My Faith

Faith

Lately, I've been thinking  a lot about my spiritual walk through life thus far, and while unconsciously I have known where it all began, I have learned so much more about the meaning and symbolism of my first steps on the path.

My Churching

I believe it began as far back as forty days after my birth. As an adult, before many of our Sunday services I have watched young couples bring their babies and "be churched" as we say, but then one day it dawned on me that my mom must have done this with me, just as she had encouraged me to do with my daughter. So knowing that forty days after July 6, 1953 that my mom and I went for our churching I decided I wanted to really study the service, and this is an abbreviated version of what I learned. 

In the narthex of the church, my mother was the first to be prayed upon with the Priest asking Lord God to wash away any transgressions and account her worthy to return to His Holy Temple and receive the Precious Body and Blood of Christ.

Then the Priest put his hand on my head and said, "Bless also this child which has been born of her; increase it, sanctify it, give it understanding and a prudent and virtuous' mind; for You alone have brought it into being, and have shown her the light which bodily sense perceives, so that she might be accounted worthy also of the ideal light and be numbered with Your Holy Flock..."

After many other prayers the Priest took me for what is my favorite part of the ceremony when I watch now as an adult. He lifted me up at the narthex and in the sign of the Cross said, "The servant of God Joanne is churched in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.  

Then he carried me into the church and said, "I will go into Your House. I will worship toward Your Holy Temple in fear of You."   

Coming to the center of the church, he said, "The servant of God Joanne is churched, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. In the midst of the congregation I will sing praises to You."

Then he brought me before the Doors of the Altar, saying, "The servant of God Joanne is churched, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen."

Thus began my journey, and now as an adult I can truly appreciate the meaning of that service.  I was also blessed to do this ceremony with my daughter Christina. She was so little and didn't cry a tear; of course, I wonder if I was as cooperative baby or one of the criers. Unfortunately, my mother is no longer here for me to ask that question.  It doesn't really matter, because I don't believe God cares how one acts; he just cares that we are now on "the path."

My Baptism

Some months later, it was time for me to be baptized, but it wasn't until adulthood that I really understood the gifts or Blessed Sacraments that were given to me on this day. Once again this is an abbreviated version of this ceremony. 

Many people question why we are baptized so very young;  I myself often wondered that. Now I know that our Greek Orthodox faith believes that "being baptized before we know what is going on is an expression of God's great love for us. It shows that God wants, loves, and accepts us from the moment of birth."

Just as in the churching ceremony, this ceremony, too, began in the narthex where my Godparents, parents, and sibling gathered for the opening prayers. Most important was my Godparents enouncing Satan. Included in the additional prayers was the assigning of my Guardian Angel.

After proceeding to the baptismal font and more prayers, the priest signed the water three times, dipping his finger in it, and breathing upon it three times saying, "Let all adverse powers be crushed beneath the signing of your most precious cross."

The Priest also breathed three times on the Oil and signed it three times while my Godmother held it.  While the priest sang Alleluia three times, he made three Crosses with the Oil upon the water. He then poured the Oil into my Godmother's hands. 

Then he took the Oil and made the Sign of the Cross on the my forehead, breast, and between my shoulders, and said, "The servant of God Joanne is anointed with the Oil of Gladness, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen."

Next he signed my breast and between my shoulders, and said, "For healing of soul and body." And on the ears, said, "For the hearing of Faith." And on the feet, said, "That she may walk in the paths of Your commandments." And on the hands, said "Your hands have made me and fashioned me."

My Godmother then rubbed the Oil over my entire body. 

The Priest then held me erect, looked towards the East, and said,  "The servant of God Joanne is baptized in the Name of the Father. Amen. And of the Son, Amen. And of the Holy Spirit, Amen." Each time he immersed me in the water and raised me up again. After the baptizing, the Priest placed me in a linen sheet probably held by my Godfather.

The Priest then said the Prayer of Confirmation.

After the Prayer of Confirmation, the Priest chrismated me and he made the Sign of the Cross with the Holy Chrism (Holy Myron), on my forehead, my eyes, my nostrils,  my mouth, my ears, my breast, my hands, and my feet. At each anointing and sealing, he said, "The seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit, Amen."

I was then dressed in my new clothing and returned to the baptismal font area. The Priest said, "Clothed is the servant of God Joanne with the garment of righteousness, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen."

Then the Priest, together with the my Godmother and me, circled around the Font, three times; and for each of the three rounds the Priest sang, "As many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. Alleluia.(3)"

The Priest then sprinkled me with clean water, saying, "You are justified; you are illumined." And taking a new sponge dipped in water, the Priest wiped my head, my breast, and the rest, and said, "You are baptized; you are illuminated; you are anointed with the Holy Myrrh, you are hallowed; you are washed clean, in the Name of Father, and of Son, and of Holy Spirit. Amen."

The Priest then laid his right hand upon my head and prayed: "O Lord our God, Who through the fulfillment of the baptismal Font have, by Your Goodness, sanctified them that believe in You: (+) do You bless this child here present, and may Your blessings come down upon her head; as You did bless the head of Your servant David the King through the Prophet Samuel, (+) so also bless the head of this servant Joanne, through the hand of me, the unworthy Priest, visiting her with Your Holy Spirit, that as she goes forward to the prime of her years, and the gray hairs of old age, she may send up Glory to You, beholding the good things of Jerusalem all the days of her life. For to You are due all glory, honor and worship, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and to the ages of ages."

The Priest then snipped off four locks of hair, front, back, and over each ear, as in a cross, saying, "The servant of God Joanne is shorn in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

At this time my Godparents, parents, and I all proceeded to the main altar where I received my first Holy Eucharist--imagine having the body and blood of Christ enter me at such a young age. 

So you might wonder why would I write all this in such great detail. Well despite having participated in many baptismal celebrations, and being a Godmother myself, a role I take very seriously by the way,  I never really studied the service. When I went through the service as a Godmother I remember an overwhelming feeling as I rubbed my Godchild with oil and held her as she received her first Holy Communion.  However, I was too nervous to really hear all the words. Since my recent studies, I've read the service and readings about the service and understand the deep meaning of the three  sacraments-Baptism, Chrismation/Confirmation, and Eucharist. 

The day I was baptized signified the day I truly became a Christian, and the beginning of my life as an Orthodox Christian.  

Most of the information shared here is from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America site under the categories of churching and baptism. 


More to follow as I continue to analyze my path.