~Lesson of the Day~
While I was enjoying this interesting blog, Maria~Angelica was right NEXT to me, enjoying my Bobbi Brown lipstick. Never trust that your 2 year old dd will “just pretend” to apply make-up while playing in your purse…..
Month: January 2008
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~Monday Morning Meditations~Dear Fathers, Parish Faithful & Friends in Christ,*I am beginning a new semester at Xavier University today later in the afternoon. I enjoy teaching very much, especially the interaction with the students as I learn what their concerns are, how they view the Christian Faith, and what types of questions they have about God and life in general. It also keeps my mind “sharp,” or so I like to believe, by reading new books or rereading old ones; or further refining and fine-tuning my presentation of Orthodoxy to an almost exclusively non-Orthodox group of young people. That is the exciting challenge. Unfortunately, the Orthodox Church continues to remain a well-kept secret, so I am always beginning from scratch, so to speak! (Today’s average student, alas, is terribly ignorant of some of the basic truths of Christianity, regardless of his/her respective church – a downward spiral that I have noticed over the years as this condition continues to worsen). A fair share of my students admit to me that they have grown up with hardly a trace of religious belief in their lives. This tells me that we are dealing more and more with an unchurched society. We need to present the Gospel from its most basic perspective as “Good News” about an abundance of life that bursts through the secular constraints of a godless universe.Be that as it may, I have chosen a new book for this semester entitled: The Sign of the Cross – the Gesture, the Mystery, the History by Andreas Andreopolous (we can safely assume that he is Greek Orthodox). Over the years, I am asked about the history of the sign of the Cross: just where did it come from and how old is this practice. And this is a question that I have never been able to get a handle on. In reading the first chapters of Andreopoulos’ book, I realize why this is so – it is a complicated but fascinating history that one must piece together somewhat painstakingly. On an upcoming Sunday I will try and relate some of that history during a post-Liturgy discussion. One thing we can be assured of, however, is the antiquity of the gesture of the sign of the Cross – in many early sources referred to simply as the “sign.” For the present, though, here is a good summary paragraph that is developed in great detail in the relevant chapter about the history of the sign of the Cross:No conclusive evidence points to a date or place for adopting the cross as a symbol,although possibly the cross was already in use during apostolic times. We seetraces of the symbol appearing in the second century, in the writings of Justin Martyr,Tertullian, and Irenaeus of Lyons. Eventually adopted as a symbol of historic, spiritual,and liturgical significance, the cross came into use as Christianity grew and matured.Theologians explored the mystery of the death of Jesus Christ, remembering the actualcross on which he died. Then suddenly, in the fourth century, the corss became anestablished symbol. (p. 7)Historical questions about the origin of beliefs and practices are endlessly fascinating. However, my primary purpose this morning is to share a wonderful and beautiful passage with you from St. Cyril of Jerusalem (4th c.) about the meaning of the Sign of the Cross and why it is so essential for us to practice with love and care:Let us then not be ashamed to confess the Crucified. Let the cross as our seal, be boldlymade with our fingers upon our brow and on all occasions; over the bread we eat, over thecups we drink; in our comings and in our goings; before sleep; on lying down and rising up;when we are on our way; and when we are still. It is a powerful safeguard; it is without pricefor the sake of the poor; without toil, because of the sick; for it is a grace from God, a badgeof the faithful, and a terror to the devils; for “he displayed them openly, leading them away intriumph by force of it.” For when they see the Cross, they are reminded of the Crucified;they fear him who has “smashed the heads of the dragons.” Despise not the seal as a freegift, but rather for this reason honor your benefactor all the more. (Catechetical Lecture, 13, 36)The Sign of the Cross is a gift from God that allows us to outwardly express our faith in the Crucified Lord of Glory – our Savior Jesus Christ. It does not work as a talisman or magical charm. Only with faith in Christ is it a meaningful gesture. It is one of the unwritten traditions handed down through the centuries and now kept alive in our generation by the same Orthodox Faith as that of our fathers and mothers who have gone before us into everlasting rest. We now “pass it down” (the meaning of the word Tradition) to our children as we explain to them that Christ died for us on the Cross. In fact, this simple gesture may be the first thing that we teach our children to do as they begin to grow and develop. It thus becomes a natural part of their lives. We should not be ashamed of making the Sign of the Cross in any particular setting (though never as to draw attention to ourselves), but always with the greatest of care as we witness to the Crucified One.*Fr. C. , my dh, started his first day of teaching at a local Jesuit University today, as well, I can’t wait to hear how it went!
