Communion in the church of infants. Child's Communion

I think you have noticed more than once how, towards the end of the Liturgy, there are more and more small children in the church. The air is filled with movement, sounds and an inexplicable feeling of the importance of the upcoming Sacrament for the children - communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. Remember, ten years ago, when they saw a 3-4 year old child at a service, grandmothers caring for candlesticks said with emotion: “He’s so small, but he’s already in church.” Now you and I live in amazing time- the time of the revival of Orthodoxy. Now more and more young people, having decided to start a family, go through the Sacrament of Wedding, baptize their children in infancy, and bring them to churches for Anointing and Communion.

If you ask a question: “How often should a child be brought to church and given communion”? I think there will be no dispute with the answer: “As often as possible”! But do all young parents understand why they need to give communion to babies? According to the teachings of the Orthodox Church, a baby is a child under seven years of age. During this period, the child, as a rule, has not yet formed a “conscious” concept of sin; accordingly, there is no conscious confession. So why is it necessary to give communion to an essentially sinless baby?

Saint Theophan the Recluse wrote that Holy Communion “livingly and effectively unites His new member with the Lord, through His most pure Body and Blood, sanctifies it, pacifies it within itself and makes it impregnable to dark forces.” Based on the words of the Saint, I will try to reveal two main points in the article: firstly and most importantly, through the sacrament the child unites with God, and secondly, he receives protection from God.
IN modern world parents devote a lot of effort and attention to caring for the material component of the child’s life; he must be well-fed, healthy, shod and dressed, but, unfortunately, they often miss the need for the formation and development of the child’s spiritual life.

Saint righteous John Kronstadsky wrote: “the most important spiritual blessings given to us by God in the Church are faith, prayer, confession and communion of the Holy Sacraments”. Of all the listed spiritual benefits, the communion of the Holy Mysteries is available to a baptized infant. After all, a child at any age is open to the grace of God, including unconsciously. Grace is perceived not by the mind (even an adult knows nothing here), but by some unknown to us, hidden sides of the human soul.

Again, the sacrament protects the baby. From what? Just like in adults, the soul of a baby, not nourished by communion, is constantly under attack fallen angels. And the baby’s soul feels these attacks and suffers from them. Outwardly, this may manifest itself in the fact that the child becomes capricious and restless for no apparent reason. The child cannot yet explain what is happening to him. Therefore, parents should pay special attention regularity of communion.
I would like to draw your attention to another equally important aspect regarding the issue of infant communion. It is not enough just to bring a child to church and give him communion, it is necessary to preserve the grace received. Try to spend the day after communion calmly, without getting irritated or quarreling, for example, by not turning on the TV that day. Let the child feel the special mood of the day when he goes to church and receives the Body and Blood of Christ. It is the example of parents, family life, general atmosphere in the home and you can instill a religious feeling in your child.

It happens that a child refuses to approach the Chalice or, even while in the arms of his parents, breaks out and cries. There may be several explanations for this: the baby is tired, he is hungry, which means he is capricious, he does not understand what is happening and is afraid, etc. Each parent special approach to your child. You need to try to interest him by telling him at home about the Sacraments, the life of the Church, and retelling stories from life. Before going to church, create a festive atmosphere at home. In church, point out the children who are receiving communion so that the child is not afraid. A good example may be the communion of parents or acquaintances. After Communion, you can treat your baby to something tasty. If a child has received communion, you must definitely praise him. And over time, he will get used to it and will look forward to Communion.

Although it is necessary to draw the attention of parents to this very significant point: sometimes the reason for such a child’s behavior in front of the Cup is their own life. And therefore, when planning to give communion to their son or daughter, mom and dad should, of course, think about whether they themselves confessed and received communion too long ago.

