Baptism 1
What are the elements used in baptism?
Water and the invocation of the Holy Trinity.
Can Orthodox Christians marry non-Orthodox individuals?
It is discouraged and sometimes not even allowed unless the non-Orthodox is baptized and agrees to raise children in the Orthodox faith.
Where in Scripture is Jesus baptized?
Matthew 3:13–17 (also Mark 1:9-11 and Luke 3:21-22)
What is the Ge’ez term for baptism?
ጥምቀት (T'mqet)
Can someone be saved without baptism?
Normally, no — baptism is essential for salvation. But God is merciful. In cases like martyrdom before baptism (baptism by blood), or faith and desire, the Church entrusts judgment to God's grace.
What is the purpose(s) of baptism?
1) To save us.
2) To remove the consequences of 'original sin'.
3) To wash away all other sins committed before the time of Baptism.
4) To make us members of the Church (belonging to the Holy Trinity) and prepare us for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
What is the purpose(s) of marriage in the Church?
Cooperation between man and woman, protection against fornication, redemption, love, procreating and raising children in the faith.
Where is it said we must be "born of water and the Spirit"?
John 3:5 - "Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God."
Who is allowed to perform baptisms?
An ordained priest.
Why is marriage performed during a liturgical service and not just privately?
Because it is not a private act — it is a sacrament of the Church, witnessed by the community and blessed by God, uniting the couple in the presence of Christ.
What sacrament immediately follows baptism?
Chrismation (anointing with Holy Meron).
What is the Church's stance on divorce and remarriage?
Divorce/annulment is permitted only in cases like adultery; remarriage is allowed but with penance.
Which chapter compares Christ’s love for the Church to a husband’s love for his wife?
Ephesians 5
Why does the Church not practice re-baptism?
Because baptism is once-for-all — it permanently seals a person.
What does the word "Sacrament" or "Mystery" mean to us?
It is called a Mystery (ምስጢር) because God’s grace is given invisibly through a visible act. The inner meaning is hidden — only understood spiritually.
Why is infant baptism practiced in the Orthodox Church?
Because salvation is offered freely by grace, and children are part of the covenant community.
What do the crowns used in the marriage ceremony symbolize?
The crowns symbolize that the bride and groom are the king and queen of their new household, and also represent the crowns of the martyrs, reminding them that marriage requires self-sacrifice, patience, and spiritual struggle.
What is the first miracle Jesus performs, and where?
Turning water into wine at the wedding in Cana (John 2:1–11).
Is baptism valid without faith?
Yes, in the case of infants; the faith of the Church covers them.
What is the significance of facing east during prayer?
East symbolizes the resurrection and second coming of Christ, who is the “Sun of Righteousness” (Malachi 4:2).
How many days after birth does the Church wait to baptize an infant boy and an infant girl — and why are the numbers different?
40 days for boys, 80 days for girls.
This follows the Old Testament tradition (Leviticus 12), where the mother observes a period of purification. It’s not because the child is unclean, but out of reverence for the sacredness of birth and preparation before entering the Church.
Why is matrimony considered a Sacrament (or Holy Mystery), and not just a social or legal arrangement?
Because marriage is a spiritual union blessed by God, through which the couple becomes one flesh in Christ. It reflects the mystical union between Christ and the Church and is a means for the couple to grow in holiness and love through God's grace — not just a contract or agreement.
What Old Testament image(s) is baptism likened to?
The Flood, Circumcision, the Crossing of the Red Sea.
What is the connection between baptism and the Cross?
In baptism, we mystically participate in the death and resurrection of Christ, just as He was crucified and buried. The Cross is not only a symbol of Christ's suffering, but the gateway to new life — and through baptism, we are buried with Him and raised with Him (Romans 6:3–5).
It is through the Cross that the power of sin is destroyed, and baptism makes that power effective in the believer. The water becomes the tomb and the womb — a place of both death to sin and rebirth in Christ. The baptized is marked with the sign of the Cross, becoming a new creation and a member of the Body of Christ.
What Old Testament ritual involved confessing sins over an animal, which was then sent away — symbolizing Christ’s role in the Sacrament of Confession?
Yom Kippur/The Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16) — the scapegoat carried the sins of the people, prefiguring Christ as our atoning sacrifice.