Christmas part

By the end of the 18th century, the territory of St. Petersburg was divided into 11 administrative parts. Among them was the Christmas part. It was located behind the Foundry part in the space limited by the bend of the Neva. The first Christmas streets appeared in 1780-1798. and the rest in 1804 - 1817. Also, the names of the streets of the Christmas part were united by one geographical theme. They were named after the cities of the provinces of central Russia.

Pre-revolutionary postcard addressed to the area "Sands"

The Christmas part began to be populated in 1720, at the same time the first church was built here. It was transferred from the Traveling Palace brought from Ust-Izhora. This area was called Sands. In 1752, a place was assigned to the Office of the Construction of Houses and Gardens on the Sands. This institution occupied a prominent place in Russian art of the 18th century. It was in charge of the construction of palaces and court buildings.

Church of the Nativity
From the book of V.V. Antonov, A.V. Kobak Shrines of St. Petersburg Historical and Church Encyclopedia in 3 volumes. St. Petersburg. Chernyshev Publishing House, 1994. I vol. s.221-222

In 1781, for the artisans of the office who lived on the Sands, the Church of the Nativity of Christ was laid according to the project of P.E. Egorov in the style of classicism. It was designed for 3000 people. The temple was located on the corner of 6th Rozhdestvenskaya Street and Rozhdestvensky Lane. In 1777 the first boundary of the temple was consecrated. In 1788 they consecrated the boundary in honor of the Nativity of the Virgin, and a year later the main boundary of the Nativity of Christ. Tsarevich Pavel and his family were present at the consecration. In the temple there was a locally venerated icon of the Nativity, which was considered the patroness of the Sands. Before her, they prayed for help in childbirth and the upbringing of children. In 1901, after a wonderful dream, a small icon of St. Guria, Samona and Aviva. (The feast day of these saints falls on the first day of Advent. These saints are considered the patrons of the family). Extensive charitable activities were carried out in the Church of the Nativity of Christ.

The old coexisted with the new. The streets in the Rozhlestvensky part of Petrograd still bore the old name, here the Church of the Nativity of Christ and the district committee of the party, which also bore the name "Rozhdestvensky", coexisted. But in 1923, Rozhdestvensky streets were renamed into Soviet, and Rozhdestvensky lane into Krasnoborsky. And in 1934, the Church of the Nativity was closed and dismantled, and a square was laid out in its place.

Christmas card early.20th century from the collection of the author

Christmas time

All Svyatki people indulged in various fun and amusements, but also during this period there were many charity events. For this purpose, charity balls and Christmas trees were organized, at which monetary donations and gifts were collected, which went to the needs of the poor, to shelters, hospitals, other charitable institutions and prisons.

Waits

The songs and games that accompany the Christmas holidays were called carols. They were especially widely developed in Little Russia and Belarus. In Rus' there was a custom of glorifying the Nativity of Christ . Khristoslavs or simply praisers went from house to house and sang spiritual verses on the theme of the holiday. In the 17th century, spiritual canta songs were widely distributed. They, as a rule, were composed in the cities by seminarians and during the holidays they were transported to small towns and villages of vast Rus'.

In Little Russia, walking with a nativity scene and a star made of paper and singing, known as kaleda, is called caleda. As researchers of Russian life and folk traditions note, this custom, more widespread for rural Rus' and the Russian hinterland, was still preserved at the end of the 19th century in big cities. And even in Moscow and St. Petersburg there was a custom of glorifying the children of the Nativity of Christ. In whole groups, led by the elder, carrying a star with a flashlight, they went from house to house. At the same time, they dressed up, depicting the Gospel witnesses of Christmas: angels, wise men, Joseph, Herod. Entering the house, at the beginning the Christmas troparion was sung, and after that other verses glorifying the Nativity of Christ: I am a little lad, I brought a sheaf to God, I magnify Christ, and I congratulate you ". This was followed by congratulations to the owner and his house: “ Congratulations on the owner's holiday, we wish you good health". After that, the owner of the house presented the Khristoslavs with sweets and dainties, which they put in a bag that they carried with them. Not to accept Christoslavs was considered a sin and a great insult.

Not only ordinary people, but also the king took part in the glorification. From the time of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, it was introduced to go to Christmas time to praise even to their subjects. This glorification began at noon on the holiday. The royal procession was preceded by two drummers. They were followed by the tsar with choristers and a crowd of princes and boyars. They rode sleighs and visited noble court nobles. The king entered the house of a nobleman, where, together with the singers, he sang church festive hymns. The owner brought the king a gift and a treat to his retinue, after which they went to another nobleman. This tradition was very much loved and supported by the founder of our city, Peter I. He even issued a Decree that if one of the courtiers was recorded as a Slaver and did not go, he was supposed to be punished with a whip.

In addition to the Slavs, they walked around the yards with a nativity scene. It was a two-tiered box in which scenes related to the Nativity of Christ were represented with different wooden figures: the appearance of angels, the adoration of the Magi, the flight to Egypt. In the upper tier, the death of Herod was represented, and in the lower tier, dances. At the same time, the deacon lit candles with which the nativity scene was consecrated. Boys walked with the nativity scene, sometimes accompanied by a horn or violinist.

Unfortunately, after the Petrine era, this custom left the palaces. And not only in the capital, but also in the provinces, with the ever-increasing influence of European traditions and culture, it began to be filled with the influence of paganism and superstitions, which are known under mummers and all kinds of fortune-telling. All this is not only quite well described in historical documents, but also familiar to us from Russian literature. It is enough to re-read the poem "Svetlana" by Zhukovsky or the 5th chapter of "Eugene Onegin" by Pushkin, or the works of Russian prose of the early 19th century - romantic stories, which later became the prototype of Christmastide stories of the late 19th - early 19th century. XX century. A completely opposite picture of Russian life and spiritual traditions of the turn of the century is described by the works of I. Shmelev, B. Zaitsev, Nikiforov-Volgin, Zurov, E. Poselyanin.

Among the amusements of the royal court, there were often Christmas games. Here is how such games are described on Christmas Day 1765: the empress played different games with the courtiers, sang and danced in Russian, after which they danced minuets and country dances. In all these games, the Empress deigned to be herself and danced in Russian together with Count Panin, during these amusements seven ladies came out of the sovereign’s morning chambers: they were Count Grigory Orlov, Stroganov, Golovin, Pasek, the master of the horse Naryshkin, the chamberlain in a woman’s dress. Junkers: Baskakov, Prince Beloselsky. All were sweaters, skirts, caps. Prince Beloselsky was the simplest dressed of all, as he represented the governess and looked after the other ladies. The mummers were seated at a round table, appetizers were placed, punch was brought, and then everyone danced and played naughty.

