To Our Non -Orthodox Family & Friends,

Greek Orthodox Baptisms have their own rich traditions and rituals. While other Christian Denominations and Orthodox ceremonies share the beautiful core belief in the baptism of a child, there are some distinct practices that may be surprising to those unfamiliar with them.

Feel free to watch the brief videos below that quickly explain the ceremony and showcase the typical Greek Orthodox Baptism.

We have also included a detailed description of the Service below, for anyone interested in learning more about the Holy sacrament.

Explanation of the Ceremony

Video of the Ceremony

The Baptism Service

The Ceremony

The first act of the baptism service begins in the entrance of the church. This is to show that the one being received is not yet a member of the Orthodox Church. The purpose of the baptism is to bring him into the Orthodox Church. The priest calls upon the Godparent to renounce for the child the devil and his works: “Do you renounce Satan and all his works...”, this is done facing the west, the direction of darkness and evil. An adult being baptized, replies to the questions the priest asks together with their Godparent.

The Priest asks:

-Αποτάσση τώ Σατανά, Και πάσι τοίς έργοις αυτόύ, Και πάση τη λατρεία αυτού, Και πάση τοίς άγγελοις αυτού, Και πάση τη πομπή αυτόύ;
-Do you renounce Satan, and all his works, and all his worship, and all his angels, and all his pomp?

Each time the Godparent/Adult to be baptized answers and says:

Αποτάσσομαι
I do renounce him

Again the Priest asks three times:

Απετάξω τω Σατανά;
Have you renounced Satan?

And the Godparent/Adult to be baptised answers:

Απεταξάμην
Ihave renounced him

After the third time, the Priest says:

Και εμφύσησον, και έμπτυσον αυτώ
The blow and spit upon him.

Acceptance of Christ

The priest then faces the east where the sun rises and asks the Godparent(s) to accept for the child, Him who is the light of the world. “Do you unite yourself to Christ ..., do you believe in Him as King and do you worship the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, the Trinity one in essence and undivided?”. “Bow down also before Him”. The Godparent then recites the Creed, confessing faith in God on behalf of the child. “He who believes and is baptised will be saved”. From henceforth it is the Godparent’s duty to instruct the child in the Faith to which he answered on his behalf. The adult being baptised, will answer the questions asked by the priest with their Godparent including the recitation of the Creed. And this being done, the Priest turns the Catechumen to the East with lowered hands, and repeats the following three times:

Συντάσση τω Χριστώ;
Do you join Christ?

The question is answered three times:

Συντάσση
I do join him

Again the Priest asks three times:

Συνετάξω τω Χριστώ;
Have you joined Christ?

The Godparent/Adult to be baptized answers:

Συνεταξάμην.
I have joined him.

Again the Priest asks:

Και πιστεύεις αυτώ;
And do you believe in Him?

The Godparent/Adult to be baptized answers:

Πιστέυω αυτώ ώς Βασιλεί και Φεώ.
I believe in Him as King and God.

The Godparent/Adult to be baptized says the Creed of our Faith

THE NICENE CREED

After the completion of the Creed, the Priest asks three times:

Συνετάξω τω Χριστώ;
ave you joined Christ?

The Godparent/Adult to be baptised answers:

Συνεταξάμην.
I have joined him.

Then the Priest says:

Και προσκύνησον αυτώ.
They bow before Him and worship Him.

The Godparent/Adult to be baptised bows down saying:

Προσκυνώ Πατέρα, Υίον και ̈Αγιον Πνέυμα, Τριάδα ομοούσιον και αχώριστον.
I bow down before the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit; Trinity One in Essence
and Undivided.

Blessing of the Water of New Life

In preparation for the spiritual cleansing and rebirth, which will occur when the child is being baptized, the priest makes the sign of the cross over the water inside the baptismal font and reads special prayers. “The grace of the Spirit of Christ make the water, a water of redemption of sanctification and cleansing of flesh and spirit, a loosening of bonds, of forgiveness of transgressions, of enlightening of souls, of a bath of regeneration, of a renewal of mind, of gifts being adopted, of a garment of immortality and a source of life”.

During the pre-baptismal service a prayer is also addressed to God that He assigns a special guardian angel to be with the newly baptized. “Attach to his life a radiant angel who will protect him from every plot of the adversary...”

Holy Baptism - Triple Immersion in Water

The child has their clothes removed; it was the clothes that covered Adam and Eve’s original sin. Then the priest and Godparent rub the child with sacred oil so that he, like a wrestler, may slip through the evil one’s grip (fight the powers of evil in the world with Christ’s help).

Finally the person is baptized three times in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The immersion in water symbolizes death to sin or burial with Christ in His Tomb. The lifting out of the water symbolizes the Resurrection with Christ. Here the person encounters Christ and is “grafted” onto the risen Lord to become an adopted son of God.

The Gift of the Holy Spirit - Anointing With Oil

Like the ancient soldiers who were anointed to protect them in battle, the person now a soldier in the army of Christ is anointed with special oil. This oil is prepared on Holy Thursday, every Easter by the Patriarch and other Bishops of the Orthodox Church around the world in Constantinople (now known as Istanbul in Turkey). The oil is then applied to various parts of the child’s body to dedicate them to the service of Christ.

Anointing Explanation

Nostrils For sweet fragrance.

Ears To hear the words of faith.

Mouth My mouth shall speak wisdom.

Chest For healing of soul and body.

Hands Your right hand, O Lord, is glorified in strength. Your hands have made me and

fashioned me, O Lord.

Knees To walk in your footsteps, O Lord.

Feet To step over serpents and scorpions and all the power of the enemy.

Back Whosoever wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself and carry his cross

and follow Me.

The Gift

Finally, the priest cuts a few pieces of hair in the form of a cross from the head of the person. This is an expression of gratitude from the person, who having received an abundance of blessings through the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation and having nothing to give to God in return, offers part of their hair, which is symbolic of strength and dedication. Therefore, they promise to serve to God with all their strength and dedication, all that they have to offer to God.

Putting on the New Clothes

The newly baptized receives white clothes to remind us that he has put on Christ (grafted onto Christ). It is up to the person to live the life of Christ, clean and pure. The baptized also receives a cross. In Christ’s words “Take up your cross and follow Me”. This brands him as belonging to Christ. The priest makes the sign of the cross over the person’s body many times during the service. Essentially, the cross is the sign of victory, which put the devil to flight.

The Procession to the Kingdom

The newly baptized is lead in procession, three times around the baptismal font into the kingdom of God, to remind us that there is no end to our life with God. The priest censes the baptized person, and, if they are a child, the Godparent carries them and the baptismal candle (a constant reminder for the Christian to live and die in the light of Christ).

Holy Communion

The new life in Christ, given in baptism, is renewed again and again in the Eucharist (Holy Communion). Now as a new member of the Body of Christ, the Orthodox Church, the person has the first Holy Communion. Once the service has ended, the Mother of the newly Baptized child, will kiss the hand of the Godparent as a sign of respect and humility, equal of the guardianship of the newly Baptized.