Homily: Baptism and Baptismal Liturgy
Outline for Baptismal Liturgy.
(prepared with the blessing of my bishop)
- “Blessed is the Kingdom…” “Amen.”
- Great Litany: includes extra baptismal litanies.
- Choir sings Antiphon One (this seems optional per Fr. Alexander; we do it).
- In place of the Little Litany: “The Blessing of the Baptismal Water” and the “Blessing of the Oil of the Catachumens”. Ends with “Blessed is God…” Choir: “Amen.”
- Antiphon Two (this seems optional per Fr. Alexander; we do it).
- In place of the Little Litany: The Anointing and the Baptism.
- Antiphon Three. (this seems optional per Fr. Alexander; we do it)
- Baptismal party dresses child, leaving feet, hands, etc. exposed/available (this was a practical matter – otherwise the child would be naked a looong time).
- “Little Entrance” is from tetrapod. At Holy Doors (as usual): “Wisdom, Let us be attentive” “Come Let us worship…” Normal Hymns.
- Priest and deacon go back out to tetrapod during hymns.
- Immediately after hymns: Chrismation.
- Priest: “For You are Holy…” Deacon: “… and unto ages of ages.” Choir: Amen.
- In place of Trisagion: “As Many as have been Baptized” as Baptismal party circles the tetrapod. During “Glory”, the clergy go back into the altar (High Place) as usual.
- The Baptismal party can stay up front or not, as pastoral/parenting demands require.
- Then the service proceeds as normal (can do two readings etc. (fwiw, the subdeacon and servers stayed out until after the Gospel reading); should add appropriate Litanies; Fr. Alexander says can skip Litany of the Catachumens, but we did it).
- Newly baptized communes first among the faithful.
- Immediately after the Liturgy (after blessing, but before the kissing of the cross): Rites of Ablution and Tonsuring (some do this earlier). Churching/St. Symeon’s prayer. “Many years”.
We have done this several times. As long as everyone (especially the priest and deacons) are prepared, it moves well (not forced/artificial). We like to have the children of the parish up front so they can see. Lots of smiling faces. The bottom line for the impatient (and every parish has them, bless their hearts) is that it only adds about 10 minutes to the length of the Divine Liturgy (which means a total of about 90 minutes).