Interior

Traditions and history of baptismal attire for newborns. Choosing a dress for a girl for christening

The baptism of a child is considered the first and most important Christian rite, a spiritual birth. This sacrament, unlike numerous church rites, is designed to change the inner life of the child, and not the earthly mission. Thrice immersion of an infant in a font, accompanied by prayers, or pouring water on an older child joins the soul to God and the Church.

The Great Sacrament is unthinkable without the necessary paraphernalia: a pectoral cross, a candle and a baptismal set (shirt and kryzhma). Each of these relics has its own symbolic and spiritual meaning.

What is baptismal clothing?

This is the ceremonial attire in which the baby is dressed during the sacrament of baptism. It doesn't matter if it's a boy or a girl.

Putting on white clothes means the cleansing of the baptized person from sins and the obligation to lead a pure life. The white palette symbolizes the manifestation of joy from turning to Christ.

Mandatory requirements for clothing for baptism are the same. She must:

to be new, that is, to mark the beginning of a bright life in purity and spirituality
be comfortable, easy to put on and take off, which is dictated by the peculiarities of the sacrament
consist of two obligatory elements: kryzhma and shirt.

To these requirements it is only necessary to add one more thing, dictated by the care of the child - christening clothes must be made of natural fabrics (softened linen, cotton, batiste), breathable and absorbent (in order to prevent allergies and other troubles).

All other signs of clothing for baptism are conditional, optional and invented by the laity:

Elegance: of course, christening - great holiday for all relatives, and therefore clothes are chosen with lace, ribbons, rhinestones and other decorations.
Completeness: for the sacrament you need a wardrobe of 5-7 things: a bonnet, overalls, a suit, a dress, pantaloons, hats, etc.
Content: all or separate parts of clothing must contain the symbols of the cross, the date of the ceremony, and others.

Why You Can't Sew or Buy Baptismal Clothes in Advance

This sign is by no means associated with any negative consequences or troubles for the baptized. A situation may simply arise that a size 20 shirt purchased with love will turn out to be small for a grown-up hero. After all, last week he barely got into a size 24 jumpsuit. Or vice versa. The hope that the goddaughter will reach a mass of 7 kg in a month is becoming more and more illusory every day. And at the time of the sacrament, the child will literally drown in an outfit that is 2-3 sizes larger.

Kryzhma: what is it for and how to sew it with your own hands

Kryzhma is a square white diaper (can be insulated). When the sacrament is performed, the baby is wrapped in it after the font. The obligation to make or buy kryzhma lies with the godmother.

Needless to say, the symbolic diaper should be made of natural fabric and exceed the size of the child? But everything else - decorating the kryzhma with lace, embroidering the date of the sacrament and the name of the baptized on the corner - is a matter of desire and taste. These moments do not affect the correctness of the christening.

After getting wet in the font, the kryzhma does not need to be washed. The water in the bowl generally has healing properties. Babies do not catch cold after immersing in the font even in the winter months.

After the sacrament, the kryzhma remains in the house where the baby lives. This relic is endowed with miraculous powers - to heal a child from diseases and evil eye.

Kryzhma, made by hand, is a wonderful spiritual gift to the godson (-tse) from the godmother.

To sew a relic, you need to prepare:

2 pieces of white fabric (1x1 m)
1 piece of synthetic winterizer (1x1 m)
seam with lace embroidery (4m)
needle with thread for basting
sewing machine.

Manufacturing

First, along the perimeter of the 1st piece of fabric, they are basted, and then the seam is sewn. So that the lace corners do not wrap and do not warp the fabric, they are folded with an accordion.
At the next stage, both pieces of fabric are sewn together, leaving room for inserting a padding polyester.
The filler is inserted into the resulting cover, the corners are straightened and the lining is sewn up to the end.
Finally, it remains to go through the line in the corners and sides of the finished little thing in order to securely fasten the synthetic winterizer inside.
If desired, the corners of the kryzhma are decorated with beads, embroidery, ribbon bows and other decorative elements.

DIY white christening shirt

Immediately after the ceremony, the child is dressed in a white shirt, which testifies that the baptized person begins a new life in Christ and is transfigured by the Divine Light.

