The Rite of the Holy Baptism the visible sign of the invisible
participation of the newly baptized
This part of the Baptismal service consists
of several steps (including two other
Sacraments: Chrismation and Eucharist):
The blessing of the water: prayers
invoking the descent of the Holy Spirit
upon the baptismal font (or flowing water
in the case of an open-air service) in
preparation for Baptism;
The pre-baptismal anointing: anointing
with blessed oil as a sign of Divine
goodness and mercy, and as a visible
medium, following the Old Testament
example, of consecration, as in the case of
high priests, kings or prophets;
The threefold immersion: the act
through which the person being baptized
is immersed three times in the water while
the celebrant says the formula: “The
servant of God (name) is baptized in the
name of the Father. Amen; and of the Son.
Amen; and of the Holy Spirit. Amen; now
and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.”
The newly baptized person is vested with
a white robe as a sign of the grace of
illumination received through Baptism.
The lighted candle which he/she receives
represents the lamp of good deeds and a
sign of the unceasing vigilance needed for
the future coming of the Bridegroom;
The Chrismation: the anointing on the
forehead, eyes, nose, mouth, ears, chest,
back, hands and feet with the Holy
Chrism, accompanied by the formula:
“The Seal of the Gift of the Holy Spirit,”
Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese
person in the Gifts of the Holy Spirit;
in the Americas
The Epistle and Gospel readings: the
two readings speak about Baptism. They
are preceded by the triple encircling of the
The
Baptismal Font and the table on which lies
the Holy Gospel, by the priest, the newly
baptized person, and the Godparents, with
the singing of the hymn, “As many of you
as have been baptized into Christ have put
Sacrament
on Christ. Alleluia.” The hymn expresses
the mystery of the reception of the grace of of Holy
Baptism
Baptism through the work of Christ, while
the ritual dance signifies the initiation of
the newly baptized person into the mystery
of the life of the Holy Trinity;
The Removal of the Holy Chrism and
the Tonsuring: the wiping off of the
Holy Chrism and the cutting of the hair (in
the form of the cross), the latter signifying
full obedience to God;
The Partaking of Holy Communion:
the newly baptized person receives the
Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ
as a sign of complete union with Christ and
the Church.
This part of the service is performed in the
nave, the middle of the Church.
The Godparents: either a man or a
woman, active members of the Orthodox
Church and an example of Christian life. If
they are a family, they must have been
sacramentally married in the Orthodox
Church.
Short presentation
 The Sacrament of Holy Baptism
The Sacrament of Holy Baptism
Holy Baptism is the first of the
seven Sacraments of the Church,
through which a person is reborn to
a new life in Christ, becoming a
member of His Body – the Church.
Biblical Foundation of Holy Baptism
The Sacrament of Holy Baptism was
established by Christ the Savior
Himself after His Resurrection, when
He sent the apostles to preach: “Go
therefore and make disciples of all
the nations, baptizing them in the
name of Father and of the Son and of
the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19);
“Go into all the world and preach
the Gospel to all creation. He who
believes and is baptized will be
saved; but he who does not believe
will be condemned” (Mark 16:15-
16). These words underline the
necessity of Baptism for all people,
in all times, in order to be saved.
The Celebrant of the Sacrament
and its Effects
The Sacrament of Holy Baptism is
officiated either by a bishop or a
priest. Only in an emergency may a
deacon or any Christian believer be
allowed to perform Baptism.
Baptism is fulfilled by a threefold
immersion of the person who is
baptized in the name of the Holy
Trinity. This signifies the death of the
old man and the rebirth of the new one
in Christ.
Through this Sacrament, a person
receives the grace of new birth into life
in Christ. The ancestral curse, as well
as all sins committed (in the case of an
adult), are forgiven. The person be-
comes a member of the Church – the
Body of Christ.
Holy Baptism is performed only once
during a person’s lifetime.
The Rite of Holy Baptism
1. The Catechumenate
The catechumenate is the formal prepa-
ration period (in ancient tradition it
could last up to three years) for the
baptismal candidate, consisting in a
deeper study of the fundamental
elements of the Christian faith and life,
and preparation for the reception of the
Sacrament through participation in the
life of the Church.
The Rite of the Making of a Catechumen
consists of several parts:
a) The Exorcisms: prayers to drive
away the works of the evil one,
accompanied by making the sign of
the Cross over the candidate;
b) The Renunciations: the dialogue
through which the baptismal
candidate (or the Godparents on
behalf of the child) voluntarily
renounces the works of the evil one,
followed by the profession of his/
her union with Christ;
c) The Recitation of the Creed: the
confession of faith which confirms
the adherence of the baptismal
candidate to the Church’s teachings
and to Holy Tradition.
These parts of the service are performed
in the narthex of the church, signifying
that the person to be baptized is not yet a
full member of the Church.