The sacrament of “Baptism and Chrism” in Greece

Written by Anna Ts.

Paintings were made by Anna, too

Not only the parents but all the family get prepared with a lot of joy for the coming of the new-born child. When the baby is 40 days old, his/her mother takes it to church. This is held in remembrance of Candlemas when Virgin Mary presented the 40-day-old Jesus to the temple where priest Simeon received them.

Baptism is the day of name giving. The name of the child is usually the name of one of the child’s grandparents. He/She can also be given the name that the godmother/godfather likes.

Children are usually baptized till they become one year old at church, in the font. The godparent receives the baby at the entrance of the church. They keep the baby in their hug. The godparent with the child stand near the door and the priest reads some wishes. 

Afterwards, the godparent recites “the symbol of our faith”, as the baptized kid can’t say it by himself/herself, and they take the responsibility to help the child to be a good Christian. Soon afterwards, they all stand in the middle of the church, round the font. The priest lifts the child up three times, he immerses the baby into the holy water of the font. Then he places the baby in the godparent’s arms on a white sheet.

Every movement has its meaning. Baptism is a sacrament of our church. The priest blesses the water – that is, he says a few wishes forming the sign of the cross three times. He also blesses the oil. He anoints the naked baby with oil on the forehead, chest, hands and feet. Then he passes the oil to the godparent and he/she anoints the baby too. Then the priest anoints the baby with chrism. He seals – does the sign of cross –the forehead, chest, hands, feet with chrism.

Afterwards, he cuts some hair with a pair of scissors and he throws it into water to show that the baby abandons everything from his/her old self. An older child is holding a lit candle which symbolizes the joy and the light that a Christian gets with Baptism.

The godmother/godfather places a gold cross round the neck of her/his godchild. The priest, moving round the font, chants loudly: “You, who were baptized in the name of Christ, were dressed with His Grace”. The baby in his/her godparent’s arms follows the priest as well as the child who holds the candle.

It’s both a blessing and an honor to become a godmother/godfather.

A young lady, known to the family, pins small crosses on the guests’ lapel. In the end, the baby’s mother kisses the godparent’s hand and kneels down three times to have the newly baptized baby in her arms. The baptized child starts a new life. He/She is cleaned from the original sin.

Relatives and friends are offered sugared almonds in special wrapping and a sweet. The newly baptized will have his/her godmother/godfather as a second mother/father. She/He will be the child’s spiritual mother/father and a supporter.