Christenings without godparents. Is it permissible to baptize a child with only one godparent?

Is it possible for an adult to be baptized without godparents?

To answer the question whether it is possible to baptize a child without godparents, it is enough to read the sequence of the sacrament of Baptism, then a lot will become clear to us. The sequence is compiled for adults, that is, it contains places where the person being baptized says prayers and answers questions to the priest. When we baptize a child, the godparents are responsible for him and read his prayers. Therefore, it is obvious that the sacrament of Baptism of a child cannot take place without adults. But an adult is able to profess his faith himself.

Is it possible to baptize a child without one of the godparents?

The question of whether it is possible to baptize a child without a godmother can be answered in the same way as the question of whether it is possible to baptize a child without godfather. If it was not possible to find a person capable of taking on the responsibilities of a godmother or father, it is possible to perform the sacrament of baptism without one of the parents. In this case, it will be more important for the girl if she has godmother, for a boy - godfather.

Is it possible to baptize a child without godparents?

In this case, baptism can only be performed under the following circumstances:
The child's life is in danger, he is in serious condition. At such a moment, baptism can be performed by a priest or any layman by pouring holy water on the baby’s head three times and saying the words: “God’s servant (me) (name) is baptized in the name of the Father. Amen. And the Son. Amen. And the Holy Spirit. Amen". If after baptism by a layman the baby survives and recovers, then you need to turn to the Church and complete the Sacrament of Baptism with Confirmation.
If no godfather is found for the child, the priest can take on the responsibilities of godparents and say prayers for the child himself. If the priest knows the baby, then he will be able to take care of him and instruct him in the faith, but if not, then he will remember the godson in prayer at every service. Not all priests take on such responsibility, so in different churches the question of whether it is possible to baptize a child without godparents is answered differently.
Still, it is better to try to ensure that your child has two godparents, just like two siblings (see How to choose godparents). After all, in later life he will need to see not only the example of the life of his parents, but also other people who visit the temple and try to live according to God’s commandments.

Is it possible to baptize a godfather's child?

You can become a godmother or godfather for any child, unless, of course, he is your own. There is even a pious tradition in Orthodox families baptize each other's children: this makes it easier to maintain connections and communicate with godchildren.

Is it possible for godfathers to baptize a child?

Of course, people who become godparents for one child can become godparents for another, there are no obstacles to this.

Is it possible to baptize a child at home?

It is advisable that the baby be baptized in a church, because after baptism there is still a prayer for churching: the boy is brought into the altar, the girl is placed on the soleya, from where her mother receives her.
There are times when a child is sick or there is no temple nearby, and it is not possible to take the child far away. You can invite a priest to your home, then the priest will read the prayers for churching when the baby is brought to church. Bringing the child to church after baptism and giving him communion is the responsibility of the godparents and birth parents.

Is it possible to baptize two children?

Yes, if a family is baptizing two or more children at the same time, you can ask the same people to be their godparents. It will be even better this way, because two children have the same natural parents and will also have the same godparents.

Is it possible for spouses to baptize a child?

This question cannot be answered affirmatively. There is such a thing as spiritual kinship between godparents; it is impossible in the presence of a marital relationship. Therefore, a husband and wife cannot baptize a child.

Is it possible for a couple to baptize a child?

Godparents must have a spiritual relationship with each other, therefore, even if a couple lives in a civil marriage and they are not registered as husband and wife, they cannot be the child’s godparents.
If young people do not have a marital relationship, but intend to get married in the future, they will also not be able to become godparents of one child.

Is it possible for relatives to baptize a child?

A child can be baptized by any relatives, except for the mother, father and relatives who are spouses, since spouses cannot be godparents.

Is it possible to refuse to baptize a child?

If you have many godchildren and you know that you will not be able to properly care for the new godchild, you are in another city or another country, and you do not know the child’s family well, it is better to refuse to baptize the baby. But if there is a possibility that the child will not be baptized at all because of your refusal, it is better to agree and ask God for help.

Is it possible to baptize several children?

If parents are baptizing several of their children, then it will be very desirable that the same people be godparents. Then the children will have the same godparents, just like their relatives. It will be easier for godparents to take care of raising all the children together. It is possible to baptize several children at the same time - not siblings.

Is it possible to baptize a child twice? Is it possible to baptize a child a second time?

Such questions are rare, but still asked in the Church. The Sacrament of Baptism itself is performed on a person only once. After all, the meaning of this sacrament is human acceptance Orthodox faith and recognition of him as a member of the Church. But there are several cases when such a question may arise:
If children do not know whether they were baptized or not. This happens if a child has lost his natural parents, or there is a possibility that the child was secretly baptized by one of his relatives. In this case, it is necessary to inform the priest about this, then the sacrament of Baptism is performed according to a different rite. The priest says the words: “The servant of God (name) is baptized (if not baptized) in the name of the Father. Amen. And the Son. Amen. And the Holy Spirit. Amen".
If the child was urgently baptized by a layman. Such baptism is performed if there was a danger to the child’s life, but he later recovered. Then you need to come to Church and complete the sacrament of Baptism with Confirmation.
If the child was baptized in a different faith. The Orthodox Church recognizes the sacrament of Baptism in other denominations as valid in cases where the sacrament of Baptism is performed according to a similar rite and if in this denomination the institution of the priesthood and apostolic succession in the ordination of priests have been preserved. Only Catholicism and the Old Believers can be classified as such confessions (but only that direction where the priesthood has been preserved). After baptism in the Catholic faith, you need to complete the sacrament of Baptism with confirmation, since in Catholic Church Confirmation occurs separately from baptism at a later age (about 15 years).

Is it possible to baptize a sick child?

If a child is seriously ill, then baptism is necessary; it can be performed even in a hospital or at home. If the baby’s life is in danger, then, as a last resort, he can even be baptized by a layman.

Is it possible to baptize a child in absentia?

Baptism, like any sacrament, is a sacrament in which the invisible grace of God is communicated to the believer under a visible image. The sacrament of Baptism requires the physical presence of the person being baptized, the priest and the godparents. A sacrament is not just prayer; performing a sacrament in absentia is impossible.

Is it possible to baptize a child during Lent?

In the Orthodox Church there are no days when a child cannot be baptized. The baptism of a child can be performed on any day agreed upon with the priest and godparents. Usually the question of whether it is possible to baptize a child during Lent arises due to the fact that the sacrament of weddings in the Church is not performed during Lent. Fasting is a time for repentance and abstinence from fasting food and marital intimacy, therefore there are restrictions for weddings, but not baptism. Is it possible to baptize a child during Lent? Of course, yes, and on any day of Lent, and on holidays, and on the eve fast days and holidays.

Is it possible to baptize a child on Saturday?

Sunday services are held in all churches, urban and rural. Therefore, most often baptism is performed on Saturday: after baptism, you can participate in the divine service and give the child communion the next day on Sunday.

