For an Orthodox believer, the words of the Savior Jesus Christ himself are of particular importance. In the Gospel, Christ commands the apostles to preach all over the world and perform the sacrament of baptism. Therefore, since the apostolic time, every believing Christian with special reverence embarked on the sacrament of entering the Church - holy baptism.
Among the seven Orthodox church sacraments, the sacrament of baptism occupies a special place. This is the first sacred action that a person begins to want to combine with Christ by entering the Church. In the sacrament of baptism, a person’s spiritual birth takes place, birth for eternal life. The newly baptized is given grace that sanctifies human nature.
The sacrament of baptism can be accepted both in infancy and in adulthood. The only difference is that when baptizing infants, it is desirable to have godparents who can consciously take vows before God for a child.
Currently, certain literature or publications offer certain dates or even entire periods during which baptism can or cannot be accepted. Sometimes, among people who are not practicing Christians, there is a conviction that speaks of a ban on the sacrament of baptism for the duration of fasting days or fasting days (Wednesdays and Fridays).
The Orthodox Church does not support such conclusions. There are no dates in the canon of the Orthodox Church implying a ban on the sacrament of baptism. This position is quite logical, because in baptism a person is combined with God, and if there is a desire to devote his life to good and renounce Satan, then the Church cannot prevent a person from such a good intention. Thus, the sacrament of holy baptism can be performed on any day.
Now it’s worth separately to speak about the modern practice of baptism in Orthodox churches. In large cathedrals, for example, this sacrament can be performed every day. In small towns where one priest serves, the sacrament of baptism is most often performed in the church on Sundays or Saturdays. However, this does not mean a ban on baptism on another day, in particular in fasting. This is just a practice that can be different in different temples.
The sacrament of baptism may not be performed in churches on Easter days, twelfth or feast days, during the Holy Week of Lent. However, this also only indicates the practice of the fact that baptism in this temple takes place on other days, let’s say, “according to the schedule.”
It is worth noting that in case of emergency, the priest does not have the right to refuse the baptized one. In addition, there is a practice of performing this saving sacrament not only in temples, but also at home. In particular, seriously ill people are baptized at home. Moreover, any day of baptism can be chosen, regardless of whether there is a post or not.
It turns out that the sacrament of baptism may well be performed during the fasting both in the church and at home, because there are no statutory instructions for the days of the prohibition of this sacred action.
