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are baptismal font and immersion font.
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Baptismal Font – is intended for
baptism immersion of infant. The font has wooden pedestal (about 1.5 meter
tall) with a wooden holder for a marble top and silver basin for holding
water. It has a golden lid.
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Immersion Font – is intended for baptism
immersion of adult. The font is made of marble with three steps leading to
the pool and three steps leading to the bottom.
Baptism is always by full immersion even in the case of infant
baptism. During baptismal service, three candles will lit
on or around the baptismal font, in honor of the Holy Trinity. In many
Orthodox churches, a very special kind of holy water called “Theophany
Water” is consecrated on the Feast of Theophany (Epiphany). The
consecration (literally, “Great Blessing”) is performed twice as follows:
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In a baptismal font on the Eve of the feast.
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In a natural body of water on the Day of feast
BAPTISM
The Sacrament of Baptism incorporates us into the
Church, the Body of Christ, and is our introduction to the life of the Holy
Trinity. Water is a natural symbol of cleansing and newness of life.
Through the three-fold immersion in the waters of Baptism in the Name of
the Holy Trinity, one dies to the old ways of sin and is born to a new life
in Christ. Baptism is one's public identification with Christ Death and
victorious Resurrection. Following the custom of the early Church,
Orthodoxy encourages the baptism of infants. The Church believes that the
Sacrament is bearing witness to the action of God who chooses a child to be
an important member of His people. From the day of their baptism, children
are expected to mature in the life of the Spirit, through their family and
the Church. The Baptism of adults is practiced when there was no previous baptism
in the name of the Holy Trinity.
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