Festivities

Among the Christmas entertainments of the people in the Northern capital, one can single out: horseback riding, from the icy mountains and ice skating. This is what the Christmastime amusements looked like, widely described in the notes of foreigners of the late 18th century: “There is nothing more cheerful and original than the winter scenes on the Neva. Hardly a day went by without a walk in the morning and a ride along the Neva in a sleigh. Many carriages and sledges and countless pedestrians continuously crossing it give the impression of an endless stream. The ice is also littered with scattered and gathered groups of people, and everyone is busy with what they like. In one part there are several fenced areas for skating. In another part, the crowd is watching what is called a luge race. The path is an elongated section about a mile long. It has only one sleigh, which is harnessed by a pair of horses. The art of the rider is to make the root horse run faster, and the other is drawn into a gallop.

Ice mountains were arranged in the first decades of the founding of St. Petersburg, and they served as a prototype for roller coasters. Initially, a high mountain was found, which was flooded with water, then covered with straw and flooded again until a thick layer of ice formed. Instead of a sled, a thin straw mat was used, three people sat on it one by one. The first grabbed the edge of the rug, the rest clasped each other under their arms and legs behind the torso. When descending, one had to be especially careful, because, rapidly flying down, one could be crippled by flying off the mat and tear the trousers to shreds. As soon as these three were ready to leave, a sign was given to push them, at that moment timpani and trumpets began to play, the sound of which was accompanied by the cries of the audience and the descenders themselves.

“Ice mountains are extremely widespread and represent an inexhaustible source of entertainment for the population. A high platform is erected on the river with a platform at the top, they climb up the stairs there. From above to the river there is an inclined smooth surface made of boards, which is filled with water. Everyone who has a sled climbs the stairs and rolls down the top of the hill, flies from a considerable height, keeping the sled in balance when descending. So, thanks to the gained speed, they rush a considerable distance on the ice of the river. In addition, they also built two slides opposite each other. A man, having rolled down from one mountain, fell on the opposite one, repeating this fun as often as he likes.

The boys are also constantly rolling down these mountains. They usually glide on one foot, not two. Small children indulged in another fun. It consisted in the fact that the lower sledges were tied to a long rope and with the help of a wheel they were accelerated in a circle.

These icy mountains give the river a pleasant appearance, thanks to the trees with which they are decorated and moving people who are constantly descending from the mountains.

And here is another evidence of the turn of the 19th-20th centuries, written in the autobiographical essay “Finland” by the Silver Age poet Osip Mandelstam: “... In winter, at Christmas, Finland, Vyborg. Pre-revolutionary Petersburg breathed Finland, from Vladimir Solovyov to Blok, pouring sand in his palms and rubbing light Finnish snow on his granite forehead, in his heavy delirium, listening to the bells of undersized Finnish horses. I have always vaguely felt the special significance of Finland for a Petersburger, and that people came here to think out what was impossible in St. Petersburg, pushing the low snowy sky to the very eyebrows, falling asleep in small hotels where the water in jugs is ice cold.

They went to Vyborg to the local old-timers, Vyborg merchants - the Sharikovs. Willy-nilly, I got into the thick of the winter flirtation of the Vyborg beauties. Somewhere in Fazer's confectionery with vanilla cookies and chocolate, behind the blue windows the sledge creaks and the running of bells... Shaking right out of the frisky, narrow sled into the warm steam of a rich Finnish coffee shop. Fast sledge, punch, cardboard Swedish fortress, Swedish speech, military music. The Belvedere Hotel, where the First Duma later gathered, was famous for its cleanliness and dazzling linen as cool as snow. Everything here was foreign - and Swedish comfort. A stubborn and sly little town, with coffee grinders, rocking chairs, wool rugs and Bible verses at the head of every bed.

Baptism

One of the mass actions that attracted foreign observers with their unusualness was the blessing of water in Jordan. On the day of Epiphany, there was a rite of blessing on the river. The guards and the entire Petersburg garrison lined up on the Neva, where the building was arranged with arches, and in it there was an ice-hole with steps to the very water. His Majesty left the palace at 11 o'clock and, arriving at the river, stood in front of the Preobrazhensky regiment. After that, he went to the Trinity Church, where the archbishop of Kolomna served mass. When the water was blessed, the people, men and women, ran to the river in great numbers to dip in it. Despite the cold, some women dipped small naked children into the water.

In 1737, this action was observed by the English doctor J. Cook: “A square hole was made in the ice. There are many carpets around it. There is a canopy on top. At the end of the service, the clergy leave the church and form a procession, following each other according to their rank, and go four or five in a row, a total of several hundred people. Those walking carry a large banner, a large lantern and a large image of our Savior and the saints. They march in this order, accompanied by noble and ordinary people, the empress is at the head of the procession, and prayers are sung all the way along the river. The priests step outside the fence and bless the water. When they find that the water is sufficiently consecrated, a signal is given to 1200 guards, who surround it all in three rows and immediately give frequent volleys, repeated three times; then large cannons are fired from the fortress and about 300 guns are also saluting three times. After the consecration, you can see how the priests baptized many newborns on the Neva. Others, young and old, jumped naked into the icy water; two guys standing over the hole immediately pulled them back. In addition, some people scooped water from the river and immediately drank it or took it home to save it. Thus ends this ceremony, performed in almost the same way throughout Russia.

It is gratifying to note that the traditions of our spiritual culture described here are being revived again in all their richness and diversity, re-entering our lives, enriching it.

Vadim Kustov
Illustrations from the author's collection
Submitted by the author on January 12, 2012

At the outset, I’ll make a reservation right away that in our country, most people consider themselves Orthodox.

Many parents one day think about the baptism of their children: someone believes that it is good for health, someone cites various superstitions, someone baptizes because "it's supposed to be." My husband and I are baptized in Orthodoxy, we go to church, and therefore our daughter was baptized almost immediately after birth without hesitation.