How to get your child interested in going to church? It happens that he sees that there are a lot of people there and there’s no way to walk and that’s it, we go inside, he cries.
My advice is to take your child to communion weekdays when there are few people. And more often. Let him get used to the temple and the sacrament, he will already know what is happening and how. Gradually he will fall in love with receiving communion, kissing icons, and will know the priests! Then, perhaps, a large crowd of people will not be afraid. Our church has services on Wednesday and Saturday.

I would like to finish the article with the words of Archimandrite Raphael (from his “Sermons and Conversations”). “Those who say that children should not receive communion are the same as saying that there is no need to take care of a young, weak plant at the very time when it is necessary to protect it from thickets of weeds and weeds. I would say that infancy is the most important of all ages in human life: in the first two years the child receives as many impressions as then throughout the rest of his life. Therefore, give communion to your children as often as possible.”

Deacon John Neger

Good afternoon, our dear visitors!

Should children be given communion? And how often should this be done? What to do if a child resists Communion: he is capricious, breaks out and clenches his teeth?

Archpriest Alexander Lebedev answers:

« D For me, the answer to this question is obvious: “Let the little children come and do not hinder them from coming to Me, for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven.”(Matthew 19:14). These are the words of Christ, you cannot argue with Him. Therefore, children need to be given communion; this should be started as early as possible and repeated as often as possible, as circumstances allow.

Usually, when women ask me about this, I answer that non-lazy mothers give their children communion once a week, and lazy ones - once every two weeks, then I suggest that they decide on the category to which they want to classify themselves, and act accordingly.

In Communion, God Himself unites with man. Naturally, this does not pass without a trace: God influences both the soul and the body of a person, his character, his behavior.

Childhood is the time of personality formation. A wise observation is known: a person can be taught while he lies across the bench, and not along. Next, the time of education is replaced by the time of reaping the fruits of this education. And how important it is that at the most crucial time of his formation in life, a person (still small) is not deprived of God’s strengthening help.

If a person does not receive something in childhood, the consequences of this affect him throughout his life. I undertake to affirm the validity of this in relation to Holy Communion: if the human soul from infancy has not had the experience of communion with the shrine, this will have consequences in the future. Favorable or not - guess for yourself.

Sometimes they say: “Children cannot be given communion, because a person approaching Communion (as well as any other Sacrament) must understand what is happening to him, what he is about to begin. Is a young child capable of understanding what Communion is?” I answer firmly and decisively: Yes! Capable! To the extent of its development.

I remember an incident that struck me with my son. Children at the age of one or two years are explained who God is, pointing to icons, and then they are touched when asked: “Where is God?” - the child points his finger at the image. My son did not escape this either; he also touched my wife and me in this common way: he babbled “God” and pointed to the icons.

One day he and I were looking at photographs. Children love this, and it is useful for them to fixate their attention on the details of the image. Here we open a photograph of a priest standing in the Royal Doors with the Chalice in his hands, the son points to the Chalice and says: “God.”

I was amazed: we - the parents - did not teach him this, so this is his personal discovery! This is his personal faith! I don’t think that my son is any special, a child marked from childhood with the stamp of piety and knowledge of God, and he himself supports my opinion with his whims, stubbornness and disobedience. This means that such faith is available to any child. And how can we then say that children are not able to understand the Sacrament of Holy Communion?!

In addition, we will try to answer the counter question: “Are adults able to understand what happens in the Sacrament of Communion?” Can any of us claim to understand how bread and wine become the Body and Blood of the Creator? And how do they become our body and blood in Communion?

That is why the Sacraments are called that way because they are inaccessible to human understanding. And how do we differ from children in this respect, and how do they differ from us? Nothing. We are also capable of understanding something and believing only to some extent. So let's leave this conversation. Children can and should be given communion.

But! Parents need to make every effort to ensure that their children receive communion with dignity. It is known that Communion can cause troubles and misfortunes if performed unworthily. Let me remind you of the words of the Apostle Paul: “Whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily will be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord... whoever eats and drinks unworthily eats and drinks condemnation for himself, without considering the Body of the Lord. That is why many of you are weak and sick, and many are dying.”(1 Cor. 11:27-30).