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Seven years ago today, Jonah was born!
Happy Birthday Jonah!
We celebrated Jonah’s birthday with a little party over Christmas break and enjoyed a nice birthday dinner this evening with our family. Jonah also enjoyed passing out doughnuts to his classmates and teachers. All in all a pretty great birthday! May God grant you Many Years, Jonah!
Maria~Angelica enjoying the Barbie doll display at the restaurant.
Jonah’s birthday party during Christmas break at Yiayia and Papou’s house.
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Bush visits Church of the Nativity
(When we were first married, just a few days after we had celebrated our first wedding anniversary- in Cyprus, Fr. and I were very blessed to have had the opportunity to visit the Church of the Nativity, which is built above the cave in which Christ was born. It is very cool to see Pres. Bush in the Church of the Nativity with all the Orthodox Clergy.)
President Bush standing in front of the birthplace of Christ.
BETHLEHEM, West Bank, Jan. 10 (UPI) — U.S. President George Bush called his visit to the West Bank’s Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem a “moving moment” for him.
He and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice lit candles and stood in the grotto believed to be the birthplace of Jesus Christ, and a guide explained the setting to Bush and Rice. They visited the church during their visit to the Middle East to promote peace in the region.
“It’s been a moving moment for me,” Bush told reporters in the courtyard surrounded by the three churches that stand there. “For those of us who practice the Christian faith, there really is no more holy site than the place where our savior is born.”© 2008 United Press InternationalThe president — a fervent Christian — landed by helicopter and then was whisked to the Church of the Nativity in a motorcade through streets largely deserted as part of a massive security operation aimed at protecting him.
After a short tour of the sixth century Byzantine church he descended into the Grotto of the Nativity, an underground chapel glimmering with hanging lanterns, where he lit a candle at the believed site of Jesus’s birth.
“For those of us who practise the Christian faith, there isn’t a more holy site than where our saviour was born,” Bush said as he came out of the church.
Thousands of Palestinian security forces had fanned out across the town in the occupied West Bank at dawn, shutting off all major roads to the church and sharply limiting pedestrian traffic along empty streets with shuttered shops.
Snipers patrolled the roof of the church near a hanging plastic Santa Claus left over from Christmas, while Bush remained inside for less than an hour.
“We are excited, of course, it’s a great event,” the Greek patriarch of Jerusalem, Theophilos III, said after Bush’s motorcade roared away from the church, his face beaming through a thick grey beard.
“We wanted to send a message to all the world that the place is safe and all people can come and pray here,” he added.
But Bush’s visit to the West Bank — only the second to the Palestinian territories by a sitting US president — failed to impress the locals.
“He comes here, they close all the shops, they don’t let us work,” said Alaa, a 26-year-old Christian who works at a restaurant near Manger Square in front of the church and who was sent home ahead of Bush’s arrival.
Elite Palestinian presidential guards used metal barriers to push small groups of onlookers back up the streets leading to the empty square as helicopters buzzed overhead.
Several dozen youths gathered behind barricades near Manger Square, but every time they tried to cheer, police silenced them.
“Stop making so much noise, show some respect,” one policeman snapped at kids behind the barricade. “There are journalists here.”
Amid the massive security operation, few Bethlehem residents caught a glimpse of the president, widely unpopular among Palestinians because of his perceived overwhelming support of Washington’s close ally Israel.
“They closed everything. What is he so afraid of? World leaders come here all the time,” said Rami, a Christian shopowner.
“I think he is scared because he has so many enemies, because he has slaughtered so many people in Iraq.”
Bethlehem’s own mayor Victor Batarseh was not invited to the ceremony because he is a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), which the US State Department considers a terror organisation.
