This question is asked by many parents who are baptizing their first child. The child is still so small that it is difficult to find something comfortable and, at the same time, warm, something that can be easily taken off the baby and put back on.
What to consider when choosing clothes
During the sacrament, the priest will cut a small tuft of the baby's hair; you need to be able to quickly remove the cap.
If baptism is performed with complete immersion, then you will need to remove all the baby’s clothes, and then, having received him in a baptismal towel, quickly dress him.
After baptism, chrismation will be performed on the baby: the priest will anoint the baby’s hands, legs, chest, forehead, nose, ears, eyes with chrism, so you shouldn’t wrap yourself up too much after baptism: it’s not all over yet. After anointing and prayer, the myrrh is washed off with a special sponge: after this you can cover the baby.
What clothes are suitable for baptism?
For a baby's baptism, loose clothing that does not require much time to put on is suitable: a vest with laces, a hat or cap with ties, pants without galoshes. The onesies with buttons that have become familiar to parents are not suitable: they take a lot of time to fasten and unfasten, and it is very difficult to fasten the buttons when the baby is crying. To keep your baby warm, you can wrap him in a diaper or blanket.
Today you can choose special clothes for the baptism of a baby - a set for the baptism of a boy or a girl. In the store on the website, the baptismal set for a boy consists of a vest or long dress, a diaper, a cap, booties and sometimes panties. The christening set for a girl includes a dress, booties, a cap or headband and a diaper. All the clothes in the sets are very beautiful and comfortable, easy to put on and take off, made with love from natural materials.
When to dress your baby in christening clothes
It is best to dress the child in a baptismal set at home; on top you can put on a blouse, overalls, and, if necessary, a warm hat. In the temple you can leave only the baptismal kit and diaper and wrap the baby in a blanket. As a last resort, if it is very cold in the church, you can dress the child warmly, undress him only for baptism, after immersion, change him into a baptismal shirt or dress until confirmation, and wrap him in a blanket. After washing away the world, you can again “warm yourself up.”
At the sacrament of baptism, the priest will tell you what he will do, make the necessary explanations and wait while you dress or undress the baby, so don’t worry if you don’t know something.
Clothing for baptism: what is it for?
Christenings are considered one of the most important moments in the life of any person.
At christenings, a white shirt is usually worn, symbolizing the purity and innocence of thoughts before God. Before the start of the sacrament, old clothes are removed as a symbol of sin, and a new clean person comes out of the water and puts on a clean shirt, like a new soul received from God.
Anavolius, this is exactly what the baptismal shirt sounds like in Greek, has a straight, loose cut and is decorated with very symbolic embroidery.
Model overview
For adults
Women's baptismal shirt
Traditionally, it has a loose fit, maximum length and is sewn from white fabric. The cut of the shirt includes sewn or one-piece sleeves and maximum coverage of the chest and shoulders. Women's anavolia are decorated with embroidery in the spirit of Christianity and thin lace.
A christening shirt is also necessary for men,
since in it the immersion into the font takes place and the Sacrament of Baptism is performed. Men's models may be shorter than women's. Usually their length reaches the knee. In addition, men's models are more laconic than women's, less often decorated with lace inserts and resemble the clothes of a priest. A cross is traditionally embroidered on the back and chest of the shirt.
For teenagers
Teenage models are not much different from adults. They are usually smaller and shorter than adults.
Models for girls are more delicate, sometimes the style resembles a dress. Boys' shirts have a more formal design. Universal shirts for boys and girls are also made; they usually have a simple cut, embroidery and modest lace decoration.
For newborns
The baptismal shirt is the first thing the baby is dressed in after the ceremony. Incredibly beautiful and delicate clothes are made for little princes and princesses. They are usually decorated with a lot of lace and embroidery.
A christening outfit for newborns is a whole set of clothes, consisting of a shirt, a cap (for girls) and booties.
Important points
In essence, filming a baptism is a reportage that is designed to capture the chronicle of events. To know exactly what will happen in the church, it is better for the photographer to prepare in advance. This way you will understand what to expect and in which direction to point the camera so as not to miss important moments of the ceremony.