Is it possible to baptize a child at Epiphany?

IN Ancient Church due to the spread large quantity In the case of heresies, baptism was preceded by a long period of instruction in the faith, which lasted up to 3 years. And the catechumens (trainees) received baptism at the Epiphany of the Lord (at that time this holiday was called Enlightenment) and in Holy Saturday before Easter. The celebration of Baptism on these days was a great holiday in the Church. If you decide to baptize a child on Epiphany (Epiphany), then not only will you not violate the canons of the Church, but you will also follow the ancient Christian tradition.

Is it possible to baptize a child with menstruation?

The days of a woman’s purification in the Church are called impurity; many restrictions are associated with these days for women in Old Testament. Today, it is not appropriate for a woman in uncleanness to touch sacred objects (icons, crosses) or to receive sacraments. Therefore, when choosing the day for a child’s baptism, it is advisable to take this circumstance into account. However, baptism is performed on the child, and not on his godmother or birth mother; a woman in uncleanness, if necessary, can be present at the sacrament, but should not touch the shrines.

Is it possible to baptize a child under a different name?

There is a belief that the baby should be baptized under a different name, and no one should know his baptismal name, otherwise the child’s energy will be spoiled. These are all rumors that have nothing to do with the Holy Scriptures and Sacred Tradition. The child can be baptized with another name, but most often this is done if the child’s real name is not in the list of names of Orthodox saints (see Choosing a name according to the calendar).

Why does a child need godparents and who can become godparents?

A child, especially a newborn baby, cannot say anything about his faith, cannot answer the priest’s question whether he renounces Satan and unites with Christ, cannot understand the meaning of the Sacrament that is taking place. However, it is impossible to leave him outside the Church before he becomes an adult, since only in the Church there is the grace necessary for his correct growth, for the preservation of his physical and spiritual health. Therefore, the Church performs the Sacrament of Baptism over the baby and itself assumes the obligation to raise him in the Orthodox faith. The church is made up of people. She fulfills her obligation to properly raise a baptized child through those whom she calls godparents or godparents.
The main criterion for choosing a godfather or godmother should be whether this person can subsequently help in the good, Christian upbringing of the person received from the font, and not only in practical circumstances, as well as the degree of acquaintance and simply the friendliness of the relationship.
Concern for expanding the circle of people who will seriously help the newborn child made it undesirable to invite closest physical relatives as godfather and godfather. It was believed that they, due to natural kinship, would help the child. For the same reason, they tried to prevent brothers and sisters from having the same godfather. Therefore, natural grandparents, brothers and sisters, uncles and aunts became recipients only as a last resort.
Now, when getting ready to baptize a child, young parents often do not think about who to choose as godparents. They do not expect their child’s godparents to seriously participate in his upbringing and invite people who, due to their lack of roots in church life, cannot fulfill the duties of godparents to be godparents. It also happens that people become godparents who are completely unaware that they have received a truly great honor. Most often, the honorary right to be godparents is given to close friends or relatives who, having performed simple actions during the Sacrament and eaten all kinds of dishes at the festive table, rarely remember their duties, sometimes completely forgetting about the godchildren themselves.
However, when inviting godparents, you need to know that Baptism, according to the teachings of the Church, is a second birth, that is, “birth of water and the Spirit” (John 3:5), which is described as necessary condition Jesus Christ spoke of salvation. If physical birth is a person’s entry into the world, then Baptism becomes entry into the Church. And take the baby into his spiritual birth adoptees are new parents, guarantors before God for the faith of the new member of the Church they have accepted. Thus, only Orthodox, sincerely believing adults who are capable of teaching a godson the basics of faith can be godparents (minors and the mentally ill cannot be godparents). But do not be alarmed if, when agreeing to become a godfather, you do not fully meet these high requirements. This event can be a wonderful opportunity for self-education.
The Church considers spiritual kinship to be as real as natural kinship. Therefore, in the relationship between spiritual relatives there are the same features as in relation to natural relatives. Currently Russian Orthodox Church on the issue of marriages of spiritual relatives adheres only to the 63rd rule VI Ecumenical Council: marriages between godchildren and their godchildren, and godchildren and the physical parents of a godson and godchildren among themselves are impossible. In this case, the husband and wife are allowed to be the adoptive parents of different children in the same family. Brother and sister, father and daughter, mother and son can be godparents of the same child.
Pregnancy of the godmother is a completely acceptable condition for participation in the Sacrament of Baptism.

What are the responsibilities of godparents?

The obligations that recipients assume before God are very serious. Therefore, godparents must understand the responsibility they take on. Godparents are obliged to teach their godchildren to resort to the saving Sacraments of the Church, mainly Confession and Communion, to give them knowledge about the meaning of worship, the peculiarities church calendar, about the power of grace miraculous icons and other shrines. Godparents must teach those received from the font to attend church services, fast and observe other provisions of the Church Charter. But the main thing is that godparents should always pray for their godson.
Their responsibilities also include taking care of protecting their godchildren from all sorts of temptations and temptations, which are especially dangerous in childhood and adolescence. Godparents, knowing the abilities and character traits of those perceived by them from the font, can help them determine their path in life and give advice in choosing an education and a suitable profession. Advice in choosing a spouse is also important; According to the custom of the Russian Church, it is the godparents who prepare the wedding for their godson. And in general, in cases where natural parents do not have the opportunity to financially provide for their children, this responsibility is primarily assumed not by grandparents or other relatives, but by godparents.
A frivolous attitude towards the duties of a godfather is a grave sin, since the fate of the godson depends on it. Therefore, you should not thoughtlessly agree to the invitation to become a godson, especially if you already have one godson. Refusal to become a godfather should also not be taken as insult or neglect.

Is it worth agreeing to be a godfather if the child’s parents are not churchgoers?

In this case, the need for a godfather increases, and his responsibility only intensifies. After all, how else can a child come to Church?
However, while fulfilling the duty of a foster parent, one should not reproach parents for their frivolity and lack of faith. Patience, forbearance, love and continuous work of spiritual education of a child can be irrefutable proof of the truth of Orthodoxy for his parents.

How many godfathers and mothers can a person have?

Church rules provide for the presence of one godparent (godparent) when performing the Sacrament of Baptism. For a boy being baptized, this is a godfather; for a girl, he is a godmother.
But since the duties of godparents are numerous (so, in special cases godparents replace the physical parents of their godson), and the responsibility before God for the fate of the godson is very great, the Russian Orthodox Church has developed a tradition of inviting two godparents - a godfather and a godmother. There cannot be any other godparents besides these two.

How should future godparents prepare for the Sacrament of Baptism?

Preparation for the Sacrament of Baptism involves studying the Gospel, the foundations of Orthodox doctrine, and the basic rules of Christian piety. Fasting, confession and Communion before Baptism are not formally obligatory for godparents. A believer must adhere to these rules constantly. It would be good if during baptism at least one of the godparents could read the Creed.

