www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology No Baptism during the Great Fast?

Ghazar,

I have been doing a bit of asking and looking and the best I can come up with is :-

<< Canon 856: Though baptism may be celebrated on any day, it is recommended that normally it be celebrated on a Sunday, or, if possible, on the vigil of Easter.>>

This seems to be all that is said about when a Baptism can be celebrated. It does not say it can't be celebrated in Lent and tradition has it that Lent does not include Sundays [ count up the 40 days of Lent from Ash Wednesday ] so I suppose that the Baptism could be on any Sunday during the period that includes Lent.

However if their Priest is determined not to Baptise the baby during Lent - then without giving themselves problems for the future they will just have to accepet it with good [ ?] grace.

BTW the Canons dealing with baptism are from 850 to 860 and those dealing with who may Baptise are from 861 -863 and 864 -871 deal with who may be Baptised

Anhelyna

Dear Ghazar,

May I ask you too questions about baptism and Lent in the Armenian Church not directly related with this topic?

1. Last year I attended a Sunday service in the Armenian Orthodox Church during Great Lent. The service included hyms, prayers and readings from the Old Testaments, the Epistles and the Gospel (if I am not wrong). The priest (a Bardapet) was wearing the purple coat (sorry I do not know the proper name of this ornament) but not the priestly stole. My question is do Armenian Orthodox celebrate Holy Liturgy (Eucharistic sacrifice) during Great Lent Sundays (behind the courtain?)or do they just celebrate somekind of Liturgy of the Presantified Gifts (nobody received communion at that service I attended)? What about the Armenian Catholics?

2. I have read in a Latin translation of the Armenian order of baptism that when an Armenian priest do celebrate a baptism he can not celebrate Holy Liturgy the same day? When do Armenians baptize their childrem when there is only one priest at the parish, do they celebrate baptism on Saturday? Do Armenians celebrate toguether Baptism and Holy Liturgy in the same service as some Byzantine Catholics and Orthodox do according to the ancient practise of the Church? What about the Armenian Catholics?

I thank you in anticipation of your response. I hope to have the opportunity of attending an Armenian baptism someday.

Yours in Christ
F

Dear Anhelyna,

You are right!

I think there is a lot less "nervousness" about baptizing a child as soon as possible etc.

This is being replaced with, instead, a fresh perspective on a proper liturgical context within the calendar in which to celebrate the Baptism.

And this is truly wonderful.

Baptism is not only about the child going to heaven should it die before its time etc.

It is primarily about receiving a new member into the Community that is the Church and its faith as mediated through the family, the extended family, the community that is the parish, the wider Body of Christ via the liturgy.

Without that sense of community and communal responsibility for the Christian upbringing of the child, we just won't have the kind of Christian these times are calling for!

Alex