When we talk about baptism, the story of immersing a baby in the baptismal font comes to mind. But this moment is not the only important one in the ritual. Everything needs to be recorded: the renunciation of Satan, the procedure of anointing with oil, putting the cross and white robes on the baby, anointing, walking around the baptismal font, washing off, and tonsure. It is known that during the sacrament, girls are brought to the royal doors, and boys are brought to the altar. It’s important to capture all this as clearly and beautifully as possible. It’s better if you find a favorable angle for each episode in advance and do several takes. Try to work delicately - the click of the camera shutter is very audible in the silence of the temple. He can prevent the priest from reading the prayer, and therefore you need to carefully choose the moment.
Types of baptism
Children are often baptized in groups, but it works better when baptisms are performed individually. Then, with a guarantee, there will be no “extra” people in the frame: other people’s children, guests, godparents, and the priest involuntarily “gets involved” in the shooting process, allowing the photographer to catch a good moment and even slightly improving it for the camera. If you still have to work with a group, you need to try to complete your task well. Be ready to quickly change the shooting point, keep “friends” and “strangers” in your field of vision at the same time.
However, benefits can be derived from such a situation. In a group baptism, all actions on children are performed one by one, so you can prepare. Using the example of another baby, understand what exactly will happen now and how best to film it. It is usually not very bright in a church - take a couple of test shots to determine the appropriate camera settings for the situation. Some priests do everything quickly, without slowing down for a second. Some carry out the ceremony in a measured manner - if “your” baby is not the first in the group, you can prepare to avoid surprises.
If you have to deal with a group baptism, then you don’t have to worry about the background.
Other couples and babies will create the right atmosphere in each frame. All babies behave differently at baptism. Filming one smiling while another is crying or sleeping can be very funny and touching.
A preliminary conversation with the baby’s godparents and parents will allow you to involve them in the filming process: agree with them on joint actions. Let them turn the baby towards the camera from time to time and gently but actively participate in the filming.
As practice shows, children, especially small ones, often cry during baptism. Usually, if the situation is not critical, the priest will not even interrupt the ceremony. But sometimes, in order to calm the child, you even have to involve the mother. Usually such moments come out very touchingly in the photo. But tell the adults not to grimace, but just smile at the baby. This is both more effective and prettier on camera.
Try to set the adults up correctly. The sacrament of baptism is a serious but joyful event. The more joyful, sincere smiles in the pictures, the more beautiful and positive the photographs will come out. After all, baptism is a celebration of a person’s second birth!
How to choose and what it should be
When choosing a baptismal shirt, you need to think, first of all, about comfort.
The design of a shirt or dress should not restrict movement; it should be spacious and light. This is especially true for children's clothing.
An uncomfortable christening shirt can cause your baby or toddler to become cranky and in a bad mood. Shirts for newborns should be lined or have perfectly finished seams or outside seams.
The material from which the shirt is made should be pleasant to the body. Anavolia made from natural fabrics that do not irritate the skin and are well breathable are preferred. For sewing baptismal shirts, cotton, linen, viscose, and silk are used, which undergo a special softening treatment. All these fabrics are environmentally friendly and harmless to the health of adults and children.
Previously, decorating baptismal shirts was highly welcomed. Luxurious embroidery and luxurious lace adorning the hem of a long shirt meant a long and rich life. Over time, shirts became shorter and jewelry became more modest.
Nowadays christening shirts are decorated in a cute and tasteful way. Lace and satin ribbons are used as decoration.
Varieties
Despite the general features, lines and rules for sewing baptismal shirts, their range is quite wide and has many design features and design differences.
Hooded
This model is mainly used when sewing anavolia for children. These hooded shirts are not only beautiful, but also very comfortable. They are very quickly put on the body, and the hood goes over the head. This point is especially important when baptizing boys, for whom it is not customary to wear caps after the ceremony.
With a cross
The cross symbolizes the suffering of the Savior and his victory over death. The cross is made using various embroidery techniques, mainly with gold, silver or white threads.
The technique of applying a cross from Swarovski crystals is also known. As a rule, the cross is located in the center of the shirt on the front and/or back.
With smell
The christening shirt with a wrap has a special cut - its edges overlap each other. The halves are tied together with braid or ribbon. The cut lines of such a shirt are usually straight. The wrap style allows you to adjust the width of the shirt and usually fits several sizes.
What you need to know about the ritual
Baptism is an important event in the life of a newly born child. At such a moment he joins the Church and becomes a Christian. The sacrament of baptism cleanses a person from original sin and allows God's grace to descend.
