[Mary Naeem]

Pope Shenouda III





Should who administer baptism?
Baptism in the Orthodox Church is administered only by the clergy. But our Protestant brethren do not, at all, accept human Priesthood. So in their churches, a minister and not a clergyman administer baptism. He could be an elder (or a lady elder in case of groups who allow women ministers). Anyhow, according to the Protestant belief, the elders or the ministers are not clergymen.