Can unbaptized people go to Heaven after death?

In the Orthodox Church, the Sacrament of Baptism has a special role. It seems to wash away original sin from a person, which is the source of sin and death. According to the prejudices of clergy, Baptism develops a craving for goodness and mercy in a person’s heart and drives out the Devil.

However, Baptism itself cannot make a person an Orthodox Christian. To become one, you need to become a church member yourself - go to confession, regularly attend church services, keep the commandments, etc.

The sacred meaning of the ritual of baptism in Christianity

The Church recommends baptism in adulthood, because it must be a conscious choice. The meaning of the Sacrament is the transition from the old life (carnal, sinful) to the new. At baptism, rebirth occurs. A person joins those who have already entered the House of God. This does not mean that sins are forgiven through the ritual, but it is performed as a sign of repentance. The believer acquires a new name, which indicates rebirth.

However, true changes occur in the soul, since people usually come to perform the Sacrament when their faith is strengthened.

Baptism is associated with the feast of Epiphany, which is celebrated on January 6th. But representatives of some faiths have different dates, which is due to the adoption of different calendars. Despite the differences, the semantic load that the rite of baptism carries is the same for everyone. Baptism acquired a sacred meaning, because only through it can other Christian rituals be performed. Those who escaped the ritual remain outside the Russian Orthodox Church.

Baptism is a sacred act (sacrament)

The rite of Baptism itself does not make a person a true believer.

In fact, after baptism a person does not immediately turn into a champion of the Christian Orthodox faith. He simply acquires the status of a baptized person, but for true faith he still needs to go a long way - to become a church member, regularly attending church, confessing, receiving communion, and participating in the affairs of his parish. In general, a person should begin a righteous life, demonstrating devotion to God in all his actions. Therefore, the simple rite of baptism will be meaningless, for only by works a true believer is determined.

The Bible clearly states whether an unbaptized person can go to heaven: “...unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:5) or “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved ; but whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16). At the same time, only spiritual kindness does not make a person a candidate for going to heaven. After all, even an atheist is capable of showing kindness, but he will do it not for the sake of God, but for the sake of his own selfish interests. A believer must do good deeds in the name of God.

However, unbaptized people continue to hope that they have a chance to go to heaven. And proof of the validity of such hopes is the fact that Jesus Christ, being crucified on the cross, told one of the thieves hanging next to him that if he truly believed in him, he would be able to go to heaven with him. And this despite the fact that the robber led a life full of sin.

The meaning of a church funeral for the soul of a baptized person after death

The funeral service or burial ceremony is carried out once. This is one of the differences between such a service and a memorial service, since these concepts are often considered synonymous with one action. Their meaning is, indeed, similar. However, the funeral service is performed many times over one person at different times. The purpose of the funeral service is the intercession of the clergyman before the Lord for the forgiveness of the sins of the deceased. The soul lets go of everything earthly and prepares for the meeting with the Heavenly Father. She appears before his throne, humble, purified.

For a baptized person, this is an important stage, because even after performing such a ritual, he remains a sinner, although he changes his aspirations, thoughts, and actions. Only Jesus was infallible. The righteous person, although to a lesser extent, commits inappropriate acts, therefore, carrying out the rite of burial after death is one of the important stages for him. Thanks to him, partial cleansing from sins occurs.

For the soul of a baptized person, a funeral without a funeral service is a difficult ordeal, but this is only possible in rare cases.

Why is it impossible and impossible to perform a funeral service for an unbaptized person?

An unbaptized person is a person who has not undergone the Sacrament of Baptism during his lifetime. This could be consciously or unconsciously, that is, the result of one’s own choice or a consequence of the lack of information, its distortion by the person’s environment or the influence of other reasons. However, the factor that played a key role in this is not as important as the outcome itself - in both cases there is no opportunity to hold a funeral service.

Funeral service for the deceased

This is a fairly strict prohibition of the church, based on Christian canons. It is explained by the fact that during his lifetime a person did not take the initiative to draw closer to the Lord, and often people even consciously come to such a choice. This means that after death the soul will not be able to undergo the funeral ceremony.

The basis for such a ban is the inability to perform the Sacrament of baptism when a person is deprived of his physical shell. This means that we can talk about a simultaneous ban on holding the ceremony and the absence of conditions for this.

Many people cannot understand why this happens, because the Lord is merciful and must accept into his House everyone who wants to enter it. But the difficulty lies precisely in the fact that during his lifetime man did not express such a desire; he sinned, renounced God, and denied his power over all things. It must also be taken into account that the soul can do little after death. Repentance is the lot of the living. When a person dies, he does not have the opportunity to be cleansed of sins, because for this it is not enough to say a prayer without faith. It is required to perform actions confirming external changes:

• show mercy;
• give alms;
• help those in need;
• give protection to the weak;
• You can’t use foul language or anger or break the commandments.

Funeral service for the deceased
It is quite possible to overcome all obstacles on the path to God, to be cleansed in a short time, skipping the stage of ordeal. However, only rare people can do this, those who have enough internal strength to overcome difficult trials, thanks to which drastic changes occur. Such a person can become enlightened in one hour/day, but such a result is obtained only by those who are ready to accept severe mental pain, humiliation, and loss. For most, it takes a lifetime to repent. This means that the likelihood that an unbaptized person will be able to change before death is small. Accordingly, the rite of burial over him according to Orthodox canons will not be carried out.

There is no Christian paraphernalia (cross, etc.) on the grave of an unbaptized person, no funeral service is performed over him, and it is forbidden to hold a funeral in a church cemetery.

It is equally important to understand that the church’s refusal to perform funeral services for the unbaptized is not a form of revenge. Such people do not become disgusting to the Lord. This is also not a punishment for the fact that a person has not joined the traditions of Orthodoxy. Such thoughts often arise in response to the refusal to perform a funeral service for an unbaptized person. A believer is unlikely to have such a desire, since he has an understanding of the fundamentals of religion. He knows that malice, anger, revenge - these feelings and actions cannot come from a Christian. But still, the funeral of an unbaptized person is still held, only without the use of religious attributes.

Orthodox Life

Answered by priest Andrei Chizhenko.

