The Procedure of Baptizing
If you want to baptize an adult, a child from an other religion, in the Orthodox Church, the following procedure is followed:
An Adult
- If it is a Roman Catholic, it is given by Holy Myrrh.
- If he is a Protestant and has a Trinitarian baptism, it is given by Holy Myrrh.
- If he is a Protestant and has no Trinitarian Baptism, then he is baptized normal.
- If he is Muslim, Buddhist, etc. or irreligious, then he is baptized normal.
For a baptism of a heterodox or other religion adult the following procedures and supporting documents required are:
The Heterodox or irreligious has to complete a Baptism application. Herein he records all his personal details (name, address, creed, country of origin, etc.) and he states that he wishes to become a Christian Orthodox “effortlessly and freely.” He submits the document to the parish church of his place of residence. The priest then sends the application to the archdiocese, stating that the applicant wishes to join the Orthodox Church and proposes to indoctrinate and baptize the candidate.
The archdiocese approves the application and determines the catechist as well as the time of indoctrination and baptism. After the baptism of the neophyte, in case he is Greek, he deposits the certificate of baptism in the municipality, where he is registered. In the case of foreigners, the neophyte gets the certificate of Baptism to be able to certify his religion when it will be needed.
A Child
Children from heterodox or irreligious parents, both parents need to submit a separate application declaring the wish to baptize the child. The documents need an officially witnessed signature and are given to the priest of the parish of their residence. If only one parent wishes the child to be baptized, it is required to be preceded by a court order.
Necessarily, there must be an Orthodox Godparent, who will take the Catechism of the child after the ceremony.
In the event that the certificate of birth has a particular name, the priest is not allowed to change the given name, nor to add any other than the original, or in the case of two names, to remove one.
If the parents exert a great of pressure on the priest to change the original name, then the priest must request a solemn declaration separate from each parent, with a stamped original signature, where each parent will declare that he wishes his child to be baptized in the Orthodox doctrine and to take a specific name.
The priest also warns the parents before the baptism, that as long as the declaration baptism a different name, other than that of the Certificate Act, the competent registry will refer them to the relevant court of first instance, to issue a judicial Decision, which will ask for clarification as to which of the two names of the child is valid.
From the official site of the Greek orthodox church.
