The rite of baptism is a sacrament that every Orthodox person must go through. You need to prepare for it in advance. There are necessary attributes that must be present without fail: a body cross, a baptismal towel, a candle and an icon. Not a single rite is complete without them.
What is a baptismal towel for?
A baptismal towel (kryzhma, or robe) is a white diaper or cloth into which a child is wrapped after dipping in a font. It must be in bright colors, as it means purity and steadfastness before God.
As a rule, a future baptismal mother brings a baptismal towel to the temple and presents it as a gift. In modern society, there is a tradition of buying kryzhma in a store. But previously it was believed that it should be done with their own hands. Then the bright thoughts of the godmother passed into her. Mandatory decoration was embroidery. These were soft ornaments on religious topics (cross, angel, temple and others).
The main condition was that the future godmother, and not the mother, sewed the kryzhma. The people said that from a strong love for her child, a mother can jinx the baby. Therefore, she was not present in the church during the ceremony.
Choose the right fabric
If you decide to sew a baptismal towel with your own hands, first of all you need to choose the right fabric. The most common option is flax and cotton. These fabrics are practical, absorb moisture well, look great, it is easy to embroider a pattern on them.
If the ceremony takes place in the cold season, it is advisable to choose mahr and make a baptismal towel with a hood (a special pocket for the child’s head). Such a kryzhma will absorb moisture well, in it the child will not freeze. The only caveat - a terry baptismal towel will have to be decorated with the help of additional elements. It can be special patches in the form of crosses, guardian angels and others. It will not be possible to embroider an ornament on such a fabric.
Atlas is also popular. Choosing it, it is worth knowing that it practically does not absorb water and has a cooling effect. A child in such kryzhma, most likely, will freeze even in the summer. If you really want a robe made of satin, you need to take care of the inner layer of cotton fabric.
The main rule when choosing fabric for a baptismal towel is to consider the time of year. For the summer months, chintz, linen, cotton will be ideal. For cold weather, terry is suitable.
We sew kryzhma on our own
To sew a terry baptismal towel, you will need:
- the right fabric;
- meter;
- ruler;
- pencil;
- sewing machine.
Now the main thing is to decide on the size. If the baby is newborn, 75 x 75 cm of Crimean will be enough, for adult children - 100 x 100 cm.
We cut out the square based on the above parameters. Remember to make an allowance on each side. One centimeter will be enough.
If you decide to make a baptismal towel with a corner, you need to round off on one side. A regular disk will do. Attach it to kryzhma and circle. Cut along the contour, take a pre-made corner. Sew the ribbons around the perimeter so that the seams are not visible.
When performing baptismal towels for boys, it is better to use blue corners. Such kryzhma will stand out and look beautiful in photographs.
Dressing
When decorating towels for baptism, it is important to remember that they should contain restrained church ornaments, not be too sticky and artsy. Recently, baptismal towels with embroidery are popular. As a rule, they are performed with threads of gold or silver color.
If it is not possible to embroider, it is recommended to buy ready-made applications and stripes, which are sold in hardware stores. They are mounted quite simply with a glue gun or a hot iron.
The fashion includes jewelry with pearls, rhinestones, beads. But it is worth remembering the safety of the baby, who can swallow a bead. Therefore, this decoration is better not to use.
Interesting Facts
During the rite, the priest blesses the Kryzhma, and after the child is taken out of the font, they are wrapped in it. There are several beliefs associated with the baptismal towel:
- It is not recommended to wash. The fact is that during the baptismal ceremony, the priest smears the forehead with the world on the baby. This is done once in a lifetime. It is believed that droplets fall on the kryzhma, so it has great power. It must be maintained throughout life.
- During the illness of the child, you need to wrap or cover with crimea. Many claim that it helps to cope with the disease. You can not use it as an ordinary towel.
In conclusion
In preparation for the baptismal rite, again pay attention to important points:
- The size of the kryzhma should be no less than 75 x 75 cm.
- Choose only light shades. Ideally, white is suitable.
- A baptismal towel with a name is a great gift from the godparents.
- Before the rite, do not forget to wash the robe.
- After making anointing, washing the kryzhma is not recommended.
- The decoration of the baptismal towel should be dim, the ornament should not be sloppy.
- If you yourself will embroider a cross, pay special attention to the fact that it is canonical.
The rite of baptism is a sacrament that must be approached responsibly. Do not forget about the required attributes: a pectoral cross, kryzhma, candles, and an icon.