“I have not been told anything. I was simply asked to have the streets cleaned, which has been done,” the 72-year-old Christian mayor said.
Residents said the security measures were far more draconian than the last time a US president visited — 1998′s trip by Bill Clinton.
“When Clinton came he spent some time with us. He ate here,” said an older woman with a headscarf tucked into a heavy winter coat. “Don’t use my name or they will think I am a terrorist,” she added with a smile.
A couple dozen demonstrators gathered on the outskirts of Bethlehem, waving Palestinian flags, pictures of family members in Israeli jails, and signs saying “Stop Israeli terror” and “Set our prisoners free.”
Bush’s first visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories since taking office is primarily aimed at encouraging revived peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians on a regional tour which will include Arab allies.
But Bush will also be tracing the footsteps of Jesus Christ, whom he once described as his favourite philosopher and whose teachings he says have informed his presidency, including his divisive foreign policies.
On Friday Bush will fly north to the Galilee, where Jesus delivered many of his most famous teachings, including the Sermon on the Mount in which he said “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God”.
Copyright AFP 2007 -
~This is nun too funny, but it did make me laugh~
The poor nuns. I hope they catch these guys.
Holy Smoke! Police Find Cannabis in Nunnery
ATHENS (Reuters) – A Greek Orthodox nunnery was turned into a marijuana
plantation by two men posing as gardeners for elderly nuns, police
said on Tuesday.
Acting on a tip-off, officers raided the nunnery in the village of
Filiro, near the northern port city of Thessaloniki, and found more than 30
large cannabis plants in the enclosed garden.
“Two unknown men had told the two elderly nuns in the nunnery they
would like to help them with the garden and then proceeded to plant the
cannabis,” a police official told Reuters.
“The nuns did not know what they were and assumed they were large
decorative plants,” he said.
Police did not arrest the nuns and have launched a hunt for the
culprits*Thanks Steph, for sending this to me.
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You know you are Orthodox if…
• On Wednesdays and Fridays you eat Japanese food.
• You can suck/vacuum up the crumbs of bread out of your hand without coughing.
• You can sing ison to any song (and you know what an ison is…).
• Lent to you means peanut butter, tofu, soy, lots and lots of pita bread and hummus, and services at least five times a week.
• You’re used to skipping breakfast on Sundays.
• On your first encounter with long words, you pronounce them stressing the ‘next to the next to last’ syllable.
• You wonder why the Pope crosses himself backwards when you see him on TV.
• You wear comfortable shoes to church, because you know you’ll be standing a long, long time.
• You get great deals on Easter eggs.
• You spend time figuring out the best way to remove smoke stains from your ceiling and wax from your walls.
• Before you pray, you say a prayer.
• You don’t flinch when someone throws water at you.
• When you first tell people who ask what religion you are, at first they think you’re Jewish.
• You’re experienced at removing wax from clothing.
• The service routinely starts at least 15 minutes late and lasts 2 ½ hours — and nobody around you complains.
• You consider any service two hours or under short.
• You know you’re in an Orthodox church when the priest says, “Let us complete our prayer to the Lord”, and there’s still half an hour to go.
• Your Easter isn’t Easter without an all-night party (featuring 10 dishes of sausage with cheese).
• Your priest is married.
• You have seen all members of clergy in purple robes.
• You can differentiate between the eight different chanting tones.
• You typically celebrate a feast day by observing strict fasting.
• You address the City as Constantinople instead of Istanbul.
• You can say “Lord have mercy” 40 times without making a mistake.
• You can say “Christ Is Risen”/”Indeed He Is Risen” in a million languages.
• You have tournaments of red-egg-cracking on Pascha… And you usually know who’s being a wise-guy with the wooden one.
• You have multiple priests’ numbers in your mobile phone.
• You actually read the Bible in your spare time.