Age
According to church rules, a child is baptized on the 40th day after birth. At this age, the baby has not yet lost the intrauterine instinct to hold his breath in water and tolerates being immersed headlong in the baptismal font well. If it was not possible to baptize the child on the 40th day, you can perform the sacrament later.
The sooner a person is baptized, the sooner he comes under the protection of God. If a child was born weak and his life hangs by a thread, he can be baptized any day. To do this, you need to invite the priest to the hospital. True, instead of immersing the baby in water, they will simply sprinkle it with holy water.
How to choose a temple
If the parents are believers, they can baptize the child in the church where they attend services. When father and mother go to church only on holidays, they can go to the nearest parish and ask the priest to perform baptism. If for some reason parents do not like the clergyman, they can turn to any other temple. The main thing is that the church belongs to the Orthodox denomination.
When not to baptize
A child can be baptized on any day and in any month. True, each temple has its own rules. Before setting the day for christening, you need to go to the church and talk to the priest.
Price
According to church canons, the sacrament of baptism should be performed free of charge. However, this rule only applies if parents or godparents are experiencing financial difficulties and cannot pay for the ceremony. Each temple has its own price list, according to which payment is made for the services of the clergy. Typically a baptism costs $15-$50 (equivalent).
Conversation with the priest
Before the christening, parents and godparents need to talk with the priest. The conversation will help strengthen your faith. There is no need to prepare in any special way for a meeting with a clergyman.
The main thing is to simply attend the conversation.
Choice of godparents
According to established traditions, a child must have a godfather and a godmother. These people should not be spouses. Godparents are chosen from among friends or relatives. It is desirable that these are believers who observe all church rules and constantly attend church services.
Godparents can be a brother and sister, a grandmother or a grandfather. Foreigners, people of other faiths, parents themselves, a married couple, immoral, inadequate individuals will not be able to become a named father and mother.
Godparents are a kind of guarantors for raising a child. They must raise him as a Christian, teach him prayers, take him to first communion. Godparents must take care of the moral education of the godson, help him along the path of life, give instructions and advice.
What to do with her next
Orthodox tradition requires further storage of the baptismal shirt. It is believed that a shirt that retains traces of the world on itself has a beneficial effect during illness and illness.
Brand overview
My pea
When sewing baptismal shirts, My Pea, as for its other products, uses only natural fabrics and, basically, the brand gives preference to 100% cotton fabrics. The seams of the baptismal shirts are very carefully processed and will not damage the baby’s delicate skin.
Seraphim and Seraphim
The brand produces baptismal shirts for true connoisseurs of tradition, style and beauty.
The production uses high-quality natural fabrics and rich Italian lace. Satin ribbons are used as additional decoration.
The collection includes models with a hidden zipper at the back, which allows you to quickly put on and take off the shirt.
Tron plus
The brand offers baptismal shirts of various cuts for newborns.
All products are made from 100% cotton and decorated with satin ribbons: white, pink or blue. The cut of the shirts is spacious and does not restrict the movements of children. The fabric is soft and pleasant to the touch, giving the child only a comfortable feeling.
My angel
Almost all models have elements of the old Russian style and are made of natural fabric - percale, which is the thinnest and thickest cotton fabric. The fabric is made from long-staple cotton fibers, which makes it strong, dense, but smooth and soft. The design of shirts often uses embroidery with gold and silver threads and Swarovski crystals.
Baptism is a Sacrament of the Orthodox Church, through which a person becomes a member of the Church of Christ and an heir to eternal life, this is the spiritual birth of a Christian. The Savior said: “Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3-5). Therefore, the sooner a person is granted this Holy Sacrament, the better.
During Baptism, a new Christian is dressed in light clothes
.
Most often, children are dressed in a white shirt
, and adults in a special
shirt or shirt
.
Clothes for Christening
symbolizes the purity and holiness of the new Christian, since in the Sacrament of Baptism all a person’s sins are washed away and grace is imparted to carry out the feat of Christian pious life.
In the Holy Scriptures and Holy Tradition there are many images associated with Her, they call it the royal robe, the shining robe, the robe of truth and incorruption: “Give me a bright robe, clothe yourself with light like a robe, O most merciful Christ our God” (Grant to my soul a bright robe, O most merciful Christ Our God."
