SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM
The First Sacrament
Baptism is a Holy
Sacrament by which we are born again by 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 among the Seven Holy Sacraments, as it is the door
by which the believer enters the church and has the right to partake in the
rest of the Sacraments.
The Lord Jesus Christ
instituted the Sacrament of Baptism by being baptized by John the Baptist in the
River Jordan, when the Holy Spirit came upon Him as a dove, anointed Him, then
assured it after the resurrection when He said to His disciples: “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” (Matthew: 28:19), “He
who is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned”
(Mark 16:16). Baptism is a redemptive Sacrament, necessary for redemption
and entry to eternal life according to what the Lord said: “Most assuredly,
I say to you, unless one is born of Water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the
The best time for
Baptism is Sunday before Mass, as the priest is fasting because Baptism is
death and resurrection, and Sunday is the weekly memory of the Lord’s
Resurrection. The wisdom of granting the Sacrament of Baptism right
before the Mass, is so that the baptized person and his parents may attend the
Mass, and receive the Holy Sacraments.
If the priest wants to
administer the Sacrament of Baptism at night, 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 not 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 once to the believer in life, by the
priest, it is necessary for us to speak as accurately as possible in regards to
how the ritual is performed.
We shall first speak
about the Absolution of the Woman, the one who gave birth to the child
and is presenting her child before the Lord for Baptism.
Secondly, we shall
speak about the prayers of Renouncing Satan and confessing Christ and
reciting the Apostolic Creed.
Then we shall speak
about 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
four major parts :
- Women’s Absolution
- Renouncing Satan
- Liturgy of
Baptism
- Baptism & Water Discharge
FIRST
WOMEN’S
ABSOLUTION IF SHE GAVE BIRTH TO A MALE CHILD
40 days after her
delivery, the woman 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 child, 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 like 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 before the bishop or priest,
and recite all that is required in a clear voice. The fur is a reminder
of the leather garments which the Lord made for Adam and Eve after their fall
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 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 bottle is marked in clear
handwriting. Also 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 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 after Baptism.
The first procedure
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 down with
her confession father, to confess her sins done during that period, 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 woman 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 woman
choose the days when she does not have her period to request Baptism of her
child, so as to be able to receive the Holy Sacraments with her child and
accomplish her joy.
If she is
menstruating, she is not allowed to receive Communion or any other
ecclesiastical Sacrament, but she keeps reading the Holy Bible, fasting and
praying with the Agbia in her house.
The order of the
Absolution Prayers of the woman is as follows:
The priest says:
Aleyson Emas (Have Mercy Upon Us O God the Father Almighty).
The Lord’s Prayer.
The Thanksgiving
Prayer with its responses, and upon doing the signs of the cross, he anoints
the woman 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 great 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 1:8-12).
Speaks about the only Son Jesus Christ, “Whose throne is forever and ever,
with a scepter of righteousness and justice, who have loved righteousness and
hated lawlessness”, and who said in challenge, “Which of you convicts me
of sin” (John
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 31:1,2, “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, so we become as
pure as Adam before the fall.
Then the Gospel : Luke
2:21-35. Where the circumcision of Jesus is narrated, it is exchanged by
Baptism in the New Testament, as Baptism is a spiritual circumcision, as our
teacher St. Paul says: “In Him you were also circumcised with the
circumcision made 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 you
also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him
from the dead” (Colossians 2:11,12). In Baptism the old nature is
completely removed, not only a small part of the body as in the Old Testament
circumcision. As man is born with the old nature contaminated by Adam’s
sin. Also the purification rite is mentioned, which was done for the
woman after forty days of her delivery, and which was accomplished by the Lord
Jesus and His Mother 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, unlike all humankind. He instituted the law and accurately
accomplished the law.
The Three Major
Litanies are prayed: Litany of Peace, Litany of the Fathers and Litany of the
Congregations, then the Orthodox Creed.
The priest asks
God to look upon the woman, fill her with the Holy Spirit, and purify her from
all sins.
The attendants pray
the Lord’s Prayer...and the priest prays the Three Absolutions and the blessing
while placing the cross on the woman’s head.
The priest anoints the
woman by the simple oil (Note: It is mostly 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 Good Samaritan. (Luke
10). Then the woman becomes ready to enter the church and receive the
Holy Communion after the Sacrament of Confession.
NOTES:
The same 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 law of repentance first.