The traditional spacious shirt has a simple cut with a minimum number of fasteners and ties, does not restrict movement and does not cause inconvenience to the baby. The godmother can sew such clothes on her own. It is better for beginner needlewomen to opt for two types of cut shirts:

elongated with straight sides
elongated with oblique sides.

The shirt, as a sacred relic, is also endowed with healing properties. In the event of a child’s illness, mothers put on a shirt, put it on top of the body (if it is already small) or leave it under the patient’s pillow.

The shirt cannot be transferred to other hands. She does not possess healing powers in relation to other children.

It is difficult to explain in words the process of making a shirt. It would probably be better to watch this one once than to listen and memorize the algorithm of actions ten times.

Christening outfit for a girl

Many mothers think about whether to buy for their daughter baptismal dress, cap (hat), booties and other wardrobe items?

Attention! The correct answer is you can, but you don't have to. More precisely, everything comes from the personal preferences of the parents. The church is loyal to any kind of clothing. In other words, the outfit for boys and girls has no fundamental difference.

To perform the sacrament, it is enough to bring a cross with you (buy on the spot), a shirt and a cap. If parents want to see their daughter in a dress and cap, please, the priest will not mind.

This is interesting! In the West, Catholics don't dip the baby into the bowl when performing the ceremony. This is where sophisticated models of baptismal dresses, sundresses and hats follow.

For the Slavs, the sacrament goes differently, so those who are baptized need shirts that can be easily and quickly put on, and everything else is surplus.

Do you need a christening cap?

This question is often asked by mothers of not only girls, but also boys. No. A baptismal cap is not a mandatory attribute of the sacrament.

When entering the church, only married women cover their heads as a sign of humility and respect for the Lord and husband. There is no need for a little girl to put on a cap, except perhaps from the cold and drafts.

Moreover, we remember the rite of cutting hair as part of the sacrament of baptism. In this case, the cap will interfere at all.

And finally!

The rites are followed by baptisms. This is a holiday for the whole family, which gives hope for a bright future and faith in the motto "everything will be fine!".

Of course, it is necessary to celebrate an important event dressed up, in a good mood and with close relatives (friends). In symbolic clothes, the baby will be simply unique! Such an angel!

Baptism is an important stage in the life of a baby, because from that day on he renounces the sinful life, and later on is reborn in the spiritual life. Baptism involves the cleansing of an infant from original sin, which is due to his birth. The sacrament of baptism is performed only once in a person's life. Surely the parents of the baby and his godparents are worried about the question of how to dress for christening. We will talk about this.

The church dress code is very different from the styles we use in everyday life.. If you have never attended a christening or rarely enter a church, the following recommendations and rules will help you dress appropriately.

Despite the fact that christening is a holiday celebrated in the Orthodox and Christian churches, clothing at this event is of great importance, since it must correspond to that very bright day when the baby joins the spiritual life. You can’t stand out with your appearance, but your mood should be positive. Avoid blouses that have short sleeves, short skirts, tops and jeans. Such clothes do not correspond to church canons in any way. Pants of any kind are not allowed.

Inconspicuous dress. The godmother and mother of the child should not differ in their appearance. Plain fabrics and neutral colors are welcome. Since we are talking about the festive atmosphere that the christening will be filled with, you need to wear a dress in light colors - white, blue, pale pink, peach, cream, apricot shades. The dress may have patterns, but they should be simple and discreet. The length of the dress should be below the knee. Floor length preferred.
Dress sleeves or blouses. As an alternative to a dress, you can wear a blouse and a skirt. The sleeves of the blouse or dress should be long. The blouse should have a simple cut. Necklines and deep cuts, tight-fitting styles that fit snugly to the figure are not allowed. The blouse matches the color of the skirt or can be a couple of tones lighter than it. When choosing a blouse, she should not hinder movements, especially the godmother's blouse - after all, it is not an easy task for her to calm the baby during the ceremony and hold him in her arms.
Shoes. Must be closed, at low speed. It can be dark or matched to the main gamut of the outfit. No heels or platforms. Not very high shoes, of course, are acceptable, but still it is better to refuse them. It is better to wear simple closed shoes.
Makeup. Naturally, on such a day, any woman wants to look her best, but the church does not accept bright makeup and frilly outfits. Natural make-up is preferred - a little powder and a little blush, neat even eyebrows, eyelashes that are not brightly painted. You can apply gloss on the lips, but give up lipstick. Tinting your lips, keep in mind that the priest will ask you to kiss the cross, which means that if you make up your lips with gloss, then it should be barely noticeable and persistent.
Handkerchief. The head must be covered with a scarf. Naturally, one should not make lush hairstyles - it is enough to collect hair in a bun or ponytail, braid it. Scarf You can have your own in the color scheme of the chosen outfit, or take a scarf in the church.
Cross. The godmother and mother, and in principle everyone who enters the church, must wear a pectoral cross, consecrated in the church. You can take your own cross or purchase it at the church.