After Baptism, clothes in which (or an adult) and other baptismal accessories ( diapers, towels, kryzhmas
) must be rinsed in clean water and poured this water into a place where no one walks.
Priests usually ask for this after the Sacrament, because immediately after Baptism the Sacrament of Confirmation is performed. Drops of St. world one way or another end up on clothes and baptismal accessories
. To prevent this shrine from being desecrated, it is better to fulfill the priest’s request.
The pectoral cross worn by the priest during Baptism should be worn at all times. For the little ones, a chain with a cross
can be temporarily replaced with a soft lace or ribbon to prevent injury to the baby’s delicate skin. Wearing a cross means that a person is a Christian and realizes that the Savior, at the cost of His blood, redeemed us from slavery to sin and called us to eternal blissful life.
Some parents mistakenly believe that a child can play around with a cross and cause harm to himself. In fact, even if the cross was not removed in early infancy, he gets used to it and does not play around with it.
In the near future after Baptism, the newly baptized person should take part in the Sacrament of Holy Communion, where, under the guise of bread and wine, the Body and Blood of the Savior is taught, the person becomes a partaker of the Divine nature. Previously, Baptism was performed during the Liturgy. The newly baptized, dressed in light clothes, received communion for the first time along with the entire community.
There is a pious tradition of keeping the clothes that were worn by the newly baptized
, so that they serve as a reminder of the responsibility that a person and his successors took upon themselves during the performance of the Sacrament. They also reminded us of the grace and holiness to which every Christian is called.
If an adult received Baptism, then he was subsequently buried in
It is probably difficult today to find a person who does not know about the tragedy of the first years and centuries of Christianity, and about the reasons why in those ancient times our churches were built in caves and deep underground - in catacombs.
Persecution by the authorities turned into unimaginably cruel torture and terrible death for Christians, hence the secret places for holding religious services and ceremonies, the first of which is baptism.
The cold of the underground is a constant companion of the first centuries of Christianity. Centuries, when its difficult history was written and the first traditions and rituals took shape, and above all, the rite of baptism, which was initially considered a new and main birth of a person - spiritual.
How responsibly our distant ancestors approached it is evidenced by the fact that in the first years of Christianity only adults were baptized, after making sure that the person was going to all possible trials and torments consciously. The rite of infant baptism appeared only towards the end of the 1st - beginning of the 2nd centuries AD.
By this time, it was already taking place according to the firm rules that had developed in previous decades. The history of the baptismal shirt began at the same time - as a mandatory attribute of the ceremony. For adults, it was necessary for two reasons: to hide the nakedness of the person being baptized even from the gaze of the clergy, and as protection from the cold of the catacombs. The baptismal shirt came into the rite of infant baptism as a tradition. In those distant times, in connection with possible difficult trials that could at any moment befall a Christian, mostly men were baptized, therefore it is the baptismal shirt for boys that is considered, so to speak, the “classical” attribute of baptism, in Greek it sounds like “anavolium” and means outerwear.
what to wear for mom's christening
Baptism: “instructions” for godparents. Prayers of godparents for their godchildren When should a child be baptized? According to church rites, a child is baptized on the 8th or 40th day of birth. On the 8th day, according to the customs of the Old Testament, the child was given a name. And on the 40th day, because by this time a woman’s postpartum discharge usually stops and she is allowed to enter the church. In real life, parents themselves choose when to baptize their baby. The advice of experienced mothers says that it is better to baptize a child in the first months of life, when he still cannot appreciate what is happening and cannot be afraid of unfamiliar surroundings and church ministers. At 2-3 years old, it will be difficult for you to keep the child’s and his attention in one place. How to choose godparents? Godparents are entrusted with the responsible mission of spiritual education of the godson. Therefore, godparents must be of the same faith into which the child is baptized, and it is important to choose believers who are close to the parents and people whom the child would like to be like and whom he would like to imitate as godparents. In fact, one person can be a godfather. For girls, this is the godmother, and for boys, this is the godfather. This has been the case since ancient times. But over time, drawing an analogy with an incomplete family (when there is only a mother or only a father), there were two godparents. Who does the Church not bless to be godparents? Godparents cannot be non-Orthodox people, minors, monks and nuns, husband and wife of the same child, as well as persons of low morality. It doesn’t matter which side the godparents