Does the Orthodox Church allow or recognize more than one baptism?

No. As long as a person is baptized with water using the Trinitarian formula (“In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit”) their baptism is considered valid. The first two Ecumenical Counsels, which were convened to compress and solidify our beliefs into a single “Creed,” explicitly states this fact: “I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins.” This, therefore, is a Church Dogma; a dictate or teaching that can not be changed. A person can only be baptized once and this baptism is valid forever.

In extremely rare cases, when the Trinitarian formula was not used during the Sacrament of Baptism, the person can be baptized a second time to ensure it is properly done. If there is uncertainty, then the priest administers a “conditional baptism.” If the person was not properly baptized, than the conditional baptism becomes the formal Baptism. If the person was properly baptized, than the conditional baptism does nothing.

Parish

Mailing Address

Archangel Michael Orthodox Church
5025 E. Mill Rd
Broadview Heights, Ohio 44147

Email, Phone, and Fax

[email protected]
440-526-5192 (Phone)