What does the Church teach about baptism?

By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-10

Holy Baptism is the first of the seven Holy Sacraments of the Coptic Orthodox Church. It is the "Door of the Sacraments," as no person can receive any other sacrament, including Holy Communion, without first being baptized.

The Coptic Orthodox Church teaches that Baptism is not merely a symbolic act, as many Protestants erroneously claim, but is a necessary means of salvation and a true rebirth by "water and the Spirit" (John 3:5).

1. The Necessity of Baptism

Based on the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Church teaches that Baptism is essential for entering the Kingdom of God. It is the washing away of Original Sin—the inherited fallen nature of Adam—and all personal sins committed prior to the moment of baptism.

2. Baptism by Immersion

The word "Baptism" comes from the Greek word Baptizo, which means to immerse or dip. The Coptic Church strictly practices baptism by triple immersion in the name of the Holy Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Triple immersion represents the three days our Lord spent in the tomb. In Coptic theology, the baptismal font is viewed as both a "tomb" (where the old man dies) and a "womb" (where the new man is born).

3. Infant Baptism

The Coptic Orthodox Church has practiced infant baptism since the Apostolic age. We do not deprive children of the grace of God and the gift of the Holy Spirit. St. Peter declared on Pentecost that the promise is for "you and your children" (Acts 2:39). Infants are usually baptized 40 days after birth (for males) or 80 days after birth (for females), mirroring the purification laws of the Old Testament.

4. Direct Theological Effects

• A New Creation: The person becomes a member of the Body of Christ, the Church.
• Regeneration: It is the "laver of regeneration" (Titus 3:5), giving the person a new spiritual life.
• Adoption: Through the water, we become children of God the Father by grace.
• One Baptism: In accordance with the Nicene Creed, we confess "one baptism for the remission of sins." Therefore, the Church does not re-baptize those who have been legitimately baptized in the Orthodox faith. However, we do not recognize the baptisms of heretics or those who do not hold the correct Trinitarian and sacramental faith.

5. Connection to Other Sacraments

Immediately following Baptism, the newly baptized person receives the Sacrament of Chrismation (the Holy Myron), in which they are anointed with the oil of the Holy Spirit. Following this, they are eligible to receive the Holy Eucharist, even as infants. This distinguishes the true Orthodox faith from Western denominations that delay these mysteries.

As the Church Fathers like St. Athanasius and St. Cyril of Alexandria taught, we are "divinized" through these mysteries, not by becoming God in essence, but by being united to the Divine Nature in a way that restores our image and likeness to Him.