A different sort of Saturday

All three of the children enjoyed our Saturday outing today: we attended the baptism of our good friends' baby. I admit to being a little apprehensive, knowing that the Orthodox liturgy would take some time. Fortunately, there were lots of children present, and all the grown-ups were pretty laid-back. This was especially helpful as I finally had to take Iain to the font and show him the water while the baby was being dressed again after the immersion. He was desperate to see it.

Iain was especially full of questions, once things got going. What's that? The font. What's in it? Water. What's it for? To baptize the baby. Are they going to take his clothes off? Yes ...and so on. The chanted liturgy was brilliant, and kept the children's attention. They were fidgety, of course, after a while, but nowhere near as unruly as I had feared. Iain's questions kept up in a steady stream, as the baby was undressed. (All the while, I was grateful for Fr Andrew's introduction to the liturgy, so I knew what was happening and what would happen next.)

Before the baby was immersed in the water, he was anointed with oil. Not just a cross marked on the chest, mind. The two priests and the baby's godparents anointed him with oil as an ancient wrestler (Fr Andrew's image, not mine): his whole body was covered with oil! Baby did not like this. Up until that point, he had been remarkably calm, given that he was handed over to his godparents at the beginning of the liturgy, and his mum stood a little ways off. (Anna was considerably upset by the amount of crying that ensued in this particular stage, sensitive soul that she is.)

Iain watched this activity with a very keen interest. What are they doing? Anointing the baby with oil, before he goes in the water. Are they killing him? Fair question, I thought, given how much he's crying. Of course I thought for a brief moment about the theological complexity of my four-year-old's question, but said simply: No. Baby was immersed three times in the water, protesting all the while. Afterward, he was anointed again, this time with a very small brush (to make the sign of the cross with oil on his ears, eyes, etc.). Iain asked, Why are they painting the baby? It's part of the anointing.

He doesn't like being painted, Iain observed gravely. I nearly laughed out loud. No, I said, he doesn't.