This question is one of the main theses and arguments that representatives of many generations of atheists give in order to try to break the Christian faith, to separate man from God, to sow doubt regarding faith in His existence - in the existence of the Creator. This question is raised interestingly and in detail, in terrible colors, in the religious and philosophical laboratory of Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky - a novel called “The Brothers Karamazov”. There is a meeting of two brothers: Alyosha Karamazov and Ivan Karamazov. And Fyodor Mikhailovich’s heroes almost always have some kind of philosophy. And then Alyosha Karamazov (Christian) and Ivan Karamazov (Atheist) meet. A heated discussion ensues between them. It says a lot about children and precisely about children's suffering. Ivan Karamazov, in particular, says: “Do you love children, Alyosha? I know that you love, and you will understand why I want to talk about them alone now. If they also suffer terribly on earth, then, of course, they are punished for their fathers, they are punished for their fathers who ate the apple - but this is reasoning from another world, incomprehensible to the human heart here on earth. An innocent person cannot suffer for another, especially such an innocent person!”

That is, the main argument of atheists is the following: “If God exists, then why did He allow such an innocent and pure creature as a child to suffer? And especially why did He not allow him to enter heaven, this dead sufferer as a result of an abortion or miscarriage? There is only one answer: it means there is no God, and the world is elemental and meaningless.” This piercing thought literally hits a person like a fiery arrow who, according to the same Dostoevsky (Aglaya Epanchina’s phrase from the novel “The Idiot”), does not have a main mind. The direct quote is: “There are two minds: the main and the non-principal.” This, of course, is a paraphrase of the definitions of the holy fathers, who said that there is a person with an earthly mind, and there is a person with a heavenly mind. And the atheist’s fiery arrow about the deaths of unbaptized infants is precisely aimed at people with an earthly mind who think about God in an earthly way, from the point of view of earthly comfort and happiness.

But let it not be like that with us! Let us think with the mind of heaven!

The Synaxarion tells us about where unbaptized babies will end up on the Feast Saturday: “It is also appropriate to know that baptized babies will enjoy the sweetness of heaven, but unenlightened and pagan ones will not go to either heaven or hell (fiery).”

And now I bring to your attention more statements from a man who had a heavenly mind - a great theologian, brother of St. Basil the Great - St. Gregory of Nyssa. He has a whole work on our topic: “On babies prematurely abducted by death. To Jerius."

A few short quotes from him...

“So you ask: “Why is someone at that age driven out of life”? What is achieved through this by the providence of Divine Wisdom?.. For one who knows the future equally with the past, it is fair to prevent the continuation of the life of an infant to adulthood, so that by the power of foresight the evil foreseen would not be committed if the infant remains alive, and so that the life of the one who will to live with such will, did not become food for sin... The premature death of infants does not lead to the idea that the one who ended his life in this way is unhappy, or that he is equal to those who have purified themselves in this life with every virtue; because God, according to His best providence, prevents the immensity of evil in those who would live in evil.”

And the saint also cites the following verses from the Holy Scriptures: “Oh, the depth of the wealth and wisdom and knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are His destinies and unsearchable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord?” (Rom. 11:33, 34).

Here is the answer to the question that worries us!

He who knows the future equally with the past will JUST prevent the continuation of the life of this or that baby and of a person in general. And the premature death of a baby DOES NOT lead to the idea that the person who died this way is UNHAPPY. And finally, who has known the mind of the Lord?

It seems to me that the question of the afterlife fate of unbaptized infants is a kind of test in the matter of faith, your trust and love for God. Do you really think, man, that the Creator, the Most High Hosts, Who created everything with wisdom and cares for every creature and every hair on your head, will not take care of a baby who died unbaptized? If yes, then this is a blasphemous thought. Because He cares for every soul millions of times better than you. And He knows exactly what will be best for this child. And arranges for him the best fate.

Your job is to trust God, trust the Church in this matter. And do not try to rip off the veils from this secret. In due time you will know and understand everything. You will understand that God is right! In the meantime, do not diminish your faith and do not turn your face away from Him. He is our Heavenly Father. We are His beloved children. He has prepared the best for everyone. Each in its own measure and its place in the ocean of God's love.

Who doesn't have a funeral service in church?

Representatives of some categories of the population are not given the funeral rites (funeral service). This is due to various reasons, but in most cases the key factor noted is a serious violation of religious canons. A person who treats the established holy order without respect, violates it in the most rude manner, will miss the number of those who can be buried after death.

Cross and candles in the church

Suicides

One of the greatest sins is to take your own life. The Church condemns such an act and excludes the person from membership of the Church. These people are deprived of the right to be mentioned even in prayer texts during a memorial service. But there are some exceptions to this rule:

• it is possible to conduct a funeral if the person had mental disabilities when he committed the sin;
• suicide occurred not on the initiative of the deceased, but as a result of the use of psychotropic substances, while consciousness was clouded at the time of committing a grave sin;
• death occurred as a result of careless actions (if products containing toxic substances were consumed, etc.);
• there was a fact of self-sacrifice, the believer gave his life for another when the latter needed it.

Gentiles

Representatives of other faiths cannot claim a place among the members of the Orthodox Church as long as they represent a different branch of religion. But Baptists, Catholics, Jews, and Muslims can turn to the ministers of their own church, where they can receive instructions regarding the possibility of performing the rite of burial when the time comes. Among some nationalities (for example, the Chuvash) there are many people of other faiths, and there are also atheists. But everyone decides for themselves which path they will choose for themselves.

Unbaptized babies

More recently, infants who did not have time to undergo the rite of baptism were not given funeral services after death. This group includes stillborns, as well as those who lived only a few hours. In Yekaterinburg, at the Holy Synod, it was decided to change this rule. The newborn is now supported through a service of comfort and love.

Previously, funeral services for infants were not held in Russia due to the absence of sins in a small child. This made it difficult to resolve the question of how to conduct the burial rite, if such a rite was originally aimed at gaining mercy from the Lord when a person had sins.

Criminals

It is generally accepted that criminal acts result in excommunication from the church. This means a refusal to conduct a funeral service and the inability to use religious attributes during burial. But this rule is outdated. Long ago, the highest ranks of the church decided to establish new traditions. It became possible to hold funeral services for criminals who repented, and did so sincerely. When the body goes to the grave, the soul gets a chance for forgiveness of sins.

But for this it is necessary to make attempts at complete or partial change during life: to show mercy, to help the weak, to go to confession, to receive communion, etc.

Candles for the repose of the soul

Secrets of death

To a person far from the Church, it seems that the topic of death is a mystery behind seven seals. However, members of the Orthodox Church know for certain what awaits us all beyond the grave. In different centuries there were people who returned to this world after their death. In addition, Orthodox Christians know about the other world from saints who appeared alive after their death. In addition, some people traveled through heaven and hell in dream visions. The dean of the Ivanteevsky district of the Moscow diocese, Archpriest John Monarshek, talks about what awaits us all beyond the grave, and about how to help the dead.

- Why do people die?

