Baptism - Chrismation - the Eucharist The Gates of Entry into the Kingdom of God
Baptism. How is it performed?
Baptism is one of the oldest services of the Church, rooted in the cleansing rituals of the Old Testament, and preserved to this day in an essentially unchanged form. Its very name (from the Greek vaptizo) means immersion or submersion.
The Baptismal service is made up of two parts, both of which are absolutely essential:
- Renunciation of the devil (prayers to cast out unclean spirits) and confession of faith in Christ (in the case of infants, through the godparent)
- Immersion (not sprinkling or pouring) in holy water mixed with oil, three times, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit – the Holy Trinity, our God.
