Baptism gifts for Girls and Boys - What to buy

In the Orthodox tradition, the sacrament of baptism symbolizes the salvation and spiritual birth of man. Being the first of the seven Christian sacraments, baptism allows the believer to be protected by Christ himself. The ceremony of baptism of newborns is usually done on the eighth or fortieth day. Baptism is also acceptable after this date. In the case of a child's painfulness, one can baptize it in the first days after birth, since baptism gives protection to a person from physical and spiritual illnesses. After the ceremony, the guardian angel and a nominal patron appear in the baptized child, after whom the child is christened in the day of christenings.

What godparents should do before and after baptism ceremony

The rules of baptism presuppose the presence of the godparents, who are selected by parents in advance and are the main ones after the godson himself at the ceremony of the first sacrament. The godfather before the baptism is supposed to attend service in the Church. It is also important to attend a conversation with the priest to confirm the knowledge of the Orthodox canons and realize what kind of responsibility is assigned to the spiritual parents. The future godparent must necessarily be baptized, after all, after the baptism the godparent or godfather will be responsible for the spiritual development of the child, and therefore, should be Orthodox believers.

According to the Christian tradition, the godparents fast for three days before the christening, the day before the ceremony they do not consume alcohol and do not resort to intimate relationships. On the day of baptism, they take the child to the temple without the help of their parents. A child's birth certificate is compulsory.

To be baptized, the godmother must come in a dress below the knee with closed shoulders, and the woman must also be with a covered head. The godfather at baptism must also pay attention to the choice of wardrobe - it is unacceptable to go to church in shorts or a T-shirt. During the baptism, the priest shaves a small strand of hair from the child's head as a sign of sacrifice to God, then the priest dips the baby three times in a warm font and only then puts on it a cross. The action is accompanied by traditional church speech and three Christian prayers. After the priest, the main prayer of the godfather during baptism is the Symbol of Faith.

The christenings of girls and boys are not really different. The only difference is that the godmother brings him to the altar, for girls and women this is not allowed. On baptism, in the presence of two godfathers, it is recommended that the baby be in the hands of the godfather of the same sex.

What gifts godparents should buy for baptism of boys/girls

The baptism of children in the church is not without the key attributes: a cross and christening clothes. Before baptism, the godmother is supposed to buy a baptismal towel, a sheet and a shirt for the child. Also on the baptism the godmother acquires the icon of the saint by the name of the baby. After the ceremony, the diaper and shirt are kept for the child as an amulet. The godfather before christening buys a cross, in that case if the boy is baptized. A godmother gets a cross for christening. The ceremony is paid according to the tradition of the godfather before the baptism.

When choosing a cross for baptism, care should be taken to ensure that the ends of the product are rounded. A set for baptism is best bought in advance. You can give gifts for christenings - from spiritual attributes to traditional children's toys.

What prayers need to know the godparents

The godfather before the baptism needs to realize that he is to go with the growing godson to the church, to explain to him the Christian dogmas and to drive to the sacrament. The godfather at baptism, regardless of gender, must know the three prayers corresponding to the ceremony: "Symbol of Faith", "Our Father" and "Theotokos". There are also two small prayers that the godparents should read each time before going to bed in caring for their spiritual child. Their texts can be learned from the priest or parishioners shortly before baptism.