The purpose of the baptismal shirt. What is needed for adult baptism? Why a baptismal shirt?

• 03.08.2012
• 51067 views

One of the most important moments in a person’s life, his second, now spiritual birth. And every year more and more young parents baptize their children, according to their faith and primordial Russian traditions.

According to church tenets, it is advisable to baptize a baby on the 40th day of birth, however, increasingly, young families are postponing the sacrament of baptism a little so that the newborn gets a little stronger and grows up - after all, in the first weeks he is so fragile! But in any case, it is recommended to baptize babies in the first year of life.

If you want to follow all the rules, then it is better to start preparing for baptism in advance. A very responsible and serious step is to choose the right godparents for the baby. Of course, there is no point in conducting a ceremony without faith and repentance, therefore godparents must be baptized and believing people. Godparents undertake to help parents in everything related to the Christian upbringing of the child, pray for him, and instruct him spiritually. In general, for a boy it is enough to invite only his godfather, and for a girl only his godmother is needed, but according to tradition, both are invited. Before the ceremony, godparents need to go to church to confess, repent and receive communion. At least one of the parents must know the “Creed” prayer by heart; it is read during the ceremony.

For young parents, it would be a good idea to first walk through the churches, listen to your feelings, talk with the priest, the novices - they will help you sort out the details and tell you how exactly the ceremony is carried out in this church. Each church conducts the baptism ceremony a little differently - it depends on the priest and the traditions of the temple, however, in Orthodoxy there are certain strict canons. So, christening can be roughly divided into three parts: the holy father’s appeal to the Lord (at this time the child is alternately in the arms of his godparents and blood parents), anointing the baby and washing in the font. Then - the final prayers, at the end of which your child will be reliably protected by the Lord and his guardian angel.

Parents should remember that christening is not a ten-minute event, but a solemn rite, consisting of many rules and rituals lasting about 40 minutes. And this is why the right “equipment” for a baby is so important: a well-chosen baptism kit will allow your baby to withstand the entire important procedure without tears or whims.

Usually the godparents buy the outfit for the holy sacrament, however, if you don’t want “surprises,” you can still control this moment yourself. Now more and more parents are turning their attention to special baptismal sets. For example, baptismal sets of the Choupette brand absolutely comply with all Orthodox canons, because the brand’s specialists approached this issue very responsibly and consulted with representatives of the Orthodox Church. A christening outfit for a girl is a dress, complemented by accessories such as a bonnet (lace cap) and, if desired, a handmade commemorative sachet, in which it is convenient to put an icon, a cross, and then store the first cut curl there. For a boy, you can choose a laconic and sophisticated shirt, complementing it with a sachet if desired. An important point: a boy’s head, unlike a girl’s, remains uncovered during baptism. According to Orthodox canons, it is customary to dress girls and boys in long, toe-length clothes in traditional white or light cream shades, decorated with embroidery, lace, satin and silk ribbons.

Many parents are concerned about the following question: how elegant should the christening set be? There can only be one answer: an atmosphere of divinity and purity is always appropriate in a church. This is what you should consider when choosing a baptismal set. Previously, in Rus' there was a tradition of passing on baptismal clothes by inheritance to your children, so baptismal sets looked like a real family heirloom - truly luxurious! There was exquisite lace, silver embroidery, and precious stones... In the modern world, baptismal outfits for boys and girls are not passed down from generation to generation, however, they remain no less elegant - after all, this is such an important moment in life! In a christening set for a girl, embroidery, lace, satin, and silk ribbons (only in a harmonious combination) would be appropriate, but the outfit for boys should look somewhat more restrained, but no less elegant.

It is very important that the entire set fully meets the requirements for children's clothing: it is made from 100% natural, hypoallergenic materials that do not irritate the baby's skin, without rough seams or roughness. It is important to pay attention that clothes are easy to put on and take off, otherwise a long time of untying and tying can ruin the solemnity of the moment and (more importantly!) the child’s mood. Clothes that need to be put on over the head are also extremely uncomfortable for the baby. Since the baptism ceremony lasts quite a long time, it is better to prepare for various surprises, a favorite toy will help distract the child in time, food, a pacifier, changeable diapers - everything should be ready. You should be able to quickly dry and change your baby.

After the rite of anointing, there is a font, which symbolizes the cleansing of the baby; this moment, by the way, is one of the most solemn and important in the baptismal rite. After bathing, the baby is dressed in a white and always new baptismal shirt or baptismal towel. This is a sign of purity before heaven and the sight of God. Sometimes it happens that young parents buy bright clothes or a towel for christening so that the child looks smarter, but this is not true, according to church laws, only white and its shades, for example, cream, are the only correct ones. You should also not forget about a very important thing - the cross. It is better if the cross is made of light material; it is better to put off the chain for small children for later. It is safer to use a ribbon or rope made of natural material instead - it will not rub the baby’s delicate skin.

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 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.

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, 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 baptism of a baby is a very important stage not only in the life of the child himself, but also of his parents. Mom and dad choose godparents, the temple in which the sacrament will be performed, as well as the baptismal attire. According to tradition, the choice of clothing for this event can be entrusted to the godmother or father.

The baptismal set for a girl must include a long shirt, an openwork cap or scarf and a towel in which the child is wrapped after the font.

In today's article we will tell you about the features and types of baptismal shirts for girls. You will learn how to choose the right shirt depending on the baby's age, as well as how and when to wear it.

Models

In children's clothing stores and church shops, you will come across different options for children's baptism shirts. They differ mainly in style, method of decoration and “gender.”