We, of course, do not wish this for our children, so we must try to ensure that our children are prepared for Communion, again, to the extent of their development. We need to tell children about what awaits them, we need to directly call the Body and Blood of Christ body and blood, without filling the little man’s head with nonsense about sweet water or “the compote that your uncle will give you.”

Yes, the reality of the presence of Christ in the Holy Gifts cannot be explained to children, but there is no need - they generally take all the words of adults on faith, and they will take these too, especially if the parents themselves firmly believe in what they are talking about.

Older children need to read aloud at least one prayer for Holy Communion, or together with them, in their own words, ask God to be worthy of Communion. It is necessary to make Communion dependent on the child’s behavior, so that he feels that he can be unworthy of Communion.

Finally, the parents themselves need to receive communion, otherwise bewilderment and even distrust will arise between them and the children: how can it be that they push me to the Chalice, but for some reason they themselves do not receive communion. There should be no disunity in the family, which means we should strive to receive communion with the whole family.

What to do if a child resists Communion: he is capricious, breaks out, clenches his teeth? Pray intensely for him, try to go to church with him more often, so that the church environment becomes familiar and familiar to the child, so that he sees how other children receive communion, and finally, you yourself need to set an example for the children.

It is not necessary to forcibly give Communion to children, holding them hand and foot, otherwise they will have a feeling of violence for a very long time, and in the future their resistance to Communion will only worsen, because it is human nature to resist violence.

The impressions we receive in childhood may be unconscious, but they are very stable, and we run the risk of establishing a certain negative stereotype of perceiving everything churchly for the rest of our lives. Perhaps most often, children’s resistance is explained by a lack of understanding of what is happening. After all, any of us is wary of encountering something unfamiliar and incomprehensible.

So is a child: if he was suddenly snatched out of a stroller, instantly destroying his usual cozy little world, dragged through a crowd of strangers, uncles and aunts, thrust into the presence of some bearded monster (thanks to the fact that most of the male population now go “bare-faced”, many have a beard children perceive as an anomaly), then what reaction will be natural? Rejection.

So there is no need to place the blame on the child, attribute to him almost demonic possession. You just need to prepare your children for Communion in advance, explaining to them the meaning of what is happening and setting a personal example, which, as we know, is the most effective means of education.”

But children’s preparation for communion is special, individual.

As you know, you need to prepare for Communion and Confession, but children's preparation and children's confession are completely special, incomparable to adults. The task of a Christian, including a young Christian, is to benefit from Confession and Communion, therefore it is important that the preparation for the sacrament and the confession itself are effective and not overloaded. If the priest is experienced, this issue can be discussed individually; if the priest requires reading all the canons, strict fasting for the child, then big question is this useful...At this stage, in my opinion, an individual approach is important, if a child is in the Temple from infancy - this is one thing, if from time to time - another.

You need to talk to the child and explain, and not command and drag him by force.

It is important in advance, even before preparation, in simple language explain to the child why he now needs to prepare for communion. And in fact, every parent should have a timely conversation with their child that when he turns 7 years old, his childhood is over, that adulthood has begun and all the sins and bad deeds of God and his Angels are taken into account and recorded on him. And in order to be cleansed of sins, he must independently confess and receive communion. What is supposed to be repented of at Confession, the child also needs and can be explained in advance, because you know all the bad deeds and inclinations of your child very well. There is no need for parents to write a note to their child or force him to stand over his soul until he writes this note. Leave the child his individual Confession and do not ask him about what he confessed or what the priest asked about. If the child wants, he will tell himself, if not, then no.

Alternatively, the preparation may be as follows, but it is important to discuss individually with the parish priest

Regarding all questions regarding fasting, I will note that, in my opinion, it would be correct to give up sweets for the first two days, give up meat on the second day, but leave the opportunity to eat fish and dairy, and on the third day give up fish and dairy. If the child is still small, then for the third day we refuse fish and leave dairy in the diet. By by and large, this is all individual and discussed with a specific confessor. Therefore, my reasoning in this case is more of a reasoning than a recipe.

