The Order to be Followed for Holy Baptism
In Case of an Emergency
The following texts, translated from the Roman Malyj Trebnyk (1952), are based on the work of the Inter-Eparchial Liturgical Commission of the Byzantine (Ruthenian) Catholic Metropolitan Church of Pittsburgh, and being made available for study by cantors enrolled in the courses of the Metropolican Cantor Institute. These texts are unofficial and provisional, and you should obtain episcopal permission before using them for any purpose other than private self-study.
If an adult in danger of death requests the mystery of baptism, having come to faith, or if a child of Christian parents is in danger of death, then the rite of baptism is to be performed with water in the following shortened form. If a priest is present, he is to perform the baptism, but in the absence of the priest any Christian person may also baptize, acting according to the mind of the Church.
The person to be baptized is immersed in the water three times, or water is poured upon his (her) forehead three times, once at the mention of each person of the Holy Trinity, the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit, in the following words which are said as the baptism is being performed:
The servant of God (name) is baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Response: Amen.
If a priest baptizes in case of emergency, then he should also chrismate the newly-baptized person, if chrism is available.
The priest anoints the baptized person with holy chrism, making the sign of the cross on the forehead, eyes, nostrils, mouth, ears, breast, hands and feet, saying each time:
The seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
If the person baptized in emergency circumstances but not chrismated survives, then at a later date the office of chrismation without baptism is celebrated.
If the person baptized and chrismated in emergency circumstances then survives, then at a later date the following rite is celebrated for him (her):
Priest: Blessed is our God, always, now and ever and forever.
Response: Amen.
Glory to you, our God, glory to you.
Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, everywhere present and filling all things, Treasury of Blessings and Giver of Life, come and dwell within us, cleanse us of all stain, and save our souls, O gracious One.
Throughout Pascha, the following is said in place of “Glory to you” and “Heavenly King.”
Priest: Christ is risen from the dead! By death he trampled Death; and to those in the tombs he granted life.
Response: Christ is risen from the dead! By death he trampled Death; and to those in the tombs he granted life. (Twice)
Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy and Immortal, have mercy on us. (Three times)Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever. Amen.
Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us; Lord, cleanse us of our sins; Master, forgive our transgressions; Holy One, come to us and heal our infirmities for your name's sake.
Lord, have mercy. (Three times)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever. Amen.
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Priest: For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever.
Response: Amen.
Then the cantor and faithful sing:
All you who have been baptized into Christ have been clothed with Christ. Alleluia! (three times)
Deacon: Let us be attentive!
Priest: Peace be to all!
Deacon: Wisdom! Be attentive!
Prokeimenon, Tone 3 (Ps. 26:1):The Lord is my light and my help; whom shall I fear?
v. The Lord is the stronghold of my life; before whom shall I shrink?Deacon: Wisdom!
Lector: A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul the Apostle to the Romans.
Deacon: Let us be attentive!
The lector reads Romans 6:3-11.
Priest: Peace be to you, reader.
Deacon: Wisdom! Be attentive!
Alleluia Tone 8 (Psalm 92:1):Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
v. The Lord reigns, he is clothed in majesty; robed is the Lord and girt about with strength
v. The world he made firm, not to be moved.During the Alleluia, the deacon censes as usual before the Gospel reading.
Deacon: Wisdom! Let us stand and listen to the holy Gospel.
Priest: Peace be to all!
Response: And to your spirit.
Priest: A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.
Response: Glory to you, O Lord, glory to you.
Deacon: Let us be attentive!
The priest reads Matthew 28:16-20.
Response: Glory to you, O Lord, glory to you.
After the reading of the Holy Gospel, the one who has been baptized comes before the holy doors (or is brought by the sponsors).
Sprinkling him (her) with clean water, the priest prays:
You are justified. You are enlightened. You are sanctified. You are washed in the name of Our Lord, Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.
Washing the places where he (she) was anointed, the priest prays:
You are baptized. You are enlightened. You are chrismated. You are sanctified. You are washed in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
With scissors, the priest cuts some hair in the form of a cross from the head of the one who has been baptized, saying:
The servant of God (name) is tonsured in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Response: Amen.
The deacon intones the Litany of Fervent Supplication, and to each petition the faithful respond, “Lord, have mercy” (three times).
Deacon: Have mercy on us, O God, according to your great mercy, we pray you, hear and have mercy.
– Again we pray for our holy father (Name), Pope of Rome, and for our most reverend Metropolitan (Name), for our God-loving Bishop (Name), for those who serve and have served in this holy church, for our spiritual fathers, and for all our brothers and sisters in Christ.
– Again we pray for our government and for all in the service of our country.
– Again we pray for the newly enlightened servant of God (name), that he (she) be protected in the pure profession of faith, in all piety and in the fulfillment of the commandments of Christ all the days of his (her) life.
– Again we pray for the people here present who await your great and abundant mercy, for those who show us mercy, and for all Christians of the true faith.
Priest: For you are a merciful and loving God, and we give glory to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever.
Response: Amen.
Priest: Glory to you, O Christ God, our hope, glory to you.
Response: Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever. Amen. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Give the blessing.
Throughout Pascha, the following is said in place of “Glory to the Father.”
Response: Christ is risen from the dead! By death he trampled Death; and to those in the tombs he granted life. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Give the blessing.
Priest: May Christ our true God, who for our salvation deigned to be baptized by John in the Jordan, have mercy on us and save us through the prayers of his most pure Mother, and of all the saints; for Christ is good and loves us all.
Response: Amen.