Holy Baptism in the Orthodox Christian Church is the first of seven sacraments. Through Baptism, the individual joins the Mystical Body of Christ, the Church, and opens the door to all the other sacraments. In Eastern orthodox churches, Baptism is normally immediately followed by the sacrament of Chrismation (also called Confirmation) by which the Holy Spirit descends on the individual through anointing with blessed oil. Baptism can be bestowed on an individual at any age. The word ‘baptism’ means ‘immersion into water’. In the Orthodox Christian ritual, the person being baptised is immersed three times in blessed water. Being immersed three times into the water symbolises Christ’s the three days that Christ was in the grave and His resurrection. Thus the person who is baptised dies with Christ and is re-born as a member of the Body of Christ.
