Baptism is a very important event in the life of Orthodox believers. You can be baptized only once in a lifetime, because the rite of baptism is the spiritual birth of a new person. The memory of this event is kept throughout life.
The most important thing that is needed to baptize a baby is godparents. The choice of godfathers (they are also called supporters) should be approached with all seriousness. Their duty is to help the child's parents in everything that concerns his Christian upbringing, to pray for him. This is a great responsibility, and it takes a lot of effort. Not every person can be a real godfather, and not a formal one who is indifferent to his godson and does not pay attention to him. In addition, the failure of the godparents to fulfill their duties is a sin.
There are quite a few requirements for godparents. Godparents must be baptized and Orthodox, parents cannot be godparents of their child, husband and wife cannot be godparents of one baby. Also, children cannot be godparents, since they are not yet able to give an account of their faith. Those who are insane by illness are not capable of either vouching for the faith of their godson or teaching him the faith.
Check with the church about what you need to prepare for baby baptism. You will definitely need a krizhma - a piece of white cloth in which the baptized baby is swaddled after the end of the sacrament, a towel (in order to wipe the baby right after the font). The boy needs to prepare a new white shirt, for girls - a dress, a cap or a scarf.
A blessed cross is also needed. Traditionally, it is given to the godson by the recipient. Any Orthodox believer is supposed to wear a cross after baptism without removing it, the same applies to babies. It is better if the cross is made of light metal, and instead of a chain, use a soft ribbon made of natural material that will not rub the baby's skin. Then, when the child grows up, the ribbon can be replaced with a chain.
The baptism ceremony takes quite a long time, so stock up on everything that you usually take, say, for a walk: changeable diapers, a nipple, a bottle of water, food, diapers. Be sure to bring the second set of underwear for the child, a towel. You need to be able to dry and change the baby if necessary.
