who undertakes to guide
the child toward pious living) which prompts the hierarch to pronounce the
words of the renunciation [of the devil] and the sacred confession of faith.”
Unrepeatable Baptism.
The
tenth article of the Nicene Creed pronounces: “I confess ONE baptism for the
remission of sins.” This means that if the baptism is performed correctly,
through the triple immersion in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
it, just like a spiritual birth, cannot be repeated. That is why the Church accepts heretics into
its fold by Chrismation, not by Baptism, provided they were properly baptized
in accordance with the dictates of the Bible and the ancient Church. Orthodox
people must restore the mystery of their baptism through repentance, confession
and the partaking of the Holy Sacraments.
About Godparents.
The
godparents of the newly baptized child or adult act as his or her spiritual
parents. They are given the responsibility for their charge’s spiritual
development. They pray for him or her, and assist with advice or help during
difficult periods of his or her life. In
other words, to be a godparent is not only an honor, it is a great
responsibility. During baptism, it is usual to have two godparents, a godfather
and a godmother, even though one would suffice. They must be pious Orthodox, as
well as church-going individuals, so that they can exert a good influence on
their godchild. Normally, they provide a cross to be worn by the newly
baptized.
Name of the Newly Baptized.
During
baptism, the child or adult is given the name of a saint belonging to the
Church. This saint becomes that person's heavenly patron. Everyone should know
the life of his or her patron saint and attempt to partake of Holy Communion on
that saint’s day, or as close as possible to that day.
Orthodox Church Pakistan
www.ocpak.com
Editor: Bishop
Alexander (Mileant)
Publish by Fr. Cyril Amer