The spiritual preparation of a child is also important

It is important, in addition to physical preparation, to prepare the child for the sacrament spiritually, by reading prayers more often, reading the children's Bible, watching cartoons less, and for example, replacing them with watching the Law of God, it is in our gallery.

Everything is gradual, and so are prayers.

Regarding all points regarding prayer preparation, I would like to emphasize: the child must be taught to evening services, but if it’s still difficult, you can first skip, then come halfway, then stand completely. On the evening before Communion, just like adults, children do not need to watch cartoons, but need to read books about God and his Saints.

Next it is time for the question of prayers. I am convinced that a child should be introduced into prayer gradually. First, I think it is permissible to read three prayers from evening prayers, then after the “Canon to the Guardian Angel” read one prayer, after the “Canon to the Mother of God” read one prayer, after the “Canon to the Savior” read 1 prayer and then read 4 prayers from the “Canon for Holy Communion”. I think this will be enough, but it is important to read them clearly, with attention, praying from the heart, but without developing a formal attitude towards the matter of prayer. Gradually, the number of prayers needs to be increased. publishing house of the Moscow Patriarchate, everything is prepared there for children's prayer.

This material is collected from Patristic literature, which is freely available on the Internet, both separately (in excerpts) and in whole. e-books, the volumes of which are very large for the modern reader, who, as a rule, is accustomed to grasping only the superficial essence. The author of this project has systematized and selected the material as much as possible, highlighting the most important things, focusing on his point of view.

Creator this project does not claim authorship of the presented materials and strongly recommends that interested readers purchase them in printed form full versions Patristic works. The sources used are listed in a special section of our website “Recommended Literature and Sources”, in addition, we accompanied each book with a short review, useful for all concerned readers.

“Should a child fast before communion?”

– Again: if fasting is a burden for parents, then a problem arises with the child. What if this natural life families, then such questions don’t even arise. The child eats what adults give him. Fasting is not a hunger strike. This is a change in your habits and lifestyle. The main thing in our life is not the number of prayers, not fasting - all this is just a means.

It is necessary not to prohibit, not to force, but for the child to voluntarily accept such a lifestyle. If he was forced, he will break out from under his parent’s wing and still do it his own way, that’s what’s terrible. The Holy Fathers advise raising a child in such a way that when he grows up, when at the age of 7 he goes to confession for the first time, he feels himself a Christian, so that he takes the yoke of Christ voluntarily.

It is impossible to force someone to do this. The beauty of such a life can only be shown. And when children become interested in spiritual life, they discover a wealth that is incomparable with all the riches of the world. As in the Gospel: I found a pearl, went and sold everything for it. So it is with spiritual life: if you find it, you will give up everything in order to live this life. We need to help the child discover this wealth within himself, so that he does not think that it is all just external.

“If a child receives communion without confession, should he already somehow prepare for communion?”

“There are no special rules, but if it is possible for him not to eat before communion, that will be good.” It is necessary to teach a child so that from an early age he prepares for going to church, gets ready.

“When a child is preparing for his first confession, you need to tell him what sins he has and how to repent of them?”

– We are used to drawing children’s attention to what they are doing badly. But the main problem is not that they do bad things, but that they do not try to do good things. The greatest sin is that a person does not do what he should do. He is scolded, and the man realized that he is bad. But the sin is that he does not become good. The main sinfulness is non-conformity to the ideal, holiness.

What is repentance? This is a change in life towards the ideal, holiness. I have to correct myself. If I only have a vision of deviation, and not movement towards the ideal, this is the worst thing. You need to see the goal of Christian life - pleasing God. How did I not please God? I should have pleased him, but I didn’t? He didn’t do this, he didn’t do that... Our very sins are not in doing, but in not doing. Didn't fulfill his responsibilities as a child. Which? Obedience to parents, help, humility, one's responsibilities as a student... When an adult comes and says that he has no particular sins, this is evidence of his lack of understanding of the purpose of his life.

