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Answers:
Very
Rev. Ihor Kutash
kutash@unicorne.org
You ought to prepare for your Baptism
by familiarizing yourself with the Orthodox faith. Perhaps you are
already doing so through the community in which you are being baptized -
that surely ought to be the case ideally speaking. If not there are
many books and audio-visual materials available, including a great deal
of material on the internet.
As for the precise form of the Baptism, I hope you will discuss this
with the priest who will celebrate the Baptism as there may be some
special things he will or will not do. The form is that you will be met
at the entrance of the Church with your Sponsor(s) by your side and will
be asked to prounounce renunciations of evil and commitments to Christ.
Then you will be brought to front of the Church where you will be
immersed in water in a large basin (some priests baptize adults by
pouring water over their heads, but I am sure this would not be the case
in a Greek Church - you can see how it is done in the movie "My Big Fat
Greek Wedding"). Just prior to this you will be annointed with oil for
healing. You will have had to remove your shoes and stockings for this.
Afterwards you will put on a white robe and receive a neck cross and a
candle and will again be annointed by special oil called "Holy Chrism"
blessed by a Patriarch as you receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit in
the Mystery which accompanies Holy Baptism - Holy Chrismation.
You will then receive a tonsure - a little hair will be snipped off your
head - and the whole initiation will be culminated by your receiving
Holy Communion either immediately after or at the nearest convenient
Divine Liturgy. In some cases the priest receives the adult candidate
for Baptism for Holy Confession just before the whole thing begins.
This is the basic structure of what is normally done. It is truly best
that you speak to the priest about this prior to your Baptism, however,
as there is not absolute uniformity among the Orthodox in their
practices - in fact what there is may best be described as a "unity in
diversity". Everything may be a little different, but essentially it
will still be the same Holy Mysteries that are administered and you
shall be a communicant in the One Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.
Please see a
summary of articles on
baptism on this web site.
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