ABSOLUTION OF THE
WOMAN IF SHE GAVE BIRTH TO A FEMALE CHILD
The woman comes to the
church with her baby daughter after eighty days of delivery, to baptize
her. The eighty days for the female child, and forty days for the male
child is identified in the Book 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, as the Christian Church
obeyed this divine order through all eras, and let us remember also the
obedience of the Virgin Mary to this divine order. Despite her conceiving
Christ by 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
male child (Luke 2: 22-24).
NOTES:
The parents must be
committed to the period of forty days for the male child, and eighty days for
the female child, and must not surpass them for any reason, so they do not sin
against their children. This means disregarding the idea of making a vow
for Baptism in certain remote places, or at certain feasts which are months
away. The child must be baptized at the specific time, and if a vow is made,
they fulfill it at the right time, without delaying Baptism.
The forty days period
for the male child and eighty days for the female child, exists in normal
circumstances but if the new-born is sick and his parents are afraid the baby
will die, they must request the priest to baptize and anoint the baby
with the Myron, even if the child is one day old, and under any circumstance
(as the priest may not be fasting or unable to baptize him by immersion); the
baptism must be carried out quickly, so that the child does not die
without Baptism and is deprived from entry or sight of the Kingdom, according
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 to be
baptized. If the baby lives, the Baptism is correct and should not be repeated.
If his parents neglect
the Baptism, and the child dies without Baptism, it is the right of the church
to impose a punishment on the parents for a period of one year, of prayers and
fasting with prostration. They may also be forbidden to receive the Holy Eucharist
during this whole year.
But the rite of the woman’s absolution is as follows :
After eighty days the
woman brings her female child to church for Baptism.
The priest prays
Aleyson Emas, the Thanksgiving Prayer, and places five spoonfuls of incense
into the censer with the known signs, 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 (1 Corinthians
The hymn of the
Trisagon is chanted, then the Prayer of the Gospel, and Psalm 44 : “The
queen shall be brought to the king”, these specific words from the
Psalm are chosen, because the child that is to be baptized is female.
The Gospel of Luke
(10:38-43), 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 by choosing the right path..
The Three Major
Litanies: Peace, Fathers and the Congregations, are said, followed by 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’s Prayer, and the priest prays the three absolutions and the blessing
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 bless the child’s mother
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
not to delay the child’s Baptism according to the law (40 days for the male
child and 80 days for the female child). In this way, she will receive the
blessing of absolution of the woman related to the child’s Baptism before their
Communion, and this absolution is the legal permission for entry to church and
receiving the Holy Sacraments after delivery. He also supplicates unto
God to bless the child, and keep 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,
asking God to forgive their sins and make them worthy of the pure Sacrament of
Baptism, and to enlighten their hearts to see in purity the way 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 so become an anointing oil for faith 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 any jewelry from their children. He then
takes the bottle of oil to anoint the children (males then females) as follows
:
He anoints the
forehead saying, “I anoint you ( Name of the Child) in the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. A sermon oil for (Name of the Child ) in
the
Then he anoints the
heart (chest), hands and back saying : “This oil abolishes the power of the
adversary Amen.” The deacons respond, “We ask this from
God.”
The priest says a
prayer where he glorifies God for His great love to humankind, as He has taken
us from darkness to His splendid light, 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 faith and grace and free them from the bondage of corruption, to
the freedom of the glory of God’s children.
The priest asks about
the names of the baptized then prays saying: “We also ask the Almighty
God...for your servants whose names are presented (it is preferable to mention
the names ([1])
individually) make them worthy to win grace which they require, purify them
from sins of the world and free them from bondage of corruption...”
V
The
deacon says: “Pray for those whose names are said so that the Lord may make
them worthy of the Holy Baptism for the forgiveness of their sins”.
The congregation answers, “Lord have mercy.” The priest
prays to ask God to make the children worthy of grace.
The mother kneels down
facing the East whilst carrying her child (if the person being baptized is old
enough, they must kneel). Then the priest prays :
“We also ask perseveringly...God to open their hearts and
enlighten them by the light 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 free us from the
bondage of Satan, like the Phoenician woman who knelt at the feet of Jesus and
asked Him to cast out the demon from her daughter (Mark 7:26).
The priest places his
hand on the child’s head saying :
“In the name of the
only begotten Son Jesus Christ, I prepare this body for purification...”, the
deacons respond : “Amen.”
