"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 that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always to the close of the age." (Matthew 28: 19-20).

 "The water of salvation is at once your grave and your mother" (St. Cyril of Jerusalem). Therefore, Baptism is both our "Tomb and Womb," that is, the child is born again in Christ, the Resurrected Lord. It is a serious step in the life of the Christian. A serious preparation for the Sacrament of Baptism is very important to the parents and the Godparents of the candidate or the candidate himself (in the case of an adult). Pastors must make them aware of the seriousness of this entry into the life of Christ and of the basic teachings of the Church. They also must make and show sincere efforts to live accordingly. Therefore:

• 1. Receiving instruction in the Orthodox Christian Faith for Candidates for Baptism over the age of seven is mandatory.
• 2. Written consent from the legal guardian is necessary for those candidates who are minors and anyone under custodianship. (Infants are excluded)
• 3. The Sacraments of Confession and Holy Communion are very important to every Orthodox Christian and the Godparents must receive them prior to the celebration of the Holy Baptism.
• 4. The seriousness of this sacrament requires that at least one Godparent must be an Orthodox Christian. The priest may accept only one non-Orthodox Christian as a witness only as long as he/she is proved to be a validly baptized Christian person.
• 5. Adult Candidates must go through the Sacrament of Confession (without absolution) before the Sacrament of Baptism is performed.
• 6. The parish facility is the best place to perform the sacrament of Holy Baptism. It is the sacred space and the community center where all needed and correct instruments are accessible, the large font for a total immersion of the candidate is available and all other tools are present, etc. Nevertheless, in cases of extreme urgency, the sacrament of Holy Baptism may be administered outside of the parish facility with permission of the auxiliary bishop.
• 7. In the case of adult baptism, it is normally done by Aspersion of the pouring of blessed water over the head of the Candidate.
• 8. The official Service Book of the Archdiocese is the best text to administer the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. The Antiochian practice must be followed at all times with the entire service taking place before the solea.
• 9. Guest clergy are welcome to celebrate only at the invitation of the parish priest.
• 10. The week following Baptism, the Godparents must bring the child to the Divine Liturgy to receive Holy Communion in front of the entire parish for the first time.
• 11. The new ties among the Godparents, parents and the Candidate resulting from the celebration of Holy (im Baptism make marriage between godchildren and the children of Godparents forbidden, and so the rules of consanguinity are generally observed for godchild/godparent relat ions.
• 12. Emergency baptisms may require the discretion of the pastor to be completed upon recovery.
• 13. The reception of converts may be found in the Service Book of Chrismation published by the Archdiocese. All Candidates baptized in the Name of the All Holy Trinity need not to be re-baptized.
• 14. Before beginning the Baptismal Office the Priest must fm prepare the required articles on a small table: the Holy Chrism (obtained from the Archdiocese Headquarters) the Reserved Body and Blood, the olive oil, sponge, soap, censer, large towels, large safety pins to hold towels around the neck of the Godparent(s). The priest also makes certain that the baby is properly held with its head on the right arm of the Sponsor, announces that the service is about to begin and requests complete reverence and attention from all present.

"For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many as you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ." (Gal. 3:26-27)

Tags: baptism, clergy, antiochian, holy, spirit