A bit of theory

Baptism is not just a rite, but a sacrament. The Slavic word "baptism" is equivalent to the Greek β?πτισμα ("immersion"), and it does not come from the word "cross", despite the similarity. The central action of baptism is the threefold immersion of the person being baptized in water, this symbolizes the time when Christ spent three days in the tomb, after which His Resurrection took place. In baptism, from the point of view of the Church, a person dies to a carnal, sinful life and is reborn from the Holy Spirit into spiritual life. At the moment of the performance of this sacrament, a person not only washes away all previous sins from himself, but also dies to sin.

How does this happen?

If we consider precisely the symbolic side, then when a baby is brought to the temple, this means that his parents give him to the Church, that is, under the Protection of the Lord, under the Protection of the Mother of God and the host of all Saints. And the Church, having taken him, having received him in the Sacrament of Baptism into her bosom, in turn, already gives to parents and godfather of a child for education.

A bit of history

Before the revolution, a newborn baby was already brought to the temple on the eighth day to be given a name. Why on the eighth? According to the Old Testament tradition, circumcision was performed on the eighth day. So now, starting from the eighth day, you can baptize a newborn. But if the baby is weak and his health causes concern, life is even barely glimmering in this baby, then they are immediately baptized with a worldly rank so that he does not leave unbaptized. And then, when everything is settled, you need to come to the priest, tell your story, and he will complete the sacrament of baptism with the rite of chrismation. The name of the child, as a rule, was chosen from the saints of this day.

Therefore, our ancestors come across such exotic for our ears names such as Yazdundokty or Zavulon. Later (especially in urban society) they began to choose names, guided solely by personal taste and their own considerations - for example, in honor of relatives.

And baptized, as a rule, on the fortieth day. Accordingly, the date of birth and day heavenly patron, in whose honor the baby was baptized, stood very close. And since the name day was considered more important than the day birth, it was he who was celebrated in the first place.

After the revolution, there was an ideological struggle with name days: the rite of baptism was recognized as counter-revolutionary, and they tried to replace it with “Octobers” and “Stars” (you can recall the episode from the movie “Heart of a Dog” when a woman with twins came to Shvonder). A ritual was carefully developed, during which the newborn was congratulated in a clear sequence by an Octobrist, a pioneer, a Komsomol member, a communist, and “honorary parents”. The baby could be symbolically enrolled in a trade union, etc. The fight against "remnants" reached the point of absurdity: for example, in the 1920s, censorship banned Chukovsky's "Fly-Tsokotukha" for "propaganda of name days." As a result, a kind of confusion of concepts has now occurred, and now on the birthday of the hero of the occasion we call the birthday man.

The popular name for the name day is the Day of the Angel (the patron saint of heaven is often called the Angel), although the name day and the Day of the Angel (guardian angel) are different concepts.

Prayer to the heavenly patron

Pray to God for me, holy servant of God (name), as I diligently resort to you, a quick helper and prayer book for my soul.

How is the name day determined?

The names of the saints are included in the Saints - a list of saints honored by the Orthodox Church. There are many saints of the same name in the Saints, therefore, when determining the day of the name day, a saint is chosen whose memory most closely follows the date of birth of a person. The list of saints' names is constantly updated as new saints are glorified. So, in 2000, at the Bishops' Council, the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia were glorified, so if a person was baptized before 2000, then the name should be chosen from the publications of the calendar before 2000. If the baptism happened after, then you can choose from a wider list of names. For example, until 2000, only one Catherine, the Holy Great Martyr, was glorified among the saints, but after the glorification of the new martyrs, the list of names expanded.

If the name is not in the calendar, then the person is baptized with the closest sounding name: Dina - Evdokia, Angelica - Angelina, Jeanne - John, Milan - Milica, Svetlana - Fotinia. According to tradition, Alice receives the name Alexandra in baptism, in honor of the holy passion-bearer Alexandra Feodorovna Romanova, who before the adoption of Orthodoxy bore the name Alice. The name received at baptism changes, for example, when taking tonsure as a monk.

Godparents

Godfather - this is how the spiritual closeness of a person who takes on this title is determined. In fact, in the church tradition, he is called the recipient - he takes the child from the font. Age limits for recipients have a lower limit - 14 years, there is no upper limit. Only those baptized in Orthodoxy can also become godparents, for example, if you have a Muslim relative or friend, he can be present at baptism, but he cannot become a godfather. Also, the parents of the child cannot be godparents, but for example, uncle and grandmother may well be.

In general, if you decide to baptize your child, I would advise you to go to the temple where you would like to do this and talk to the priest. I am sure that he will resolve all your doubts, perplexities and questions.

To be continued.

Anastasia KOLCHINA

Court of Russian emperors. Encyclopedia of life and life. In 2 volumes. Volume 1 Zimin Igor Viktorovich

Baptism of children

Baptism of children

The baptism of a born child has always been an important part of not only religious rituals, but also Everyday life any Orthodox family. The concepts of "godfather" or "godmother" in Russia have never been an empty phrase.

The procedure for the baptism of a royal child was one of the most elaborate court ceremonies with a clear, once and for all definite ritual. Naturally, the whole family gathered for the solemn ceremony. And the baptism was arranged with all possible traditional pomp. The child was laid on a pillow of golden brocade and covered with a heavy golden imperial mantle lined with ermine. At the same time, baptismal shirts - pink for girls and blue for boys, potential autocrats - were carefully preserved. So, the shirt of Tsarevich Alexei, who was baptized in Peterhof in the summer of 1904, has come down to us.

The importance of this event was well understood, and the very procedure of baptism was tried to be recorded, not only in chamber-Fourier magazines, but also by visual means. The watercolors of the court painter Mihai Zichy have come down to us, on which he captured the procedure for the baptism of the future Nicholas II in May 1868. The archive contains an official photo album dedicated to the baptism of the first daughter of Nicholas II - Olga in 1895.

The child was baptized two weeks after the birth, as a rule, where mothers happened to give birth. The procedure began with a solemn procession to the temple. If baptism took place in the house church, then it was a solemn procession through the palace halls. If the church was outside a residential residence, parade carriages were used. Gilded carriages formed a solemn train, which was accompanied by guardsmen. Since Alexander II was born in Moscow, the rite of baptism over him was also performed in Moscow, in the church of the Chudov Monastery. The baby's godfather, Empress Dowager Maria Feodorovna, following the example of the mother of Peter the Great, placed the baby on the reliquary, where the incorrupt relics of St. Alexis, Metropolitan of Moscow, were located.

