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Question 550

Pater good afternoon, please tell me, what is the significance of washing the clothes of a newly baptised child after 3 days , and what are the consequences if the God parents are not able to attend the child's home to do this deed .  

Answer to Question 550

In the early Church when adult baptism was the norm, the newly baptized did not wash, but on the eighth day returned to the Church [probably the baptistery] and was bathed there. The Priest then read the prayers of ablution and continued with the prayers of the tonsuring and the tonsure. (the cutting of the hair) This was done so that man could differentiate between the things that had been sanctified and the things that had not. The oils, the water and the Holy Chrism used for his baptism had been sanctified through the grace of the Holy Spirit; they were used for his sanctification and salvation and therefore should be treated with the reverence due to them. It would be an impious act to bathe in a common place and the waters of the bath to flow into the common sewage.

Today we still keep this devout tradition, but instead of on the eight day, it is now executed on the third day for babies and instead of returning to the Church, the ritual is done at the babies home.  The only thing that differs from the old way is that the child is not brought back to the Church for the prayers of ablution. The prayers were said on the day of Baptism in anticipation and the Priest symbolically washed the child’s face. If the godparents are not in a position to carry out this duty then it can be performed by anyone else who is Orthodox.  

Same member

Does this mean all the clothes that the child wore during the three day period or just the clothes he wore after being baptized.

Reply

On the third day the Godparent comes to the child’s home for the washing, as it is considered his responsibility to wash the child. A baby bath is set up and the child is washed and dressed. Then all the clothes the child wore for those three days and his bed sheets are washed in the same water and the water is then poured into a container. The clothes are then rinsed in clean water which again is poured into the container. The water is then carried to the Church and poured into the Church’s drainage or can be poured somewhere remote where people do not tread. Many pour the water onto walls.