— Death is a consequence of the Fall. The Lord created man for a blessed eternal life. And no one would have died if Adam and Eve had not broken the commandment. The Lord told Adam that if he breaks the commandment, he will die. Adam and Eve broke the commandment and spiritual death occurred. That is, Adam and Eve became far from God. Until that moment, they could talk with God, but after the Fall they found themselves far away. After Adam and Eve sinned, nature also changed entirely - it began to work against man. The person also changed - he began to get sick, suffer, suffer and, in the end, physically die. And all the descendants of Adam must die.

—Where do people’s souls go after death?

— Those people who had faith in God, who did good, who lived honestly and purely on Earth, go to the Kingdom of God. And those who have sinned go where it will be bad for them. This is hell, this is suffering, these are demons, these are sinners, this is where the groaning and gnashing of teeth is. There was a time when we all lived nine months in the womb. We felt good there, we didn’t even imagine that there was such a world where we now found ourselves. In the womb we grew to be born into this world and to be able to live here. Now we have been living here for 70, or 80, or 90 years and are preparing for another life - in the Kingdom of Heaven. The Church prepares people for life in this Kingdom. The church is a doctor's office where people are healed spiritually.

—What must a person do to get to heaven?

“Christ said about this that whoever is not born of water and spirit cannot enter the Kingdom of God, that is, heaven. This means that anyone who is not baptized will not be able to enter heaven. Christ also said that whoever has faith will be saved. Therefore, first of all, faith is needed and baptism is needed. Then we need a pious life, a life according to the commandments of God, a clean, honest life. In addition, this applies to all people, regardless of their nationality: Christ said that whoever eats His Body and drinks His Blood will have eternal life. Eternal life is the Kingdom of God. Therefore, we must partake of the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Moreover, as Christ said, he who endures to the end will be saved. That is, no matter what happens to you, you must endure, you must bear your cross piously with love and gratitude to God. That is, you still need patience. And, of course, we must imitate Christ in everything. We must know His Gospel, read it and do everything that Christ said, and imitate Him. Before any undertaking, one must say: what would Christ do in this case? And as the thought comes to you, do so. You must understand that if you are selfish, if you are greedy, if you condemn everyone, if you lead an unrighteous life, then there is little hope for salvation. We must give God our body, our soul and our spirit pure, that is, everything that we received from Him, we must not defile, although, unfortunately, especially in our youth, we defile all this. Therefore, we must cleanse ourselves through repentance, through communion of the Body and Blood of the Lord and, having been cleansed, become worthy inhabitants of the Kingdom of God.

— If a person has never received communion, how can he receive communion?

- Firstly, this person must be baptized. He must prepare for communion, then he must come to confession. In confession, those sins that a person tells the priest about are destroyed. The priest forgives sins in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Now there is a lot of literature that tells how to prepare for communion, but it would be better if such a person came to the priest. The priest would tell him what to do first, and then this person would come to the sacrament with the blessing of the priest.

— In the first days after death, what does the human soul do?

— There is a teaching of the Church that until the 40th day the soul of a deceased person goes through ordeals. For the first three days, the soul is in those places that a person loved to visit during his lifetime. Then the soul goes through ordeals. Until the ninth day, she passes through the abodes of the Kingdom of God. Then for many days the soul goes through hell. Ordeals are the torture of sins, that is, the soul sees its actions. During the first forty days, it is very important that relatives pray for this deceased person. On the fortieth day, the soul undergoes a Private Judgment and worship of God Himself. This judgment is not final, not the last, but the one that will happen before the Last Judgment. The soul of a deceased person may be on the eve of bliss or on the eve of torment after the Private Judgment. No one has yet received full retribution for their good deeds, and no one has yet received full retribution for their sins. The Church prays for everyone who is on the threshold of torment and asks God for forgiveness, and, perhaps, that God’s mercy will be accomplished over them, and instead of eternal torment they will receive the Kingdom of God.

— How can you help a deceased person who has been baptized?

— The Church constantly offers prayers for the dead every day, every Divine Liturgy. A person submits notes for the repose of the dead at the Liturgy. At the end of the Liturgy, we perform a memorial service or litia, at which we pray for the dead. It is advisable that a relative of the deceased also participate in the service and also offer his prayers. In addition, there is alms. Relatives give some kind of alms for the dead: they help the church or poor people.

— Do you only need to submit notes and magpies for repose to one church?

- No, it is possible to submit at the same time and it is even advisable to submit to both monasteries and different churches - the more, the better.

— Is it possible to write in the notes of the baptized who were atheists?

- It is possible and necessary. Yet they were members of the Church. In addition, in Soviet times there were a lot of secret Christians. I know many people who joined the party only because they had a certain rank or a certain profession, say, teachers, doctors, foremen. I baptized many at night and married many at night, because they were afraid that they would be fired from their jobs, but they were very religious. Christ also had secret disciples. These are Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea. And, by the way, they were more worthy than the apostles, because they took down the body of Jesus Christ and buried Him.

— How to help a deceased unbaptized relative?

- An unbaptized person is not a Christian. Of course, with God everything is possible, God is merciful, God is love. Maybe the unbaptized will be saved. But whoever is not born of water and spirit cannot enter the Kingdom of God. Christ said this. Therefore, I cannot say anything about what should be done with someone who died unbaptized. Therefore, all relatives need to think now and baptize babies when they are still babies. Otherwise they are dragging on and on... Relatives can pray at home. This is their right. Nobody forbids them, but the Church does not offer prayers for those who are not baptized.

- What to do with suicides?

“We need to know the cause of their death—why did they take their own lives?” If there were mental patients and if there is a medical certificate for this, then they even have a funeral service after the blessing of the diocesan bishop. But if a person simply takes his own life because of some loss or other reasons of this kind, then the Church does not pray for him. Such a person commits the sin of Judas. This is the sin of Judas, who sold Christ for thirty pieces of silver, and then went and hanged himself. This sin is now very developed. You need to cultivate patience in your children. We must endure, because Christ endured, and what suffering the people whom we call saints endured!

— When dead relatives appear in a dream, what does it mean?

— There are three types of dreams. There are dreams from God that are very rare. There are intelligible dreams from God, which say that you don’t do this, otherwise you will go to prison. There are dreams from the devil that often happen. These dreams come because, for example, a person talked a lot before going to bed and did not pray. And before going to bed, you must definitely pray so that there is no demonic influence over you. There is such a prayer, it stands last in the section of prayers for the coming sleep in the prayer book: “In Your hands, Lord Jesus Christ, my God, I commend my spirit: Bless me, You have mercy on me and grant me eternal life. Amen". This prayer must be read before going to bed and then dreams from the devil will not appear. And there are just chaotic dreams. You don’t need to believe chaotic dreams and dreams from the devil and don’t pay attention to them. When, say, the husband died, the wife thinks about him, she can see him in chaotic dreams. But if the husband appears several times and asks for help each time, then it means that we need to help him. This means that these are not chaotic dreams, but it means that the deceased is really asking for help.