What things should you bring with you to Baptism and which godparent should do it?

For baptism you will need a baptismal set (the candle shop will recommend it to you). Mainly this is a baptismal cross and a baptismal shirt (no need to bring a cap). Then you will need a towel or sheet to wrap the child after the bath. According to established tradition, the godfather buys a cross for a boy, and the godmother for a girl. It is customary to bring a sheet and a towel to the godmother. But it won’t be a mistake if one person buys everything you need.

Is it possible to become a godfather in absentia without participating in the Baptism of an infant? ?

Church tradition does not know “absentee-appointed” godparents. The very meaning of succession shows that godparents must be present at the Baptism of the child and, of course, give their consent to this honorary title. Baptism without any recipients at all is performed only in special circumstances, for example, when the child’s life is in serious danger.

Can representatives of other Christian denominations, in particular Catholics, become godparents?

The Sacrament of Baptism makes a person a part of the Mystical Body of Christ, a member of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. Such a Church, founded by the apostles and preserving the dogmatic teaching of the Ecumenical Councils intact, is only the Orthodox Church. In the Sacrament of Baptism, the recipients act as guarantors of the faith of their godson and accept the responsibility before God to raise him in the Orthodox faith.
Of course, a person who does not belong to the Orthodox Church cannot fulfill such duties.

Can parents, including those who adopted a child, be godparents for him?

During Baptism, the person being baptized enters into a spiritual relationship with his recipient, who becomes his godfather or godmother. This spiritual kinship (1st degree) is recognized by the canons as more important than kinship in the flesh (53 canon of the VI Ecumenical Council), and is fundamentally incompatible with it.
Parents, including those who have adopted a child, can in no case be the adopters of their own children: neither both together, nor each individually, otherwise such a close degree of kinship would form between the parents that would make the continuation of their marital cohabitation impermissible.

Name day. How to determine the name day

How to determine the name day- This is the question asked by every person who has at least once thought about the meaning of his name.

Name day- this is not a holiday of a name - it is a day of remembrance of the saint in whose honor the person was named. As you know, in Rus' the child’s name was given according to the calendar - the church calendar - and the parents prayerfully hoped that the child would live his life worthy of the name of the saint who became the baby’s patron. Over the years of atheism in Russia, the meaning of tradition has been forgotten - now a person is first given a name, and then, growing up, he looks for the church calendar to find out when the day of his memory is, when to celebrate name day. The word name day comes from the word “namesake”, “namesake saint” - the modern “namesake” comes from the same word. That is, name day is the holiday of a saint bearing the same name.

Often parents choose a name for the child in advance, having a special love for one or another saint, then the day of the Angel is no longer associated with the birthday.

How to determine your name day if there are several saints with this name?

The name of the saint whose memory follows your birthday is determined by the calendar, for example by Orthodox calendar. As a rule, the name day is the day following the birthday of the saint whose name a Christian bears. For example, for Anna, born on November 20, Angel's Day will fall on December 3 - the day following her birthday, when St. Anna, and her saint will be St. mts. Anna of Persia.

You should remember this nuance: in 2000, at the Council of Bishops, the new martyrs and confessors of Russia were glorified: if you were baptized before 2000, then your saint is chosen from the saints glorified before 2000. For example, if your name is Catherine, and you were baptized before the glorification of the new martyrs, then your saint is St. Great Martyr Catherine, if you were baptized after the Council, then you can choose St. Catherine, whose memorial date is closer to your birthday.

If the name you were given is not in the calendar, then at baptism the name that is closest in sound is chosen. For example, Dina - Evdokia, Lilia - Leah, Angelica - Angelina, Zhanna - Joanna, Milana - Militsa. According to tradition, Alice receives the name Alexandra in baptism, in honor of St. passion-bearer Alexandra Feodorovna Romanova, who before accepting Orthodoxy bore the name Alice. Some names in the church tradition have a different sound, for example, Svetlana is Photinia (from the Greek photos - light), and Victoria is Nike, both names mean “victory” in Latin and Greek.

How to celebrate name days?

On the day of the Angel, Orthodox Christians try to confess and receive Holy Communion Mysteries of Christ. If the day of the angel falls on a day of fasting or fasting, then celebrations and feasts are usually transferred to non-fasting days. On non-fasting days, many invite guests to share the bright joy of the holiday with relatives and friends.

There are times when young parents try to find an answer to the question that worries them: “Is it possible without godparents?” Not everything in life always goes smoothly, and sometimes there is a need to urgently baptize a child. In such cases, the chosen godparents may be very far away, or they simply do not exist.

How necessary in the church?

Some literature, published with the blessing of the Orthodox Church, helps to find out about the church. For example, let's take a set of rules about It clearly states that in order to perform a ritual in mandatory the presence of the father is also provided. A child cannot promise for himself to be an obedient Christian and to remain faithful only to his Lord.

Young children are baptized according to the faith of their parents and godparents. If the parents and successors are of the Orthodox faith, then it is they who are responsible for raising a Christian. On behalf of the newborn, adults renounce evil thoughts and deeds before the Lord Jesus Christ.

Exceptions to the rules

If baptism must be carried out immediately, there are some exceptions to the rules that allow the ceremony to be carried out without godparents. The category of such exceptions includes a situation where the child is very sick, and doctors cannot exclude the threat fatal outcome. In such cases, the Church allows the baby to be baptized without the participation of recipients. When the child gets better, you can always choose godparents for him.

Baptism can be performed by any hospital employee, seeing the serious condition of the baby. He also has the right to take a seat godparent. To do this, you need to take water (if possible, consecrated) and pour it over the baby’s head, each time pronouncing the baptismal formula.

The text of the baptismal formula is as follows: “The servant of God (servant of God) is baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen!” In situations where the ceremony was performed by a person who is not related to a particular religion (a layman), there is a need to visit the church and ask the priest to complete the baptism in a proper manner.

Is it possible to baptize a child without godparents, according to various clergy?

From life examples it is clear that different clergy related to the same religion answer the question differently: “no godparents?” Some of them allow the possibility of recording godparents, referring to the words of the child’s mother or father (absentee baptism). Others They believe that the godfather and mother who did not take part in the baptism, according to Orthodox canons, are not such before the Lord God.

Therefore, if there is a desire or direct need to urgently carry out the ceremony, it is necessary to consult with a spiritual mentor (priest) and get from him an answer to the question: “Is it possible to baptize a child without godparents?” By the way, it will be mentioned that the abbot himself can become the godfather of your child.

People often say that having a baby is God's gift. It is for this reason that one of the first steps in the first year of a baby’s life is his baptism. Believers believe that the rite of baptism gives the child the protection of God. Godparents play a special role in this procedure. They represent the baby and on his behalf tell God that the baby has faith. It is the godparents who must tell the child about Christianity and teach him everything that a believer needs to know. A common question that parents have before the baptism procedure is whether it is possible to baptize a child without godparents?