Here are the most popular types of christening shirts for girls.

Straight christening shirt

The simplest and most popular option is exactly what the shirts traditionally looked like in which children were baptized in Rus'.

Christening shirt with skirt

The model with a gathered lower part, reminiscent of a fluffy skirt, looks very cute and gentle and is suitable even for the smallest princesses.

Christening shirt with ties or buttons

Models that can be easily put on and taken off without disturbing the baby are ideal for newborns, because they do not like clothes over their heads.

Christening shirt with hood

This model should be chosen if you are afraid of your baby catching a cold after taking a bath. The hood will protect your child from cool air and drafts.

Christening shirt with embroidery

Since ancient times, clothes for special occasions have been decorated with embroidery, as this was the most affordable way of decoration. Today, shirts are most often embroidered with a cross, floral patterns, or the child’s name and baptism date.

Frilly christening shirt

Models decorated with lace and ruffles are often purchased not only for girls, but also for boys. Girls' shirts are usually more decorated, while boys' shirts are more laconic.

Crochet

If the mother or future godmother of the girl is an experienced needlewoman, then the baby has the opportunity to receive a truly unique item as a gift, which no one else in the world has. A hand-knitted baptismal shirt will retain the warmth and love of the one who made it.

To knit an openwork shirt, it is better to choose a crochet hook rather than knitting needles, as it can be used to create more complex shapes and subtle patterns. You can come up with a shirt style yourself, or you can find a suitable pattern in knitting magazines.

Which pattern to choose depends only on the imagination and experience of the needlewoman herself. For example, baptismal shirts in loin knit (mesh) with thematic patterns are quite popular; these can be angels, crosses and other Christian motifs.

What should a baptismal shirt be like?

There are no strict requirements for the appearance of a christening shirt for a girl, as such. Today it is not even a mandatory element of christening. But, as a tribute to tradition, most parents prefer to baptize their youngest children in special shirts.

Traditionally, a baptismal shirt should be:

1. Condition: New is required - it is customary to carefully store the baptismal shirt throughout your life; it is even credited with healing powers.
2. Color: White, milky, ivory and other light shades. White color is associated with spiritual purity and cleansing from sins.
3. Length: Like any other clothing that a woman (regardless of her age) wears to church, the baptismal shirt should be long enough - not necessarily to the floor, but such that it covers the knees.
4. In addition, the christening shirt must have sleeves, but the presence of embroidery and other decor is at your discretion.

For girls 2-4 years old

In the Orthodox tradition, it is customary for a child to be baptized on the 40th day after birth, but today few people follow this rule. Many parents postpone the sacrament until a later time so that the baby can retain memories of it.

Between the ages of 2 and 4, a girl is unlikely to be able to understand the meaning of what is happening, but this is not at all a reason to postpone baptism for another few years.

Small sizes of baptismal shirts are in greatest demand, as older girls are often baptized in elegant white dresses.

If a newborn child is not being baptized, a lace scarf is selected for the shirt instead of a cap.

For girls 5-8 years old

Older girls can choose their own outfit for baptism if their parents correctly explain to them the meaning and significance of the sacrament. Sometimes it can be difficult to find a baptismal shirt in the right size, as stores buy more sets for newborns and very young children.

However, companies that produce baptismal accessories often provide a custom-tailored service - you can order a shirt of any size not only for a child, but also for an adult.

Baptismal dresses are produced for girls of primary school age. They differ from shirts in a more complex cut, fitted silhouette and rich trim. But all the traditional elements of a baptismal shirt - color, length, sleeves - are preserved in such an outfit.

Baptismal shirt decoration

Christening shirts for boys and girls differ mainly in decor. As a rule, more attention is paid to the decoration of girlish models. This can be not only traditional embroidery and lace trim.

Common ways to decorate baptismal shirts for girls also include:

• embroidery with metallic threads;
• embroidery with satin ribbons;
• openwork tying of edges with threads;
• trim with braid and ruffles.

When decorating a baptismal shirt, you need to observe moderation. Decorative elements should not be conspicuous, so try to stick to a restrained color scheme. White, golden, silver, soft pink - these colors are usually preferred when decorating a christening shirt for a girl.

Accessories

When preparing your baby for baptism, you can get by with only buying a shirt, or you can purchase a ready-made baptismal set, which includes everything that will be useful during the sacrament, as well as memorable souvenirs.

The christening kit may include:

• kryzhma - this is the name of the diaper in which the child is wrapped after he is dipped into the font;
• headdress - for very young children it is a cap, and for older girls it is a scarf or an openwork cape on the head;
• booties are not necessary, they can be replaced with simple socks, but things from one set will look much more beautiful;
• bib - needed to preserve the original whiteness of the baptismal attire, preventing the appearance of various stains on it;
• diaper panties – you don’t have to wear anything over the diaper, but many parents, for the sake of aesthetics, prefer to cover it with white panties;
• hair bag - strands cut during the sacrament will be stored in it.

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.

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 with perfectly finished seams, or with seams facing out.

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 appliquing 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 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 disease.

Is it washable?

Taking care of baptismal clothing helps preserve it in its original form for the rest of your life. It is not customary to wash a baptismal shirt, since during anointing, droplets of the world fall on it. You can only wash the towel that was used at baptism and this must be done separately from other things.

Is it possible to wear

In everyday life, a baptismal shirt is not usually worn. It is taken out in case of illness and applied to the sore spot.

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.

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 removed from 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.