• You could write a book on the symbolism in an Orthodox wedding… during the wedding… because they are just that long.
and, seen on a bumper sticker: “If you’re Orthodox, honk 40 times!”Feel free to add your own! My favorite is- You know you’re in an Orthodox church when the priest says, “Let us Complete our prayer to the Lord”, and there’s still half and hour to go!”Thank you Anna for sending these to me, I always enjoy them! -
~Biblical humor that will make you smile~
Q. What kind of man was Boaz before he married Ruth?
A. Ruthless.
Q. What do they call pastors in Germany?
A. German Shepherds.
Q. Who was the greatest financier in the Bible?
A. Noah He was floating his stock while everyone else was in liquidation.
Q. Who was the greatest female financier in the Bible?
A. Pharaoh’s daughter. She went down to the bank of the Nile and drew out a little prophet.
Q. What kind of motor vehicles are in the Bible?
A. Jehovah drove Adam and Eve out of the Garden in a Fury. David’s Triumph was heard throughout the land, and also probably a Honda, because the apostles were all in one Accord.
Q. Who was the greatest comedian in the Bible?
A. Samson. He brought the house down.
Q. What excuse did Adam give to his children as to why he no longer lived in Eden?
A. Your mother ate us out of house and home.
Q. Which servant of God was the most flagrant lawbreaker in the Bible?
A. Moses. He broke all 10 commandments at once.
Q. Which area of Palestine was especially wealthy?
A. The area around Jordan. The banks were always overflowing.
Q. Who is the greatest babysitter mentioned in the Bible?
A. David. He rocked Goliath to a very deep sleep.
Q. Which Bible character had no parents?
A. Joshua, son of Nun.
Q. Why didn’t they play cards on the Ark?
A. Because Noah was standing on the deck.
P.S. Did you know it’s a sin for a woman to make coffee?
Yup, it’s in the Bible. It says, “He-brews” -
~John the Baptist~
Synaxis of the Holy Glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John
In the Orthodox Church it is customary, on the day following the Great Feasts of the Lord and the Mother of God, to remember those saints who participated directly in the sacred event. So, on the day following the Theophany of the Lord, the Church honors the one who participated directly in the Baptism of Christ, placing his own hand upon the head of the Savior.
St John, the holy Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, whom the Lord called the greatest of the prophets, concludes the history of the Old Testament and opens the era of the New Testament. The holy Prophet John bore witness to the Only-Begotten Son of God, incarnate in the flesh. St John was accounted worthy to baptize Him in the waters of the Jordan, and he was a witness of the Theophany of the Most Holy Trinity on the day of the Savior’s Baptism.
The holy Prophet John was related to the Lord on His mother’s side, the son of the Priest Zachariah and Righteous Elizabeth. The holy Forerunner, John, was born six months before Christ. The Archangel Gabriel announced his birth in the Temple at Jerusalem, revealing to Zachariah that a son was to be born to him.
Through the prayers offered beforehand, the child was filled with the Holy Spirit. St John prepared himself in the wilds of the desert for his great service by a strict life, by fasting, prayer and sympathy for the fate of God’s people.
At the age of thirty, he came forth preaching repentance. He appeared on the banks of the Jordan, to prepare the people by his preaching to accept the Savior of the world. In church hymnology, St John is called a “bright morning star,” whose gleaming outshone the brilliance of all the other stars, announcing the coming dawn of the day of grace, illumined with the light of the spiritual Sun, our Lord Jesus Christ.Having baptized the sinless Lamb of God, St John soon died a martyr’s death, beheaded by the sword on orders of King Herod at the request of his daughter Salome. (On St John the Baptist, see Mt 3:1-16, 11:1-19, 14:1-12; Mk 1:2-8, 6:14-29; Luke 1:5-25, 39-80, 3:1-20, 7:18-35, 9:7-9; John 1:19-34, 3:22-26). The Transfer of the Right Hand of the holy Forerunner from Antioch to Constantinople (956) and the Miracle of Saint John the Forerunner against the Hagarenes (Moslems) at Chios:
The body of Saint John the Baptist was buried in the Samaritan city of Sebaste. The holy Evangelist Luke,who went preaching Christ in various cities and towns, came to Sebaste, where they gave him the right hand of the holy Prophet John, the very hand with which he had baptized the Savior. The Evangelist Luke took it with him to his native city of Antioch.
When the Moslems seized Antioch centuries later, a deacon named Job brought the holy hand of the Forerunner from Antioch to Chalcedon. From there, on the eve of the Theophany of the Lord, it was transferred to Constantinople (956) and kept thereafter.