– Have you been told stories about how dead relatives appeared in your dreams?

- I've heard a lot of such stories. There may be dreams in which deceased relatives warn their children or their loved ones not to do something because it will bring them trouble. There were, for example, cases when a person wanted to leave somewhere, and then a deceased relative appears in a dream and says: don’t go there, because you will feel bad. The Monk Lavrentiy of Chernigov made many such predictions after his death. He appeared in dreams to those who prayed to him and warned: do not do this. And not only St. Lawrence of Chernigov did this, many saints of our Church did this.

— Some people during a wake set out a glass of vodka and bread for the deceased. Is it possible to do this?

- In no case. This is a pagan custom. It's even a sin. We are drowning a person who has gone to another world. We need to pray for him, ask God for forgiveness, and we put in vodka. This began in Soviet times, when atheist communists appeared. Instead of praying, they put a glass of vodka and said: “This is for the deceased.” I really ask everyone not to do this. Better get up and pray. At least read the “Our Father” prayer, and then say: “Lord, forgive him all his sins that he has committed in his life, and grant him the Kingdom of Heaven.”

— Some people leave colored eggs and other foodstuffs at the cemetery. Is it possible to do this?

“It’s better to give the poor the food that is left in the cemetery.” There are people who have nothing to eat, and there is food lying in cemeteries. You can leave a candle or a bouquet of flowers there. It will be a gift. The dead person will not come, will not eat it and will not drink it, so he does not need it. He only needs prayer and alms.

Secular funeral of an unbaptized

When religious ceremonies are not performed, the corresponding paraphernalia is not used, and there is a ban on reading prayer words, there is only one option left - to hold a secular funeral. They differ significantly from the traditional ones for the burial of believers.

What do they put in the coffin?

Regardless of what religion a person belongs to, it is not recommended to place many objects next to the deceased in the coffin. Some of the things that are prohibited:

• photos;
• fresh flowers inside the coffin;
• other people's personal belongings;
• icons, cross and other attributes of the Orthodox faith.

But it is permissible to leave in the coffin those things that were dear to the deceased. This is important, given that such a person is deprived of support in the next world. Books, watches, handkerchiefs, and combs are considered permitted.

Funeral service for the deceased in church

What is carried before the coffin

To properly bury a person, special rules are followed, even if the possibility of holding a funeral service is excluded. An important issue is the organization of the procession. When studying information about how the unbaptized are buried, you need to remember that religious paraphernalia is not placed on the grave and is not used during the procession.

Instead of icons, you can use a large-format self-portrait of the deceased.

How to design a monument

During a traditional funeral, a large number of attributes are used. Among them is a cross on the grave, which is usually placed immediately after the burial process has been completed. How to bury an unbaptized person in this case: a cross should not be installed; it is recommended to choose another type of tombstone.

Engraving on the monument

Some clergy advise engraving a cross on a simple monument. But they also take into account the other side of the coin: if a person was a convinced atheist during his lifetime, his soul is unlikely to be satisfied with the use of religious paraphernalia.

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According to the belief of the Orthodox Church, deceased infants of Orthodox parents who were not honored with St. baptisms, as well as stillbirths, will not be forgotten by the Lover of Mankind. This belief of the Church can be seen from the fact that it honors (December 29) as saints the fourteen thousand infants for Christ killed by Herod in Bethlehem (Life of St. M. Dec.).

From St. Fathers of the Church of St. Gregory of Nyssa writes about the fate of infants in general: “The premature death of infants does not lead to the idea that the one who ends his life in this way is unhappy, or that he is equal to those who have purified themselves in this life with all virtue, because God, according to His best providence, prevents the immensity of evil in those who who would live in evil” (part 4, p. 359, ed. 1862).

St. Gregory the Theologian says: “The latter (that is, those who were not worthy of baptism due to infancy) will not be glorified or punished by the righteous Judge, because, although they are not sealed, they are not bad, and they themselves have suffered more than they have done harm . For not everyone unworthy of punishment is worthy of honor; just as not everyone unworthy of honor is worthy of punishment” (Sk. on Holy Epiphany, part 3, pp. 242-243, ed. 1889). The fate of infants who died unbaptized cannot in any case be called hopeless. St. Apostle Paul says about those children whose father is a Christian and whose mother is unbaptized, that these children “are saints” (1 Cor. 7:14). Our stillborn babies have both Orthodox parents and ancestors. In addition, these children were in some way already sanctified during their mothers' wombs; Carrying them in their wombs, their mothers prayed every day, often read or listened to the Word of God and united with Christ the Lord in the sacrament of St. Communions. And when the time came for their mothers to be resolved by them, they with warm faith resorted to God’s help and, perhaps, made a special vow before God so that their resolution would be successful. How can one think that children, the fruit of such parents, will perish forever? Even if one of them dies in the womb; and then there was the readiness of the parents to perform baptism on him. And our very intentions are pleasing to the Lord God, if they are holy.—We also hear in the Gospel the words of Christ the Savior Himself: “In My Father’s house are many mansions” (John 14:2). Will there really be no place in these monasteries for those babies whose parents were Christians, whom it was not possible for St. to enlighten? baptism or who, having already received Christian names, died just before the font? The Holy Church expresses a direct belief in the pardon of these infants: “it is fitting” (she says in the liturgical books), “as infants and unenlightened (i.e., unbaptized) will go to Gehenna” (Synax. in Meat Subb.). St. Gregory the Theologian says: “Some do not even have the opportunity to accept the gift (the grace of baptism), either because they are young, or due to some coincidence of circumstances completely beyond their control” (Dushep. Sob. 1905., No. 2, pp. 52-53).

St. Ephraim the Syrian writes: “Whoever died in his mother’s womb and entered into life, he (the Judge) will make him an adult at the same instant in which he returns life to the dead. The baby, whose mother died with him during pregnancy, at the resurrection will appear as a perfect husband and will recognize his mother, and she will recognize her child. Those who have not seen each other here will see each other there, and the mother will know that this is her son, and the son will know that this is his mother... The Creator will raise the sons of Adam equal; just as he created them equal, so he will awaken them equal from death. In resurrection there are neither great nor small. And one born prematurely will rise the same as an adult. Only in deeds and way of life will they be high and glorious there; and some will be like light, others like darkness.” (Part 4, p. 105, edition 1900).

