A guide for someone witnessing the sacrament for the first time
In the Orthodox Church, Baptism is far more than a symbolic washing or a public declaration of faith. It's a Holy Mystery (Sacrament) through which a person is united to Jesus Christ, participates in His death and Resurrection, is cleansed of sin, and is born anew as a member of His Church.
Baptism is ordinarily followed immediately by Chrismation, through which the newly baptized receives the gift of the Holy Spirit, and Holy Communion, through which the person participates fully in the sacramental life of the Church.
The service is rich in ancient prayers, gestures, and symbolism. Like most things in the Orthodox church, nearly everything you see has a theological meaning rooted in Scripture and the worship of the early Church.
The Rite, Step by Step
1. The Prayers of Exorcism
The priest begins by praying that the candidate be delivered from the power of Satan and every evil influence. These prayers affirm that Christ has conquered death and the devil, and that the person entering the Church is being brought into the Kingdom of God.
Meaning: Baptism is a passage from the dominion of darkness into the Kingdom of Christ (Colossians 1:13). The Church takes seriously the spiritual struggle between good and evil.
2. Renunciation of Satan
The candidate, or the godparent speaking on behalf of an infant, faces west and renounces Satan, his works, and his service. The priest may ask the candidate to blow and spit toward the west.
Meaning: West is symbolically associated with darkness, where the sun sets. Turning west signifies rejecting sin and the devil. Blowing and spitting express contempt for Satan and his power.
3. Turning East and Uniting with Christ
The candidate turns east, toward the rising sun, and declares allegiance to Christ. The candidate or godparent then recites the Nicene Creed, the ancient confession of the Orthodox Christian faith.
Meaning: East represents light, Resurrection, and Christ, the Sun of Righteousness (Malachi 4:2). The candidate is turning away from darkness and toward the Light of the World (John 8:12).
4. Blessing of the Baptismal Water
The priest blesses the water, invoking the Holy Spirit and praying that it become a means of cleansing, regeneration, and sanctification.
Meaning: Water represents both death and life. In Scripture, the waters of the Flood washed away the old world, Israel passed through the Red Sea into freedom, and Christ sanctified the waters through His own Baptism in the Jordan.
The baptismal font becomes both a tomb and a womb: a tomb in which the old life dies, and a womb from which a new life in Christ emerges.
5. Blessing with Oil and Anointing Before Baptism
The priest blesses olive oil and pours some into the baptismal water. The candidate is then anointed with the oil of gladness.
Meaning: Oil has long represented healing, mercy, strength, and divine blessing. In ancient times, athletes were anointed with oil before competition. The candidate is being prepared for the lifelong spiritual struggle of the Christian life.
The oil also recalls the olive branch brought to Noah after the Flood, a sign of peace and reconciliation with God.
6. The Threefold Immersion — Holy Baptism
Meaning: The three immersions invoke the three Persons of the Holy Trinity and signify participation in Christ's death, burial, and Resurrection.
As St. Paul teaches in Romans 6:3–4, those baptized into Christ are baptized into His death and raised to walk in newness of life.
This is the central act of Baptism. The Church understands it as a genuine spiritual rebirth, not merely an outward illustration of an inward decision.
7. The White Baptismal Garment
The newly baptized is clothed in white, traditionally accompanied by the hymn, "Grant me a robe of light, O Thou who clothest Thyself with light as with a garment."
Meaning: The white garment represents purity, the forgiveness of sins, and being clothed in Christ (Galatians 3:27). It also recalls the radiant garments of those standing before God's throne in Revelation 7:9.
The newly baptized has put off the old person and put on the new.
8. Holy Chrismation — The Seal of the Holy Spirit
At each anointing, he proclaims:
"The seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit. Amen."
Meaning: Chrismation is the Orthodox Church's sacrament of receiving the Holy Spirit, corresponding to what developed separately as Confirmation in the Western Church.
The anointing of the different parts of the body signifies the sanctification of the whole person: thoughts, senses, speech, heart, actions, and the path one walks through life.
Just as the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles at Pentecost, the newly baptized now receives the gift of the same Spirit (Acts 2:38).
9. The Baptismal Candle — Receiving the Light of Christ
During the baptismal service, the newly baptized receives a lighted candle, ordinarily held by the godparent when the person being baptized is an infant. The candle is traditionally carried during the procession around the baptismal font.
Meaning: The candle represents Christ, the Light of the World, and the illumination of the newly baptized through faith and the grace of the Holy Spirit.
Christ declares in John 8:12:
"I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."
In the early Church, Baptism was sometimes called Holy Illumination, and those who had been baptized were called the newly illumined. This terminology remains part of Orthodox liturgical language today.
The candle carries several related meanings:
- Christ is the Light of the World. The newly baptized has turned away from the darkness of sin and entered the light of Christ.
- The light of faith. The flame represents the Christian's calling to preserve and nurture the faith received at Baptism.
- The light of good works. In Matthew 5:16, Christ commands His followers to let their light shine before others, so that their good works may glorify the Father.
- Spiritual vigilance. The burning candle recalls the wise virgins of Matthew 25:1–13, who kept their lamps ready for the coming of the Bridegroom.
The candle is particularly meaningful during the threefold procession around the font. The newly baptized, now clothed in white and bearing a lighted candle, visibly represents a person who has been cleansed, illuminated, and united to Christ.
The white garment represents putting on Christ; the candle represents walking in His light. Together, they express both the gift received in Baptism and the responsibility to live faithfully as a Christian.
The godparent's holding of the candle also expresses the responsibility to help the newly baptized preserve that light throughout life.