Parents, of course, were very worried about the state of health of the baby, no matter how they caught a cold and dropped it during the ceremony. Moreover, according to tradition, the mother of the child was not present at the christening. The calmness of the child during the procedure was perceived as a favorable sign. It is noteworthy that the highest puerperas periodically noted the psychoses described today in the medical literature. In May 1857, when Sergei Alexandrovich was being baptized, Empress Maria Alexandrovna shared her fears with her lady-in-waiting that the baby would be "drowned or strangled during the baptism" 76 .

Mothers received gifts on the occasion of the christening of their children. In April 1875, during the baptism of Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna, her mother, Tsesarevna Maria Feodorovna, received earrings with two large pearls from Alexander II 77 .

During the baptism procedure, the baby was carried in her arms by a lady of state, who was insured by assistants. Some ladies of state managed to take part in the christening of two emperors. So, in 1796, the future Nicholas I was carried in her arms by the lady of state Charlotta Karlovna Lieven, who was accompanied by the chief master of the horse Naryshkin and Count N. I. Saltykov 78 . Twenty-two years later, when little Alexander II was baptized in Moscow on May 5, 1818, the same Charlotte Lieven brought the future emperor into the temple. It should be noted that the ladies of state fully understood their responsibility. Since they, as a rule, were already elderly women, they resorted to various tricks, insuring themselves. For example, when in 1904 the son of Nicholas II was baptized, the lady of state Golitsyna carried a pillow made of golden fabric, on which the child lay, attaching it to her shoulders with a wide golden ribbon. In addition, she ordered rubber soles to be glued to her dress shoes so as not to slip. At the same time, the master of ceremonies A. S. Dolgoruky and Count P. K. Benkendorf 79 supported her under the arms.

An important part of the preparation for baptism was the selection of godmothers and fathers. As a rule, this issue was resolved taking into account all sorts of nuances, including high politics. In 1818, Alexander I himself, the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna and maternal grandfather Friedrich Wilhelm III, King of Prussia, became the successors of the future Emperor Alexander II. In 1857, the elder brother, Tsarevich Nikolai Alexandrovich, was the godparents of the born Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich, grand duchess Ekaterina Mikhailovna 80, Grand Duke of Hesse Ludwig III and Dowager Queen of the Netherlands Anna Pavlovna. In 1904, among the many godmothers of Tsarevich Alexei was his older sister, nine-year-old Olga. Since Alexei was the only son of the Russian monarch, he was picked up by very “serious” godfathers - King George V of England, German Emperor Wilhelm II, Danish King Christian IX and Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich.

The older brothers and sisters of the newborn took part in the baptism procedure. For children, this was an important experience of participating in solemn palace ceremonies, and they were seriously preparing for them, especially girls. One of the daughters of Nicholas I recalled how they prepared for the christening of Konstantin Nikolayevich, who was born in September 1827: “For the christening, we curled our curls, put on dresses with a decollete, white shoes and Catherine's ribbons over our shoulders. We found ourselves very effective and inspiring respect. But - oh disappointment! – when Papa saw us from a distance, he exclaimed: “What monkeys! Now take off the ribbons and other decorations!” We were very sad" 81 .

Among other things, the rite of baptism included the placement of "status" orders on the baby. According to tradition, at the end of the church service, the emperor was presented with the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called on a golden platter, which he placed on the newborn. In addition, the baby was “awarded” with the orders of St. Alexander Nevsky, the White Eagle, as well as the highest degree of the orders of St. Anna and Stanislav, was promoted to ensign and enlisted in one of the Life Guards regiments. Girls at baptism received signs of the Order of St. Catherine. The rite of baptism ended with an evening gala dinner, and sometimes with illumination.

When in the 1840s children began to appear at the future Alexander II, the rite of their baptism was repeated to the details. The first daughter of Alexander II was born on August 19, 1842, and on August 30, her baptism ceremony took place in the church of the Great Catherine Palace in Tsarskoye Selo. According to the status, it was supposed to carry the newborn to the first court lady, who then was the state lady Princess E. V. Saltykova. According to the requirements of the ceremonial, she was wearing a Russian court dress, a kokoshnik with sewn on diamonds, covered with a veil. According to tradition, the newborn was placed on a brocade pillow, which was held in the hands of a lady of state, and covered with a brocade cover attached to her shoulders and chest. The pillow and the bedspread were held by two noble courtiers.

At the christening procedure, although behind screens, there was also the appropriate staff in case of various “childish surprises”: an English Bonne, a nurse and a midwife. As the memoirist mentioned, the midwife was wearing an expensive silk dress and a blond cap, adorned with a diamond clasp and earrings 82 . This tradition has been around for a long time. Nicholas I, describing his baptism (albeit from other people's words), mentioned: “During the baptism ceremony, all the female servants were dressed in tanks and dresses with corsets, not even excluding the nurse. Imagine the strange figure of a simple Russian peasant woman from the outskirts of St. Petersburg in tans, in a corset to the point of suffocation. Nevertheless, they found it necessary. Only my father, at the birth of Michael, freed these unfortunates from this ridiculous torture. However, the presence of a nanny at the ceremony was considered mandatory, since only a professional nanny could neutralize the "surprises" on the part of the baby. Aristocrats did not have such qualifications, and they were not by status ...

The English nanny of the children of Nicholas II described how she was present at the christening of the two-week-old Maria Nikolaevna in 1899 in the house church of the Great Peterhof Palace. According to her recollections, the solemn ceremony lasted more than two hours. The nanny was taken to the office next to the church, and one of the priests consulted with her, asking what temperature the water in the font should be for the Grand Duchess. The memoirist pointed out that the parents were not present at the baptismal procedure, and Maria Nikolaevna was dressed in a baptismal shirt, in which Nicholas II himself was baptized in May 1868. It is interesting that although the baptismal procedure was performed with all the necessary pomp, but the singers at that time sang very quietly so as not to frighten the baby 84.

The baptism of the future Alexander III took place on March 13, 1845 in big church Winter Palace. Since the chamberlain of the princess, Princess E. V. Saltykova, was ill, the baby was carried on a pillow by state lady M. D. Nesselrode, on both sides of her walked, supporting the pillow and the coverlet, two of the most distinguished dignitaries of the empire: Field Marshal Prince Warsaw Paskevich - Erivan and Secretary of State Count Nesselrode, elevated on the same day to the rank of State Chancellor 85 .