How to dress for the christening of the godfather?

The godfather's clothes are quite simple. It is enough to wear light trousers and a shirt a couple of shades lighter, light closed shoes. Also put on a cross consecrated in the church.

During the rite of baptism, the baby's limbs are opened, and therefore the outfit should be free. The girl can wear a spacious dress, and the boy can put on the same spacious shirt and trousers or shorts. Then the newborn child is dressed in a white diaper donated by the godmother or in a baptismal shirt, depending on the traditions of the church in which the baptismal ceremony takes place.

If it is necessary to baptize a child who is already over a year old, he can be dressed for christening in the following way.

Handkerchief. Girls do not have to wear it until the moment when menstruation comes, and also up to seven years. According to church canons, a child under the age of seven is considered an infant. However, in order not to embarrass church grandmothers and other guardians of church order, a scarf can be worn. Thus, you once again reinsure yourself, because each church has its own rules, which they cannot always tell you about.
Dress. Should have long sleeves, be discreet, made of simple material. In the cold season, you should wear warm tights or panties. If baptism takes place in the summer, a long dress is still more convenient. If the child spins in his arms, such a dress will not embarrass anyone and will not cause discomfort. Thin straps, cuts and cutouts are not appropriate even for a child.
white clothes. Dressed after the font. White color symbolizes purity, so clothes of this color should be worn after the ceremony. Do not forget about the baptismal set - a towel, a bonnet, a shirt.

What should godparents buy for christening?

To prepare for the christening of a child, it is not enough just to dress properly. Godparents are required to purchase certain things that they give to the baby as a gift.

White shirt or christening dress. In the store you can buy a simple version or a model with embroidery. Also, such goods are sold directly in the church. If you buy a shirt in a store, do not forget to wash and iron it before christening, so that you can put it on your baby already clean. A baptismal shirt or shirt is worn after the rite of baptism as a symbol that the child appears clean before God. According to tradition, this shirt should be worn for eight days. After this period, the shirt is removed and stored throughout life. If the child begins to get sick, the baptismal shirt can be placed under the pillow. It is impossible to carry out the baptism of another baby using the same shirt.
Neck cross. It should have a crucifix on it. This baptism should be bought in advance or directly on the day of baptism. The cross must be consecrated. According to tradition, it is believed that the cross after baptism cannot be removed. Therefore, it is better to pick up a small cross and a rope that it would be difficult for the baby to take off himself.
Towel. In some churches, the child is wrapped in it after baptism, while in other churches a white diaper is used. It will be a diaper or a towel - this thing must be stored with the baby's baptismal shirt and not washed after the baptismal ceremony.
Scarf or cap. It can be purchased separately or purchased with a baptismal set, in which there will be a bonnet or scarf.

The cost of a baptismal set, which includes a towel, cap, diaper and shirt, can be 700-1500 rubles.

To be absolutely prepared for your christening, bring the following items with you:

Baikovy blanket. After the child is undressed and dipped into the font, it may become cold. A blanket will keep your baby warm and comfortable.
Small package. It will be possible to put a strand of the baby's hair into it, which the priest will cut. The strand of hair should be stored with the christening gown, diaper, or towel.

How should godparents prepare for the rite of baptism?

In addition to clothes and gifts for the baby, godparents need to prepare for the rite of baptism. What exactly should be done or not done?

Communion and repent of mortal sins a couple of days before the rite of christening.
Do not eat or have sexual intercourse on the day of baptism.
If the godparents baptize the boy, then the godfather will have to read the "Symbol of Faith" prayer. If the parents participate in the baptism of the girl, this prayer will need to be read to the godfather.

What are the duties of a godmother?

