The christening of a child has long been an important ceremony and sacred sacrament, which is celebrated in the circle of the closest and dearest people. There are many customs, rules and traditions around christenings, some of which have long been lost, but most of them have survived to this day.
Christening preparation
Preparing for the baptism of a child is a responsible process, during which certain traditions and rules must be observed. Both the parents of the baby and his future godparents should prepare for the sacrament. For a child to be accepted into the bosom of the Church, one godfather for a boy or godmother for a girl is enough. The choice of godparents must be approached with the utmost seriousness, since they will take care of the godson on an equal basis with his own parents.
It is believed that it is the godfather and mother who are responsible for the spiritual education of the baby and his Christian maturation.
Usually, this rite is usually carried out in the period from the 8th to the 40th day of the life of a baby who is going to be baptized, because it is at this time that he comes under the protection of the Lord and is cleansed from original sin. In ancient times, this period was determined by the early mortality of young children from diseases, and an unbaptized child, according to legend, was doomed to the death of his soul. Having chosen godparents, you need to decide on the place and date of the christening. Baptism can be carried out in any church that corresponds to the religion of the parents, but for this you need to agree in advance with its priest. When choosing a church, it is advisable to be guided by your personal feelings about the place and the priest. If everything suits you, the priest will give detailed instructions on how to prepare for the ceremony and answer all your questions.
Christening
All those present at the baptismal ceremony should look appropriate: women should cover their heads with a headscarf and wear a mid-length skirt, and men should wear a suit or other appropriate clothing in the church. All participants in baptism must wear a pectoral cross. Before the ceremony, it is advisable to clarify whether photographing and video filming of this significant event is allowed in the church, since not all priests approve of such an intervention in such an intimate action.
Since the cross from the moment of baptism must constantly be on the body of the child, when choosing it, one must take into account the size and material of this church attribute.
Clothes for christening a baby should be light and comfortable. Special baptismal shirts and towels are the best for this rite. They are often left as a souvenir because it is believed that they can alleviate the condition of a sick child, who must be wiped off with a damp baptismal towel.