“In the name of the
only begotten Son Jesus Christ, may he/she be free from all the devils...”, the
deacons respond : “Amen.”
“In the name of the
only begotten Son Jesus Christ, may he/she be purified from all devils...”, the
deacons respond : “Amen.”
RENOUNCING
SATAN AND RECITING THE ORTHODOX CREED
1. RENOUNCING
SATAN ...
The mother undresses
her child and holds him/her with her left arm, looking towards the West and
lifts her right hand, reciting after the priest the following statements of
Renouncing Satan (if the baptized is not a child, he recites the Statements
personally) :
“I renounce you Satan
and all your profane deeds, and all your evil followers, and all your bad
debits, all your power, and all your detested worshipping, all your evil traps
and your army and your dominion and the rest of your deceit. I renounce
you, I renounce you, I renounce you”.
NOTES:
Undressing the child
reminds us 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 3:7-10) when they realized their nakedness. Such
is what sin and Satan do to human beings, they strip them from all virtues and
the protection of grace, and hence put them to shame before others.
Facing the West
symbolizes exile and separation from God, and submission to the dominion of
Satan, who was the first to be exiled and separated from God; falling from his
angelic rank due to pride.
The direction of the
West signifies the end, death and darkness, just as how the sun sets in the
west. Also, we say about the deceased that the sun of his life has set.
The ancient Egyptians built their cemeteries facing West. We notice this
in the historical city of
The West symbolizes
darkness, for once the sun 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 language the word
for evil : K a K I a, and the word for darkness : X a K I, are quite similar.
Sunset signifies
darkness of sin which leads to grief, as the Psalmist said, “Weeping may
endure for a night, (weeping of repentance and remorse) but joy comes in
the morning” (Psalm 30:5). Joy, because of the acceptance of our
repentance, and partaking in the Mass and Communion of the Holy Sacrament, and
life in the light of Christ.
Renouncing Satan means
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 fell from grace,
just like Satan. Hence he grabbed them to do his will. Adam and his
descendants became slaves of Satan, after breaking the commandment of God, and
thus fell from grace and divine comfort.
Renouncing Satan means
that the person is refusing to remain under the bondage 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 body and heart, so that the Holy
Spirit can dwell in the pure body and pure heart (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 ending all relations with him, hence we shall not accept from him
any guidance or seduction or tricks, and we do not accept Satanic deeds, or
deal with such people, such as clairvoyance, magicians, and so on.
The priest breathes
three times on the child, and orders the profane spirit to come out from this
child’s life, by the order and power of the Holy Spirit. The mother
or guardian father should take special notice of this, in order that they
may not allow Satan to enter the child’s life or have any share with the child
in any way.
2. CONFESSING
CHRIST AND RECITING THE ORTHODOX CREED...
The mother looks
towards the East with her child on her left arm, and raises her right hand to
repeat after the priest:
“I confess to you 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 Only Begotten Son Jesus Christ and the Life-Giving
Holy Spirit, and the resurrection of the body, and the One, Holy, Universal and
Apostolic Church, Amen”.
The priest then asks her three times : “Do you believe on
behalf of this child?” And three times she responds, “I believe.”
NOTES:
Facing the East
signifies new birth, as the day starts by the rising of the sun in the East,
and with sunrise a new day begins.
Facing the East
signifies light, “For it is God who commanded light to shine out of darkness who
has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God
in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6).
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 see light” (Psalm 36:9), and, “Christ is life and
the dayspring from on high” (Luke 7:78), and to enlighten those sitting in
darkness, He visited us and redeemed us from sin. “The people who sat
in darkness saw a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow
of death, light 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 day by day according to the image of his Creator.
He who faces the East
proves that he seeks the first heavenly life, as the first paradise was planted
by God, a garden eastward in Eden (Genesis 2:8).
Christ is the light
that shone on us. “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 East at His birth: “We have seen His star in the East
and have come to worship Him” (Matthew 2:2).
Isaiah said: “Glorify the Lord in
the dawning light” (Isaiah 24:15), “And behold, the glory of the
God of Israel came from the way 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 child in the Sacrament of Baptism, which is
the grace of sonship to God and the spiritual preparation 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 stone.
The raising of the hand and the Covenant with the Lord Christ
When the baptized or
the child’s parent faces the East 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 East, she must change her child from her
left arm to her right arm, hence this means that she will raise her left hand
during the confession for Christ and the reciting of the Orthodox Creed.