Before you agree to become a godmother, you need to understand whether you can fulfill these obligations, which are presented below.

Vouch for the child before the Lord
Take responsibility for the spiritual upbringing of the child
Take part in the upbringing and life of the child on an equal basis with his biological parents
Take care of the child if the biological parents can no longer fulfill their obligations to the child. The godmother can become the full guardian of the baby.
Pray for the godchild, be a caring and loving godmother
Come to church with your child if the parents cannot do it
Be an example for a child.

What is required at christening from the godmother?

Please note that the godmother, just like the godfather, must be baptized and observe Christian laws. If the godmother is not baptized, then from the beginning they baptize her, and only then the baby. By the way, biological parents can be completely unbaptized or advocate a different faith.
The godmother must be present at the christening of the child, unlike the godfather, who may be present at the christening in absentia.
Godparents should remember the day of the child's baptism, and every year on this day - the day of the Guardian Angel of the godchild, visit the temple every year, thank the Lord and light a candle.

When agreeing to become the godparents of a child, you should remember not only the dress code, but also the obligations that you must fulfill before the child and before God. Baptism is an important ceremony for a child, his relatives and godparents, and therefore you need to thoroughly prepare for it.

There are many sacraments of the Church, and baptism is one of the most important among them. It is on the day of christening that a person is born a second time, this process is also called spiritual rebirth.

People are baptized at any age, but Orthodox parents often take care of the soul of their child and perform the ceremony even in infancy.

It is necessary to carefully prepare for the ceremony and think over every detail. You will be warned about all the necessary items in advance at the church, at the time of registration.

As a rule, everything you need can be bought there: crosses, icons, baptismal belts - in different churches, the sets of items vary somewhat. An important decision for the parents of the baby: clothes for the “new” Orthodox.

How to choose an outfit

The choice should come from the temperature in the room where the christening is held. Young children react sharply to temperature changes, especially after contact with water.

The cute model is complemented by a headband and elegant booties.

It is best to bring some warm clothes and a blanket with you.

Before baptism, the girl is put on ordinary things, and after that, a beautiful dress or shirt is traditionally white. It is designed to reflect the purity of the child's soul.

Modern parents often choose the original colors of clothes for an elegant dress - delicate peach, pink, beige.

Clothes for christening are chosen either by the parents themselves or by the godparents - there are no fundamental instructions from the church in this. You should not pick up too elegant clothes, despite the significance of the event.

Lightweight model for christening on hot summer days

Orthodoxy is restraint and humility, a large number of frills and prints on clothes for a girl at christening is simply inappropriate.

After baptism, it is possible to put on a dress only if the child is sick, according to belief, it will carry a healing effect.

Parents are traditionally forbidden to be in the room where the ceremony takes place. But in modern times, this tradition is rarely observed. For adults accompanying an infant, the dress code is no different from the usual for visiting church. Appropriate, only in the most chaste version.

Women must have their heads covered long skirt or a dress—nothing frilly or revealing. Absolutely not suitable or deep neckline. Men are required to wear trousers, even in hot weather.

The main thing for the godparents and relatives of the baby is to be in a peaceful state of mind, coming to this bright ceremony. Leave all worldly thoughts and worries, and rejoice in the spiritual rebirth of your daughter.

Democratic brands, the choice of which is huge, will allow you to save the budget. Pay attention, for example, to or H&M. For socialites, I can recommend - girls whose name and clothes I know all over the world.

Dress and bonnet decorated with voluminous roses

Baptismal robe with your own hands and crochet

You can buy a christening dress or create your own. The second option is better for many reasons.

A hand-knitted thing will be unique, carry the warmth of your hands and emphasize the significance of the event.

If you were invited with a child to a wedding ceremony and you need to find it, then the baptismal style of clothing will be quite appropriate. Knit two dresses at once - one for christening and the second for going out with your princess.

For a tiny fairy from 3 to 6 months

An openwork, delicate dress is ideal for a sacred ceremony.

Air lace creation (photo)

Fabric density: 10 loops create 15 cm of fabric.