What should young parents know about godparents?

Of course, the tradition of Baptism of children is a very ancient rite, however, despite this, young parents have a huge number of questions regarding baptism. One of the main issues is the choice of godparents. IN lately In most families, close friends of the child’s parents become godparents, who happily take on part of the cost of the baby’s baptism. In addition, it becomes a good tradition for many to visit their godchildren on holidays and give them gifts.

If we consider the role of godparents from the position of the church, then it should be noted that the Christian world sees their functions somewhat differently. It is not for nothing that godparents are also called godparents, since they receive an already baptized Christian in their arms when they take him out of the font. In the Christian world, at the moment of baptism, the godfather receives a lifelong spiritual connection and becomes his mentor, with which he assumes certain obligations.

It is worth noting that the functions of godparents do not disappear after baptism. Godfather is a rather spiritual role. The main concern for the godfather is the introduction of the child to Christendom, assistance in the formation of his spiritual worldview. It is for this reason that a person who belongs to a different faith cannot be a godfather. And the ritual itself contains, in addition to the threefold renunciation of Satan, a declaration of one’s adherence to the Orthodox faith.

Who shouldn't be a godfather?

Receiver Orthodox child cannot be:

1. People who do not belong to any faith or people of another faith are not Orthodox.
2. People who do not believe in the existence of God are atheists.
3. People who belong to other branches of Christianity, for example, Catholicism, Protestantism, etc.
4. Lyuli, who were excommunicated from the church.
5. People who have been convicted of serious crimes against morality, for example, rape or pedophilia.
6. A husband and wife cannot be godparents of the same child.
7. The child's parents cannot become his godparents.
8. Children who have not yet reached the age of 14 years.
9. People who are unable to control their actions and actions, for example, are mentally ill people.
10. People leading an immoral lifestyle, for example, pimps, people who traffic people, sell drugs, etc.
11. Representatives of the clergy, for example, monks and nuns, but it is worth noting that a priest can baptize his own child.
12. People who know nothing about the Orthodox faith.

What to do if there are no godparents?

In order to perform the baptism ceremony for a baby, godparents are required. In general, according to the rules of the Christian Church, a child needs a godfather, but Russian traditions require the presence of two godparents. Moreover, both father and mother must be baptized and believers in God.

If it is not possible to find two godparents for your child, you can choose one. The role of the recipient may be a relative of the baby, for example, an uncle, aunt, grandfather, etc. However, it is worth noting that in extreme cases, when the child’s parents cannot find people suitable for the role of godparents, the church allows the baby to be baptized without godparents. However, in this case, the baby’s parents take full responsibility for spiritual education child.

It is worth noting that clergy today note that such situations are quite common in our time. Despite the fact that many people demonstrate their commitment to faith, it is very, very difficult to find truly worthy people today.

1. The future godfather should be well acquainted with the godson's family; it is better that he has a spiritual connection with the child's relatives.
2. Godparents must be close to the child in order to maintain contact with him and be able to communicate with him, teach him and monitor his spiritual development.
3. Godparents must understand that expensive gifts will instill in the child a materialistic attitude towards the world, while godparents should primarily take care of the child’s spiritual upbringing.

The godparent should become a real support for the child, because the sacrament of baptism establishes a spiritual connection between him and the godson.

Video: is it possible to baptize a child without godparents

You know, here we are all accustomed to relying on some customs invented by people. But no one pays attention to the Bible. Read in the Gospels how Christ himself was baptized. I don’t remember anything, it said something about the godmother. There's not a word about it there.
Also, read the Acts of the Apostles, when everyone was baptized in the Holy Spirit, is there any mention of a godmother or even a father?
The only godfather a Christian should have is Christ.
All other things are not from Christ.
By the way, all this is converted from pagan beliefs. This is not Christian, including godfathers and mothers.
Now, I can even go and be baptized, and there will be no godmother or father.
I was baptized in childhood, but consider that I was not baptized, since no one asked my permission for this. In general, a person must be baptized precisely of his own free will and in consciousness. And when a child is baptized against his will, he still does not understand anything, we can assume that he was not baptized.
God gave each of us the right to choose, but no one asked the child whether he wanted to be baptized or not.
What they say is that if a child is not baptized, then in the event of death he will allegedly not be joined to God, and will automatically go to hell, this is the same nonsense as the fact that there are little green men, or there is a golden valley (Eldorado) on earth.
Here you can think logically: how can a child who has not yet committed any sin end up in hell? In order to punish, you must have a pretext for this, because they punish for actions, and not just like that.
God's concept of justice is completely different from that of humans.
Therefore, one should conclude: it is possible to baptize a child, both without a godfather and without a godmother.
Yes, and interesting fact: I don’t remember from the Bible that a child’s hair must be cut with a cross. This is again from paganism.
After all, in paganism they worshiped stones and natural phenomena, making imaginary images from stones and wood. So everything switched to crosses and icons.
God always knows who is worth what, and will never think bad things about a person if the person had nothing on his mind. The Lord sees all our hearts, He even knows what we are just about to think about.
Therefore, I will say this: if it is not possible to baptize a child with a godmother, you can do this without her.
In general, if it’s good, then let the child grow up and decide for himself whether to be baptized or remain unbaptized.
It is his right to make his choice.
I would do the same with my child, because I don’t believe in pagan nonsense. And at least I have no doubt that this is nonsense. For me, the Lord Christ is more valuable than the blood of my pagan ancestors.
One more thing: a child’s guardian angel already appears from the beginning of his conception in the womb. Again, the pagan idea of ​​God is about defenselessness, that only when some ritual is performed will a guardian angel appear.

What is Baptism? Why is it called a Sacrament? You will find comprehensive answers to all these questions in this article prepared by the editors of Pravmir.

The Sacrament of Baptism: answers to readers' questions

Today I would like to tell the reader about the sacrament of Baptism and about godparents.

For ease of understanding, I will present the article to the reader in the form of questions most often asked by people about Baptism and the answers to them. So first question:

What is Baptism? Why is it called a Sacrament?

Baptism is one of the seven sacraments of the Orthodox Church, in which the believer, while immersing the body three times in water and invoking the name Holy Trinity– Father and Son and Holy Spirit, dies to a life of sin, and is reborn by the Holy Spirit to Eternal Life. Of course, this action has a basis in Holy Scripture: “Whoever is not born of water and the Spirit cannot enter the Kingdom of God” (John 3:5). Christ says in the Gospel: “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; and whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16).

