- In the sacrament of Baptism we die with Christ and rise with Christ. Many people confuse the sacrament of Baptism with the sacrament of Chrismation where we receive the Holy Spirit by the anointing of the Holy Oil (Mayron) 36 times allover our body. So at baptism day we receive two sacraments Baptism and Chrismation and after the liturgy we receive the Eucharist. If the person being baptized is an adult then they also have to confess before being baptized.
- When you are Baptised you receive a new name to be baptized with. This is not only if the child has a name that is not of one of the saints like Ashraf or Tod, but even if you have a name like Marina or George you still should be given a new name. The new name is a covenant between God and the person being baptized. The same way Abraham, Jacob, and Peter received a new name when they entered into a covenant with God. Also in the book of revelation it says that we will receive a new name (Rev 2:17).
- The baptismal font were you were baptized is actually called in liturgical books “The Jordan” because when we are baptized we are baptized with Christ in the Jordon river.
- When you are baptized your details are recorded in a book that is kept in the church where they keep details of everyone who was baptized in the church. This book is actually called the “Book of Life” because in the book of revelation it says that no one will enter the heavenly Jerusalem who’s name is not written in the book of life (Rev 21: 27). And Jesus said: “Surly I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.” (John 3:5)
- After you are baptized we do a procession around the church. This procession actually comes from the procession of the feast of resurrection. In the early church the catechumens spend all of lent in an intensive coarse preparing for their baptisim on bright Saturday liturgy. They then are taken around the church in a procession with the icon of resurrection around the church during the resurrection liturgy because the baptized person is the icon of resurrection because he was dead and now alive in Christ. Because of the big number of baptized the church made it possible to be baptized any time of the year and the church kept the procession of the baptized person from the resurrection liturgy.