In the year 1200, the Russian pilgrim Dobrynya, who later became St Anthony, Archbishop of Novgorod (February 10), saw the right hand of the Forerunner in the imperial palace. From the Lives of the Saints we learn that in the year 1263, during the capture of Constantinople by the Crusaders, the emperor Baldwin gave one bone from the wrist of St John the Baptist to Ottonus de Cichon, who then gave it to a Cistercian abbey in France.
The right hand continued to be kept in Constantinople. And at the end of the fourteenth to the beginning of the fifteenth centuries, the holy relic was seen at Constantinople in the Peribleptos monastery by the Russian pilgrims Stephen of Novgorod, the deacon Ignatius, the cantor Alexander and the deacon Zosimus. When Constantinople fell to the Turks in 1453, sacred objects were gathered up at the the conqueror’s orders and kept under lock in the imperial treasury.
In the Lives of the Saints is clear testimony that in the year 1484 the right hand of the holy Forerunner was given away by the son of the Moslem sultan Bayazet to the knights of Rhodes to gain their good will, since a dangerous rival for Bayazet, his own brother, had allied himself with them. A contemporary participant, the vice-chancellor of Rhodes, Wilhelm Gaorsan Gallo, also speaks of this event. The knights of Rhodes, having established their base on the island of Malta (in the Mediterranean Sea), then transferred the sacred relic they had received to Malta.
When the Russian Tsar Paul I (1796-1801) became Grand Master of the Maltese Order in honor of the holy Prophet John, the right hand of the Baptist, part of the Life-Creating Cross and the Philermian Icon of the Mother of God were transferred in the year 1799 from the island of Malta to Russia [because of the Napoleonic threat], to the chapel at Gatchina (October 12). In the same year these sacred items were transferred into the church dedicated to the Icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands at the Winter Palace. A special service was composed for this Feast.
Besides the Synaxis of the honorable, glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John, the Orthodox Church celebrates his memory on the following days: September 23, his Conception; June 24, his Nativity; August 29, his Beheading; February 24, the First and Second Finding of his Head; May 25, the Third Finding of his Head; October 12, the Transfer of his Right Hand from Malta to Gatchina (1799). -
~Theophany~
The 12th Day of Christmas
Today, January 6th, Orthodox Christians, celebrate the Baptism of Christ in the Jordan and the Revelation of God in and the Revelation of God in Three Persons.
Theophany is the Feast which reveals the Most Holy Trinity to the world through the Baptism of the Lord (Mt.3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22). God the Father spoke from Heaven about the Son, the Son was baptized by the St John the Forerunner, and the Holy Spirit descended upon the Son in the form of a dove. From ancient times this Feast was called the Day of Illumination and the Feast of Lights, since God is Light and has appeared to illumine “those who sat in darkness,” and “in the region of the shadow of death” (Mt.4:16), and to save the fallen race of mankind by grace.
In the ancient Church it was the custom to baptize catechumens at the Vespers of Theophany, so that Baptism also is revealed as the spiritual illumination of mankind.
The origin of the Feast of Theophany goes back to Apostolic times, and it is mentioned in The Apostolic Constitutions (Book V:13). From the second century we have the testimony of St Clement of Alexandria concerning the celebration of the Baptism of the Lord, and the night vigil before this Feast.
There is a third century dialogue about the services for Theophany between the holy martyr Hippolytus and St Gregory the Wonderworker. In the following centuries, from the fourth to ninth century, all the great Fathers of the Church: Gregory the Theologian, John Chrysostom, Ambrose of Milan, John of Damascus, commented on the Feast of Theophany.
The monks Joseph the Studite, Theophanes and Byzantios composed much liturgical music for this Feast, which is sung at Orthodox services even today. St John of Damascus said that the Lord was baptized, not because He Himself had need for cleansing, but “to bury human sin by water,” to fulfill the Law, to reveal the mystery of the Holy Trinity, and finally, to sanctify “the nature of water” and to offer us the form and example of Baptism.