I believe this is not correct that she raise her right hand while renouncing
Satan, and her left hand while confessing Christ. The Baptismal Rites does not
imply this, and therefore, I believe the correct position is for the child to
remain on the mother’s 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 hand while looking towards the West and
renouncing Satan, they must open the palm of their hand as if avoiding Satan as
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 before God to keep what is said,
and hence the raising of the hand signifies the undertaking of an oath, 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.
After 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 ask 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 father to accomplish their duty in
bringing up the child in the fear of God, and warning them to follow in God’s
path throughout their life.”
3. OTHER PRAYERS
The priest prays
asking God to : “Establish the obedience of your servants ... give them the
power to abandon their past sins, reinforce their faith so nothing will
separate them from You. Prepare them on the foundation of Your Apostolic
faith, call them to Your pure light. Make them worthy of Your great grace...”.
They kneel down and
the priest prays for them, placing the Cross on their heads saying
: “Enlighten their understanding by the light of knowledge, cast
away 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 be 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, just as the leper did when he was healed from his leprosy which
denoted his sin, “He returned and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell
down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks” (Luke 17:15,16).
The priest takes the
holy oil (Ghaliloun) and anoints the baptized on their heart, back and arms
with the sign of the Cross saying : “I anoint you (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:
We notice there are
three kinds of oil used in Baptism :
Simple
oil 2. Ghaliloun Oil 3.
Myron
Simple Oil: pure olive oil, most
probably the oil upon which the Apocalypse Vigil of Easter Saturday was
prayed. It helps the Baptized to accept the Word of God and understand
the Gospel, and simply accept faith.
Ghaliloun Oil: called an ointment
of joy, which helps the soul to rejoice in the Word 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 heart. All the body’s 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 True King and Lord Jesus Christ. The devil cannot
approach it to dwell in it or possess it, as he has no dominion over it.
It is possessed by
the Lord Jesus and sealed by His Seal, that is, the sign of the Cross.
The priest prays the
prayer of the laying of hands on the catechumens (coming for Baptism) after
anointing them with the Ghaliloun saying : “Search the hearts of Your
servants who came to the intimacy of Your grace, and if the evil of Satan is
hidden in them, declare it, cast it out from the souls and bodies of Your
servants, renew their lives so they may wear the garments of salvation and the
weapons of undefeated faith, to become 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 shine by the light of the Gospel of Your
Kingdom, and may their lives be accompanied by the angels of light to save them
from every conspiracy and every arrow that flies by day and the pestilence in
darkness and the terror by night, and cast away from them all intrigues of the
profane souls. The wicked soul that worries their hearts, cast it away,
make them sleep in Your Holy flock of Your Christ, pure members in the
THIRD
SANCTIFICATION OF THE BAPTISMAL WATER
INTRODUCTION
It is called The
Liturgy of Baptism, and is similar to the Liturgy of Eucharist. It
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 by 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 within them truth in Your One
Holy, Universal and
The prayers continue
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 water. Psalm 150 is then chanted while the priest baptizes the
child. Baptism here 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 water causes the water to
become living water, capable by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, to grant new
birth 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. It also gives the baptized the right to
become a child of God and the Church, having the right to partake of all the
other Sacraments, such as 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.
In Baptism, man is
void of any 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 water and spirit, so
also the new creation is from water 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 take place :
1
The priest takes the simple oil or Apocalypse oil, and pours it into the
Baptismal water three times with the sign of the Cross, and with every sign of
the cross, the deacons say, “Amen”.
2.
He prays inaudibly or quietly : “Call Your servants to the pure light, make
them worthy of this great grace of the holy Baptism, fill them with the power
of Your Holy Spirit...”.
3.
Then after bestowing peace, he prays the Thanksgiving Prayer.
4.
He places five spoonfuls of incense in the censer together with three signs of
the cross, then prays the mystery of the Pauline incense, “O God the Great
and Eternal”.
5.
One of the deacons read the Pauline epistle to Titus (
6.
The priest prays the second Pauline mystery, “O God of knowledge, giver of
wisdom...”, asking God to grant us a mind free of wandering, and a clear
understanding that we may learn and understand the teachings of St. Paul, so
that we may emulate him in deed, struggle and in faith and receive the glorious
imperishable crown.
Then he prays the Catholicon 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 order 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.
7.
Meanwhile one of the deacons reads the Catholicon from the First Epistle of St.