So, baptism is necessary for a person to be saved. Baptism is a new birth for spiritual life in which a person can achieve the Kingdom of Heaven. And it is called a sacrament because through it, in a mysterious, incomprehensible way for us, the invisible saving power of God - grace - acts on the person being baptized. Like other sacraments, baptism is divinely ordained. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself, sending the apostles to preach the Gospel, taught them to baptize people: “Go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). Having been baptized, a person becomes a member of the Church of Christ and can now begin the rest of the church sacraments.

Now that the reader has become familiar with the Orthodox concept of baptism, it is appropriate to consider one of the most frequently asked questions regarding the baptism of children. So:

Infant baptism: is it possible to baptize infants, because they do not have independent faith?

It’s absolutely true that young children do not have independent, conscious faith. But don’t the parents who brought their child for baptism in the temple of God have it? Won't they instill in their child faith in God from childhood? It is obvious that parents have such a belief, and, most likely, will instill it in their child. In addition, the child will also have godparents - recipients from the baptismal font, who vouch for him and undertake to raise their godchild in the Orthodox faith. Thus, infants are baptized not according to their own faith, but according to the faith of their parents and godparents who brought the child to baptism.

The prototype of New Testament baptism was Old Testament circumcision. In the Old Testament, babies were brought to the temple on the eighth day to be circumcised. By this, the child’s parents showed their and his faith and belonging to God’s chosen people. Christians can say the same about baptism in the words of John Chrysostom: “Baptism constitutes the most obvious difference and separation of the faithful from the infidel.” Moreover, there is a basis for this in the Holy Scriptures: “Circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the sinful body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ; being buried with Him in baptism” (Col. 2:11-12). That is, baptism is dying and burial to sin and resurrection to perfect life with Christ.

These justifications are quite sufficient for the reader to realize the importance of infant baptism. After this, a completely logical question would be:

When should children be baptized?

There are no specific rules in this matter. But usually children are baptized on the 40th day after birth, although this can be done earlier or later. The main thing is not to postpone baptism for a long time unless absolutely necessary. It would be wrong to deprive a child of such a great sacrament to please the prevailing circumstances.

An inquisitive reader may have questions regarding the days of baptism. For example, on the eve of multi-day fasts, the question most often heard is:

Is it possible to baptize children during fasting days?

Of course you can! But technically it doesn’t always work out. In some churches, during the days of Great Lent, baptisms are performed only on Saturdays and Sundays. This practice is most likely based on the fact that weekday Lenten services are very long, and the intervals between morning and evening services can be short. On Saturdays and Sundays, services are somewhat shorter in time, and the priests can devote more time to the needs. Therefore, when planning the day of baptism, it is better to find out in advance about the rules observed in the church where the child will be baptized. Well, if we talk at all about the days on which you can be baptized, then there are no restrictions in this matter. Children can be baptized on any day when there are no technical obstacles to this.

I have already mentioned that, if possible, every person should have godparents - recipients from the baptismal font. Moreover, children who are baptized according to the faith of their parents and successors should have them. The question arises:

How many godparents should a child have?

Church rules require that the child have a recipient of the same gender as the person being baptized. That is, for a boy it is a man, and for a girl it is a woman. In tradition, both godparents are usually chosen for the child: father and mother. This does not contradict the canons in any way. It will also not be a contradiction if, if necessary, the child has a recipient of a different gender than the person being baptized. The main thing is that this is a truly religious person who would subsequently conscientiously fulfill his duties in raising a child in the Orthodox faith. Thus, the person being baptized can have one or, at most, two recipients.

Having dealt with the number of godparents, the reader will most likely want to know:

What are the requirements for godparents?

The first and main requirement is the undoubted Orthodox faith of the recipients. Godparents must be churchgoers, living a church life. After all, they will have to teach their godson or goddaughter the basics of the Orthodox faith and give spiritual instructions. If they themselves are ignorant of these issues, then what can they teach the child? Godparents are entrusted with the enormous responsibility of spiritual education of their godchildren, for they, together with their parents, are responsible for it before God. This responsibility begins with renouncing “Satan and all his works, and all his angels, and all his service, and all his pride.” Thus, the godparents, being responsible for their godson, make a promise that their godchild will be a Christian.

If the godson is already an adult and himself utters the words of renunciation, then the godparents present at the same time become guarantors before the Church of the fidelity of his words. Godparents are obliged to teach their godchildren to resort to the saving Sacraments of the Church, mainly confession and communion, they must give them knowledge about the meaning of worship, the features of the church calendar, the grace-filled power of miraculous icons and other shrines. Godparents must teach those received from the font to attend church services, fast, pray and observe other provisions of the church charter. But the main thing is that godparents should always pray for their godson. Obviously, strangers cannot be godparents, for example, some compassionate grandmother from the church, whom the parents persuaded to “hold” the baby at baptism.

But you should also not take simply close people or relatives as godparents who do not meet the spiritual requirements that were set out above.

Godparents should not become an object of personal gain for the parents of the person being baptized. The desire to become related to an advantageous person, for example, a boss, often guides parents when choosing godparents for a child. At the same time, forgetting about the true purpose of baptism, parents can deprive the child of a real godfather, and impose on him one who subsequently will not care at all about the spiritual education of the child, for which he himself will also answer before God. Unrepentant sinners and people leading an immoral lifestyle cannot become godparents.

Some details of baptism include the following question:

Is it possible for a woman to become a godmother during her monthly cleansing? What to do if this does happen?

On such days, women should refrain from participating church sacraments, which includes baptism. But if this did happen, then it is necessary to repent of this in confession.

Perhaps someone reading this article will become a godfather in the near future. Realizing the importance of the decision being made, they will be interested in:

How can future godparents prepare for baptism?

Some special rules There is no preparation of recipients for baptism. At some churches, special conversations are held, the purpose of which is usually to explain to a person all the provisions of the Orthodox faith regarding baptism and succession. If it is possible to attend such conversations, then it is necessary to do so, because... this is very useful for future godparents. If future godparents are sufficiently churched, constantly confess and receive communion, then attending such conversations will be quite suitable for them. sufficient measure preparation.

If potential recipients themselves are not yet sufficiently churched, then good preparation for them will be not only the acquisition necessary knowledge about church life, but also the study of the Holy Scriptures, the basic rules of Christian piety, as well as three days fast, confession and communion before the sacrament of baptism. There are several other traditions regarding recipients. Usually the godfather takes upon himself the cost (if any) of the baptism itself and the purchase pectoral cross for his godson. Godmother buys a baptismal cross for the girl, and also brings things necessary for baptism. Typically, a baptismal set includes a baptismal shirt, a sheet and a towel.

But these traditions are not mandatory. Often in different regions and even individual churches have their own traditions, the implementation of which is strictly monitored by parishioners and even priests, although they do not have any dogmatic or canonical basis. Therefore, it is better to learn more about them in the temple in which the baptism will take place.

Sometimes you have to hear clearly technical question associated with baptism:

What should godparents give for baptism (to the godson, to the godson's parents, to the priest)?