are on; they may not be relatives. The main thing is that the baby knows these people, because during the ceremony it will be his godparents who will hold him in their arms. Godparents cannot be husband and wife, and also cannot become one in the future, since the spiritual ties with which the church binds them at the moment of baptism are higher, i.e. godparents are prohibited from having intimate relations with each other. Responsibilities of godparents When we intend to become godparents, we most often do not know what responsibility we are taking on and what responsibilities the Church entrusts to us. Often, after baptizing a child, we see him once a year, on his birthday. And we don’t even understand that for a baptized person, what is much more important is not his birthday, but his name day. But visiting a godson and giving gifts on an angel’s or birthday’s day is, of course, good. However, this is far from the most important thing. Caring for a growing godson involves a lot. First of all, this is a prayer for him. Learn to turn to God once a day - before going to bed. It's actually not difficult at all. Ask the Lord for health, salvation, help in raising your own children, the well-being of godchildren and relatives. It will be useful to master the path to the temple together with your child and take him to communion on a church holiday. The godfather promises God that he will bring his godson to Him. He will answer about what the godfather did for this at the Last Judgment. If parents are responsible for raising a child in general, then godparents take care of his spiritual component. Helping parents carry or take their child to church and give him communion, and instruct him in matters of faith are the duties of godparents. Now about the “earthly” So, when you are behind the comprehension of the moral aspect of this event and the process of realizing whether you are ready to play the role of a spiritual parent, a number of “earthly” questions arise before you and some of the most important ones are what to wear for a christening and what clothes to buy for your godson (goddaughter)? And the point is not at all that you, being a woman, want to be at your best everywhere and look your best, but that you understand where you are going and what event you are going to and you want to look appropriate and not provocative in church. I was present at four christenings, I saw everything... And believe me, I was even ashamed of those women who reacted irresponsibly to this event. Here are some important points for going to church, dear future godparents! First, be sure to wear a cross (in order to baptize someone, you yourself must be baptized). Cover your head with a scarf or scarf (not important), choose a scarf from a fabric so that it does not slip through your hair, or tie it very well - during baptism, most of the time it is the godmother who holds the child in her arms and it is very inconvenient to constantly adjust the headdress. Secondly, no one is against makeup, but it’s better not to paint your lips - you’ll still have to wipe them off. The thing is that during the process of baptizing a child, you need to kiss the cross and it is absolutely unacceptable for a woman to wear lipstick. Third, wear a skirt or dress that reaches at least your knees. The top should cover the chest well and preferably the shoulders. You should buy new, light-colored clothes for the child you will baptize. It is best if the color is white. A simple dress is suitable for a girl. It is convenient when the arms and legs are bare in the outfit, since Father will lubricate them. Although if the baby is very small, most likely you will be asked to undress him “down to diapers” and wrap him up (a spacious white towel or diaper). The godmother also buys Kryzhma. There was a time when the role of the kryzhma was played by the shirt in which the father of the child was crowned (in the time of our great-grandfathers and great-grandmothers). Maintaining these subtleties in clothing is not so difficult, is it? We wish you and your godchildren that your baptism day will become one of your most important holidays and that you will remember it for the rest of your life! Prayer to the Lord for children and godchildren God, our merciful and heavenly Father! Have mercy on our children (names) and godchildren (names), for whom we humbly pray to You and whom we entrust to Your care and protection. Put strong faith in them, teach them to revere You and deign them to deeply love You, our Creator and Savior. Guide them, God, on the path of truth and goodness, so that they do everything for the glory of Your name. Teach them to live piously and virtuously, to be good Christians and useful people. Give them mental and physical health and success in their work. Deliver them from the cunning machinations of the devil, from numerous temptations, from evil passions and from all wicked and disorderly people. For the sake of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, through the prayers of His Most Pure Mother and all the saints, lead them to the quiet haven of Your eternal Kingdom, so that they, along with all the righteous, will always thank You with Your only begotten Son and Your life-giving Spirit. Amen. Prayer for children and godchildren, Father John (Krestyankin) Sweetest Jesus! God of my heart! You gave me children according to the flesh, they are Yours according to your soul. You redeemed both my soul and theirs with Your priceless Blood. For the