John (5:5-14), which speaks about overcoming the world by faith in the
Lord Jesus Christ, and about the three witnesses : the spirit, water and blood,
and all these are present in Baptism. Baptism is founded on the Blood of Christ
and the atonement of the Cross, the font is filled with water, and by 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 accept 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. One of the
deacons read the Praxis from the Book of Acts (8:26-40), which mentions the
incident of the Ethiopian eunuch, who was baptized after he proclaimed the true
faith in Jesus Christ saying: “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of
God” (Acts 8:38), and so St. Philip baptized him by immersion in the nearby
river, and then they came up out of the water, just as the Lord Jesus on His
baptism, “Then Jesus, when He had been baptized, came up 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.
10.
A deacon then reads Psalm 31 (1,2), blessing those whose sins are forgiven and
transgression is covered by Baptism. Then the gospel is read from St.
John (3:1-21) which narrates the meeting of Nicodemus with the Lord
Jesus, and the speech of Christ about the importance of Baptism and His
definite assurance of its necessity for salvation and entering the Kingdom of
God, saying: “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again (from
above) he cannot see the Kingdom of God” (John 3:3), and, “Most
assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot
enter the Kingdom of heaven” (John 3:5), “That which is born of the
flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:6),
and, “We know that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God” (1
Corinthians 15:5), 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 true, receive our prayers...”.
12.
The priest then prays the Seven Minor Litanies, as 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 season. In the period between 12
Baounah to 9 Baba, the Litany of water is said as it is the flood season.
In the period from 10 Baba to 10 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,
as during this time plants bear fruits and need adequate environment so it
flourishes. Then comes the harvest.
The King’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 become holy temples for His Holy
Spirit. These litanies are prayed by the priest raising incense.
13.
The priest prays a short prayer saying : “Send Your holy power to precede the
Baptism and prepare 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 good deed”.
15.
The priest kneels humbly before the font, resembling the River Jordan.
Then the priest prays saying : “Cleanse my soul and body’s profanity, purify me
completely. Send 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 being granted the seal of new birth, from me a sinner”, as if saying
with St. Paul : “My little children, for whom I labor in birth again
until Christ is formed in you” (Galatians 4:19), “build them on the foundation
of the apostles and prophets”, as if saying with St. Paul, “Having been built
on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the
chief cornerstone” (Ephesians 2:20).
16.
The priest then prays the three Major Litanies.
17.
The attendants pray the Orthodox Creed.
18.
The priest takes the Holy Ghaliloun oil, pours some of it into the Baptismal font
three times with the sign of the Cross to sanctify the water.
19.
The priest prays, “We ask You our King for Your servants, sanctify them and
strengthen them so through this water and oil You abolish all the power of the
adversary and wicked spirits, prevent them from perishing...”.
20.
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 birth 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 be with you all”
And the congregation responds, “And with your spirit”.
The priest says : “Lift up your hearts”. And the
congregation responds, “They are with the Lord”.
The priest says : “Let
us give thanks to the Lord” And the congregation responds, “It is right and
worthy”.
The priest continues :
“We lifted our eyes to You Lord ... You 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 be with
you all”, in the Liturgy of Eucharist.
2.
the priest says “Agios” three times with three signs of the Cross in the
water, 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 it the blessing of the Jordan, amen ...
give it power to become life-giving water, amen..”.
3.
He makes the sign of the cross three times on the water saying, “Your servants
who offered their children to You, receive
them ... Keep them in the Orthodox Faith all the days of their
lives, grant them imperishable love...”
The congregation responds, “Our Father who art in Heaven...”, followed by
the priest saying the three absolutions.
4.
The priest takes the holy Myron oil and pours a little into the Baptismal water
three times, each time with the sign of the Cross 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: 2,3; 31: 5; 65:11;
50:7,9,10; 132:13), while moving the water with the Cross. The deacons respond
after every sentence with, “Alleluia”, followed by, “Glory be to
God...”.
NOTES:
The priest stirs the
water with the Cross while reciting the Psalms, resembling the angel who was
stirring the water of the pool of Bethesda to gain power of healing, “For an
angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water, then
whoever stepped in first after the stirring of the water, was made well of
whatever disease he had” (John 5:4).
6.
The congregation sings the Communion hymn, Psalm 150, during the Baptism.
FOURTH
BAPTISM BY IMMERSION
1.