The possibility of performing baptism on dead babies, giving them names and remembering the unbaptized during the liturgy is out of the question, for the Lord commanded the Apostles to baptize living people, and not the dead (Mark 16:16), for how can a lifeless corpse hear a sermon and believe in the One about whom they would tell him? The Holy Church decided by the 26th rule of the Council of Carthage that the deceased should neither be baptized nor given the Divine Mysteries; and in the interpretation of this rule it is said: “Presbytery foolishness (if such was allowed) will not help the deceased, since after death he was baptized by him, not baptized.” This rule is placed in the book “The Helmsman”, where the rules of St. Apostles and saints of the Ecumenical and nine local councils. All that remains is to sigh prayerfully for such babies to God in your home prayers. For this purpose, we can recommend the prayer found in the synodikon of the former Novgorod and St. Petersburg Metropolitan Gregory. Its content is as follows: “Remember, O Lord who loves mankind, the souls of Thy servants who have departed - the babies who in the womb of their Orthodox mothers died accidentally from unknown actions, or from a difficult birth, or from some kind of carelessness, and therefore did not receive the holy Sacrament of Baptism! Baptize them, Lord, in the sea of ​​Your bounties and save them with Your ineffable grace” (Soul. Sob., p. 54).

To the question: “how to pray for stillborns and those generally not worthy of St. infant baptism? — Stefan Favorsky, Archbishop of the Bethlehem Monastery, gives the following answer: “Those who received St. baptism will rejoice and be blissful in heaven forever, even if they have an unexpected death; equally, those babies who were born dead and did not have time to be baptized should not be rejected; It's not their fault that they didn't receive St. baptism, and the Heavenly Father has many abodes, among which there are, of course, those in which such babies will rest for the faith and piety of their faithful parents, although they themselves, by the inscrutable destinies of God, did not receive St. baptism; it is not contrary to religion to think so, as St. Fathers in Sinaksar on Meat Saturday. Parents can pray for them with faith in God’s mercy; Every mother who weeps for her children can, without a doubt, cry out to the Lord who loves mankind with the following words: “Lord, have mercy on my children who died in my womb, for my faith and my tears, for the sake of Thy mercy. Lord, do not deprive them of the Divine light!” (From the Palestine leaflet of Bethlehem monastery).

Finally, we must not forget that the guilt of stillbirth can also fall on the mothers themselves, not to mention those villainous mothers who consciously try to destroy the fetus (mostly illegal) and even in the last periods of pregnancy. Eternal fiery Gehenna is the worthy retribution of God’s justice, awaiting the unrepentant for these atrocities” (Soul. Sob. p. 54).

St. Ephraim the Syrian writes: “Woe... to the fornicator who carried away the fruit conceived in her womb, so that he would not see this world; God will not allow her to see the new age either. Just as she did not allow him to enjoy life and light in this age, so He will deprive her of life and light in the next age. Because she decided to expel her fetus from her womb prematurely in order to hide it in the darkness of the earth; then she too, like a dead fetus of the womb, will be cast out into utter darkness. This is the reward for fornicators and fornicators who encroach on the lives of their children: the Judge will punish them with eternal death and cast them into the abyss of torment, full of fetid corruption” (Remember your last, ed. 1903, p. 37).

Those who have fallen into such a grave sin should hasten to repent while they have the opportunity; for “there is no sin that overcomes God’s mercy for those who turn to Him with faith” (Life of Mary of Egypt).

But there are other circumstances of stillbirth, the fault of which cannot but be attributed to the mothers who gave birth: one lifted a heavy bag of bread onto a cart, and the other worked endlessly to harvest the grain, and were resolved prematurely by babies. This one got drunk and stumbled, and gave birth to a stillborn baby. She suffered a miscarriage as a result of mental turmoil arising... from the insane and... perhaps unfounded jealousy of her husband. There are also cases of obvious punishment from God for murmuring about having many children and for cursing the fetus while it is still in the womb. Alas! and there are such crazy mothers in the world. That is why a postpartum mother, after the birth of a stillborn baby, should think thoroughly about whether she was somehow directly or indirectly the cause of the stillbirth, and if, after a dispassionate discussion of this issue, something turns out to be on her conscience, then she should rush to to your spiritual father, confess your sin to him, ask for advice to atone for this sin and then atone for your sin with good deeds, of which it is usually recommended: 1) alms to poor people who have many children, especially on days such as Easter, Christmas and patronal holiday; 2) travel to St. places (for example, in Kyiv, to the relics of the holy saints and the holy baby, killed by Herod for Christ, and resting in the distant caves of the Lavra); 3) intensive home prayer, accompanied by a certain number of bows, and voluntarily imposed fasting (for example, on Mondays; it is mentioned in the missal, in the rite of confession), and 4) performing a liturgy in the parish church for the remission of sins (Dush. Sob., pp.54-55). See details. in the book “Instructor.” and comfort. sore." priest VA. Cherkesova.

So, according to the reasoning of St. fathers and teachers of the Church, Christian unbaptized and stillborn babies will not suffer punishment in the future life, because their parents have already sanctified them by receiving the Holy Mysteries, prayers, faith and good deeds.

Publication of the Holy Dormition Pskov-Pechersky Monastery 1993.

Procedure for funeral and commemoration of a baptized deceased

The general stages in both cases are the same (preparing the body, saying goodbye to the deceased, burial). But believers end up in heavenly or hellish abodes after death, and the relatives of the deceased atheist wonder whether the funeral service is being held for the unbaptized. Having received a negative answer, they begin to look for a way out of the situation. For comparison, the main stages of conducting the correct procedure for funeral services, burial, and commemoration of a baptized person:

1. Washing the body.
2. Preparation in the morgue: dressing, applying makeup.
3. Funeral service.
4. Carrying out the funeral procession to the cemetery.
5. Burial.
6. Funeral meal.
7. After 1 year, a monument is erected.

Burial of the deceased

How relatives beg for their souls

When an unbeliever (young, old, man or woman) dies, relatives can try to improve his situation in the afterlife. Simply reading prayer texts is not enough. Sincerity and performing good deeds are important.

Read the texts of the prayer to Saint War

Saint Uar, who lived in ancient times and became a martyr, prayed for the unbaptized. Information about it can be obtained from Church Traditions. Over time, Uar became the intercessor of those who during their lifetime avoided the rite of baptism.

You can turn to him in church when you are looking for a way to bury an unbaptized person. But it should be understood that this does not mean praying for a deceased person who was expelled from church membership during his lifetime. An appeal to Uar is a request for intercession for such a person.