sake of Your Divine Blood, I beg You, my sweetest Savior, with Your grace touch the hearts of my children (names) and my godchildren (names), protect them with Your Divine fear, keep them from bad inclinations and habits, direct them to the bright path of life, truth and of good. Decorate their lives with everything good and saving, arrange their fate as You yourself want and save their souls with their own destinies! Lord, God of our fathers! Give to my children (names) and godchildren (names) a right heart to keep Your commandments, Your revelations and Your statutes. And do it all! Amen. CLUB OF PARENTS Prayer to the Lord God, compiled by the Venerable Ambrose of Optina: Lord, You are the only one who knows everything, who can do everything, and who wants to save everyone and come to the mind of Truth. Enlighten my children (names) with the knowledge of Thy truth and Thy Holy will, strengthen them to walk according to Thy commandments and have mercy on me, a sinner. Amen. Merciful Lord, Jesus Christ, I entrust to You my children whom You have given to me, fulfill my prayer. I ask You, Lord, save them in the ways that You Yourself know. Save them from vices, evil, pride, and let nothing that is contrary to You touch their souls. But grant them faith, love and hope for salvation, and may their life path be holy and blameless before God. Bless them, Lord, may they strive every minute of their lives to fulfill Your Holy will, so that You, Lord, may always abide with them by Your Holy Spirit. Lord, teach them to pray to You, so that prayer may be their support, joy in sorrow and consolation of their life, and so that we, their parents, may be saved by their prayer. May Your angels always protect them. May my children be sensitive to the grief of their neighbors, and may they fulfill Your commandment of love. And if they sin, then grant them, Lord, to bring repentance to You, and You, in Your ineffable mercy, forgive them. When their earthly life ends, then take them to Your Heavenly Abodes, where let them lead with them other Your chosen servants. Through the prayers of Your Most Pure Mother, Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary and Your saints (all holy families are listed), Lord, have mercy on us, as You are glorified with Your Beginningless Son and with Your Most Holy and Good and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
What should a baptismal shirt be like?
By tradition, this is a straight white shirt, always below the knees, but not “to the floor”, certainly new and, of course, made of natural fabric. Its whiteness is a symbol of the spiritual purity of the newly baptized.
Royal christening shirts
From these oldest attributes of baptism, we have come down to the baptismal shirt of the daughter of Henry VIII - Elizabeth I, baptized in 1533. The shirt is long, quite simple and loose in style. But already in 1841, Queen Victoria's first-born was baptized in an elegant silk shirt decorated with pearls and guipure: to this day, all crown princes and princesses of England are baptized in it.
It was from this moment that the tradition of decorating baptismal shirts developed - although they were made easier for boys than for girls. For the fairer sex, they are decorated more richly, often lush and multi-layered.
The difference between the Orthodox baptismal attire and the Catholic one
In the West, to this day, baptismal shirts for both sexes are sewn as elegantly and magnificently as possible. This does not interfere with the ritual, primarily because in the most widespread confession of the Western world, Catholicism, it differs from the Orthodox: very rarely, individual clergy immerse the baby in the font three times. Everywhere this moment is replaced either by wetting the head for boys, or by simply sprinkling the baby with holy water. There is no anointing in the ritual, which is replaced by anointing only the baby’s face with oil, and there is no communion. Until now, in almost all Western faiths, infants are baptized infrequently; as a rule, this occurs at the age of 7-12 years and the ceremony is supplemented by a lit candle, which is given to the child. In other words, the original ancient rite of baptism has been shortened and, in fact, modified almost beyond recognition.
The tradition of baptismal clothes for boys and girls
The rite of baptism among the Orthodox is completely different, as close as possible to the ancient one. Our tradition strictly separates baptismal shirts for boys and baptismal dresses for girls. Although for both of them, the sleeves and the shirt itself should not be too long to allow the priest to perform chrismation. In addition, while boys' heads must be open during baptism, for girls a mandatory addition to the baptismal dress is a cap or scarf.
How to sew a baptismal shirt
For male babies, the cut of the shirt itself and its length - just below the knees - in Rus' are as close as possible to the robe in which ancient Christian babies were baptized. The shirt should be loose, with sleeves no higher than the elbow; it can be either an open shirt with soft ties on the back, or one that can be pulled over the head. As long as it is comfortable for the baby. If fasteners are used instead of ties, the product is lined so as not to scratch the delicate skin of the newborn. A christening shirt for girls is usually made a little longer, often with a yoke, and if it has fasteners, they try to make them not only beautiful, but also on the front; the yoke itself is always lined.