This question does not lie in the spiritual realm, regulated by canonical rules and traditions. But I think that the gift should be useful and remind of the day of baptism. Useful gifts on the day of baptism could be icons, the Gospel, spiritual literature, prayer books, etc. In general, in church shops you can now find a lot of interesting and spiritually useful things, so purchasing a worthy gift should not be a big difficulty.

Enough a common question When asked by unchurched parents, there is a question:

Can non-Orthodox Christians or non-Orthodox Christians become godparents?

It is quite obvious that no, because they will not be able to teach their godson the truths of the Orthodox faith. Not being members of the Orthodox Church, they cannot take part in church sacraments at all.

Unfortunately, many parents do not ask about this in advance and, without any remorse, invite non-Orthodox and non-Orthodox people to be godparents to their children. At baptism, of course, no one talks about this. But then, having learned about the inadmissibility of what they had done, the parents came running to the temple, asking:

What to do if this happens by mistake? Is baptism considered valid in this case? Is it necessary to baptize a child?

First of all, such situations show the extreme irresponsibility of parents when choosing godparents for their child. Nevertheless, such cases are not uncommon, and they occur among unchurched people who do not live a church life. A clear answer to the question “what to do in this case?” It is impossible to give, because There is nothing like this in the church canons. This is not surprising, because canons and rules were written for members of the Orthodox Church, which cannot be said about heterodox and non-Orthodox people. Nevertheless, as an accomplished fact, baptism took place, and it cannot be called invalid. It is legal and valid, and the baptized person has become a full-fledged Orthodox Christian, because was baptized by an Orthodox priest in the name of the Holy Trinity. No rebaptism is required; there is no such concept at all in the Orthodox Church. A person is born physically once, he cannot repeat this again. Likewise, a person can only be born once for spiritual life, so there can be only one baptism.

Let me make a small digression and tell the reader how I once had to witness a not very pleasant scene. Young married couple brought her newborn son to church for baptism. The couple worked in a foreign company and invited one of their colleagues, a foreigner, Lutheran by religion, to become godfather. True, the godmother was supposed to be a girl of the Orthodox faith. Neither the parents nor the future godparents were distinguished by special knowledge in the field of Orthodox doctrine. The parents of the child received the news of the impossibility of having a Lutheran as their son’s godparents with hostility. They were asked to find another godfather or baptize the child with one godmother. But this proposal angered father and mother even more. The persistent desire to see this particular person as the recipient prevailed over the common sense of the parents and the priest had to refuse to baptize the child. Thus, the illiteracy of the parents became an obstacle to the baptism of their child.

Thank God that such situations have never occurred in my priestly practice. An inquisitive reader may well assume that there may be some obstacles to accepting the sacrament of baptism. And he will be absolutely right. So:

In what case can a priest refuse to baptize a person?

Orthodox believe in the Trinity of God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Founder Christian faith there was a Son - the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, a person who does not accept the Divinity of Christ and does not believe in the Holy Trinity cannot be an Orthodox Christian. Also, a person who denies the truths of the Orthodox faith cannot become an Orthodox Christian. The priest has the right to refuse baptism to a person if he is going to receive the sacrament as a certain magical ritual or has some pagan belief regarding baptism itself. But this is a separate issue and I will touch on it later.

A very common question about receivers is:

Can spouses or those about to get married become godparents?

Yes, they can. Contrary to popular belief, there is no canonical prohibition for spouses or those about to get married to be godparents to one child. There is only a canonical rule that prohibits the godfather from marrying the child’s natural mother. The spiritual relationship established between them through the sacrament of baptism is higher than any other union, even marriage. But this rule does not in any way affect the possibility of godparents marrying or the possibility of spouses becoming godparents.

Sometimes unchurched parents of children, wanting to choose godparents for their children, ask the following question:

Can people living in a civil marriage become recipients?

At first glance, this is a rather complex issue, but from the church point of view it is resolved unambiguously. Such a family cannot be called complete. And in general, prodigal cohabitation cannot be called a family. After all, in fact, people living in a so-called civil marriage live in fornication. This is a big problem modern society. People who have been baptized in the Orthodox Church, at least who recognize themselves as Christians, for some unknown reason refuse to legitimize their union not only before God (which is undoubtedly more important), but also before the state. There are countless excuses to hear. But, unfortunately, these people simply do not want to understand that they are looking for any excuses for themselves.

For God, the desire to “get to know each other better” or “not wanting to stain your passport with unnecessary stamps” cannot be an excuse for fornication. In fact, people living in a “civil” marriage trample all Christian concepts about marriage and family. Christian marriage presupposes the responsibility of the spouses for each other. During the wedding, they become one whole, and not two different people who made a promise to henceforth live under the same roof. Marriage can be compared to two legs of one body. If one leg stumbles or breaks, won't the other one bear the entire weight of the body? And in a “civil” marriage, people don’t even want to take on the responsibility of putting a stamp in their passport.

What then can we say about such irresponsible people who still want to be godparents? What good things can they teach a child? Is it possible that, having very shaky moral foundations, they will be able to set a good example for their godson? No way. Also, according to church canons, people leading an immoral life (“civil” marriage should be regarded as such) cannot be recipients of the baptismal font. And if these people finally decide to legitimize their relationship before God and the state, then they, especially, will not be able to be godparents to one child. Despite the apparent complexity of the question, there can only be one answer to it - unequivocally: no.

The topic of gender relations is always very acute in all areas of human life. It goes without saying that this results in various questions directly related to baptism. Here is one of them:

Can a young man (or girl) become a godfather for his bride (groom)?

In this case, they will have to terminate their relationship and limit themselves to only a spiritual connection, because... in the sacrament of baptism, one of them will become the godparent of the other. Can a son marry his own mother? Or should the daughter marry her own father? Quite obviously not. Of course, church canons cannot allow this to happen.

Much more often than others there are questions about the possible adoption of close relatives. So:

Can relatives become godparents?

Grandfathers, grandmothers, uncles and aunts may well become godparents to their little relatives. There is no contradiction to this in church canons.

Can an adoptive father (mother) become a godfather to an adopted child?

According to Rule 53 of the VI Ecumenical Council, this is unacceptable.

Based on the fact that a spiritual relationship is established between godparents and parents, the inquisitive reader may ask the following question:

Can a child’s parents become godparents for the children of their godfathers (their children’s godparents)?

Yes, this is completely acceptable. Such an action does not in any way violate the spiritual relationship established between parents and recipients, but only strengthens it. One of the parents, for example, the mother of a child, can become godmother to the daughter of one of the godfathers. And the father may well be the godfather of the son of another godfather or godfather. Other options are possible, but, in any case, spouses cannot become adopters of one child.

Sometimes people ask this question:

Can a priest be a godfather (including the one who performs the sacrament of baptism)?

