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Question 27. Dear Father Christopher, Is it “forbidden” by any canon or “custom” to baptize a second infant or adult in the SAME water in the baptismal tank in the church immediately after an infant has been baptized and there are families expecting to have their infants baptized? It is true that one must EMPTY out the water, and put in FRESH WATER, and bless it, for a second baptism? I have never encountered such objections until a fellow from Russia told me that a priest is not allowed to baptize a SECOND person in the SAME water, but must perform such a “second” baptism on the following day!
Answer to Question 27 Your Eminence Bishop Jacob, Your blessing!
From the beginning and up to the eighth century Baptism was
administered mainly to adults in groups where they were baptized at the
same time. Isolated Baptisms were rare and only performed for reasons of
necessity, neither were they performed on a day requested by the
candidate, but on the Great Feasts, especially Easter and Theophany. The
baptismal service was joined to the Divine Liturgy, thus all the
congregation was present and received Holy Communion together with the new
members. When infant Baptism prevailed the service was isolated from the
Divine Liturgy and individual Baptisms were performed. This is the normal
custom which we have inherited, but that doesn’t mean that we cannot
perform a group Baptism. If fact, not so many years ago people in Cyprus
would go to the Monasteries to have their children baptized there and it
was normal for many infants to be baptized in the one service and in the
same water. The Priest would first perform the Catechism in plural
mentioning each child by name. In fact, in all the old Euchologia
Manuscripts the Catechism and Baptismal prayers were in plural and were
only adapted to the singular when infant and individual Baptisms
prevailed. During the Baptism service the waters were blessed and then the
Priest would anoint all the infants with the exorcised oil. Then taking
one child at a time he would Baptize them in the same font, anoint them
with the Chrism and tonsure them. I myself have Baptized triplets in the
same water and a father and son. Group Baptisms are normal and in
accordance with the tradition of the Church. Nowhere is it mentioned that
we cannot Baptize an infant and an adult in the same water as long as the
service is performed for both at the same time. If the service has ended,
one should not use the same water for another separate Baptism that
immediately follows. In other words, if we have two, three or four
separate Baptisms to do in one day, then at each we must empty the font
and put in fresh water. Theoretically there is nothing wrong with the
water, but I think the custom is linked to the times when the Baptism
service was part of the Divine Liturgy. There was only one Baptism for
many just as there is only one Divine Liturgy for many. If we are to have
a second Liturgy in the same Church then another Priest must perform the
service and we cannot used the same Holy Altar, Antiminsion, Chalice,
Paten etc. Everything that was used during the first Liturgy cannot be
used for the second. In the same way, the water used for a second Baptism
is not to be the same as that used for the first. Again theoretically, if
we were to use the same water there would not be the necessity to perform
another Baptism service: we could simply take the candidate and thrice
immerse him in the water and all that would remain would be for us to
anoint him with the Chrism. Most of the Baptism service is actually the
blessing of the waters, if we take this away then there is very little
left of the service. If this is acceptable for Baptism then we could say
that it would be acceptable for the Divine Liturgy. In our parish we have
two Liturgies on Sundays, but why go through all that preparation for a
second service? We could simply save the Chalice from the first and give
communion to the people who come at a later time. But then if we have
another Liturgy the next day then why not save it until tomorrow?
Kissing thy right hand |
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