142:: "Every member of the church of Christ having children is to bring them unto the elders before the church, who are to lay their hands upon them in the name of Jesus Christ, and bless them in his name." The purpose of the practice is twofold: to give a baby an official name and to provide an opportunity to give a blessing for the child's spiritual and physical welfare. This practice is usually only performed for infants, though older children may also receive the blessing; adult or teenaged
190:. A membership record is created for children who receive this blessing: they are counted as members of the church and described as "children of record". They remain on the church rolls unless they reach adulthood without being baptized or a request for name removal is received from their legal guardians. Children who were blessed in the church become confirmed members of the church when they receive the ordinances of baptism and confirmation, normally soon after their eighth birthday.
22:
205:
Babies who are born out of wedlock may receive a name and a blessing. When one of the child's parents is a non-member, the bishop must receive verbal permission from both parents before the child can be blessed. If a newborn infant is critically ill, a
Melchizedek priesthood holder may bless the
158:
holders—often including priesthood leaders, family members and close friends—gather in a circle and hold the child in their arms or place their hands on the child's head if the child is older. One of them performs the blessing. Typically, this consists of the following:
370:
328:
355:
214:
It is common for this blessing to be an occasion for family members to gather. In some families, it is also traditional for the baby or older child to be dressed in white clothing similar to a
206:
child without previous authorization of the bishop. As of April 2019, a natural or adopted child of a parent living in a same-sex relationship may receive a name and a blessing.
182:
After the blessing has been performed, a certificate is provided that details the date of the blessing and who officiated; it is signed by the presiding officer of the
339:
127:
155:
317:
86:
58:
65:
365:
105:
43:
36:
72:
360:
270:
54:
197:, but may be performed in any sacrament meeting or at a private event attended by the bishop or one of his counselors.
194:
32:
79:
139:
303:
131:
227:
187:
266:
183:
135:
215:
232:
166:
Stating that the blessing is being given by the authority of the
Melchizedek priesthood
349:
173:
21:
143:
284:
The Mormon Quest for Glory: The
Religious World of the Latter-Day Saints
172:
Adding a blessing on the child as directed by the inspiration of the
138:
soon after a child's birth in fulfillment of the commandment in the
371:
Young people and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
15:
193:
Naming and blessing of a child usually occurs in the monthly
146:
to the church do not receive a comparable ordinance.
179:
The blessing is closed in the name of Jesus Christ.
356:
Latter Day Saint ordinances, rituals, and symbolism
307:(Salt Lake City, Utah: LDS Church, 2010) § 16.2.
128:the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
8:
263:Children and Childhood in American Religions
261:Don S. Browning and Bonnie Miller-McLemore,
298:
296:
294:
292:
106:Learn how and when to remove this message
304:Handbook 1: Stake Presidents and Bishops
245:
42:Please improve this article by adding
7:
329:Priesthood Ordinances and Blessings
14:
55:"Naming and blessing of children"
20:
120:naming and blessing of a child
1:
235:in other Christian traditions
130:(LDS Church) is a non-saving
44:secondary or tertiary sources
218:, but this is not required.
340:Blessings of the Priesthood
134:, usually performed during
387:
342:,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, p32.
195:fast and testimony meeting
163:Addressing Heavenly Father
366:Christianity and children
201:Policies and restrictions
154:To offer the blessing,
361:Latter Day Saint terms
156:Melchizedek priesthood
140:Doctrine and Covenants
31:relies excessively on
228:Patriarchal blessing
282:Melvyn Hammarberg,
122:(commonly called a
338:Robert D. Hales, “
136:sacrament meeting
116:
115:
108:
90:
378:
333:Family Guidebook
320:
314:
308:
300:
287:
280:
274:
259:
253:
250:
216:christening gown
210:Cultural aspects
111:
104:
100:
97:
91:
89:
48:
24:
16:
386:
385:
381:
380:
379:
377:
376:
375:
346:
345:
324:
323:
315:
311:
301:
290:
281:
277:
260:
256:
251:
247:
242:
224:
212:
203:
152:
112:
101:
95:
92:
49:
47:
41:
37:primary sources
25:
12:
11:
5:
384:
382:
374:
373:
368:
363:
358:
348:
347:
344:
343:
336:
322:
321:
309:
288:
275:
254:
252:D&C 20:70.
244:
243:
241:
238:
237:
236:
230:
223:
220:
211:
208:
202:
199:
177:
176:
170:
167:
164:
151:
148:
114:
113:
28:
26:
19:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
383:
372:
369:
367:
364:
362:
359:
357:
354:
353:
351:
341:
337:
334:
330:
326:
325:
319:
318:
313:
310:
306:
305:
299:
297:
295:
293:
289:
286:(2013) p. 35.
285:
279:
276:
272:
268:
264:
258:
255:
249:
246:
239:
234:
231:
229:
226:
225:
221:
219:
217:
209:
207:
200:
198:
196:
191:
189:
185:
180:
175:
171:
169:Giving a name
168:
165:
162:
161:
160:
157:
149:
147:
145:
141:
137:
133:
129:
125:
124:baby blessing
121:
110:
107:
99:
96:November 2010
88:
85:
81:
78:
74:
71:
67:
64:
60:
57: –
56:
52:
51:Find sources:
45:
39:
38:
34:
29:This article
27:
23:
18:
17:
332:
316:
312:
302:
283:
278:
262:
257:
248:
213:
204:
192:
181:
178:
153:
123:
119:
117:
102:
93:
83:
76:
69:
62:
50:
30:
233:christening
174:Holy Spirit
350:Categories
271:0813546958
240:References
66:newspapers
33:references
150:Procedure
132:ordinance
222:See also
144:converts
265:(2009,
80:scholar
335:, p18.
269:
188:branch
82:
75:
68:
61:
53:
126:) in
87:JSTOR
73:books
267:ISBN
184:ward
118:The
59:news
331:,"
186:or
35:to
352::
291:^
273:).
46:.
327:"
109:)
103:(
98:)
94:(
84:·
77:·
70:·
63:·
40:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
