Why Are We Why Are We Baptized?Baptized?
Our ResponsibilityOur Responsibility
To become a Greek Orthodox Christian, we To become a Greek Orthodox Christian, we are first introduced to the Church when we are first introduced to the Church when we are 40 days old, when our family brings us are 40 days old, when our family brings us to be blessed. We are Catechumens of the to be blessed. We are Catechumens of the Faith.Faith.
In order to become a member of the In order to become a member of the Church, we are baptized in the Name of Church, we are baptized in the Name of the Father, and Son and Holy Spirit.the Father, and Son and Holy Spirit.
““As it is written in the Prophets:“Behold, I send My
messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You.”+ “The voice of one crying in the wilderness:‘Prepare the way of the Lord,Make His paths straight.’
(Mark 1:3)
““Why did St. John Why did St. John come to baptize?”come to baptize?”
• ““John came baptizing John came baptizing
in the wilderness and in the wilderness and
preaching a baptism of preaching a baptism of
repentance for the repentance for the
remission of sins.”+remission of sins.”+
(Mark 1:4)(Mark 1:4)
St. John St. John
prophesiedprophesied…………• ““There comes One after me
who is mightier than I,
whose sandal strap I am not
worthy to stoop down and
loose. “I indeed baptized
you with water, but He will
baptize you with the Holy
Spirit.” (Mark 1:7-8)
……and Jesus came to St. John….and Jesus came to St. John….
• ……and John tried to prevent Him, saying, ‘I and John tried to prevent Him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by You, and are You need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?”coming to me?”
But Jesus answered and said to him, But Jesus answered and said to him,
““Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.”us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he Then he allowed Him.+ (Matthew 3: 14-15)allowed Him.+ (Matthew 3: 14-15)
St. John baptized Christ and immediately…
• “… “… the heavens were the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God the Spirit of God descending like a dove and descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.+alighting upon Him.+
And suddenly a voice came And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying: from heaven, saying:
““This is My beloved Son, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well in whom I am well pleased.”pleased.”++
Kontakion: (Fourth Tone) Kontakion: (Fourth Tone)
• “ “Today You appeared to the world, Today You appeared to the world,
and Your light, O Lord, has left its mark and Your light, O Lord, has left its mark
upon us as in fuller understanding we upon us as in fuller understanding we
sing to You: “You came, You were made sing to You: “You came, You were made
manifest, the unapproachable light.”manifest, the unapproachable light.”
Christ was Baptized by John the BaptistChrist was Baptized by John the Baptist
At that time, the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the
mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they
saw Him, they worshipped Him; but some doubted. And
Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and
on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make
disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them
to observe all that I have commanded to you; and lo, I am
with you always, to the close of the age. Amen. (Matt. 28:16-20)
Apolytikion: (First Tone)Apolytikion: (First Tone)
• “Lord, when You were baptized in the Jordan, the worship of the Trinity was made manifest. For the voice of the Father gave witness to You, calling You Beloved; and the Spirit, in the form of a dove, confirmed the certainty of His words. Glory to You, Christ our God, who appeared and enlightened the world.”
““All those who have been All those who have been baptized in Christ, have put on baptized in Christ, have put on
Christ…..”Christ…..”
• The Sacrament of
Baptism incorporates
us into the Church, the
Body of Christ, and is
our introduction to the
life of the Holy Trinity
How are we Baptized?How are we Baptized?
• Water is a Water is a natural symbol natural symbol of cleansing of cleansing and newness of and newness of life.life.
The BaptizingThe Baptizing• When he has anointed the whole body, the
Priest baptizes him (her), holding him (her) erect, and looking towards the East, says:
– “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.”
At each invocation the Priest immerses him (her) and raises him (her) up again.
Father, Son and Holy Spirit
Through the three-fold
immersion in the waters of
Baptism in the Name of the
Holy Trinity, one dies to the
old ways of sin and is born
to a new life in Christ.
When are we When are we Baptized?Baptized?
• Following the custom of
the early Church,
Orthodoxy encourages
the baptism of infants.
Holy Holy ChrismationChrismation
• In the Sacrament of
Chrismation, the priest
anoints the various parts
of the body of the newly-
baptized with Holy Oil
saying: "The seal of the
gifts of the Holy Spirit…."
““Holy Holy Communion”Communion”
The Church believes that The Church believes that
the Sacrament is bearing the Sacrament is bearing
witness to the action of witness to the action of
God who chooses a child God who chooses a child
to be an important to be an important
member of His people. member of His people.
““Godparents”Godparents”• Our Godparents become an
important part of our lives.
They are also responsible for the
development of our Orthodox
‘growing’. Also, our Orthodox
‘family’ helps us to become a
part of our Orthodox Faith and
Church Community.
We are baptized because….We are baptized because….
• "He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done
in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing
of regeneration baptism and renewing by the Holy Spirit."
(Titus 3:5)
• The Sacrament of Baptism emphasizes the truths that not
only is each person a valuable member of the Church, but
also each one is blessed by the Spirit with certain gifts and
talents.
““We are responsible….”We are responsible….”
From the day of their From the day of their
baptism, children are baptism, children are
expected to mature in expected to mature in
the life of the Spirit, the life of the Spirit,
through their family through their family
and the Church. and the Church.
As we grow in age, maturity and spiritual As we grow in age, maturity and spiritual understanding, we become responsible for understanding, we become responsible for our own journey to our salvation.our own journey to our salvation.
Having started with the guidance of our Having started with the guidance of our parents and Godparents, we now have grown parents and Godparents, we now have grown into the realization that the Church plays a into the realization that the Church plays a very big role in who we are and who we will very big role in who we are and who we will become, as adults, spiritually and most become, as adults, spiritually and most especially as good examples of faithful especially as good examples of faithful Orthodox Christians. Orthodox Christians.
We now must look to our Church life and our We now must look to our Church life and our Orthodoxy to helps us be strong and Orthodoxy to helps us be strong and committed Christians.committed Christians.
Information for this lesson comes from:
Archiodiocese web site:
www.goarch.orgProduced by:
Maria Angeliadis, EdD