The baptism of the future Nicholas II took place on May 20, 1868 in the Great Church of the Winter Palace. Judging by the watercolors by M. Zichy, grandfather, Alexander II, took the most active part in this procedure, who, like everyone else, clearly understood that not only his first grandson, but, possibly, the future emperor was being baptized. The watercolor depicts four baptismal scenes, two of which show Alexander II holding his grandson in his arms. It is noteworthy that during the baptism, Emperor Alexander II and Grand Duke Alexander Alexandrovich (father of the baby, future Emperor Alexander III) acted as assistants to the lady of state. The fact that the father, breaking the tradition, took an active part in the baptism, apparently, was due to the importance of what was happening. Two emperors, current and potential, held their next successor in their arms, strengthening the foundation of his legitimacy.

In August 1904, on the day of the baptism of his son Alexei, Nicholas II wrote in his diary: “August 11. Wednesday. The significant day of the baptism of our dear son. Of course, both the fact of the birth and baptism of the firstborn is significant for any monarch, since it “throws a bridge” to the next reign. The procedure for the baptism of Tsarevich Alexei differed from the baptism of his sisters only by a slightly greater pomp. The carriage with the baby was carried by eight horses, and not six, as in the case of girls. All status differences were limited to this.

As mentioned above, the baptismal procedure traditionally ended with a large dinner, to which the persons of the first three classes were invited. In 1857, after the baptism of Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich, 800 people attended the "three-class dinner".

Of course, such a responsible and crowded procedure could not do without fuss and overlays. During the baptism of Anastasia, the fourth daughter of Nicholas II, in preparation for the celebration, “were behind schedule,” and the golden carriage, in which Princess Golitsyna and her child and her assistants were, literally rushed through the streets. “The golden carriage, which is usually used for this ceremony, is of an old design, so the sides of both old men were badly dented” 86 .

This text is an introductory piece. From book encyclopedic Dictionary(TO) author Brockhaus F. A.

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“Go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you,” says the Lord Jesus Christ to his disciples. Teaching faith, catechesis or announcement is God's command.

“Go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you,” says the Lord Jesus Christ to his disciples. Teaching faith, catechesis or proclamation is God's commandment. The need for an announcement is confirmed by the 46th canon of Laodicea and the 78th canon of the Sixth Ecumenical Council.

Who are the catechumens?

The catechumens (or in Greek - "catechumens") are primarily Christians. They had not yet received baptism, but were already considered members of the Church of Christ and were present at part of the services, listened to Holy Bible. In the II-III centuries, the period of announcement was at least three years. Persecution and heresies, doctrinal disputes demanded from Christians steadfastness and knowledge of their faith. Therefore, the Church took a very responsible approach to accepting new members into its bosom and was very reverent towards the very sacrament of baptism. And by the time when, in the 6th century, Christianity became the state religion in Byzantium and many pagans went to church, persuaded by Christian relatives or wanting promotion (the status of a Christian contributed to this), the Church met them with the already proven practice of lengthy preparation for baptism. To some extent, the catechumenate was a buffer between the Church and the world: on the one hand, the Church spoke to the world through catechumens; on the other hand, the institute of catechumens protected the Church from the penetration of the spirit of this world into it. But most importantly, this intermediate stage between the consciousness of a pagan and a faithful Christian was needed by the catechumens themselves: to test their loyalty to Christ, repentance, “change of mind” in the most direct sense - a change in priorities, values, the whole worldview and behavior. The main task of catechesis was not so much teaching the foundations of the faith, but rather introducing the catechumens into the life and Tradition of the Church.

Entrance exams

In ancient times, the sacrament of baptism was not a private, but a public and solemn event. On the eve of Pascha and Pentecost, on Christmas Eve and Epiphany Eve, all those who had passed the catechetical period and an intensive course in studying the foundations of the faith were baptized. In the II-III centuries, the announcement could last from one to three years. Pagans who believed in Christ as the Son of God, when they first came to church, had to undergo an interview with the bishop or another member of the clergy appointed by him: a presbyter or a deacon. Future catechumens spoke about themselves and the reasons for their intention to be baptized; the bishop gave them a short sermon about what the Christian life is and how Christianity differs from paganism.

After that, initiation into catechumens (catechumens) took place. In the East, the rite of passage consisted of the overshadowing of the seal of the cross (the overshadowing of the sign of the cross on the forehead and chest), the exorcist "breath" with the reading of a prayer, and the laying on of hands. In the West, to this was added the tasting of a pinch of salt by the future catechumens as a sign of the salt of the Word of God that he would taste during the catechumens. Having passed the rite of passage, the catechumens began classes, where they were told about Christ himself, about the prophets who predicted the coming of the Messiah, about the creation of the world and about God's plan.

The catechumens tried to combine theory with practice, correcting their lives in accordance with Christian spirit. Often classes were held daily, in the morning, to interrupt the pious pagan tradition of visiting temples before going to work. The catechumens were allowed to attend all divine services, with the exception of the liturgy of the faithful.

Only those who had been in the rank of catechumens for a sufficient number of years, had changed their lives, had evidence of the faithful about the seriousness of their intentions, could personally profess the faith and did not have possession, could proceed to baptism.

St. Justin the Philosopher (2nd century), who himself taught Christian doctrine in the school for catechumens he founded, wrote in his book on catechesis: “Whoever is convinced and believes that this teaching and our words are true, and it is promised that he can live in accordance with them, those are taught to ask God for remission of former sins with prayer and fasting, and we pray and fast with them. Then we bring them to where there is water, they are reborn ... as we ourselves were reborn, that is, they are then washed with water in the Name of God the Father and the Lord of all, and our Savior Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.

Intensive Course

Those who passed the catechumen and wanted to be baptized on the coming Pascha were waiting for another exam: a second interview with the bishop, where the catechumen had to tell about the changes that had happened to him over a two to three year period. The godparents of the catechumen were necessarily present at the interview, testifying to the truth of his words.

After passing the interview, the person wrote down his name in the list for baptism for the next Easter or another of the days mentioned. From that moment on, he was called "enlightened", that is, preparing for "enlightenment" (baptism).