“Do parents have to somehow guide and suggest, or does the child decide for himself what to say to the priest?”

“Even before the age of seven, he must be prepared that the day will come when he will come to confession for the first time.” It's a holiday! This is the child's first meeting with a priest at confession. The parents hand the child from their hands to him. The priest also needs to be prepared for this. Godly parents warn me in advance.

I already know that the child came for the first time and I need to talk to him. Here there is another conversation - a conversation with a confessor, the spiritual care of the child begins. It’s not just that parents formally bring their child to church, but they need to bring him to the priest who will care for him in the future.

“Can I ask the child what the priest told him?”

– The secret of confession lies not only in the fact that the priest cannot talk about what he heard in confession, but the one who confessed must also keep it. Idle curiosity about the mystery of spiritual life is sinful. Therefore, parents must teach themselves to humble themselves and not ask such questions.

“What if the child himself wants to tell, because he is used to sharing everything with his parents?”

“Then be silent and listen.” Then consult with the priest. But don’t incite this conversation, don’t encourage it. Still, conversation on confessional topics should only happen in confession. And the child must also be able to preserve his inner peace.

“Parents can tell the priest: is the child not doing this or something else?”

– You can consult on issues that confuse parents.

Some parents and godparents wonder whether it is necessary to give communion to their child after Baptism. In order to give a correct and comprehensive answer to this question, you need to reflect on the meaning of the Sacrament of Baptism itself. According to the teachings of the Orthodox Church, during this Sacrament a person becomes a member of the Church of Christ. During the interview before the Sacrament of Baptism, the priest usually tells the parents and godparents about the great responsibility that is entrusted to them when baptizing a child. They must make every effort to ensure that their child is worthy of his Christian calling. It is impossible to imagine the life of a Christian who does not participate in church services. Therefore, from the moment of Baptism, the child is brought to the Sacrament of the Eucharist or Communion. It will be wonderful if his parents and godparents participate in this Sacrament along with the baby. When a priest, during the celebration of the Sacrament of Communion, gives a child, under the guise of bread and wine, a particle of the very Body and Blood of Christ, a real miracle occurs. This miracle cannot be described in human words, since during the Sacrament of the Eucharist a person unites with God himself. Therefore, it is not surprising that after participating in this holy Sacrament of the Church, many incurably sick and near-death people received complete healing. If parents and godparents are unable to bring their child to the Holy Chalice with Communion on the day of his baptism, then this needs to be done as soon as possible. Many priests recommend that the child participate in the Sacrament of Communion every Sunday.

A mother’s prayer after the child’s baptism is an integral part of fulfilling her maternal duty. Mother's love is one of the most sacrificial types of love that exists on earth. During Baptism, a person is given special spiritual and physical strength for life in Christ, and it becomes more difficult for him to agree with unkind thoughts. At the same time, Christian virtues, such as love, loyalty, friendship, respect, mercy, faith and many others, can more easily develop in him. When the baby’s parents and his godparents decide what to do after the child’s baptism, then first of all they should think about his first Eucharist in his life. The baby will not be able to tell you about this, but he will feel the special grace and inexpressible love of God, which will be poured into his heart during the celebration of the Sacrament of the Eucharist. His first Eucharist should be the first step in his active church life.