Reading a prayer

Home prayers before and after 40 days

Relatives can turn not only to Saint War, but also to Jesus Christ. Again, requests for clemency are excluded. The goal is to alleviate the hardships of the deceased, to gain strength to endure the torment. The Church does not prohibit praying for the deceased privately at home.

Prayer read up to 40 days

Prayer read after 40 days

Help those in need

Regardless of which of your loved ones has passed away (husband, father, brother, etc.), it is recommended to limit yourself in certain things and try to help those who need it. Supporting the weak and infirm puts a person on another level, as a result, the soul is cleansed, this is facilitated by self-denial and mercy.

Observe mourning and lead a righteous lifestyle

Believers whose loved one has avoided God throughout their life will not help the soul of the deceased get to heaven, but they can somewhat ease the path of the incorporeal shell. Mourning is the initial stage of transformation of the energy shell of the deceased. It is through him that relatives can influence the position of the soul of the deceased in the afterlife. They should follow God’s commandments and eliminate the possibility of committing sinful acts. One must also have righteous thoughts. This behavior will help the deceased.

Is it worth praying for an unbelieving soul?

It is not recommended to ask the Lord for forgiveness of an unbaptized person, since it will not be possible to forcibly bring to the Heavenly Father a soul that did not strive for Him during life. It is necessary to read prayers for the soul, but with a different purpose - for the forgiveness of sins.

Where do the souls of unbaptized babies go?

What is the afterlife fate of unbaptized babies? Where do their souls go? This issue has been discussed more than once in various forums and debates. This question is answered by the head of the Department of Theology of the Classical Private University, professor and doctor of philosophy, Archpriest Igor Ryabko.

I propose to look at it from the point of view of the Holy Scriptures, the creation of the Holy Fathers and teachers of the Church, and also touch upon those misconceptions that existed in the history of the Church on this issue.

The first unbaptized infants who are glorified by the Church as martyrs are those who suffered during Herod’s persecution. Despite the fact that they did not have the opportunity either to consciously believe in God or to be washed by the waters of baptism, the Church never doubted their celestial existence.

These babies, like all those who, for one reason or another, could not be baptized, were washed by the Sacrifice of Christ, as many Fathers of the Church spoke about. Saint Gregory the Theologian wrote: infants “ ... who have not been baptized will not be glorified or punished by the righteous Judge, because although they are not sealed, they are not bad.”

«.

Moreover, the words “ are not glorified”

" cannot at all be understood as "devoid of glory."
If in battles with the enemy those warriors who fight on the front line and show courage are crowned with special awards, then those who remain in the rear also celebrate victory, although they do not receive such awards. Saint Gregory continues his thought: “ For not everyone... unworthy of honor is worthy of punishment
.” None of the Holy Fathers of the Eastern Church even thought that infants who did not receive baptism would be deprived of the Kingdom of God.

The Monk Ephraim the Syrian even admitted the idea that dead babies would be higher than the saints, while he did not even mention their baptism. We can say that this point of view is the private opinion of one of the saints, but we can also say with confidence that the general opinion is that unbaptized infants will also inherit the Kingdom of God, although they will not enjoy the fullness of its joy and bliss.

The brother of St. Basil the Great, St. Gregory of Nyssa, in a special work entitled “On Infants Prematurely Abducted by Death,” directly states that infants, as those who have not committed any evil, are not prevented from being partakers of the Light of God. “ The child who has not been tempted in evil, since no illness interferes with the eyes of his soul in the communion of Light, remains in a natural state, having no need for cleansing to restore health, because in the beginning he did not accept illness into his soul

».

Theophan the Recluse writes: “ And children are all angels of God. Those who are not baptized must be left to God's mercy. They are not stepsons or stepdaughters of God. Therefore, He knows what and how to establish in relation to them. The ways of God are endless!

».

Hieromonk Arseny of Athos (19th century), known for his ascetic life, being asked about the fate of unbaptized infants, answered: “ Concerning the infants about whom they ask you to find out from us, we can say that those who received St. Baptism will rejoice and bliss in heaven forever, even if they receive an unexpected death. Equally, one should not reject those babies who were born dead, or who did not have time to be baptized: they are not to blame for not receiving St. Baptisms, and the Heavenly Father has many abodes...Parents can pray for them with faith in God’s mercy

».

The opinion about the blessed fate of unbaptized infants belongs to the realm of “consent of the fathers” (Consensus patrum), and the only voice against the majority was the opinion of St. Augustine, who believed that dead unbaptized infants inherit eternal torment. The Catholic Church, taking as its basis the theology of St. Augustine, “canonized” this point of view. In medieval Catholic scholasticism, even a special doctrine of Limbo arose.

Limbo is a place in the afterlife between heaven and purgatory, where, according to Catholic doctrine, the souls of unbaptized infants are located. But even Catholicism no longer insists on their complete destruction. Pope Pius X wrote in 1905: “Children who die before baptism fall into limbo, where they do not enjoy the presence of God, but at the same time they do not suffer.” And the new Pope Benedict XVI decided to completely exclude the medieval doctrine of limbo, as false, from the doctrinal system of Catholicism. In a document published

International Theological Commission and approved by this Pope, it is argued that the traditional concept of limbo reflects the idea of ​​​​Salvation too limitedly. Now, according to a new theory, the souls of dead babies who were not baptized go to heaven.

However, it is still necessary to baptize children. Blessed Theodoret of Cyrus says: “If the only meaning of Baptism was the remission of sins, why then would they baptize newborns who had not yet tasted sin? But the Sacrament of Baptism is not limited to this; Baptism is the promise of greater and more perfect gifts. In it are the promises of future joys; it is an image of the future resurrection, communion with the Passion of the Lord, participation in His Resurrection, a robe of salvation, a robe of joy, a vestment [woven] from light, or rather light itself.”

.

This is why we baptize children. Therefore, it is better not to postpone infant baptism until later, when it may be too late.

How to bury an unbaptized baby according to church canons

Parents are allowed to carry out a traditional burial of babies (as for adults), if they have lived in the world for some time (minutes, hours, days). Stillborns are buried by the clinic staff because they are not considered spiritual. Today, a funeral service for such children is being held, for which a special rite of burial for infants is provided.

Considering that newborns are sinless, there is no point in praying for repentance. In this case, the children will still receive the protection of angels, but will not suffer the fate of many who receive God's punishment.

What prayers need to be read about the soul of the sinless

People at birth are distinguished by the stamp of original sin. But in some cases it loses its power. This happens during baptism. Those children who died before the ceremony was performed cannot be on the same level as the baptized. For this reason, relatives should pray for such children, ask the Lord to have mercy on them and protect them. Consider different prayer texts for this purpose.