Yes, it can. In general, this question is very pressing. From time to time I hear requests to become a godfather from complete strangers. Parents bring their child to baptism. For some reason, there was no godfather for the child. They begin to ask to become the child’s godfather, motivating this request by the fact that they heard from someone that in the absence of a godfather, the priest must fulfill this role. We have to refuse and baptize with one godmother. A priest is a person like everyone else, and he may well refuse to strangers to be their child’s godfather. After all, he will have to bear responsibility for raising his godchild. But how can he do this if he sees this child for the first time and is completely unfamiliar with his parents? And, most likely, he will never see it again. Obviously this is impossible. But a priest (even if he himself will perform the sacrament of baptism) or, for example, a deacon (and the one who will serve with the priest at the sacrament of baptism) may well become recipients of the children of their friends, acquaintances or parishioners. There are no canonical obstacles to this.

Continuing the theme of adoption, one cannot help but recall such a phenomenon as the desire of parents, for some, sometimes completely incomprehensible, reasons, to “adopt a godfather in absentia.”

Is it possible to take a godfather “in absentia”?

The very meaning of succession involves the godfather accepting his godson from the font itself. By his presence, the godfather agrees to be the recipient of the baptized person and undertakes to raise him in the Orthodox faith. There is no way to do this in absentia. In the end, the person who is being tried to be “registered in absentia” as a godparent may not at all agree to this action and, as a result, the person being baptized may be left without a godparent at all.

Sometimes you hear questions from parishioners about the following:

How many times can a person become a godfather?

In the Orthodox Church there is no clear canonical definition regarding how many times a person can become a godfather during his life. The main thing that a person agreeing to become a successor must remember is that this is a great responsibility for which he will have to answer before God. The measure of this responsibility determines how many times a person can take on succession. This measure is different for each person and, sooner or later, a person may have to abandon the new adoption.

Is it possible to refuse to become a godfather? Wouldn't that be a sin?

If a person feels internally unprepared or has serious fears that he will not be able to conscientiously fulfill the duties of a godparent, then he may well refuse to become a godparent to their child. There is no sin in this. This will be more honest towards the child, his parents and himself than, having taken responsibility for the spiritual upbringing of the child, not fulfilling his immediate responsibilities.

Continuing this topic, I will give a few more questions that people usually ask regarding the number of possible godchildren.

Is it possible to become godfather to the second child in the family if the first one has already been one?

Yes, you can. There are no canonical obstacles to this.

Is it possible for one person to be the recipient of several people (for example, twins) during baptism?

There are no canonical prohibitions against this. But technically this can be quite difficult if infants are baptized. The receiver will have to hold and receive both babies from the bath at the same time. It would be better if each godson had his own godparents. After all, each of those baptized individually is different people who have the right to their godfather.

Many people will probably be interested in this question:

At what age can you become a foster child?

Minor children cannot become godparents. But, even if a person has not yet reached adulthood, then his age should be such that he can realize the full weight of the responsibility he has assumed and will conscientiously fulfill his duties as a godfather. It seems that this may be an age close to adulthood.

The relationship between the child's parents and godparents also plays an important role in raising children. It is good when parents and godparents have spiritual unity and direct all their efforts to the proper spiritual education of their child. But human relationships are not always cloudless, and sometimes you hear the following question:

What should you do if you quarreled with your godson’s parents and for this reason you can’t see him?

The answer suggests itself: make peace with the godson’s parents. For what can people who have a spiritual relationship and at the same time be at enmity with each other teach a child? It is worth thinking not about personal ambitions, but about raising a child and, having patience and humility, try to improve relations with the godson’s parents. The same can be advised to the child’s parents.

But a quarrel is not always the reason why a godfather cannot see his godson for a long time.

What to do if, due to objective reasons, you have not seen your godson for years?

I think that objective reasons- This is the physical separation of the godfather from the godson. This is possible if the parents and the child moved to another city or country. In this case, all that remains is to pray for the godson and, if possible, communicate with him with the help of everyone available funds communications.

Unfortunately, some godparents, having baptized the baby, completely forget about their immediate responsibilities. Sometimes the reason for this is not only the recipient’s elementary ignorance of his duties, but his falling into grave sins, which make their own spiritual life very difficult. Then the child’s parents involuntarily have a completely legitimate question:

Is it possible to abandon godparents who do not fulfill their duties, who have fallen into serious sins or who lead an immoral lifestyle?

The Orthodox Church does not know the rite of renunciation of godparents. But parents can find an adult who, without being the actual recipient of the font, would help in the spiritual education of the child. At the same time, he cannot be considered a godfather.

But having such an assistant is better than depriving a child of communication with a spiritual mentor and friend altogether. After all, a moment may come when a child begins to look for spiritual authority not only in the family, but also outside it. And at this moment such an assistant would be very useful. And as the child grows up, you can teach him to pray for his godfather. After all, the spiritual connection of a child with the person who received him from the font will not be severed if he takes responsibility for a person who himself could not cope with this responsibility. It happens that children surpass their parents and mentors in prayer and piety.

Praying for someone who is sinning or lost will be a manifestation of love for that person. It is not without reason that the Apostle James says in his letter to Christians: “Pray for one another so that you may be healed; the fervent prayer of the righteous can accomplish much” (James 5:16). But all these actions must be coordinated with your confessor and receive a blessing for them.

And here's another one interesting question periodically asked by people:

When is there no need for godparents?

There is always a need for godparents. Especially for children. But not every adult baptized can boast of a good knowledge of the Holy Scriptures and church canons. If necessary, an adult can be baptized without godparents, because he has conscious faith in God and is quite capable of independently pronouncing the words of renunciation of Satan, uniting with Christ and reading the Creed. He is fully aware of his actions. The same cannot be said for babies and small children. Their godparents do all this for them. But, in case of extreme need, you can baptize a child without godparents. Such a need, undoubtedly, can be the complete absence of worthy godparents.

Godless times have left their mark on the destinies of many people. The result of this was that some people, after many years those of unbelief finally gained faith in God, but when they came to church, they did not know whether they had been baptized in childhood by believing relatives. A logical question arises:

Is it necessary to baptize a person who does not know for sure whether he was baptized as a child?

According to Rule 84 of the VI Ecumenical Council, such people must be baptized if there are no witnesses who could confirm or refute the fact of their baptism. In this case, a person is baptized, pronouncing the formula: “If he is not baptized, the servant of God is baptized...”.

I'm all about children and children. Among the readers, perhaps, there are people who have not yet received the saving sacrament of baptism, but who strive for it with all their souls. So:

What does a person who is preparing to become an Orthodox Christian need to know? How should he prepare for the sacrament of baptism?