If we are talking about the first-born in the family, the shirt must certainly be new, and the fabric from which it is made must be natural. In Christian families, the baptismal shirt of the eldest child is traditionally kept and then the younger children are baptized in it. However, it can only be washed before the next baptism.
Embroidery on a boy's christening shirt
Of course, in Rus', for a long time, baptismal clothes for babies were decorated: shirts for boys were decorated with national ornaments, hand-embroidered, and Christian symbols. The most important of them is, of course, the Orthodox cross, also embroidered, symbolizing the Lord Himself, his torment and the devotion of the baptized to Christ. In rich families, pearls and other precious stones were added to jewelry, and sewing was done with gold or silver threads. At the request of the parents, lace is also added; soft ribbons were used as ties to match the embroidery, which often also included a floral ornament with the obligatory roses: a rose is also a symbol, a symbol of the Blessed Virgin Mary. A very exquisite baptismal shirt of Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin, sewn from natural silk and richly decorated, has survived to this day. It is kept in the museum named after him.
Baptismal shirt decorations for girls
Of course, christening shirts for girls were decorated more lavishly and were certainly trimmed with lace, ribbons and rhinestones: if the family was poor - with simple stones, if wealthy - with pearls and other precious and semi-precious stones. The obligatory symbol - just like for boys - was an Orthodox cross, and in embroidery - a rose. In this form, the tradition of baptismal shirts for babies has survived to this day.
Being a symbol of the purity and sinlessness of the baby, the baptismal shirt is put on him after the font, as soon as the godmother or godfather takes the newborn from it into the kryzhma.
The healing power of baptismal attire
In Orthodox families, following ancient tradition, baptismal shirts must be kept. Moreover, separately from the rest of the linen, in a special bag or handbag, which are included in the complete baptismal set. You can put it in a box or decorative box. It is believed that if a baby gets sick, for a speedy and complete recovery he needs to be dressed in a baptismal shirt and, in addition to a diaper, covered with a kryzhma.
There is much evidence that the baptismal shirt has healing powers: even adult Christian believers often apply it to a sore spot to relieve painful sensations. This is how our distant ancestors did it - this is how it is done today.
Lyudmila Danilova
The best gift options from parents to godparents
Usually, at the sacrament of Baptism, gifts are given to the baby, but it would not be amiss to please the godparents, who from that moment become new members of the family and are responsible for the child before God. It is not necessary to purchase something very expensive; even a modest gift appropriate for the occasion will please a couple of godparents and will remind them of this day in the future.
The choice also depends on the gender of the person who is going to become the second parent for the baptized person. What is suitable for a woman will look inappropriate as a gift for a man.
Icon
An image of the face of saints or the Lord is given to both men and women; such a gift would be especially appropriate if they are devout and often attend church. A universal icon as a gift to a godparent will be an image of the face of a saint who patronizes a person, that is, a personalized one. If a married couple takes part in the sacrament, then you can purchase for them the image of Matrona of Moscow or Xenia of St. Petersburg, who are considered the protectors of the family hearth.
An icon of Jesus Christ would also be a good gift for a man, and an image of the Virgin Mary for a woman. However, before purchasing a gift, you need to ask what icons are already hanging in the house of the future godparents, so as not to buy the same thing.
Prayer book
This gift is also equally suitable for both men and women. An original idea would be a cover for a prayer book with the initials of the godparents and an image of the patron saint. Such a gift can be ordered in a workshop, or you can make it yourself using embroidery.
Bible
A gift-bound Bible will be an unforgettable gift for the sacrament of Baptism for recipients. The embossed cover for the Holy Letter also looks original.
Napkins with embroidery
A set of embroidered napkins is more suitable as a gift for the godmother, but if this is a married couple, it will also be a good solution. You can embroider the initials of your recipients, lines from the Bible or short prayers on them. Since this is a woman’s job, and the mother of the person being baptized does not have time for needlework after giving birth, they order such a gift from craftswomen. It will not cost much, but at the same time it will be a pleasant surprise for your godfathers.
Ladanka
Incense is presented as a gift to both the godmother and the father. Depending on the financial capabilities of the parents of the person being baptized, this may be an item made of silver or gold plated. A creative solution would be to give the recipients the same amulet with their initials.