How to prepare for a child's first Communion after Baptism

The ideal option would be if the child’s parents and godparents receive communion after Baptism. Then, in preparation for this Sacrament, they will need to read with diligence penitential canon to our Lord Jesus Christ, a prayer canon to the Most Holy Theotokos, as well as a canon to the Guardian Angel, a canon to Holy Communion and following to Holy Communion. For adults, before Communion, it is recommended to eat lean food for at least three days. The evening before Communion or on the day of communion Divine Liturgy Before Communion, you need to begin the Sacrament of Confession. During Confession, you need to repent with all your heart of your sins and misdeeds. If the parents and godparents the child does not have the opportunity to adequately prepare for the Sacrament of Communion and begin to receive it, then at least the child himself must be brought to church for the Eucharist. We need to pray for him both at home and in church. Communion of a child after Baptism is an important element at the beginning of his spiritual journey. Children under three years old can be fed in the morning before Communion. Try to make sure your child gets a good night's sleep the night before you go to church with him. It is important that he is not hungry and is dressed in clothes that are comfortable for him.

How does a child’s first Communion take place after Baptism?

The first communion of a child after Baptism should not differ from subsequent ones. When adults who are responsible for the Christian upbringing of a child think about how to give communion to a child, they must know, on the one hand, the spiritual requirements of preparation for this Sacrament, and on the other hand, some features of external behavior. Spiritual rules include a special prayer for a child on the day of Communion. You need to ask the Lord - both in your own words and in the words from the prayer book - that the Lord will grant the baby His Divine grace, so that the child will grow up to be a true and worthy member of the Church of Christ, who is walking along the path of salvation.

When you bring a child to the Holy Chalice, he must be placed on right hand. The baby’s hands must be carefully held so that he cannot accidentally push them against the priest’s hand, which is holding the Holy Chalice with the Eucharist.

The word Eucharist translated from Greek means “thanksgiving.” When Christians begin the Sacrament of Holy Communion, they thus express gratitude to their Creator for all His blessings in their lives. In the Holy Scriptures of the New Testament there are these words: “Give thanks in everything.” Of course, the Sacrament of Holy Communion is not the only way to express one’s gratitude to the Lord, but it should be an integral part of the way of Christian life. If the child is from the very early childhood will be accustomed to regularly begin the Sacraments of the Holy Orthodox Church, then in more mature age he will not have the same spiritual problems that people who do not participate in church life have.

Baptism infant is a sacrament during which little man accepted into the fold Orthodox Church. This sacrament is considered the spiritual birth of a baby, one of the main events of his life on our planet. When a child is baptized, a guardian angel appears, invisibly present with him and protecting him for the rest of his life. Believers should take the rite of baptism, choosing godparents and preparing for this sacrament seriously.

Preparing for the baptism of mother and baby

Before performing the sacrament of baptism, you need to discuss with the clergyman all issues related to the ritual. The presence of the mother at baptism is discussed separately. It is believed that a woman who has given birth is purified only after forty days after giving birth. If the sacrament is performed before this time, then the mother cannot be present at the ceremony. When baptizing a child who is over forty days old, the mother can be present in the church if she wishes, but for this, the priest must read a special prayer over her in advance.

What is needed for a baby's baptism

What to take with you to your baby's christening

Preparation for the ceremony also includes collecting things for the sacrament. When baptizing your baby you need to take with you:

Cross for a child. It is believed that it should be given as a christening gift by the future godfather. A silver cross is suitable for a baby, which according to signs will protect him from the evil eye.
Special shirt or dress. Today, children's stores sell many various options christening shirts and dresses. You can sew this outfit yourself. According to tradition, it should be given to the baby by the future godmother.
Kryzhma or towel. The child is wrapped in it after the bath. By folk beliefs, you cannot wash such a towel after baptism. If a child is sick, then he needs to be covered with kryzhma.
Birth certificate of the baby and parents' passports.
A blanket to change your baby on.
A bag in which a cut strand of hair is placed during the sacrament.
Things the baby needs, such as diapers, pacifiers, wet wipes and so on.
Money. It is better to discuss the cost of the ceremony and other financial issues in advance with the priest performing the sacrament.

How to dress a baby for baptism

When choosing a christening shirt for a baby, you should give preference to soft, comfortable and natural outfits. It is better if the chosen clothing allows easy access to the baby’s body. Clothing can be light colors or white. When deciding how to dress a baby for baptism, you should also take into account the time of year when the ceremony takes place and the temperature in the church where the child will be baptized.