Reading prayers for the deceased

The fate of unbaptized babies

But if adults who had passed on to another world had the time and will not only to commit sins, but also to repent and be baptized, then helpless babies were deprived of all this. So will they also go to hell? Archpriest Georgy Gorodentsev, based on the works of Gregory the Theologian, suggested that the souls of unbaptized children would reside in a special place, in the bosom of Abraham. There they will not feel the torment of hell, but they will not experience heavenly happiness either.

Archpriest Alexy Uminsky noted that the opinion of past theologians about the unenviable fate of the souls of young unbaptized children was based on the fabrications of St. Augustine. Augustine's teaching on original sin did not give children a single chance of salvation. Now, according to Uminsky, this question is considered a mystery, as is everything else concerning the afterlife of a person.

Priest Dmitry Smirnov believes that the fate of the souls of unbaptized babies is unknown to us. “We hope that since the person has not sinned in any way, but has already suffered from an illness, the Lord will count him among the holy martyrs,” Smirnov said.

How to perform a funeral service for a deceased person whose baptism is in doubt

Most often, if there is no certainty regarding a person’s membership in the church, a funeral service is excluded. This is explained by the fact that he had to attend church at least sometimes. It is enough to check personally whether such a person was present at the services where he lives in order to assess the situation.

Anyone who did not attend church, being baptized, probably did not associate himself with it, which means there is no need to forcibly introduce the soul of such a person to holy rituals.

Is it possible to have a funeral service in absentia after the fact of baptism has been clarified?

Questions regarding the funeral service in absentia are resolved on an individual basis. This is due to the need to assess the situation: it is important to understand why there are no witnesses to the fact of the baptism of the deceased; you need to find out whether the deceased wanted to join the church, even if he had not appeared here for many years. The clergyman makes a decision after weighing all the factors.

A lit candle in memory of the deceased

Table: cost of the funeral ceremony in church and in absentia

The price of a funeral service in a church may vary, depending on the region and church. There is also the option of paying by making a donation - in any quantity. Certain bets are also common:

Question-answer section

Is it possible to have a funeral service for an unbaptized person in church after death?

Expert opinion

Father Pavel

Clergyman

Prayers are not read for the unbaptized in church, and religious attributes are not used for burial. The funeral service for his soul is also excluded. Moreover, the ban on such actions has no time frame and cannot be lifted under pressure from relatives.

Funeral service

How are unbaptized people buried in Russia?

Expert opinion

Father Pavel

Clergyman

Burial takes place on unconsecrated ground. In this case, the clergyman does not perform the service, and after lowering the coffin into the ground, there should not be a cross on the grave. The burial procedure is carried out according to secular rules - a civil memorial service is acceptable. Relatives can read prayers at home after the funeral.

How to bury an unbaptized adult, are there any differences from saying goodbye to children?

Expert opinion

Father Pavel

Clergyman

The procedure for preparing and lowering the body underground for an adult and a child is the same. The difference is that in the first case, the unbaptized are not buried, but for children, the rite of burial of infants has recently appeared.

Do they put a cross on the grave of an unbaptized person?

Expert opinion

Father Pavel

Clergyman

A full-fledged cross is not placed on the grave of a deceased person who was not baptized during his lifetime. This is one of the attributes of the religion that a person has abandoned. Immediately after the funeral, a wooden cross is not provided, but after 1 year it is allowed to erect a gravestone. It may contain an engraving in the form of a cross.

The Catholic Church will allow unbaptized babies into heaven

Apostle Peter:

- Teacher! You have already spoken about the processes of human departure, and we have included some of this information in the article about John Paul II.. Therefore, we want to ask you the following.

The Catholic Church has come to the conclusion that all dying infants who leave the incarnation before receiving Baptism must go to heaven. For example, here is information from the Internet:

04/20/2007 21:26 | lenta.ru

After several years of work, the Vatican's International Theological Commission has concluded that there is every reason to hope that infants who die before baptism will go to heaven, Catholic News Service reports.

In the report, "The Hope of Salvation for Unbaptized Infants," released April 20, the commission noted that the previous concept that the souls of unbaptized infants were sent to Limbo, the border region of hell where the souls of the righteous who died before the Advent also reside, embodies "an extremely limited view to Salvation."

Traditionally it was believed that because of original sin, baptism was the only path to Salvation, the report says, so all parents were required to baptize their children. However, the current level of theological knowledge allows us to conclude that God “wants to save all human beings.”

“Forgiveness is stronger than sin, and the exclusion of innocent babies from heaven does not appear to reflect Christ’s love for the little ones,” the report’s authors note. “It becomes increasingly difficult for people to believe in divine justice and forgiveness when children who have no sins of their own are deprived of eternal happiness.”

The rescue of infants who die before baptism has become particularly important in light of the increase in such cases, which, in turn, is explained by the increase in the number of abortions and the death of infants born to non-practicing Catholics.

It is reported that the Vatican's International Theological Commission began studying the issue of Limbo back in 2004, when it was headed by the current Pope Benedict XVI. The commission's final report was submitted to him on January 19, 2007, and received papal approval.

04/20/2007 22:18 | www.rian.ru

MOSCOW, April 20 - RIA Novosti, Olga Lipich.

The Russian Orthodox Church does not undertake to determine the posthumous fate of the souls of unbaptized infants, but prays for them privately.

“I would not risk trying to determine where the souls of deceased unbaptized babies are located before the General Judgment. This is a secret that is hardly accessible to our understanding,” Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin, deputy chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, told RIA Novosti on Friday, commenting on Italian media reports that the Catholic Church has abandoned the concept of the existence of a special place in hell (called “ Limbo"), where the souls of unbaptized infants are located, thus assigning them directly to heaven.

Chaplin noted that the Russian Orthodox Church considers as saints only those unbaptized infants who were killed by Herod after the birth of Jesus Christ.

“We do not pray for the unbaptized in general church prayer. But we pray, without mentioning names, for unbaptized babies in private prayer, hoping for God’s mercy,” concluded the representative of the Moscow Patriarchate.

The Secretary General of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Russia, priest Igor Kovalevsky, in a conversation with RIA Novosti, emphasized that “in fact, the concept of “limbo” has never been the official dogmatic teaching of the church.” “It was just a theological theory,” Kovalevsky added.

The views of Catholics and Orthodox Christians are very similar in their recognition of the mystery of the posthumous fate of the souls of unbaptized infants. “Without grace, salvation is impossible. The believer receives grace in the sacraments of the Church. However, God Himself is not bound by these sacraments. God can lead salvation in other ways known to Him,” Kovalevsky said.

