Baptism in the Serbian Orthodox Church — A Guide

Introduction

Baptism is the first and most important Holy Mystery of Orthodox Christianity. Through it a person enters the Church, becomes a full member of the Body of Christ, and receives the spiritual life that opens the door to all the other Holy Mysteries. In the Serbian Orthodox Church, baptism is performed by immersion (triple submersion) in sanctified water, which symbolizes the death of the old, sinful person and the resurrection into a new life in Christ.

The Apostle Paul writes: “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Gal 3:27). This is not merely a ritual act — baptism is a spiritual rebirth that leaves an indelible seal upon the soul.

Who Can Be Baptized

Baptism is open to all — both newborns and adults. In the Orthodox tradition, children are baptized on the basis of the faith of the parents and godparent, who pledge to raise them in the Orthodox spirit.

Children are ideally baptized between the eighth and fortieth day after birth. This period is not dogmatically prescribed, but it is established by tradition. A child baptized before the fortieth day is later brought for the prayer of the fortieth day for the mother (the churching prayer for the new mother), which is read upon entering the church.

Adults who are not baptized go through the catechumenate — a period of preparation that includes learning the basics of the faith, prayer and church life. The priest assesses how long the preparation lasts, but the minimum is several weeks of conversation and instruction.

Preparation for Baptism

Preparation begins with an arrangement with the priest. The parents come to the church, speak with the parish priest, and set a date. The priest will instruct them in everything they need to prepare.

What to prepare:

• Baptismal garment — white, of natural materials. It symbolizes purity and new life. The godparent usually brings it.
• Cross — gold, silver or gold-plated. The godparent buys it and places it around the child’s neck after the baptism.
• Candle — the baptismal candle, decorated, held by the godparent during the rite.
• Towel — white, used to dry the child after the immersion.

The parents and godparent should cleanse themselves of sins through Confession and receive Holy Communion in the days before the baptism. This is not strictly required, but it is spiritually fitting — one should approach a Holy Mystery in a state of spiritual purity.

The Order of the Rite

The rite of baptism consists of several parts that together last between 45 minutes and an hour and a half, depending on the church and the priest.

1. Renunciation of Satan (Exorcism)

Before the baptism the priest reads prayers that drive the demonic powers away from the candidate for baptism. The godparent (for a child) or the one being baptized (if an adult) pronounces the renunciation of Satan: “I renounce Satan, and all his works, and all his angels, and all his service, and all his pride.” This is repeated three times, followed by the affirmation of allegiance to Christ.

2. Sanctification of the Water

The priest sanctifies the water in the baptismal font with a long prayer, breathing the Holy Spirit into the water and making the sign of the cross with oil on the surface of the water. This water becomes the instrument of spiritual rebirth.

3. Anointing with Oil

Before the immersion, the child is anointed with sanctified oil over the whole body — on the forehead, chest, back, hands and feet. This anointing symbolizes reconciliation with God and preparation for entry into the “kingdom” of the spiritual life.

4. Triple Immersion

This is the heart of the rite. The priest takes the child (or the adult enters the font) and immerses it three times in the water, saying: “The servant of God (name) is baptized in the name of the Father — amen, and of the Son — amen, and of the Holy Spirit — amen.” Each immersion is accompanied by the “amen” of the godparent and those present.

5. Vesting and Giving of the Cross

After the baptism, the child is dried with a white towel and clothed in the white baptismal garment. The godparent places the cross around the child’s neck. From that moment, the child is a baptized Christian.

6. Chrismation

Immediately after the baptism, the priest performs Chrismation — anointing with Holy Chrism (specially sanctified oil) on the forehead, eyes, nostrils, mouth, ears, chest, hands and feet. Each anointing is accompanied by the words “The seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Chrismation is the reception of the gift of the Holy Spirit.

7. Procession and Tonsure of the Hair

The godparent or parents hold the child while the priest makes a triple procession around the holy table (in a clockwise direction), singing “As many as have been baptized into Christ…” Then the priest cuts a little hair from four sides of the child’s head, crosswise, and reads a prayer. This is a symbol of offering the child to God.

8. Reading of the Epistle and Gospel

The rite concludes with the reading of the appropriate passages from the Epistle and Gospel, the blessing of the family and godparents, and a brief exhortation by the priest.

The Godfather and Godmother

The godparents are the spiritual parents of the baptized child. Their role is not ceremonial — they take on the responsibility of raising the child in the faith should the natural parents be unable or unwilling to do so.

In the Serbian tradition, the godparent (kum) is usually a man — he holds the child during the rite and pronounces the renunciation of Satan. The godmother (kuma) may be present and assists, but the central role is the godfather’s.

Godparenthood is a sacred bond. The parents and godparents must not be closely related by blood — that would make the godparenthood forbidden. Godparent families are not changed lightly — in the Serbian tradition, godparenthood is inherited, and the same family baptizes the children and crowns the young couple for generations.

The Baptismal Name

At baptism the child receives a baptismal name — the name of a saint who becomes its heavenly protector. In the Serbian tradition, the baptismal name is almost always the saint celebrated on the family slava, or another saint who is special to the family.

The difference between the baptismal name and the family patron saint: the baptismal name is the name we received at baptism (our personal protector), while the slava (krsna slava) is the protector of the family, inherited through the male line. These two things sometimes coincide, but not always.

After the Baptism

After the rite is complete, the family usually holds a modest celebration — the krstine. It is a joyful celebration of the new Christian in the family. The table is set, and the godparent sits in the place of honor.

In some regions of Serbia, the godparent brings or buys gold jewelry for the child (a chain, a bracelet), and the family gives gifts to the godparents as thanks.

The anniversary of baptism — the child’s name day. Each year, on the day of the saint whose name the child bears, the child (and later the adult) celebrates the name day with special solemnity, going to church and attending the Liturgy.

Baptism is the beginning, not the end of the spiritual journey. Parents and godparents are responsible for taking the baptized child to church regularly, teaching the child prayers, and preparing the child for the other Holy Mysteries — Confession, Holy Communion, and, when the time comes, marriage.