Baptismal Attire: Baptismal Shirt and Robe

The history of baptismal attire

Traditional baptismal attire consists of a white baptismal shirt and a robe. The baptismal set for a woman or girl necessarily includes a headdress. If you wish, you can supplement the set with other baptismal accessories.

Baptismal shirt is usually a straight, long-necked shirt of white fabric. It must necessarily be a new thing, which has not been worn by anyone before. It was usually sewn and decorated by hand by the women of the family in which this Blessed Sacrament was to take place.

A baptismal shirt is a symbolic garment that is worn as a sign of spiritual purity and joy. It is customary for this garment to be decorated in a special way to reflect the solemnity and joy of Baptism. Baptismal dress or shirt is worn only at the time of Baptism, once, and is kept for the rest of his life (the only exception is the outfit that is inherited). Baptismal gowns were most often sewn for girls, and shirts for boys, which were decorated in accordance with the traditions of their native land.

Baptismal attire is customary to be made in white. This is the color of spiritual purity, purification from sin. You can add decorative elements of pleasant, light colors to the baptismal attire. These can be ribbons, lace, bows, rhinestones, lace cloth and artistic embroidery. Set for a baptism can be made by your own forces, you can buy ready-made or order individual tailoring in a sewing workshop, or baptize a child in the family christening outfit, if in your family this outfit is passed on by inheritance.

To the christening shirt or dress has always been a special attitude and rules associated with its appearance. This product should be long, simple and comfortable. With its white color and simplicity, it is likened to the "Baptismal Robe of the Lord. Closed clothing with long sleeves adjusts to a calm way, helps to concentrate on the process of Baptism and organize thoughts. Shirt is considered more energetically powerful if it has a handmade - embroidery and artwork "with soul.

There is a certain sense in the fact that the baptismal shirt or dress is made long. The length of the shirt denotes a long life, and a beautifully decorated hem symbolized happiness and wealth.

After Baptism, the shirt should be carefully stored. In the case of a child who is seriously ill, the shirt is put on the navel. The shirt is not only for the person being baptized, but also for all subsequent children in that family. This is done so that children baptized in the same shirt will live in peace and harmony with each other. This custom was especially taken seriously if a child grew up to be a God-loving and noble person, in which case his baptismal shirt was considered a family shrine and was necessarily passed on as a legacy.

The exception was for very weak and sick children. If a child passed away, his baptismal shirt went with him.

The baptismal shroud also has a special meaning, not only at Baptism, but also in a person's life journey. This baptismal shroud is the individual legacy of each soul. After dipping into the holy water of the baptismal font, the child is wiped with the veil and wrapped in it. In the future, it is desirable to use the cape in everyday life, wiping the child with it every day after the evening bath. It is believed that the jacket removes negative energy and protects. There was a custom to bury the person in the robe in which he was baptized.

Baptismal shirts and robes can be made of any fabrics in white, but preference is given to natural materials. For sewing expensive items in the aristocratic style, milk-white or cream silk is used. Ribbons, bows, artificial flowers, pearls, stones, artistic embroidery and lace are used as trimmings. For baptismal outfits in the folk style linen and cotton is used, decorated with handmade embroidery and natural lace.

Old christening sets, which include a long christening shirt, cap, booties, bib, handkerchief with embroidered name or initials of a baptized person, reached our days. Kryzhma tried to make a cloth in tone with a set, and decorate it with a name embroidery.

According to custom, the night before the christening the child was supposed to sleep in a baptismal shirt - to understand the real happiness. For a happy family life, a boutonniere was sewn on the baptismal dress or suit. This boutonniere could be used to decorate the bride's wedding dress or the groom's suit in the future. This is why ribbon ornaments and artificial flowers are welcome on the christening gown.

After Baptism, it is advisable to keep the baptismal shirt on for the rest of the day. In the old days, it was customary to wear the baptismal garment for eight days after the baptism. Baptismal clothes are worn only on the day of Baptism and are not used in everyday life.

How to choose a baptismal shirt and robe

Baptismal clothing is, first and foremost, a ceremonial attire. It must meet all requirements from an aesthetic and religious point of view. At the same time, this clothing will be worn by the child all day, so it is fair to put the same requirements for baptismal clothing as for baby clothes.

Baptismal dress and suit are made on a lining to hide all inside seams. The outfit must be free, not constraining the movements of the child. For sewing, predominantly natural white fabric is used.

If you opt for a cotton christening shirt, pay attention to the quality of cotton. Cotton for the shirt should be pleasant to the touch, soft, and should not be translucent. If the yarns are well woven, a good cotton will give a slight sheen in the light. Cottons such as batiste, chintz and calico can be used only for lining.

Remember that natural silk is never snow-white. Natural silk thread has a light creamy hue. If you put such silk to your cheek, you should feel how the fabric instantly takes the temperature of your body. In the sunlight, such a natural fabric shimmers with iridescent luster, while artificial silk will cast only white.

