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