In some Orthodox families, the baptismal candle is kept as a remembrance of the sacrament and may be brought out on the anniversary of Baptism. This is a pious custom rather than a universal liturgical requirement.
10. The Procession Around the Font
Following Baptism and Chrismation, the priest, the newly baptized, and the godparents process three times around the baptismal font. This procession is traditionally associated with the Dance of Isaiah, a name also used for the ceremonial procession in the Orthodox wedding service.
The procession is a joyful celebration of the newly baptized person's entrance into the Church. It is also a symbol of eternity, because the circle has neither beginning nor end, and of the Christian life, which must now revolve around Christ.
During the baptismal procession, the Church sings:
"As many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Alleluia!" (Galatians 3:27)
This hymn proclaims that Baptism is not simply the washing away of sin, but a transformation of the entire person. The newly baptized has been clothed in Christ and has begun a new life in Him.
The three circuits around the font honor the Holy Trinity. They also recall the ancient Christian custom of processing joyfully after Baptism, celebrating the addition of a new member to the Body of Christ.
One distinction worth explaining to the inquirer: the name "Dance of Isaiah" comes specifically from the Orthodox marriage ceremony, where the hymn begins by calling upon the Prophet Isaiah to rejoice over the coming of Emmanuel, God with us (Isaiah 7:14). The baptismal procession is a closely related expression of liturgical joy, but its hymn is different. Both processions celebrate a new life begun in Christ.
11. The Scripture Readings
The Epistle reading is Romans 6:3–11, explaining how Baptism unites us to Christ's death and Resurrection.
The Gospel reading is Matthew 28:16–20, in which the risen Christ commands His Apostles to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Meaning: These readings connect what has just occurred to Christ's command and the Apostolic teaching about Baptism.
12. Washing Away the Chrism
The priest ceremonially wipes or washes the places where the Holy Chrism was applied.
Meaning: This marks the completion of the anointing. The outward oil may be removed, but the gift of the Holy Spirit remains. The newly baptized is now called to preserve that gift through a life of faith and repentance.
13. The Tonsure — Cutting of the Hair
The priest cuts small locks of hair from the newly baptized person's head in the form of a Cross.
Meaning: Hair is offered as the first physical gift of the newly baptized to God. It symbolizes humility, obedience, and the dedication of one's entire life to Christ.
The person now belongs to Christ and is called to serve Him.
14. Holy Communion
Meaning: Baptism brings a person into Christ's Church, Chrismation seals the person with the Holy Spirit, and the Eucharist nourishes that new life through participation in the true Body and Blood of Christ.
Unlike many Western Christian traditions, the Orthodox Church administers all three Mysteries of Christian initiation even to infants. The fullness of sacramental life isn't postponed until the child reaches a particular age.
15. The Sponsor's Care of the Baptismal Garments and Towels
Following the Baptism, the sponsor (godparent) takes responsibility for the towels, garments, and other cloths used during the sacrament, particularly those that have absorbed the blessed baptismal water or Holy Chrism.
Meaning: In the Orthodox Church, things that have been blessed and sanctified are treated with reverence. The baptismal water has been consecrated through prayer, and Holy Chrism is used to seal the newly baptized with the gift of the Holy Spirit. Consequently, the Church treats these substances, and the garments that have come into contact with them, with particular respect.
The sponsor should collect the used clothing and towels carefully, keeping them separate from ordinary laundry until they have been properly rinsed.
The traditional method of washing them is as follows:
1. Collect the garments and towels that have come into contact with the baptismal water or Holy Chrism.
2. Rinse them separately in clean water, preferably in a basin.
3. Pour the rinse water directly onto clean earth in a place where it won't be trampled or contaminated, rather than into a household drain or sewer.
4. Once they have been rinsed, the garments and towels may be washed normally.
This practice reflects the Orthodox understanding that material things can be sanctified through God's grace. Just as icons, holy water, and other blessed objects are treated reverently, so too are the things used in the Holy Mysteries.
The godparent's responsibility for these garments also serves as a small but meaningful reminder of the greater responsibility being undertaken: to help nurture, protect, and guide the newly baptized in the Orthodox Christian faith.
These washing instructions reflect established Orthodox customs, although the precise procedure can vary by parish. Antiochian Orthodox Christian Education materials specifically describe reverently rinsing baptismal garments and towels before ordinary washing.
A Few Additional Things to Notice
The priest may breathe upon the candidate and make the sign of the Cross before the exorcism prayers. This recalls God's breathing life into Adam (Genesis 2:7) and signifies the beginning of a new creation.
You may also see a baptismal candle, representing Christ as the Light of the World and the Christian's calling to live in that light.
The godparents are more than ceremonial witnesses. They accept responsibility for helping the newly baptized grow in the Orthodox faith, especially when the candidate is an infant.
A note about the order: Antiochian service books and local practices sometimes arrange the white garment, Chrismation, washing, tonsure, and procession differently. The essential theological meaning remains the same.
The Central Meaning
The simplest way to understand what you're witnessing is through three great events in the life of the Church:
- Baptism is our personal Pascha: We die and rise with Christ.
- Chrismation is our personal Pentecost: We receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
- Holy Communion is our participation in Christ's life: We are united to Him through His Body and Blood.
These are not merely ceremonies commemorating events of the past. The Orthodox Church teaches that God truly acts through these Mysteries, bringing the newly baptized into the life of Christ and His Church.
For further reading, the complete Antiochian Baptism and Chrismation service provides the prayers and responses, while the Orthodox Church in America's explanation of Chrismation provides additional theological background.