“In Islam it is believed that if a child dies in infancy, then he goes to heaven without any restrictions - as a sinless person,” Damir Gizatullin, deputy head of the Council of Muftis of Russia, told RIA Novosti.

According to the teachings of Buddhism, the karma of a child who died before reaching his conscious age depends on the karma of his parents. “Therefore, future parents must maintain purity of body and spirit, and the newborn must have appropriate care,” called on the Moscow representative of the Buddhist Traditional Sangha of Russia Sanzhey Lama.

“But the posthumous fate of the child still remains a mystery,” he concluded.

04/21/2007 18:42 | First channel

The souls of unbaptized babies can go to heaven. Theologians of the Roman Catholic Church came to this conclusion after several years of intense debate.

Traditionally, the Vatican has held the view that children who die before being baptized go to Limbo, the border zone of hell. This is also the place where the souls of the righteous who died before the Coming resided.

However, as has been officially stated, this view appears to be very limited. “People,” reasoned Catholic theologians, “are finding it increasingly difficult to believe in divine justice and forgiveness when children who have no sins of their own are deprived of eternal happiness.”

What can you say to this? How do all these processes of care for infants who did not have time to receive Baptism during their lifetime actually take place? What happens to them and where do their souls end up?

Such babies, unfortunately, end up in hell, because these processes do not change depending on the duration of the person’s stay on earth. In order for renewal to occur, for the purification of the Essential Guide who has been in incarnation to occur, it is necessary to go through hell, to receive an indulgence there for the right to purify and undergo the purification process itself. All Entities in embodiment, without exception, are associated with this process. Even the holiest Beings who come into incarnation need such purification - the removal of information at the lower physical levels. And only then - the safe return of the Essence back to the threshold of hell, after which its further transformations begin, like the Ego, on another level, which continue until the fortieth day. After all this, the Entity will be closed and will be ready to appear before the Portal, after which the next stages of its transformations will begin, lasting up to one year.

Why is this happening? Because it is not Personalities who undergo purification. Such a small personal guide as a born child, such a small flesh, which contains the essence of the Supreme Mind - the Essence, does not need these processes. But everything changes when a premature return from incarnation awaits. Then Essential processes come to the fore, i.e. processes associated with the involution of the Essential Guide into the Personality. After all, it is not the child’s Personality that suffers, it is his Soul that suffers, having gone through the entire stage of incarnation, realization and then quick departure.

In order to receive indulgence for quick, easier purification, the Essence in incarnation must undergo the rite of Baptism. Those. she must receive that Divine initiation, in which the Personal vehicle acquires new qualities, the necessary properties of the Soul, which will then create favorable personal conditions for the correct development of the Essence in a given physical vehicle and ensure the further evolutionary advancement of this Essence on the subtle planes.

If Baptism does not take place during life, the necessary initiation is delayed, then the Essence does not carry out further processes of evolutionary transformation. This will definitely affect the process of leaving a person.

The absence of Baptism harms both the Essential Guide and the Personal Guide of a person. Every person should be grateful for the opportunity given to be involved in this ritual of the holy condescension of God's Grace and to join the Supreme power of the unmanifested world. Then a very important process for a given person occurs, the so-called Second Initiation. Unlike the First Initiation, which we consider the Birth of a person, his birth into the world, the Second Initiation - Baptism with Holy Water - is already a conscious rite on the part of his parents, who take responsibility for the Soul of their child, and therefore take responsibility for his Supreme Divine Essence. If Baptism does not occur within the required time frame - in the first forty days after birth, a process begins that we will call sin in relation to this Divine Essence contained in the child’s personal vehicle.

How many such babies! Yes, there are many of them. But today, after this statement, there will be even more of them. In order to bring a child to the temple, perform the rite of consecration with water, and give him the correct spiritual orientation, you need to be a pious person, a believer, who correctly understands these processes from the point of view of the subtle plane. But where is the guarantee that now ordinary people, not very knowledgeable, not very educated in these religious issues, have received information of this kind for themselves that they should not rush to the temple for the rite of Baptism? Baptism will take place, baptism will not take place - this child, in their opinion and in my statement today, will still go to heaven. Then, what deadlines should be set for those parents who must, nevertheless, appear in the temple of God with their child in order to sanctify him with holy water, excommunicate him from the dark world, from the hierarchy of the dark ones, give initiation to his Soul so that it can calmly grow and develop in a child, give the right direction to the development of Personality, Essence, find your Guardian Angel on the subtle plane? How many years does it take in this case for such parents to get together and bring their child into the temple of the Lord? One, two, five, six years? Or maybe until he gets married, until he becomes an adult? I can call these parents apostates from the church faith, from the faith of God.

Do not judge or give advice on how to act in this or that case and in what time frame the Soul of a person must be united with our Lord Jesus Christ. I advise you not to take responsibility for the sins of others. Let everyone in his vision be right before God and appear before him on the fortieth day in the form and in the incarnation in which he came, consciously putting on his Higher Self as physical vehicles.

Don't separate children from the Kingdom of God. Let them be active from the moment of birth until the last hour of their stay on earth. After all, this time is not given in vain. It goes by very quickly. And therefore you need to use it beneficially, first of all – for the benefit of your Soul, and not for the body.

Be reasonable. Separate the wheat from the chaff. Be carefull. Remember that the dark hierarchy seeks to take possession of the souls of unbaptized children.

Think about the Soul, about the holiness of the Soul. Then everything will fall into place, and there will be no doubt about the timing and necessity of these processes.

Everything happens according to plan. But only a born child cannot make a decision on his own. Hence, the power of his parents remains unlimited until the child reaches adulthood. And if they did not manage to bring him into the temple of the Lord in a timely manner or did not want to, then this is a sin, first of all, for themselves. It is they who bear all the responsibility for the failed Initiation in the child’s life.

To ward off this grave sin, do not strive to see everything in worldly, everyday concepts. There are Laws established by Christ regarding the conduct of these Initiations - and consider it a blessing and take advantage of this. A person must abide in God, live with him, be, and develop.

Where does positive energy, a positive beginning, come from if a little man is not baptized and does not have his Guardian Angel with him, with whom the beginning of the Kingdom of Heaven and the aspirations of Man are associated?

Be vigilant and do not change the timing of Baptism. This will not bring any good.

Priest's comment

Father Vladimir

Clergyman

The funeral service is performed in absentia for those whose bodies were lost: during a flood, earthquake, etc. When a person is unbaptized, but after his death the physical shell is preserved, then it will not be possible to conduct even an absentee funeral service. None of the forms of this rite are suitable for cases when it is necessary to send on their last journey a person who was not among the faithful members of the Orthodox Church.