Armenian Baptism
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Baptism Baptism is the Sacrament through which the believer is absolved of sins, is regenerated by the Holy Spirit, becomes a Christian and attains adoption by God. "Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God" (John 3:5). The ceremony of the Baptism can be performed in two ways: 1. After having consecrated the water by the sign of the cross and with the holy chrism and emerging the body of baby into the water three times, 2. Pouring holy water three times upon the head of the person being baptized and washing the face and the senses of adults. The ceremony is accompanied with the following words of the priest: "This servant of God, coming from the state of catechumen to baptism, is being baptized in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit and, being expiated by the blood of Christ from the captivity of sin, receives the adoption of Heavenly Father, becoming co-heir with Christ and a temple for the Holy Spirit". The Creed acknowledges one Baptism. It is not repeated, because it is a spiritual birth: a man is born once, that is why he should be baptized only once. The Armenian Church accepts as authentic the baptism of those Churches, who confess the Holy Trinity and baptize people in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. If a believer, who has been christened in an Orthodox, Catholic or other Church, wishes to become a member of the Armenian Church, he does not need to be baptized for a second time. One needs a godfather for baptism; the latter should guarantee the faith of the person being christened before the Church and take him/her under his charge and educate the person according to the right faith. Baptism should take place in the Church. But in those places, where there are no Churches or in the case where the person to be baptized is seriously sick, it is allowed to perform the baptism at home or in some other proper place. Baptism is the first sacrament; a person who is not baptized cannot receive other sacraments. Immediately after the baptism the sacraments of confirmation and Holy Communion are administered.
Baptism Baptism is the Sacrament through which the believer is absolved of sins, is regenerated by the Holy Spirit, becomes a Christian and attains adoption by God. "Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God" (John 3:5). The ceremony of the Baptism can be performed in two ways: 1. After having consecrated the water by the sign of the cross and with the holy chrism and emerging the body of baby into the water three times, 2. Pouring holy water three times upon the head of the person being baptized and washing the face and the senses of adults. The ceremony is accompanied with the following words of the priest: "This servant of God, coming from the state of catechumen to baptism, is being baptized in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit and, being expiated by the blood of Christ from the captivity of sin, receives the adoption of Heavenly Father, becoming co-heir with Christ and a temple for the Holy Spirit". The Creed acknowledges one Baptism. It is not repeated, because it is a spiritual birth: a man is born once, that is why he should be baptized only once. The Armenian Church accepts as authentic the baptism of those Churches, who confess the Holy Trinity and baptize people in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. If a believer, who has been christened in an Orthodox, Catholic or other Church, wishes to become a member of the Armenian Church, he does not need to be baptized for a second time. One needs a godfather for baptism; the latter should guarantee the faith of the person being christened before the Church and take him/her under his charge and educate the person according to the right faith. Baptism should take place in the Church. But in those places, where there are no Churches or in the case where the person to be baptized is seriously sick, it is allowed to perform the baptism at home or in some other proper place. Baptism is the first sacrament; a person who is not baptized cannot receive other sacraments. Immediately after the baptism the sacraments of confirmation and Holy Communion are administered.