Lace trim should be subtle and elegant. All dress embellishments should be made in the same style and fastened well.

Pay attention to the quality of satin ribbons. Cheap Chinese ribbons shine only on one side, are easy to shred and get an untidy look. European-made satin ribbons have a noble sheen on both sides and do not shred. Two colors are unmistakably correct - white and milky white.

In order for the christening outfit to be as comfortable as possible and fit well on the child, you need to select the outfit according to the child's measurements. Height, chest circumference, head circumference and other parameters should be measured over a "bodysuit" or on a naked body.

A christening garment must have a lining that covers the seams and prevents them from rubbing on the baby's delicate skin. For the lining, it is best to use delicate cambric, rather than artificial fabrics like polyester.

For greater comfort, the neck of the product should be wide. If the clasp is located in the back, make sure it is long enough - about 25-30 cm. If you want to fill a christening set with beautiful lace panties, make sure that the edges of the product and the lace on them is soft and does not traumatize the skin.

There are some differences in baptismal kits for boys and girls. For a girl, the baptismal kit should include a headpiece, while for a boy you can leave his head exposed. The baby's feet should be left open for the anointing.

Baptismal attire for a boy is a long shirt of solid-colored light fabric, decorated with braid and lace and embroidery. Solemnity of the outfit emphasizes mostly cut and quality material.

Baptismal clothes for girls is a light, elegant dress decorated with lace, bows, ribbons, embroidery, embroidered with beads, sparkling stones and pearls. The solemnity of the event is emphasized by the rich décor of the dress, high-quality fabric, and an interesting cut. Set for the baptism of a girl must include a baptismal headdress - cap, kerchief, beret or cap.

The christening set is sometimes accompanied by a commemorative sachet, a beautifully decorated bag in which you can put a cross or cut off a child's hair.

For the baptism of newborns, a christening shirt with a simple cut, embroidered on the chest, cuffs, shoulders and bottom of the product is best. Baptismal set for newborns should be made of natural fabrics. Such a set will be comfortable, gentle and comfortable. In the cold season, for the baby's baptism you'll need a warm robe of soft terry cloth, a warm cloak or blanket to wrap the baby in.

For the baptism of a baby you can order exclusive versions of clothing to order - baptismal kits in the vintage, folk and Orthodox Church style. For the vintage style is characterized by the use of snow-white polished cotton or fine milk-white silk, trimmed with cord lace and sash. Beading, stones and Swarovski pearls are used to decorate such sets.

A set of baptismal kit is required to include a cape. It should be of such a size that it could completely wrap the baby in it.

Undersleeves should be made of soft, pleasant to the touch and well absorbent material. We recommend buying a jacket made of linen, cotton or terry cloth. Very beautiful look satin jackets, but because of their smooth, as if lacquered surface they do not absorb water, so they are made on a lining of cotton or linen fabric. If you decide to use a simple white terry towel as a cap, it is better to choose a model with a hood.

Kryzhma can be decorated with embroidery and tracery. Various ornaments, angelic figures, flowers, sayings from the Bible, words of prayer, the name of the baptized and Orthodox crosses are used in the embroidery motifs. Various artistic inserts, bows, satin ribbons of light colors, lace and ruffles are used to decorate the veil. The veil is brought to Church neatly folded and tied with a beautiful ribbon.

A woman's baptismal shirt should be no higher than her knees, and a man's baptismal shirt may be floor-length.

Baptisms are light, sentimental and joyful holidays, so there is nothing wrong with wanting to dress the child as nicely as possible on this day. Baptismal attire can be profusely decorated with lace, embroidery and other decorative elements, the main thing is that the colors should not be bright.

The festive atmosphere is complemented by baptismal accessories - beautiful napkins under the candles, an envelope for the cut strands of hair, a case or gift box for storing the baptismal set. All these nice and beautiful little things make the Baptism more complete and solemn.

What to do with the baptismal clothes after Baptism

During Baptism, the baptismal outfit, and especially the coverlet, is endowed with God's grace. After Baptism, the baptismal set should be kept in the home of the person being baptized or his parents. During the baptismal ceremony, the priest consecrates the robe.

There are two opinions as to what should be done with the cloak after the baptism.

The first opinion is that the veil should not be used for domestic purposes, as it is a holy thing and should be treated with respect. Because drops of peace remain on it, the veil must not be washed.

The second opinion is that the veil can and should be used in daily life, so that the child as often as possible comes into contact with God's grace through this consecrated thing. A baby's crib or stroller is used to relieve anxiety, insomnia, and various painful conditions. Adults can use the kryzhma as a towel for washing.

If, in addition to the cap, you decide to keep a christening shirt or set, keep the christening garment separately from other things. A cotton pouch or a nicely decorated closet box will work well for storage, which will keep the outfit from dust, direct sunlight, and other outside influences.