On Baptism The ultimate goal of Baptism is the

restoration of true life that has been lost in sin. St.

Paul describes this restored life in the following
manner: All those who have been baptized into
Christ have put on Christ! Salvation is a process that
begins with fleeing from sin and being baptized" it
continues through a life of repentance and culminates
with the parta#ing of eternal life in $od%s &ingdom.
'nfant baptism is biblical and the ancient tradition of
the Church. The re(uisite of being an age of reason!
prior to baptism began during the Protestant
)eformation" no such tradition e*isted in the earl+
Church. The fruit of being grafted into the bod+ of
Christ b+ baptism granted understanding and
#nowledge of $od. This is wh+ St. Peter said in his
sermon at Pentecost: )epent, and let each one of +ou
be baptized in the name of -esus Christ for remission
of sins, and +ou shall receive the gift of the .ol+
Spirit. /or the promise is to +ou and to +our children,
and to all those at a distance, as man+ as the 0ord our
$od shall call forth.! 1Acts 2:34,356 7hat sin does a
child have8 't is the ancestral sin that all humanit+
inherits being born with a fallen nature, sub9ect to sin
and death. Therefore, even as through one man sin
entered into the world, and death through sin, and
thus death passed to all men, on account of which all
have sinned: 1)om. ;:<26.! Baptism constitutes a
second birth in Christ for ever+one. The =rthodo*
Church believes in one Baptism for the remission of
sins, thus we begin our 9ourne+ through life being
saved and perfected in Christ.
THE SERVICE OF PREPARATION
The enrollment of the child in the Boo! of "ife# >
The child to be baptized is held in the narthe* b+ the
$odparent and is accompanied b+ the parents. The
priest la+s his hands upon the candidate and sa+s the
following: 'n +our name, = $od of truth?' la+ m+
hand on +our servant @nameA who has been found
worth+ to see# salvation in +our .ol+ Bame and
protection under the shelter of +our wings. Banish
from him the old error, fill him with faith and hope in
+ou?so that he might #now that +ou are the onl+
true $od?$rant him the abilit+ to live in accordance
with +our commandments.!
The E$orcisms > The priest then reads three
e*orcisms, which cast out from the candidate an+
demonic influences. The rite of the e*orcism
culminates with the $odparent renouncing Satan on
behalf of the child. The child and the $odparents
turn awa+ from the altar and face west to renounce
Satan.
The Confession of Faith > /ollowing the e*orcisms,
the+ all face east for the acceptance of Christ. The
Creed of the =rthodo* faith is recited b+ the
$odparents. The pra+er of acceptance follows: =
0ord and Caster, our $od, call +our servant Bicholas
to +our .ol+ illumination. Ta#e awa+ from him the
old wa+s and renew him unto eternal life?so that he
ma+ cease to be a child of the flesh and become a
child of +our &ingdom.
THE SERVICE OF BAPTIS%
The Blessin& of the 'ater > The water is first
prepared to become a vessel of regeneration. The
.ol+ Spirit is invo#ed to descend upon the font full
of water and to sanctif+ it.
The Blessin& of the Oil and Anointin& =nce the
the water is prepared, the $odparents offer a small
bottle of pure olive oil over which a pra+er of
banishment of evil is read to ma#e it an anointing of
incorruption, a weapon of 9ustice, a renewal of soul
and bod+, a defense against ever+ influence of the
Devil?!. The candidate is brought b+ the sponsor to
be anointed on the forehead, nose, ears, bac#, hands
and feet. Then the entire bod+ is anointed b+ the
$odparent.
The Baptism > The candidate is brought to the font
in fulfillment of our petition for the child: That it
ma+ become a partner and parta#er in the death and
resurrection of Christ our $od, let us pra+ to the
0ord.! The font in the words of St. -ohn Chr+sostom,
now becomes a womb and a tomb!. There can be no
new life without the death of our fallen nature. The
priest immerses the child three times sa+ing: The
servant of $od, Bicholas is baptized in the name of
the /ather, and of the Son, and of the .ol+ Spirit.!
THE %(STER( OF CHRIS%
The newl+ baptized is now read+ to receive the
anointing of the gift of the .ol+ Spirit, a personal
Pentecost. Chrism is olive oil which has been mi*ed
with fort+ aromatic substances, signif+ing the gifts of
the .ol+ Spirit, such as love, 9o+, peace, etc.
@$alatian ;:22A The Chrism used toda+ was
sanctified b+ the Ecumenical Patriarch in
Constantinople. The newl+ baptized once anointed is
sealed with the gift of the .ol+ Spirit and full+
adopted b+ $od.
THE TONS)RE
/ollowing the baptism and chrismation, the priest
tonsures the child b+ cutting some of his hair
crosswise to signif+ three things: that Christ will be
the head of the child from now on" the first offering
of the child bac# to $od" and an outward sign
forsa#ing worldl+ appearance and love of the bod+.
THE VESTIN*
The priest brings a white garment and places it upon
the child sa+ing: The servant of $od, Bicholas, is
vested with a garment of righteousness in the name of
the /ather and of the Son and of the .ol+ Spirit!. The
child is then full+ dressed while the Priest reads
several pra+ers for the well being of the child and the
famil+.
7hen the child returns, candles are lit and a 9o+ful
procession ta#es place around the font three times as
ever+one sings? As man+ as have been baptized
into Christ, have put on Christ, alleluia.!
THE REA+IN*S
The readings follow from the epistle of St. Paul to the
)omans @F:3G<<A where the Apostle ma#es the
comparison between the immersion and emersion and
burial and resurrection of Christ" and from the $ospel
according to St. Catthew @24:<FG2HA where the
Divine institution of Baptism was established b+ our
0ord.
HO"( CO%%)NION
/inall+, as baptism has led to chrismation,
chrismation leads to communion. The child receives
his spiritual food and drin#s from the Iliving water%,
the Bread of life.

The final act is the placing of the cross upon the child
and his presentation to the parents and the
communit+.
OUR HOLY FATHER NICHOLAS
THE WONDERWORKER,
The Life of the Childs Pato!
Sai!t
Saint Nicholas lived during the
reign of Saint Constantine the
Great, and reposed in 330. As a
young man, he desired to espouse
the solitary life. He made a
pilgrimage to the holy city
Jerusalem, here he found a place
to ithdra to devote himself to
prayer. !t as made "non to him,
hoever, that this as not the ill
of God for him, #ut that he should
return to his homeland to #e a
cause of salvation for many. He
returned to $yra, and as ordained
#ishop. He #ecame "non for his
a#undant mercy, providing for the
poor and needy, and delivering
those ho had #een un%ustly
accused. No less as he "non for
his &eal for the truth. He is the
patron of all travelers, and of sea'
farers in particular( he is one of the
#est "non and #est loved Saints
of all time.
)he Sacraments of
Holy *aptism +
Chrismation
NA$,
-A),
Cele#rants.
Godparents.