The enlightened were obliged to attend categorical classes, to fast (to refrain from meat and wine, as well as from food dedicated to pagan idols("sacrificed to idols") as a sign of repentance. Although it was not obligatory, the faithful (who had already been baptized) could also fast and attend these classes in order to renew the experience of conversion and cleanse the soul and adequately prepare for the Easter holiday. According to some reports, Great Lent originated from the fast of the enlightened and sympathetic faithful.

After an interview with the bishop, the enlightened person was transferred to an "intensive" course. The "course" of St. Cyril of Jerusalem began with a "preparatory conversation", where the saint spoke to the enlightened about the change in their status in the Church and exhorted them not to miss classes, to learn what was said, but not to speak about it to the catechumens, and also not to be curious about what they were doing at the liturgy faithful. Further conversations were devoted to the interpretation of the Creed, the prayer "Our Father" and some other doctrinal, moral and ascetic aspects of Christianity. Until the Second Ecumenical Council (381), at which the Niceno-Tsaregrad Creed (which we read today) was adopted, in each local church used its own baptismal symbol, which was a short confession of faith pronounced by the enlightened during the sacrament of baptism (hence it appeared). The dogmatic content in such confessions remained the same, but the wording was different.

Secrets of Faith

The study of the Creed was a kind of privilege of the enlightened: the catechumens did not know it, and they were not supposed to know it. Perhaps there were only two things that were not told either to the outside or to the catechumens: the doctrine of God the Trinity and the Eucharist. As the most complex and paradoxical, they could be misunderstood and would only bring harm, because “even the sick ask for wine; but if it is given untimely, then madness produces, from which two evils are born: the patient dies, and the doctor remains in disgrace. So, if the catechumen hears something from the faithful, then the catechumen will fall into madness, because he does not understand what he hears, however, it defames and ridicules what is being said, and the faithful is condemned as a traitor to this mystery ”(St. Cyril of Jerusalem, “Instruction of precondition”) .

The enlightened studied Sacred History, they were told about the sacrament of baptism. It is known that St. Cyril of Jerusalem, not yet a bishop, conducted catechumens several times a week for several hours. In such classes, in addition to the conversations themselves, the enlightened prayed, and spells (exorcisms) were pronounced over them, which prepared the enlightened for the rite of renunciation of Satan, performed before baptism.

After passing the intensive, the enlightened were again waiting for the exam. On the eve of the day of baptism, for example, on Good Friday, they recited the Creed and the Lord's Prayer by heart in the presence of the bishop, and in the Western Church - of the faithful.

Baptism was preceded by the rite of renunciation of Satan, which emphasized the break with the pagan past, and the rite of union with Christ. In our age of skepticism, it is sometimes ridiculous and embarrassing for many who receive baptism to spit and blow “at the devil,” but former pagans in the 2nd-4th centuries treated such things with complete understanding.

After being baptized, the new Christians listened to another series of conversations - now secret-guiding (introduction to the sacraments of the Church). The meaning of the sacrament of baptism, as well as chrismation and the Eucharist, was explained more deeply. The neophytes already knew something about the sacrament of baptism, but they talked about the Eucharist only after baptism.

Who could catechize

Classes were held by specially blessed people, not necessarily priests. For example, the Christian writer and theologian Origen (first half of the 3rd century) began teaching at the Alexandrian catechumens school in his early youth, after the martyrdom of his father (not having a rank at that time), replacing his teacher and also church writer Clement, who was a priest, in this post. .

Could be catechists and women appointed to serve as deaconesses. They had to teach “simple rural women clear church rules at home, how to respond to a baptized woman and how to live after Baptism,” as the Fourth Council of Carthage prescribed.

The catechumens of St. John Chrysostom, Cyril of Jerusalem, Gregory of Nyssa, Ambrose of Milan, Theodore of Mopsuestia, Augustine the Blessed have come down to us. All these conversations are a living word addressed to living listeners, therefore it is more interesting to read them than the catechisms that we got from the Synodal period. The latter have been heavily influenced by Catholic scholasticism, so although they are well structured, they are very boring. The catechumens of the holy fathers seem to have one drawback: their translations into Russian were made in the nineteenth century, and their language may seem complicated to the modern reader.

At what age should you be baptized?

Historians say that there is no way to fix the moment when the practice of baptism appeared in infancy. We do not know for sure whether children were baptized in the apostolic age, but the New Testament tells us about the baptism of entire families, in which, of course, there were small children (Cornelia (); Lydia - “she was baptized and her household” (); prison guard “and all those who were in his house” (); Crispus: “Crispus, the head of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his house” (); Stephen “I also baptized Stephen’s house” (). In the Apostolic Tradition of St. Hippolytus of Rome ( circa 215) it is said: "Put on your clothes and first of all baptize your children. All those who can talk about themselves, let them talk. For those who cannot talk about themselves, let their parents or one of their relatives speak." "". From this it can be seen that among the children there were also very small ones who could not speak (but they could not have been newborns). Saints Irenaeus of Lyon and Origen, referring to the apostolic tradition, speak of the practice of baptizing babies. At the Carthaginian cathedrals of the 3rd century there were disputes about the baptism of infants. A decision was made: “... not to forbid [Baptism] to an infant who, having barely been born, did not sin in anything, except that, having come from the flesh of Adam, he received the infection of ancient death through birth itself and who is all the more convenient begins to accept the absolution of sins, that he is forgiven not his own, but other people's sins. However, the practice of baptizing adults who could consciously proceed to baptism was very common for a long time. It is known that John Chrysostom was baptized at 23 (25?) years old, Basil the Great - at 26 years old, Gregory the Theologian, who came from a bishop's family - at 28, Blessed Peacock of Nolansky - at the age of about 37 years. Blessed Augustine, who was admitted to the catechumens in infancy, was baptized after long spiritual wanderings and struggles at the age of 33 (34?) years.

In addition to fundamental considerations, there were outright abuses of the time of pronouncement, especially when Christianity became the state religion from the 4th century: catechumens were considered Christians, which means that they enjoyed all the rights before state laws, freeing themselves from the obligations of Christian life. The Church fought against this trick, but not very successfully. For example, St. Gregory the Theologian, objecting to such a selfish approach to the sacrament of baptism, wrote: “Let us be baptized now, let us not alienate good deeds from ourselves… let us not wait until we become worse, so that we will be forgiven more; let us not be Christ-cultivators and Christ-merchants. ... Hurry to the gift, while you are still in control of your mind, while you are not sick both in body and spirit ... until your tongue stutters, does not grow cold and can clearly pronounce (not to mention more) the words of the Arcane, ... until the gift is obvious to you, and not doubtful, grace touches the depths, and not the body is washed for burial.

