Baptism

Infant baptism is the best gift that the Church and the parents can give to their kids beside the milk and the dress. It is the gift of regeneration in the Holy Spirit and the gift of adoption in Christ. They become born again from the water and the Spirit, they receive the Gift of the Holy Spirit through Chrismation and through the Holy Communion. They become dwelling parts in the Body of Christ who said, “He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.” (Jn 6: 56)

The Three Sacraments of Initiation, Baptism, Chrismation and Holy Communion, are granted at the same ceremony of baptism to our infants.

The Church gives great importance to the God Parents because they have the obligation, beside the Parents of the infants, to look after their growing up spiritually in the Church and to introduce them gradually to the Christian life of the Holy Orthodox Church.

Father Mansour encourages the parents and the Godparents (Sponsors) to have a meeting at the home of the parents altogether before the baptism of the child to go through the meaning of baptism and meaning of the different steps of the ceremony.

SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM – ECCLESIASTICAL REQUIREMENTS

PLANNING FOR THE SACRAMENT

• RESPONSIBILITIES OF PARENTS
• Exercise the greatest care in selecting an Orthodox Christian Godparent, who will accept the moral
  responsibility to provide the proper religious education, example and inspiration to his/her Godchild.
• Select one name of Christian origin to be given to the child at the time of baptism.
  
• REQUIREMENTS OF GODPARENT
• Must be an Orthodox Christian, and if married, must have been married in the Orthodox Church. If
  divorced, must submit an Ecclesiastical Decree of Divorce.
• Must be a Parishioner in Good Standing of St. GEORGE or provide a letter, if he/she belongs to another Orthodox Parish.
  
• RESPONSIBILITIES OF GODPARENT
• Accepts the sacred responsibility to represent the child, who is being admitted to the Church through the
  Sacrament of Baptism and is unable to make the necessary confession of Faith.
• Is prepared to recite the Nicene Creed during the baptism.
• Makes a faithful lifetime commitment of love and joins the parents, guided by the Church, to assist and
  guide the baptized child through the Christian walk of life.
• Brings the child to church regularly for Holy Communion especially the three consecutive Sundays
  following the baptism.

PREPARING FOR THE SACRAMENT
It will be useful to have a spiritual meeting between the priest, the parents and the Godparents;
few days prior to the date of the Holy Baptism; preferable at the house of the parents or of the
Godparents. An extensive explanation of the Sacrament of the Holy Baptism will be presented and
all questions will be answered.

AT THE DAY OF BAPTISM

• Provide the following items for the baptism:

1. Complete change of white baptismal clothes for the child
2. A Cross for the child
3. One white candle
4. One white bath towel
5. One white hand towel

Kindly pay online (please make sure that the “Cover Fees” box is checked) or mail a check