Work sequence:

The details of the front and back are knitted in one piece, starting from the neckline.
Dial a chain of 63 air loops. Knit the fabric with a pattern from scheme 1 for 9 rows. Next, 27 rapports are knitted, 4 loops are knitted on the straps with fasteners on each side.
Knit the second row of pattern 2: 4 double crochets, 4 rapports. This is the right side of the back piece. Next, skipping 5 rapports, 9 rapports for the front part and another skipping rapports - 5 pieces. Repeat the mirror schemes. Back and front knit single piece according to scheme 2. After 15 cm, it is necessary to finish knitting.

Scheme for knitting No. 1

Scheme for knitting No. 2

Assembly:

The neck and part of the back are tied with a crustacean step. For the fastener, sew on 4 buttons: 5 cm from the bottom edge, 1 cm from the top edge. Pattern loops are used to fasten buttons.

The 1st and 8th rows of the product are decorated with a ribbon threaded through them, fixed at the ends with the help of hidden stitches. The finished dress is moistened and dried on a flat hard surface.

Scheme of assembling a children's dress

You will find the rules for choosing dresses for women over 40.

For girls 6 - 12 months

Pink dress for girls 6 - 12 months

In the first loop: single crochet, 3 double crochets, 1 single crochet (repeat). Skip the loop and knit through the front loop, to the end of the row.

Work sequence:

- Start knitting with a chain of 172 stitches.
- 1, 2 rows: double crochets.
- 3rd row: Add 1 st.s / n through each st. from the previous row.
- 4 row: 1 st.s / n, then * 1 st.s / n through each column of the previous row *. Repeat cycle ** until the end of the row.
- 5 row: columns with crochets and an increase of the 1st st.s / n on each 5th column of the previous row.
- Rows 6 to 10: Follow pattern 1.

11, 12 row: columns with crochets and an increase of the 1st st.s / n on every 10th column of the previous row.
13 row: identical to the fourth.
14th row: double crochets.
15 row: identical to the 12th.
16 row: identical to the fourth.
17, 18 row: double crochets.
19 row: identical to the fourth.
20 row: knit according to fig. 1.
From the 21st row, knitting goes in a circle.
21 row: double crochets.
22 row: identical to the 11th.
23rd row: double crochets.
24 row: identical to the fourth.
25 row: double crochets.
26 row: identical to the 12th.
Rows 27 - 36 are knitted with double crochets.
37 row: identical to the fourth.
Repeat three times the interval from 26 to 37 rows. At this point, 73 rows will be connected. 74th: knit as pattern 1.

Knitting and assembly pattern for pink dress №2

Assembly:

Tie a placket on the yoke and sew buttons with eyelets to it.

Headband:

According to scheme 2, a strip 48 cm long is knitted. To create a rose, dial a chain of 38 air stitches, knit a strip according to scheme 3 and form a flower out of it. Sew the flower to the bandage.

Summer dress for obese women help you choose the next one.

Knitting materials

The skin of babies and children under one year old is extremely sensitive to synthetics, for this reason, knitting threads should be taken either cotton or acrylic.

An airy look for the tiniest princesses

An excellent option is Violett or acrylic yarn, which is most often used for knitting children's dresses. The main thing is that the thread is soft and allows the skin to breathe.

Preferred hook numbers are 2.3. Don't take too much big hooks- the product will not hold its shape well. Hooks that are too small can cause the item to be too stiff.

You will find a selection of magnificent Muslim wedding dresses.

Video

This video will tell you how to sew a baptismal dress with your own hands.

A christening dress for small children is knitted quite quickly, given the size and complexity of the work. Choose a model so that it can be easily removed and put on during the ceremony: that is, the dress should have a wide neck and comfortable fasteners.

In some churches, the priests themselves put on a baptismal dress after bathing; he will simply have no time to mess with the complex design of clothes.

The birth of a child is the most important event in life for every parent. Spending time with the baby, mom and dad rejoice at the long-awaited meeting with him. After some time, many newly-made parents decide to baptize their baby. But, the rite of baptism is important not only for mom and dad. This event is also important for the godparents, who at that moment will be next to the baby, since in the future they will be considered the child's second parents.

Godmother clothes

Not all women know what to dress a godmother for christening. If you were invited to be a godmother, then you need to find out in advance how the godmother should be dressed. Below are some tips to help you match this event.