The practice of infant baptism became widespread in the Christian Byzantine Empire, and it was from that time that the practice of catechesis was supplanted.

Journal "Neskuchny Sad"

The first Sacrament, from which the spiritual life of a person begins, is Holy Baptism. Without it, the salvation of man is impossible. According to the Catechism, “Baptism is a Sacrament in which the believer, with triple dive bodies into water, with the invocation of God the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, dies for a carnal, sinful life, and is reborn from the Holy Spirit into a spiritual, holy life.

Baptism, according to the profound thought of St. Gregory the Theologian, “is a help in our weakness, laying off the flesh, following the Spirit, communion with the Word, correction of creation, drowning of sin, communion of light, dispelling of darkness. Enlightenment is a chariot that lifts up to God, the companionship of Christ, the strengthening of faith, the perfection of the mind, the key of the Kingdom of Heaven, the change of life, the removal of slavery, the release from bonds, the transformation of the composition. Enlightenment is the best and most majestic of the gifts of God” (Word 40). The person who accepts it receives new sense organs of the soul, and everything falls into place with him. The mind receives strength for holistic thinking. The heart is cleansed of the burden of the past. The soul receives strength for unearthly peace and eternal joy, for the first time a person hears not condemnation, but approval of conscience. If before Baptism the evil power of the devil was in the heart of a person, then after receiving the Sacrament, the Holy Spirit settles inside the person. Certainly, evil spirit does not stop attacking a person, acting through the body and trying to darken our mind through it, but the indelible grace of God settles inside any baptized person. Therefore, if a person has sinned or even fallen away from the Church, then, having returned back, he is not baptized anew, but joins through Repentance. Baptism is a new birth that is never repeated if done right.

This great gift is rooted in the sacred Atonement. In Baptism, we symbolically die together with Christ, plunging into the water, and are resurrected with Him - emerging from the water. Although participation in death occurs symbolically, salvation is accomplished by the deed itself.

It is no coincidence that this great Mystery of Enlightenment was established by Christ the Savior after His Resurrection. It was also foretold by the ancient miracles of salvation, such as the salvation of Noah's family from the flood, the passage of the Jews through the Red Sea, the ritual ablutions of the Law of Moses. Prepared by His Baptism of repentance, which was performed by John the Baptist. But it became a reality after the Sacrifice of Christ. Appearing to the disciples after the Resurrection in Galilee, He said: “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. So go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:18-19). According to church tradition, the Resurrected Christ Himself baptized the apostles, and they gave this Sacrament to all Christians.

Preparing an Adult for Baptism

If an adult wants to receive Holy Baptism, then one desire is not enough for this. Just as the desire of the patient is not enough for a full-fledged treatment, but it is necessary to fulfill the daily routine, do procedures, take medicines and, most importantly, trust in the doctor is necessary, so in order to start life in God, one must have true faith, repentance for one’s evil deeds and a desire to live according to commandments, under the condition of the fulfillment of which the Sacrament will be able to fully operate.

It is clear why faith is necessary. After all, according to the Scriptures, “it is impossible to please God without faith; for it is necessary that he who comes to God believe that He exists, and reward those who seek Him” (Heb. 11:6). There is a measure of faith required for Baptism. This measure is the Symbol of Faith, which is read by heart to those who are baptized before the Sacrament itself and is kept in our hearts until death and Judgment Day. One cannot be baptized who believes only that “someone is there”, and if a person wants to receive Holy Baptism, then he must accept the true faith with all his heart and receive the forgiveness of his sins.

Those who wish to be baptized must read the Holy Scriptures. The Church recommends the catechumens to the catechumens (as the one who is preparing for Baptism is called) read the four Gospels from the New Testament, and the Book of Genesis, Exodus, the Proverbs of Solomon, the Wisdom of Jesus, the son of Sirach, and the Wisdom of Solomon from the Old Testament.

During the preparation for Baptism, one must pray earnestly that God would cleanse the heart and sanctify the life. It is especially necessary to visit the temple of God as often as possible. If a person is going to be baptized, then he is already partly his own for the Church. She prays for him as for a catechumen, and her motherly care should not be neglected. An unbaptized person prays at the evening service and in the morning, at the Liturgy, until the words proclaimed by the deacon or priest: “Evens catechumens, depart, catechumens, depart, but none of the catechumens.” If there are no extraordinary circumstances, then the preparation for Baptism lasts forty days. This is how long the proclamation lasted both in the Ancient Church and in Russia before the revolution. During this period, you need to change your life - stop doing lawlessness, leave work that is incompatible with Christianity (work in an abortion clinic, prostitution, etc.), and start fulfilling the commandments. You should not delay the time until Baptism, otherwise you can die and perish forever.

It must be remembered that if a person is going to be baptized, then he will be attacked by the devil, who does not want the person to be freed from his slavery. The enemy does not need to be afraid and listen, prayer and sign of the cross chase him away. The devil's favorite trap is vanity. He says: "Today you have no time, better tomorrow, in a week, on vacation." So Satan keeps some from Baptism for years, those who fell for this bait, then it will be harder to lead Christian life. According to Christ, “no one who puts his hand on the plow and looks back is reliable for the Kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62).

In the Ancient Church, forty days were fasted before Baptism; now at least a three-day fast is considered desirable. It helps to defeat the devil, strengthens prayer and makes it possible to control your heart.

During the preparation for the Sacrament, one should try to remember all one’s sins in order to repent of them before Baptism, and try not to repeat them again, as the apostle Peter said: “Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins; and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38).

It is good to find a pious Orthodox Christian who would become a godfather and help to go to Christ. But he must not be the current or prospective spouse, otherwise such a marriage would be illegal. However, the presence of a godfather is required only for children under 14 years old. An adult can vouch for himself.
Baptism is performed on any day except weekdays of Great Lent. In the Ancient Church and in Russia before the revolution, the special days of Baptism for adults were Holy Saturday, Christmas and Epiphany Eve, Lazarus Saturday and Pentecost.
On the night before Epiphany, it is imperative to refrain from carnal cohabitation. From midnight, you must not drink or eat anything, and smokers should not smoke, so that immediately after Baptism they can partake of the Holy Body and Blood of Christ. Women during menstruation and within forty days after childbirth are not baptized, except in cases of threat to life.

