Female Candle Bearers at GOA baptism

[Maria]

Recently, I attended the baptism of my grandchild at a Greek Orthodox Church (GOA of North America) with the permission of my spiritual father.

Immediately following the baptism and chrismation of my grandchild, two young girls, cousins of the newly baptized infant, were escorted by their aunt to the solea. Two young male altar servers handed the girls lit candles whereupon the girls joined the priest, the sponsor, and the newly baptized child. Then they all began to process around the baptismal fount singing "As many have been baptized." The two girls remained on the solea on either side of the fount for the duration of the ceremony.

After the Baptism, a great uncle of the newly baptized infant remarked that it was a very nice gesture to allow the girls to participate in their cousin's baptism. He seemed very pleased.

Is this practice now universal or is it an innovation?

[Maria]

How pervasive is the use of altar girls in the Greek Orthodox Church and in other World Orthodoxy jurisdictions?

There is a Greek Orthodox Parish in Jacksonville, Florida with an acolyte program for both boys and girls:

http://stjohnthedivinejax.org/parish-in ... te-program

And from St. Nina's Quarterly (part of World Orthodoxy), there is this set of articles and responses concerning Female Altar Servers especially in the OCA where this practice was apparently stopped and forbidden back in 2004.

http://stnina.org/node/733

[Jean-Serge]

were escorted by their aunt to the solea.

What is the solea?

[Archimandrit Nilos]

It's a liturgical expression and means: elevated landing before the Holy Iconostasis

[Jean-Serge]

Thank you. I thought the ambon and the solea were the same thing. It seems the ambon is just in front of the Royal Doors.

Well in the original practice, baptism were conducted outside the Church and the whole community would make the procession from the place of the baptism to the church chanting... Now the procession is circular reduced to the priest, the godparents and the person baptized... I don't know if this has to be with altar girls . The strange thing here is the commentary "it was a very nice gesture to allow the girls to participate in their cousin's baptism." Well it implies that if you're not doing something physically, you're not participating at all, while all the attendants are participant by their prayers unless they see baptism as a simple show...

[Maria]

Thank you. I thought the ambon and the solea were the same thing. It seems the ambon is just in front of the Royal Doors.

Well in the original practice, baptism were conducted outside the Church and the whole community would make the procession from the place of the baptism to the church chanting... Now the procession is circular reduced to the priest, the godparents and the person baptized... I don't know if this has to be with altar girls . The strange thing here is the commentary "it was a very nice gesture to allow the girls to participate in their cousin's baptism." Well it implies that if you're not doing something physically, you're not participating at all, while all the attendants are participant by their prayers unless they see baptism as a simple show...

Yes, very modernistic thinking.

Sadly, people do not think that praying silently or singing with the congregation is participating. One "must be actively involved" on the altar, chanting at the cantor's stand, reading the Epistle, singing with the choir, handing out candles, serving as an usher, or worse, counting the collection while the priest gives his sermon. Yet, we are to put aside all earthly cares.

Many years ago, I attended the baptism of a young boy whose parents I knew. Immediately after the Baptism, the entire baptismal party including the priest, godparents, newly illuminated child, and the relatives and friends processed from the side chapel that contained the baptistry into the church. I cannot remember the whole scenario of events, but this was Holy Saturday morning, so the Baptism was integrated into the Vesperal Divine Liturgy. Not only was there the Baptismal procession, but during this procession the priest was sprinkling rose petals and laurel leaves around the church at the same time as the cantors were singing "Let God arise." I think that the hymn, "As many as who have been baptized" was sung later on, and the child was given communion along with everyone else. This was a beautiful witness.