Clothes for the godmother should not be defiant. It can be a long skirt and a blouse with long sleeves and no deep neckline, or a dress, also of the appropriate length.
Since it takes place in the church, the godmother cannot wear pants or trousers.
Some people think that clothes should be light. It is possible, of course, and dark, the main thing is that it should not be very bright and defiant.
The head of the godmother must be covered with a headscarf or scarf, since a woman is not allowed to enter the church without a covered head.
In addition to clothing, it is worth remembering that you should not put on bright makeup and paint your lips on this day, because during the ceremony the godmother will kiss the cross. Also, during baptism, the baby will be in the arms of the godmother, so it is better to refuse perfumes so that the child does not cause an allergic reaction.

As you can see, the clothes for the christening of the godmother are quite simple and monotonous. I think that every woman in the wardrobe has the necessary clothes for baptism, and if not, then it will not be difficult to find them.

The baptism of a child is an important moment in the life of parents and their children. Every family wants this day to be perfect and remain in memory for a long time.

One of the important moments of the organization of this ritual is the choice of clothes for the baby. In our short review, we will talk about what things and why you will need to take with you to church, which christening sets are better to choose and what clothing requirements for a baby you need to know.

The rite of baptism and the choice of clothing

The rite of Baptism itself is not an easy event, as it is associated with religion and church laws, so you should remember about certain traditions and rules that you should definitely follow.

In order to understand how to dress a baby for Baptism, you should know.

The godparents bring the baby into the church and approach the font. The father takes the baby in his arms and dips him into the font three times. After bathing, the priest applies church oil to certain places - forehead, ears, nose, mouth, eyes, legs, arms, chest.

After the rite of chrismation, the priest hands the child over to the godparents, and they dry him. special towel for christening(in the old days it was called kryzhma).

At the church, there are usually various shops where you can buy kryzhma (with embroidery in the form of a cross, angels or other attributes). Also, kryzhma can be bought in advance in online stores or in children's departments or ordered from craftswomen (with hand embroidery, lace).

In addition, you can use a regular towel, but it should be light or better than white. Traditionally, kryzhma should be purchased by the godmother.

After rubbing, the priest puts a cross on the child.

From the foregoing, it is clear that the baby should be dressed in such clothes that will make it easy to perform the ritual of bathing, chrismation.

Ordinary children's clothing for the rite of Baptism

If desired, you can do regular baby clothes- a light sundress or dress for a girl and a simple T-shirt for a boy. A bodysuit or slipik without legs is also good. The main thing is that the clothes can be easily removed or unbuttoned in the right places.

Often, very young children are left naked, covered only with a sheet - this is also very convenient.

It is desirable to choose the color of clothes light, with a minimal pattern.

Christening outfits for children

Now more and more often for the rite of Baptism they buy special clothes or baptismal sets, which contain everything you need. Outfits can be sewn independently, ordered or bought in a store.

Christening shirt, both for babies boys and girls, a long one is sewn - to the heels.

For boys the robe can be decorated with embroidered church symbols, for girl additionally decorated with lace (but in moderation so that they do not interfere with the child and do not prick), satin braid and also embroidery.

Very often, lace and satin can be seen on a christening shirt and for a boy, this is a tribute to the old fashion. It was in these shirts that children were baptized before.

The baptismal dress or christening gown must be white (light cream, beige, milky shades are also allowed) and new.

The modern market offers and already ready-made sets for baptism. Typically, such a kit includes: a christening dress or shirt, decorated with lace, interesting braid, embroidery, the kit may also include elegant socks or booties, a cap with lace, panties or panties for a diaper, a baptismal towel (kryzhma). Quite often, a set for a girl can be complemented by a headband or scarf with embroidery and lace.

When choosing ready-made baptismal clothes you should definitely pay attention to the quality of the material, seams and additional accessories (lace, braid) - all this should be only from natural fabrics (linen, cotton) so that the baby is comfortable and not hot. The quality of clothing is also important, since, according to tradition, a baptismal outfit must be kept for life.

Let's summarize what you need from the clothes for the baby during the rite of Baptism:
1. Clothing for the rite of chrismation (should be easily removed, preferably in light shades, without a pattern): ordinary or special.
2. Kryzhma (light towel).
3. Booties, socks.
4. Cap, scarf (optional).

Simple tips for choosing christening clothes for a child will help you make the right choice. Let the rite of Baptism take place in a special and very festive way.

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