A Gentile (Muslim, Jew, pagan or sectarian) before the Sacrament of Baptism must go through the rite of accession.

Baptism of babies

In the Orthodox Church, not only adults, but also children are honored with Holy Baptism. This is how we fulfill the words of Christ: “Let the children go and do not hinder them from coming to Me, for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven. And having laid his hands on them, he went from there” (Matt. 19:14-15).

The direct command of the Apostle Peter on the day of Pentecost says that the gift of Baptism belongs to everyone: “For the promise belongs to you, and to your children, and to all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God calls” (Acts 2:38-39).

Of course, the baby does not have personal faith, but this deficiency is made up for by the faith of parents and godparents. There is an example of this in Scripture, where Christ healed the paralytic and forgave him his sins according to the faith of his friends (Matthew 9:1-8). The duty of guarantors is to teach the infant the Christian faith and life, so that the grace of God may act in him. To do this, they take care not only of the timely teaching of the child to the Law of God, but also make sure that the child regularly partakes of the Holy Mysteries.

The baptism of a child is preceded by a series of sacred rites that prepare him for the Sacrament and protect him from the invasion of evil forces. Even before birth, a special prayer service is served, in which God's help is requested for the mother in childbirth. On the very first day after the birth, the priest asks to protect the mother and baby from the attack of evil spirits and cleanse everyone involved in childbirth from the filth of original sin. On the eighth day, the priest names the newborn, just as the Lord was given the sacred name Jesus on the eighth day after Christmas (Luke 2:21). On the fortieth day, the baby is brought to the temple to be presented to the Creator (Luke 2:22-38). Cleansing prayers are read over the mother, healing her from the touch of the devil (at the time of the transfer of original death) and allowing her to take Communion. After all, apart from the threat of death, a woman cannot partake of Communion for forty days after giving birth.

If the baby is weak or sick, it is unacceptable to postpone the Sacrament of Baptism for any long period of time. Then it is necessary to baptize immediately after childbirth, otherwise, if the child dies, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God (John 3:5). According to the rules of the Church, parents (or a priest) who through negligence allowed an infant to die unbaptized are severely punished.

Order of Baptism

The order of the Sacrament of Baptism dates back to ancient times, in its foundations it was established by the apostles. Having taken off his outer clothing, the person being baptized shows his readiness to renounce his former sinful life. The priest marks him with a cross, separating him for God, blows in his face, restoring the breath with which man was created (Gen. 2, 7), and reads a prayer calling the Christian name (during Baptism, sometimes the name is changed - as a sign of a change in life. During the Sacrament it is written in the Book of Life). The newly baptized will also have a heavenly namesake who will become his patron. Memorial Day of the heavenly patron is the main personal holiday of a Christian.

After this, incantational prayers are read against the devil, to whom all the unbaptized belong. It happens that the enemy tries to keep a person in his paws, and therefore attacks him during Baptism. Once a drug addict was baptized, and she began to feel sick during conjurational prayers, when it was necessary to read the Symbol of Faith, she began to suffocate, and almost fainted in the font, but as soon as she was loaded for the third time, everything instantly passed. This happened because through this passion the devil controlled her especially strongly, but the power of God turned out to be incomparably more powerful. There is no need to be afraid of the devil, you must persecute him in the name of Jesus Christ, and he will run away. After all, we have been given the power to attack all the power of the devil (Luke 10:19), and it cannot harm us if we are with God. So, one should not be afraid of the evil eye, or corruption, or sorcerers, but one should zealously observe the commandments - and no spiritual evil will approach a Christian. Therefore, the priest does not curry favor with Satan at all, but powerfully drives him away by the power of God.

The time has come for the one freed from the power of the enemy to renounce him. The priest asks three times: “Do you want to renounce Satan, all his deeds, all his angels (demons who appear under the guise of pagan gods, cosmic energies, etc.), all his ministry (magic, other religions, astrology, etc. .) and all his pride (mass spectacles that deprive a person of reason)?

The one being baptized answers: “I deny it,” and then he blows and spits to the west, into the region of darkness, spewing out all the impurity.

After that, the priest asks if he is ready to be united with Christ (enter into eternal union with Him), and, after expressing consent, he asks: “Do you believe in Him?”
The baptized person answers: “I believe as the King and God” - and takes an oath to Him - reads the Creed.

After that, the priest sanctifies the water, after shaking it. So she will return to the very state in which she was on the first day of creation, when there was darkness over the abyss and the Spirit of God hovered over the waters (Gen. 1, 2). We remember how the Jews crossed the Red Sea, led by a pillar of cloud and fire, and Pharaoh and all his armies perished in the waves. So the catechumen, led by Christ, will receive salvation in the water, and the devil will drown in it.

After consecrating the water, the priest anoints the water and the baptized person with blessed oil. It is the oil of joy, the anointing of which gives strength to slip out of the clutches of the enemy, as the ancient wrestlers anointed themselves with oil to slip out of the hands of the enemy. You need to rub this oil all over your body.

Then comes the most important point. A person descends into the font, the hand of the priest (and through this hand - Christ Himself) plunges him into the water three times with the words: “The servant of God (name) is baptized in the name of the Father. Amen. And the Son. Amen. And the Holy Spirit. Amen".

According to the Charter of the Church, Baptism must be performed through three full immersion in water - either in a font or in an open reservoir. This is an apostolic practice. But if the situation is such that full immersion is not possible (for example, in the army, in prison, in a hospital, in the desert, with an acute shortage of water), then it is permissible, and quite valid, to pour baptism - so that the whole body is drenched, and in extreme cases - the head.

When descending into the water, one should not forget to pray to God that He Himself cleanse and teach to live like a Christian. After all, the water of Baptism is all permeated with the power of the Holy Spirit.

When a newly baptized (in Greek, “neophyte”) emerges from the water reborn, sinless and holy, they put on a cross (a symbol of patience of sorrows for the sake of Christ) and a white shirt - a sign of purity and innocence, and hand over a burning candle, recalling the words of Christ: “ So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

After that, the Sacrament of Confirmation is performed over the newly baptized, in which the person receives the gift of the Holy Spirit.

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This section presents text from the book The Law of God: An Introduction to Orthodox Christianity» Priest Daniil Sysoev (with minor changes).