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10 - Contemporary Rite of Baptism & Confirmation

Absolution of the Woman
  • Only for an already-Orthodox mother who just gave birth
  • Special Topic: 40 and 80 Days
  • If the one to be baptized is a newborn, the family waits 40 (boy) or 80 Days (girl) to baptize. The Church can baptize any newborn boy or girl at any day without waiting 40 or 80 days. This period is required period before the mother can participate in her child's baptism.
    • Leviticus 12

      • Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘If a woman has conceived, and borne a male child, then she shall be unclean seven days; as in the days of her customary impurity she shall be unclean. And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. She shall then continue in the blood of her purification thirty-three days. She shall not touch any hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary until the days of her purification are fulfilled. ‘But if she bears a female child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her customary impurity, and she shall continue in the blood of her purification sixty-six days. ‘When the days of her purification are fulfilled, whether for a son or a daughter, she shall bring to the priest a lamb of the first year as a burnt offering, and a young pigeon or a turtledove as a sin offering, to the door of the tabernacle of meeting. Then he shall offer it before the Lord, and make atonement for her. And she shall be clean from the flow of her blood. This is the law for her who has borne a male or a female. 'And if she is not able to bring a lamb, then she may bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons—one as a burnt offering and the other as a sin offering. So the priest shall make atonement for her, and she will be clean.’”

    • St Mary fulfilled this commandment (Luke 2:22-24)
      • Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”), and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”
    • The doubling of the period for a female child reminds us of the fact that the woman was the first to be deceived and fall
      • "And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control." (1 Timothy 2:14-15)
    • Why does this Old Testament rule still apply?
Preparation
  • Baptismal font and its symbolism
  • Water, oil, materials used in the rite
  • Role of the priest, parents, godparents/sponsors
  • Preparation of the child and family
Sanctification of the Water
  • Object: Water
  • Materials: Simple Oil, Oil of Gladness, Holy Myron
Renunciation of Satan & Declaration of Faith
  • Object: Baptisee
  • Materials: Sanctified Water, Oils...
Baptism
Holy Myron
  • Brief History of Holy Myron Oil
Crowning
Commandment
Procession
Loosing the Girdle
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