preparation for baptism

Holy Baptism - one of the wonderful mysteries of the Church. The parents therefore often take care of preparing the baptism early on, so that the celebration is as beautiful and unforgettable as possible. We have put together a few tips and a checklist so that you don't overlook anything when planning.

Introduction to the Church

Baptism is initiation into the Church of Jesus Christ. It is a conscious decision of an adult for himself or the parents for the child to accept the faith with all its consequences and as it is lived in the community of believers or to educate the child in this sense. Therefore, it is a necessity for the decision maker to have some basic knowledge about Christianity as it has been handed down in the Church and to profess the faith of the Church. The preparation of a person for baptism is called catechesis (Քրիստոնեական / Christoneakan). You can find more information about this here.

Three important steps

"One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism"
Eph. 4, 5

sponsorship

The godfather is not only a witness but also the spiritual guide of the newly baptized. It is therefore important to find the right person for this position.

 Start looking for the right godparent in good time. Below is information that may help you.

christening date

In our diocese, the appointments are made centrally. To arrange the date of the baptism, please contact us in good time.

Appointments by phone
Mon – Fri between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m
under:
+49 221 7126223

baptism talk

After you have agreed on the date of the baptism, the responsible pastor will contact you to discuss the course of the celebration with you.

Baptism is a good opportunity to get to know each other. The pastor will introduce you to the course of the service. You are also welcome to ask your questions. In addition to the parents, the godfather is also invited to this discussion.

CHECLIST

We are very pleased that you would like to have yourself or your child baptized in the Armenian Apostolic Church. You probably have a lot of questions and want to prepare as well as possible for the baptism. We have prepared a short checklist for you that can help you with this.

If you have decided to have your child baptized, contact the Chancellery of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Germany to register. The registrations are received and processed in our diocese at the headquarters. There you can make an appointment for the baptism and receive detailed information. To register, you need a birth certificate for the child for religious purposes (available from the registry office) and the name and address of the godparent, among other things.

Appointments by phone
Mon – Fri between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. at:
+49 211 7126223

After you have registered for a baptism, the pastor responsible for you will contact you and make an appointment for a baptismal conversation. The pastor will introduce you to the course of the service. Parents can also discuss any open questions. The godfather and godmother are also welcome to take part in this conversation. It's a good opportunity to get to know each other.

The choice of godparent should be made carefully. Godparents are reference persons who accompany the person being baptized on their path of life and faith. The godfather should be a Christian baptized in the Armenian Apostolic Church. According to the teachings of the Armenian Apostolic Church, only one person can be a godfather. The godfather cannot be changed later. You can download detailed information to help you with your search here.

The symbolic meaning of the baptismal oath is closely linked to the Armenians' understanding of barter. Baptism is a new birth, the beginning of a new life with Christ. The baptized person is washed clean of all his sins and is introduced clean and spotless into the community of believers, into the church. That is why the baptismal robes are white, the color of purity, of new beginnings.

In some families there is a beautiful tradition of passing on the christening gowns from generation to generation. Others choose to buy new. In any case, the dress should be as comfortable as possible.

You should also take a white cloth with you to dry the child. This cloth may also be kept as a souvenir.

The baptismal candle is the symbol for the light of God, which will accompany the newly baptized from now on. Christening candles are decorated with the traditional symbols of Christianity such as B. cross, fish, water, alpha and omega, rainbow, tree of life or ark provided.

If you would like to have a very special and personal christening candle, you are welcome to design it yourself, e.g. B. with the name and date of birth and baptism of the child. The christening candle is kept as a nice reminder at the baptized person's home.

The new birth through baptism gives us the opportunity to receive a New Name as one who has been born new in Christ. Actually, the Armenian Church recommends giving Armenianized Christian or originally Armenian names to children. Here are some naming recommendations.

After the baptism, the newly baptized receive an important gift from their godparent: a cross, which the pastor blesses during the baptism. The cross is traditionally carried on a narod ribbon knotted together (at least for the first three days) on a white and red thread (symbolizing the water and blood that flowed from Christ's rib on the cross).

Parents usually want to decorate the church for the baptismal service. Some churches have special jewelry for the day, while others require parents to do this. We therefore advise you to discuss this matter with the responsible pastor or, if the baptism does not take place in an Armenian church building, with the responsible sacristan.

For many families, commemorative photos are a must for such big events as christenings. However, there are some churches where photography is forbidden. Therefore, clarify in advance whether photography is permitted in the church where the baptism is to take place. The pastor will give his instructions to the photographer on site. It is better to appoint a photographer and to offer the other guests not to take pictures during the baptism.

According to the stipulations of the baptismal missal, on the eighth day after the baptism, the minister visits the family, removes the narod band (red-white band) hung around the child at baptism, and bathes the recently baptized child. The band means: "Crown of gifts... and protection against the adversaries".

Today, however, the rite of washing out the myrrh takes place on the third day after baptism. The Narod band does not necessarily have to be removed. The godparents and the family gather in the house of the newly baptized and pray the Our Father together. After that, the myron is washed out of the body and the water is poured away in a place that will not be entered (under flowers or under a tree).