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Is it possible to baptize a child in fasting: during the great, the days of Christmas
Baptism is one of the main sacraments of the Orthodox Church, in which a child is delivered from sins and is born again for spiritual life. But is it possible to baptize a baby now, in the midst of the Nativity Fast?
The Orthodox Church answers this question unequivocally – there is no such prohibition. You can baptize both before Christmas and before Easter. But in this case, parents and godparents will have to observe some restrictions when celebrating this event.
In the process of baptism, the baby is cleansed of original sin and prepares for a bright life. This sacrament is considered the beginning of his spiritual life. In order to preserve the spiritual purity of the child, parents and godparents will have to give up:
- noisy fun;
- drinking alcohol;
- meat and fatty dishes.
Thus, the food on the table should be lean and the celebration itself modest. If the christening fell on a Sunday or on a large church holiday, for example, the Annunciation, then it is allowed to drink a little wine.
If the parents are unable to comply with such conditions, then it is better to postpone the christening. There is no need to commit a new sin immediately after the sacrament of baptism.
Despite the fact that the child does not have a conscious faith, this does not prevent him from baptizing in infancy. The child is baptized according to the faith of the parents and successors. In this case, parents and godparents will develop faith in God in the child from early childhood. It is important that both parents and recipients are believers, Orthodox Christians. The godparents vouch for the baby, they are obliged to make him a participant in the Orthodox faith.
By the way, the choice of the cross must be approached very responsibly. A person who has received such an honor must himself be a baptized, church-going Christian. Keep in mind: you cannot change your godfather, even if he suddenly turns from a good to a bad person. In this case, it is advised to pray for him with all your heart. There is only one exception – if the godfather changed his faith.
What days can you be baptized and reasons for refusal
There are no specific dates for christenings in the laws of the Christian Church. Among the Orthodox, a tradition has developed to baptize a baby on the 40th day after birth, but this is just a custom. This can be done earlier and later. But you should not delay and postpone this holiday for a long time, if there is no extreme need for it.
Christenings can take place on weekdays or weekends. Priests may refuse to perform the Sacrament on weekdays for technical reasons. In preparation for Church holidays, they devote most of their time to divine services. Their lack of technical capability may become a reason for the temporary refusal of the demand. Then the baptism takes place on Saturday or Sunday, when the services are much shorter than the everyday ones.