On the Feast of the Baptism of Christ, the Holy Church proclaims our faith in the most sublime mystery, incomprehensible to human intellect, of one God in three Persons. It teaches us to confess and glorify the Holy Trinity, one in Essence and Indivisible. It exposes and overthrows the errors of ancient teachings which attempted to explain the Creator of the world by reason, and in human terms.
The Church shows the necessity of Baptism for believers in Christ, and it inspires us with a sense of deep gratitude for the illumination and purification of our sinful nature. The Church teaches that our salvation and cleansing from sin is possible only by the power of the grace of the Holy Spirit, therefore it is necessary to preserve worthily these gifts of the grace of holy Baptism, keeping clean this priceless garb, for “As many as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ” (Gal 3:27). -
“For as many of you as have been baptised in Christ, have put on Christ” Galatians 3:26-27
The baptisms of Zach, Chris and Justin, the sons of Orthodoxmom took place on December 27, in my home Church of Holy Trinity-St. Nicholas in Cincinnati, Ohio.. Fr. and I are the Godparents of Chris, the middle son. It was a glorious day! If you have a question about any of the pictures, just ask. For more information about baptism in the Greek Orthodox Church click here and here. I hope you enjoy the photos and explanation.
The Baptismal font
The baptismal font in the language of the Church Fathers is the Divine Womb whence we receive the second birth as children of God. Baptism is truly a birth.
“But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God; who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12-13).
When a person is Baptised, they descend into the baptismal font. As the water closes over the head, it is like being buried in a grave. When the newly baptised emerges from the water, it is like rising from the grave. Baptism represents our old, sinful nature dying and then being resurrected again by Christ in a new and cleansed form. As St. Paul says, “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptised into Christ Jesus were baptised into his death. We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father we, too, might walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:3-4).
The newly baptised is chrismated with holy oil, clothed with new white clothes, which have been blessed and a new gold cross which has also been blessed.
New clothes
Following the Sacrament of Chrismation the Priest then invests the newly Baptised child in a new robe or garment, saying,
“Clothed is the servant of God (name) with the garment of righteousness, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen”.
The new clothes signify the entirely new life that we receive after we are “buried with Jesus in His death” (Romans 6:4). Traditionally, the new white garment expresses the purity of the soul that has been washed from sin. It recalls also the shining robe in which Christ appeared at the Transfiguration. There is now a likeness between the one baptised and the transfigured Lord. St. Paul calls it a putting on of Christ,
“For as many of you as have been baptised in Christ, have put on Christ” (Galatians 3:26-27). “Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Anointing with oil
Olive oil is blessed by the Priest and then applied by him to the child’s forehead, breast, back, hands, feet, ears, mouth, in order to dedicate them to the service of Christ. The godparent then covers the entire body of the infant with olive oil in order to express our prayer that with Christ’s help the infant may be able to elude the grip of sin and the evil one.
The exorcism in the Narthex of the Church, the visual of six priests standing before me was amazing!
The exorcism
The first act of the Baptismal service begins in the narthex (entrance) of the church. This is to show that the one being received is not yet a member of the Church. The purpose of Baptism is to bring him into the Church. To enter into the temple of God is to be with Christ, to become a member of His body. The Priest then calls upon the sponsor to renounce the devil and all his works on behalf of the child,
“Do you renounce Satan, and all his angels, and all his works, and all his services. and all his pride?”
The exorcisms announce the forthcoming Baptism as an act of victory. The renouncing of Satan is done facing west because the west is where the sun disappears, and was regarded by the ancient Greeks as the place of the gates of Hades. Then the priest faces east whence the light of the sun rises and asks the godparent to accept for the child Him who is the Light of the World
“Do you unite yourself to Christ!”
The renunciation of Satan and the union with Christ express our faith that the newly-baptised child has been transferred from one master to another, from Satan to Christ, from death to life.
The naked infant
The infant is baptised in its naked state to denote that just as we came out of our mother’s womb naked so we emerge naked out of the womb of God — the baptismal Font. The removal of all clothes also signifies the putting off of the ‘old man’ which will be cast off entirely through Baptism.
The priests recite the prayers of the baptism service as the proud parents and family members look on and join in prayer for the children.