A person’s knowledge of faith begins with reading the Holy Scriptures. Therefore, a person who wants to be baptized, first of all, needs to read the Gospel. After reading the Gospel, a person may have a number of questions that require a competent answer. Such answers can be obtained on the so-called public conversations which are held in many temples. At such conversations, the basics of the Orthodox faith are explained to those wishing to be baptized. If the church in which a person is going to be baptized does not have such conversations, then you can ask all your questions to the priest in the church. It will also be useful to read some books that explain Christian dogmas, for example, the Law of God. It will be good if, before receiving the sacrament of baptism, a person memorizes the Creed, in which briefly outlines the Orthodox doctrine of God and the Church. This prayer will be read at baptism, and it would be wonderful if the person being baptized himself confessed his faith. Direct preparation begins a few days before baptism. These days are special, so you should not divert attention to other, even very important, problems. It is worth devoting this time to spiritual and moral reflection, avoiding fuss, empty talk, and participation in various amusements. We must remember that baptism, like other sacraments, is great and holy. It must be approached with the greatest awe and reverence. It is advisable to fast for 2-3 days; married people should abstain from marital relations the night before. You need to show up for baptism extremely clean and tidy. You can wear a new one smart clothes. Women should not wear cosmetics, as always, when visiting a temple.

There are many superstitions associated with the sacrament of baptism, which I would also like to touch upon in this article. One of the most common superstitions is:

Can a girl be the first to baptize a girl? They say that if you baptize a girl first, and not a boy, then the godmother will give her her happiness...

This statement is also a superstition that has no basis either in Holy Scripture or in church canons and traditions. And happiness, if it is deserved before God, will not escape a person.

Another strange thought that I have heard more than once:

Can a pregnant woman become a godmother? Would this somehow affect her own child or godson?

Of course you can. Such a misconception has nothing to do with church canons and traditions and is also superstition. Participation in church sacraments can only be for the benefit of the expectant mother. I also had to baptize pregnant women. The babies were born strong and healthy.

A lot of superstitions are associated with the so-called crossing. Moreover, the reasons for such an insane action are sometimes very bizarre and even funny. But most of these justifications are of pagan and occult origin. Here, for example, is one of the most common superstitions of occult origin:

Is it true that in order to remove the damage caused to a person, it is necessary to cross himself again, and keep the new name secret, so that new attempts at witchcraft do not work, because... do they cast spells specifically on the name?

To be honest, hearing such statements makes me want to laugh heartily. But, unfortunately, this is no laughing matter. What kind of pagan stupidity must one reach? Orthodox person to decide that baptism is a certain magic ritual, a kind of antidote to damage. An antidote to some vague substance, the definition of which no one even knows. What is this ghostly corruption? It is unlikely that any of those who are so afraid of her will be able to clearly answer this question. This is not surprising. Instead of looking for God in life and fulfilling His commandments, the “church” people with enviable zeal look for the mother of all evils in everything - corruption. And where does it come from?

Let me make a small lyrical digression. A man is walking down the street and stumbles. Everything is jinxed! We urgently need to run to the temple to light a candle so that everything is fine and the evil eye passes. While walking to the temple, he stumbled again. Apparently, they not only jinxed it, but also caused damage! Wow, infidels! Well, it’s okay, now I’ll come to the temple, pray, buy candles, stick all the candlesticks, and fight the damage with all my might. The man ran to the temple, stumbled again on the porch and fell. That's it - lie down and die! Damage to death, a family curse, and there’s also some nasty stuff there, I forgot the name, but it’s also something very scary. Three-in-one cocktail! Candles and prayer will not help against this, this is a serious matter, an ancient voodoo spell! There is only one way out - to be baptized again, and only with a new name, so that when these same voodoo whispers in the old name and stick needles into the dolls, all their spells fly by. They won't know the new name. And all witchcraft is done in the name, didn’t you know? What fun it will be when they whisper and conjure intensely, and everything flies by! Bam, bam and - by! Oh, it’s good when there is baptism - a cure for all diseases!

This is approximately how superstitions associated with rebaptism appear. But much more often the sources of these superstitions are figures occult sciences, i.e. fortune tellers, psychics, healers and other “God-gifted” individuals. These tireless “generators” of newfangled occult terminology go to all sorts of tricks to seduce people. They also come into play generational curses, and crowns of celibacy, and karmic knots destinies, translations, love spells with lapels and other occult nonsense. And all you need to do to get rid of all this is to cross yourself. And the damage was gone. And laughter and sin! But many fall for these parachurch tricks of “Mothers Glafir” and “Fathers Tikhon”, and run to the temple for re-baptism. It would be good if they told them where they had such an ardent desire to cross themselves, and they would be denied this blasphemy, having first explained what the consequences of going to the occultists would be. And some do not even say that they have already been baptized and are being baptized again. There are also those who are baptized several times, because... previous baptisms “didn’t help.” And they won't help! It is difficult to imagine a greater blasphemy against the sacrament. After all, the Lord knows the heart of a person, knows about all his thoughts.

It’s worth saying a few words about the name, which is so advised to change “ good people" A person is given a name on the eighth day from birth, but since many do not know about this, basically the prayer for naming a name is read by the priest immediately before baptism. Surely everyone knows that a person is given a name in honor of one of the saints. And it is this saint who is our patron and intercessor for us before God. And, of course, I think that every Christian should call on his saint as often as possible and ask for his prayers before the throne of the Almighty. But what actually happens? Not only does a person neglect his name, but he also neglects his saint, after whom he is named. And instead of calling on your friend for help in times of trouble or danger heavenly patron- his saint, visits fortune tellers and psychics. An appropriate “reward” will follow for this.

There is another superstition related directly to the sacrament of baptism itself. Almost immediately after baptism, the ceremony of cutting hair follows. In this case, the receiver is given a piece of wax in which to roll the cut hair. The receiver must throw this wax into the water. This is where the fun begins. I don't know where the question comes from:

Is it true that if at baptism the wax with cut hair sinks, then the life of the person being baptized will be short?

No, it's superstition. According to the laws of physics, wax cannot sink in water at all. But if you throw it from a height with sufficient force, then at the first moment it will actually go under water. It is good if the superstitious receiver does not see this moment and “fortune telling with baptismal wax” will give a positive result. But, as soon as the godfather notices the moment the wax is immersed in water, lamentations immediately begin, and the newly-made Christian is almost buried alive. After this, it is sometimes difficult to bring the child’s parents out of their state of terrible depression, who are told about the “sign of God” seen at baptism. Of course, this superstition has no basis in church canons and traditions.

To summarize, I would like to note that baptism is a great sacrament, and the approach to it should be reverent and thoughtful. It is sad to see people who have received the sacrament of baptism and continue to live their former sinful life. Having been baptized, a person must remember that now he is Orthodox Christian, soldier of Christ, member of the Church. This requires a lot. First of all, to love. Love for God and neighbors. So let each of us, regardless of when he was baptized, fulfill these commandments. Then we can hope that the Lord will lead us into the Kingdom of Heaven. That Kingdom, the path to which the sacrament of Baptism opens for us.