The deacon or guardian takes the naked child from the West and brings them to
the baptismal Font to the left of the priest and gives the child to him.
2.
The priest holds the child from under the arms while facing the baby is towards
the West.
3.
He gradually dips the child into the water, until the child is completely immersed,
while saying: “I baptize you ... (if the baby’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 water and breathes into them, then immerses the
child again saying: “And the Son...”, this is the second
immersion.
5.
Then he lifts the child from the water and breathes into them again, then
immerses the child for the third time in the water while saying: “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 time.
6.
The priest lifts the child by his hands above the Baptismal font with his face
downwards so that any water in the baby’s mouth or nose may come out. If the
child delays in breathing, the priest may shake them gently, and breathe in
their face to regain normal breathing.
NOTES:
1.
We see the priest receiving the child from the left, and then after baptism
giving the child to the mother from the right side. This action signifies
that Baptism transforms us from the side of rejection, which is darkness, to
the side of acceptance, which is the light. The Syrian Fraction mentions, “Instead
of the sin permeating the world, the Son died on the Cross and restored us from
the left to the right providence”.
2.
The three immersions in Baptism is in the name 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 name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching
them to observe all things that I have commanded 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 as Christ died and was buried for three days, so also immersion of
the baptized occurs three times in the Baptismal water, then the child immerges
from the Baptismal font as Christ the Lord came out of the tomb. “Buried
with Him in baptism, in which you 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 be careful with the Baptismal water during Baptism, when taking
the child from the Baptismal Font, and handing them to the mother, so that no
water 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 baby
is wrapped in after baptism, and the baptism clothes the child wears following
baptism, as well as the water that is used to bath the baby after the baptism.
The water should be disposed of in a spring or well, so 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 first, 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 after 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 water that contained some
Myron, and pours it into the font.
Then the priest prays,
“We ask and entreat Your goodness, O Philanthropic One, O Lord, to return this
water to its first nature to be restored to the earth...”
Then 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:
1.
It is not advisable to keep the Baptismal waters which contain the Apocalypse
oil, Ghaliloun oil and Myron oil, without discharge for a long time, otherwise
the water, due to the oils, may rot. It is advisable for the Liturgy of
Baptism to be prayed at each Baptism and for the water to be immediately
discharged after Baptism. In extreme conditions, 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 after its sanctification,
as we do not add wine to the chalice after the sanctification and
transubstantiation.
3.
When building the Baptismal font, care must be given to make it deep and wide
enough 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
not 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 contain an adult,
it is possible to provide a large container big enough to make it possible to
completely immerse the person according to the Baptismal Rite by immersion.
Following the baptism, the container must be broken or only specified for this
purpose as it is sanctified and ordained by prayers and Myron poured into it.
4.
It is better 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 flow into the same reservoir as 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, so the baptized may undress, and go down into
the Baptismal font immersed up to his neck, then the priest comes and dips his
head in the Baptismal water three times saying: “I baptize you ...) in the
name 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, then wears his underwear. Then the priest comes
and
anoints him with the Myron oil 36 times. 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 go down into
the Baptismal font immersed up to her neck. Then the priest enters and
places his hand on the woman’s head (preferably he should be standing behind a
curtain) and immerses her in water three times while saying: “I baptize you
... in the name 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. Then the priest leaves the room, and the woman
arises from the Baptismal font and dries her body with the prepared towel, and
clothes herself appropriately 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, mouth 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 faith of the Christians who were martyred for Christ. As
a result, these pagans welcomed martyrdom for Christ, even though they had
previously not been baptized.
In this situation, 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
St. Cyril the Great
said: “Some received salvation and eternal life without any need for signs from
the water, as they were baptized by blood”.
THE BAPTISM OF A DYING PERSON
If a child got sick
before their baptism and their parents were frightened the child may die, the
child must be baptized even if they are a day old. In this case another
person, other than the mother, must take the child to the Church for baptism,
and then the priest must anoint the child with the Myron. The Rites
mention (in the third chapter) : “If the newly born was in fear of death before
the mother is purified from blood, someone else may take the child to be
baptized, as the delivering woman must stay away from Church forty days if she
delivered a male child and eighty days if she delivered a female child.”
In the occasion of
baptizing a dying child, it is not possible to be restricted with all the
conditions of Baptism, so the child may be baptized by wiping the whole body by
water 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, as it is binding. Baptism only takes place once.