Greek Orthodox Baptism Rites & Rules
Developed from the Gospel's depiction of John the Baptist and Jesus, baptism is a ritual through which a person becomes Christian. Derived from a Greek word meaning "to dip," it involves either sprinkling or full immersion in water. The Greek Orthodox faith typically baptizes people as infants.
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Significance
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The Greek Orthodox Church teaches that the Sacrament of Baptism incorporates a person into the body of Christ. According to their teachings, each baptized person is reborn as a participant in divine life and is a member of royal priesthood of believers. Baptism is thought to grant access to eternal life and makes a person a full participant in the Church.
Parents
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The parents of the child must be in good standing with the Church. The parents responsibilities include choosing a sponsor for their child, giving the child a Christian name at the baptism and appointing someone to help dress and undress the child. They should also help maintain the solemnity of the ritual and their child's dignity by limiting photography.
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Sponsors
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The sponsor must be an Orthodox Christian in good standing with the Church and is in charge of providing several ritual items for the baptism. These include a bar of Ivory soap, towels, a change of clothes, olive oil, a sheet and three white candles. The sponsor's duties include vouching for the child, performing the Nicene Creed in either English or Greek and bringing the child to the altar for communion three Sundays in a row.
Priest
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On the day of the baptism, the priest carries out a series of rituals. Besides the actual baptism, these include blessing the baptismal water, anointing the child with oil, reciting Psalm 31, giving the Prayer of Confirmation and chrismation. During chrismation, the priest makes the sign of cross on various parts of the child with a special oil called chrism. The ritual is completed when the priest, the sponsor and the child circle the baptismal font three times while choirs sings, "As many of you have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. Hallelujah."
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References
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