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On 19 June 2010, Metropolitan Hilarion, head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, told the viewers of “The Church and the World” TV programme about catechization – the preparation for baptism. This is a major sacrament through which human life in the Church begins. However, sometimes neither the baptized, nor the Godparents know the fundamentals of Orthodoxy.

Answering a question whether the Holy Synod considered a revival of the system of catechization practiced in the Early Church, Metropolitan Hilarion said: “This matter is being considered by the Inter-Council Presence of the Russian Orthodox Church – special body recently established to discuss various interesting and controversial problems. I believe that we should not try to revive that what existed in the earliest times, but we should set up a system that would satisfy human requirements of today.”

The DECR chairman dwelt on the present situation. A man come to church, pays money for his baptism, but does not understand the meaning of the sacrament. Metropolitan Hilarion thinks this system does not correspond to the standards by which the Church should live. He said: “The catechization in the Early Church lasted for many years: people met with the bishop who explained the fundamentals of faith to them. By the time of their baptism they could become theologians who knew about Christian doctrine and dogmas. At present we cannot demand that people should attend lessons for several years. It is necessary to create a system of short catechization, such as several lessons, or a short book, life “The Commented Creed.”

“People need to be baptized to become full members of the Church. Baptism is an entry to the Church. Children brought to church, baptized and taken home, do not become full Christians; they are nominal rather than real members of the Church. Our task is to bridge the gap between the nominal and real Christians,” the archpastor said.

“The Church gives the meaning of life to people; she gives them a new dimension and helps them to endure difficulties and trials. This is what a catechist should explain to those who come to be baptized and do it in the simple and intelligible language,” Metropolitan Hilarion said in conclusion.