John Paul II much relied on young people. He saw them as a great potential of goodness which was to be the beginning of the 'civilisation of love'. One of the tasks of the Church is to make the young responsible for the reality they live in. It is done within the chaplaincy of the young. One of its aspects is parish pre-confirmation courses. Their purpose is not only to prepare the young for the sacrament of Christian maturity, but also to make them sensitive to national and religious identity and to shape the future of the world they live in.
In the submitted study, we pay attention to teaching on baptism in the context of the work of Pope Leo the Great. We analyse Leo´s letters and homilies. In his letters, Leo focuses mainly on liturgical and pastoral questions associated with the sacrament of baptism. He also deals with Marian-ecclesial symbolism according to which the Virgin Mary becomes the image of baptistery of the Church where believers – members of Christ´s ecclesial body – are born. The third aspect developed by Leo in relation to baptism is almsgiving, to which the faithful are often invited. This act, like baptism, leads to forgiveness of sins. Leo´s theology of baptism has Christological dimension connected to ecclesiology, with an impact on the sacramental life of believers. Leo thus becomes one of very few early Christian authors who indicated and developed Christological spirituality of „lay people“.
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Holy Baptism, in the Orthodox Church, along with Chrismation, the Holy Eucharist, Priesthood, Marriage, Holy Unction and Confession is one of the seven sacraments. It is one of the Mysteries established by God himself, during which His grace descends on humanity. It is an action, which unites people with their Creator by grace and leads us to the Kingdom of Heaven. In Holy Baptism, we are immersed into water three times (or Holy Water is poured three times, but never sprinkled) in the Name of the Holy Trinity and die to his earthly life and sin. At the same time, we are reborn to eternal and heavenly life. We are cleansed from all sins committed voluntary or involuntary. Our weaknesses and propensity to sin is healed. We become a pure being and heir of the Kingdom of Heaven. We also become and enemy of Satan and all evil powers. The Orthodox Church usually chrismates immediately after baptism, especially in the case of small children, so that we would not loose in this fight, loose our purity and more easily reach perfection. Both sacraments are administered on the basis of the faith of the godparents. The liturgical celebration of Baptism and Chrismation begins with prayers and the naming of the child. The prayers of exorcism follow, in which the candidate for baptism (either personally or godparents on his behalf) rejects Satan, unites himself to Christ and recites the Symbol of Faith. Baptism consists of the blessing of water and anointing with oil. The main senses of the child are anointed with Holy Oil: the forehead - mind, breast - feelings, ears - contact with the surrounding world, hands - actions, feet - Endeavour. A moment later, the child is immersed into the water three times - Holy Baptism. Prayers are then read calling the Holy Spirit to be present during Chrismation. Holy Chrism (myrrh), which is consecrated by the laying on of hand of the Bishop, is then used to anoint the forehead, eyes, nostrils, mouth, ears, breast, hands and feet of the newly baptized. The following ceremonies take place after the Chrismation: clothing the newly baptized in white vestments, putting on a cross, procession, and cleansing of the anointed areas and tonsuring all hold lesser meaning. They call the baptized to maintain purity and to work on constant self perfection in Christian virtues. That which we receive in Holy Baptism and Chrismation, however can be lost. God does not save us without our participation. This also concerns the power of the sacraments.
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