Introduction to the Sacrament of Holy Baptism:
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…" (Matthew 28:19).

With these words, the Lord sent his disciples as apostles into the world. They were the last words He spoke before His Ascension, and they define the entire life of the Church from that time. In them we see the centrality to the Christian life of the Sacrament of Baptism.

For all that it is central to our life in Christ, Baptism is perhaps the least understood of the Sacraments. We know that it is necessary, but few of our people could say that they truly understand what it means, and why it is the central rite of initiation in the Orthodox Christian Faith.

To understand this, we must return to Christ's baptism. For in His baptism at the hands of John in the Jordan, He prefigured His Death and Resurrection, and at the same time showed us what those great events meant. By immersing Himself in the water, He signifies the harmony, the union between Creator and Creation which He establishes by His presence in our midst, and which was completed in His death and descent into Hades. By rising again from the water, He prophecies His glorious Resurrection, by which He transforms our life, leading us and all creation from Hades into Paradise, from sorrow into rejoicing, from darkness into glory.

In our baptism, then, there is a reciprocity. As Christ joined Himself to our nature, we too now join ourselves to His nature. By our three-fold immersion beneath the water, we die to what we have been before; by our rising again from the water, the love and grace of God is granted to us, bringing transformation and newness of life; and by the invocation of the Holy Trinity as we are immersed and brought up again, we become partakers of the Divine Nature as we gain the title "Christian," or "Christ-like." In our baptism, we experience our own, personal Pascha, dying and rising again with Christ.

After the Baptism, we are Chrismated, receiving the "Seal of the Gift of the Holy Spirit," in our own personal Pentecost, following which we are tonsured, offering the first of our hair to the Lord, and are then clothed in the white garment of righteousness granted to those who are called by Christ's name and baptized into His life. And finally, we receive Holy Communion for the first time, becoming full communicants and participants in the life of the Church.

What to do:

1. Complete a Baptismal Information Form 
2. Complete a Stewardship Form.  
3. Submit ALL forms to the Church Office.
4. Contact the Church Office to schedule a meeting with the priest for both parents and godparents.   (Please note that these forms should be completed and submitted as soon as possible, as the date for the baptism cannot be secured until they are received at the church office and no outstanding issues are found.)
5. If needed (see guidelines below) request and obtain a letter from the home parish of the godparents.
6. Make an appointment to meet with Father Paul Mayernick by contacting him here or calling the church at 352- 371-7258.

• from Christmas Day through the feast of Theophany (December 25 to January 6),
• during Holy Week, or on any of the Great Feast days of the Lord

• most weeknds during the year (preference for non-fasting seasons)
• during seasons of fasting, such as Great Lent, the Dormition Fast and during the Christmas Advent after consulting with the priest.

• We recommend that infants be baptized between three months and nine months from birth.
• The baptismal name of your child should be of Christian/Biblical origin.
• The parents and godparents must be Orthodox Christians in good sacramental and financial standing with a canonical Orthodox Church. If not a parishioner of the Saint Elizabeth parish, a letter from one's home parish should be sent to our church well in advance of the baptism date stating you’re in good standing.
• It is required that the parents and godparents meet with the priest prior to the baptism, so that he can explain the sacrament and address any outstanding concerns.

Items needed for the Baptismal Service:

It is customary for the godparents to provide the following. However, some parents may wish to provide some of these items:

• White clothes to be worn by the child after baptism
• A new white undergarment (t-shirt or one-piece garment)
• A baptismal Cross to be worn by the child (not a crucifix)
• A new large white bath towel
• A new white single bed sheet or crib sheet
• A bar of soap
• Two new white hand towels
• A bottle of olive oil (at least 8.5 oz.)
• One large decorated baptismal candle and
• Two or three small decorated candles

The newly baptized member of our community should come (or be brought) to church for the next three Sundays (in their baptismal outfit and with their candle), accompanied by the godparents and/or parents to receive Holy Communion.

It is expected that children be brought to church regularly and frequently.