Adults who are going to be present at the baptism of a baby should also pay attention to their clothing. There is no need to choose overly festive attire. Women, and especially godmothers, should wear a skirt or dress of sufficient length and cover their head with a scarf or headscarf. Men should choose a strict one classic version clothes, such as trousers and a shirt.

Baptism of a baby: rules

The rules for infant baptism include the following points:

The most important condition for the ceremony is the sincere faith of the parents.
When choosing the date of baptism it is worth checking church calendar, it is better to refuse the sacrament on major holidays and during periods of strict fasting.
Parents and godparents need to know at least the Lord's Prayer.
Choose believers as godparents for your baby. It is advisable that they undergo the rite of confession and communion before the sacrament.
All people who are going to attend a baptism should dress appropriately.
Future godparents must not be married to each other; they also cannot be the child’s father, mother, sister or brother.
At the ceremony itself, only one godfather is allowed to be present.
If the baby's secular name is not listed Orthodox canons, then you should choose the right one for him or consonant name, under which the child will be baptized. Subsequently, this name is used in all church rituals.

How is the baptism ceremony performed?

The duration of the baptism ceremony can be up to one and a half hours. The baby is brought into the church by his godparents: usually the girl is brought in by the godfather, and the boy by the godmother. The child must be completely undressed and wrapped in a baptismal towel or kryzhma.

At the beginning of the ceremony, the godparents pronounce their vows. They must answer the priest’s questions, since the baby is still too small for this. During the sacrament, the priest applies oil to parts of the baby’s body, and then, symbolizing the protection and patronage of God, places his hands on the child. After this, the godparents read the “Creed” prayer while standing near the font. It contains vows to fulfill the commandments and not give in to the devil. Then the priest sanctifies the water in the font and immerses the baby in it three times, accompanied by reading prayers.

Next, the ritual of anointing takes place, during which a cross-shaped application of chrism is performed on the baby’s head. Afterwards, the child is given to his godparents, and they dress him in a pre-consecrated cross, shirt or dress, and for girls - a cap or scarf. The priest also cuts a lock of the baby's hair as a symbol of submission. During the process of churching, the first communion may take place, in which boys are carried through the altar, and girls are applied to the icon of the Mother of God and brought to the gates.

The sacrament of baptism ends with the making of appropriate entries in church books and the issuance of a baptismal certificate.

After the end of the ceremony, parents usually invite all relatives and friends present at it to visit. The feast should not be too rich and it is better if it is not accompanied by the consumption of alcoholic beverages.

Communion of a baby after baptism

Children of any age can receive communion after their baptism. Quite often a lot of time passes between the sacrament of baptism and the infant’s communion. Parents explain this by the impossibility of explaining to their child the rules of behavior during communion and the foundations of faith and the Orthodox Church. However, belonging to God is not tied to age, gender and other characteristics of a person; even infants can and should be given communion. The first communion should take place a few days after baptism.

How infants receive communion after baptism

During church services, diluted wine and a bowl containing pieces of bread are brought out. Above them, the priest reads the necessary prayers, invoking the spirit of Christ. Before communion with bread and wine, you need to receive the priest’s blessing for it. In this case, infants should be placed on the right arm of an accompanying adult; older children should have their arms folded on their chest, with the right one on top. It is necessary to try to explain to the baby that a piece of bread needs to be swallowed. Children are usually given communion first, and the priest should be told church name child.

Infants should be fed approximately one and a half hours before the sacrament. It is better not to feed children over three years old at all before this.
Depending on the age, it is worth trying to explain to the child the procedure for communion and its meaning. During the ritual, you need to cross your arms over your chest, not talk, not play around or laugh, calmly tell the priest your name and swallow a piece.

When going to church for communion, you must wear a cross around your baby’s neck.