The children peer into the baptismal font and wait patiently as they prepare to be baptised – a day they have been looking forward to for a long time!
The water
is used for cleansing. In Baptism it expresses the fact that through this sacrament Christ cleanses us of all sins. The Priest blesses the Baptismal waters in the Font by calling on the Holy Trinity,
“Do You Yourself, O loving King, be present now also through the descent of Your Holy Spirit and hallow this water”.
Then he makes the sign of the Cross three times over the water saying,
“Let all adverse powers be crushed beneath the signing of Your most precious Cross”.
The Holy Gospels and the Chrism oil with the scissors that will be used to tonsure the children- a symbol of their commitment to Christ.
The Sacrament of Chrismation
In the Orthodox Church the Sacrament of Chrismation (known sometimes as Confirmation) is administered immediately following Baptism as in the early Church. It is considered the fulfilment of Baptism. The Priest anoints the newly baptised infant with the Holy Chrism saying,
“the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit, Amen”.
The whole man is now made the temple of God and the whole body is consecrated to the service of God. According to Orthodox belief every baptised lay person is consecrated by this Sacrament; he receives the gift of the Holy Spirit to become a deputy or an ambassador for Christ in this world.
The cutting of hair (tonsure)
The Priest cuts four locks of hair from the child’s head in the form of a Cross. This is an expression of gratitude from the child, who having received an abundance of blessings through the Sacraments of Baptism and Chrismation and having nothing to give to God in return, offers part of its hair, as a first-offering to God. In the Old Testament, hair is seen as a symbol of strength. The child, therefore, promises to serve God with all its strength.
Chris being baptized, Christopher Basil, by his Godfather- a rare thing indeed!
Immersion into the Baptismal font
In obedience to Christ’s words, the Priest Baptises the child with the words,
“The servant of God (name) is baptised in the name of the Father. Amen. And of the Son, Amen. And of the Holy Spirit, Amen”.
At each invocation the Priest immerses and then raises the infant up again. After the Baptism the Priest places the child in a new linen sheet held by the Godparent.
Christopher Basil, Leslie Justin and Zacharias Michael
Aren’t they CUTE in their little white suits? As we were walking back into the Church, after dressing the boys, Chris says to me, “Nouna, I like my new shoes, can I won (run) in them?” I responded, “Exactly Chris, I wanted you to be comfortable at your party, I am glad you like your new shoes!”
A religious dance
Then the Priest makes, together with the Godparent and the child, a circumambulation around the Font, three times; and for each of the three rounds the chanters sing,
“As many of you as have been baptised into Christ, have put on Christ. Alleluia” (Galatians 3:27).
This reflects the belief that at this moment the angels in heaven are expressing their joy that a new soul is registered in the Book of Life. Tradition states that at this moment God assigns a guardian angel to stay with the newly-baptised person until the end of their earthly life. Following the reading from St Paul’s Epistle to the Romans (6:3-11) and the Reading from the Holy Gospel (Matt. 28:16-20) the Priest says to the child, “You are baptised; you are illuminated; you are anointed with the Holy Myrrh; you are hallowed; you are washed clean, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen”.
The candles
However dark may be the night that surrounds us, Baptism remains the sacrament of entrance into light. It opens the eyes of the soul to see Christ, the light; of the world (John 1:19) It makes us sons of light (1 Thess. 5:5). In the early Church the baptismal candle was always kept by the one baptised and brought to Church for major events in the person’s life.
Even as the final hour of life approached it was lighted again as the soul went forth to meet its Judge. It was a constant reminder for the Christian to live and die by the light of Christ. Thus the candle becomes a symbol of the perseverance of the baptised soul until Christ’s return.
The Godparents of the three boys- two priests, two presvyteras and a graduate of Holy Cross Seminary and the Metropolis of Detroit youth director along with their prayerful parents. These precious children are also the grandchildren of a priest. I would say these children are in very good hands and will be brought up to know and love Christ and His Church!
A very sweet and affectionate Christopher Basil, saying goodbye to us at the end of a great day!
View the slide show to enjoy more photos of the Baptisms and reception,.
