Can blood relatives be godparents? Can there be one godfather? Can a husband and wife be godparents with the same child? Can godparents get married
When a baby is born, the first cry and sigh testify to his physical birth. Spiritually, this moment comes on the day of baptism. The ritual of acceptance of faith accompanies us for many generations. The right to be a godfather is considered honorable, it indicates a special, warm and trusting relationship between the child's parents and godparents. Their duty is to take the spiritual birth of a person and be responsible for the faith of their godson.
The answer to the question of who can be the godparents of a boy or a girl is obvious from the point of view of the church. This title is worthy of people who support the Orthodox faith and have reached the age of majority. They are responsible for introducing the child to spiritual values.
What carries the sacrament of baptism
Baptism is an ancient rite performed in the conditions of the Orthodox Church. The main purpose is to cleanse a person of misdeeds committed in a past life so that he can start his new path from a “clean slate”.
When a baby is brought to church for the first time in his life in order to be baptized, only the closest people remain in the holy place, and hence the name “sacrament of baptism” came from.
After the priest says all the prayers and bathes the baby three times with water from the font, the ceremony is considered completed.
Most of us are baptized in the first months of our lives, and therefore in the memory of a person there is no information about everything that happens. People live, develop, build families. At some point in time, the moment comes when an offer to become a godparent arrives. Or, moreover, a child is born in the family and it needs to be christened.
In such a situation, a logical question arises: “Whom to take as a godfather and is it possible to refuse to be a godfather?”. The answer is not to be found in faith or the church, it is within ourselves. It is very important to sensibly assess the possibilities of future godparents: whether they will be able to give the child what you are unable to give, whether they will love him as if they were their own, and whether they will lead him astray.
It is also necessary to understand that life is very unpredictable, and if the godfather or mother quarrel with the parents of the godson, this should in no way affect their personal relationships and break the spiritual connection.
spiritual relationship
Godparents experience no less than parents before the baptism of a child. This, to a greater extent, is associated with the progression of church illiteracy among the modern population. This often leads to a refusal to be a recipient. The main thing here is to understand that being a godfather is not scary if you take this step consciously. And it is not necessary to comply with church canons. It is possible that this event will turn your inner world and perception upside down, and you will be drawn to self-education in this regard.
It is important for the church that the chosen godparents will clearly understand that from now on they are responsible for the child in exactly the same way as it is assigned to biological parents.
When choosing sponsors for their child, parents should take into account that the church is not supportive of accepting the spiritual birth of a child if it is accepted by a married couple. But at the same time, a husband or wife can be the godparents of several children of the same parents.
Godparents of the child are close relatives - is it possible?
Before the baptism of a child, every conscious parent has a difficult question regarding how to choose a godfather and godmother for the baby. However, in most cases, the answer to it is on the surface, one has only to delve a little into the rules of the church.
In the old days, they tried to expand the circle of relatives as much as possible. This was done in order to increase the number of people who in the future will take care of the child and help him in difficult situations. That is why the invitation to be godparents to close relatives was received only as an exception. This is due to the fact that in one family everyone takes care of each other already. Again, in order to increase the family circle, they tried to make sure that the brother and sister had different godfathers and mothers. But here the restriction is not on the part of the church, but under the influence of human concepts.
The main thing is that the beneficiary does not forget about his duties, and he does not have a question as to whether it is possible to refuse to be a godfather. Having walked with the child, the parent should feel a spiritual connection with him.
How many children can one person baptize
If a person is naturally kind, sociable and loves children, then different families can repeatedly offer him to become a sponsor. Involuntarily, the question pops up about being dad and mom?
There are no quantitative restrictions on the part of the church, and you can be the spiritual parents of several children of your own free will. However, it is very important that the godfather is aware of the importance of this ritual and understands all the responsibility that is entrusted to him. A spiritual parent is a holy example for a godson. Not fulfilling his duties, he will answer not to the parents of the child, but to God. Throughout his life, the beneficiary must take care and protect his godchildren, no matter how many he has.
There is a rumor among the people that a woman who baptized one child and wished to become a godparent for another one removes the cross from her firstborn. Fortunately, this is only a myth and the church has its own opinion.
Re-baptism is like a second birth for a biological mother who will never leave her first baby if she has one or more children. The godmother bears an equal responsibility for her godchildren, and, having intermarried in the church with several children, even from different parents, she will not be able to forget any of them.
Parents should think carefully about who will cope with this role, because among young people there are often questions about whether it is possible to refuse to be a godfather, while having already passed the rite.
How to choose godparents for your daughter
Choosing a godmother for a girl has always been more problematic than for a boy. Often, friends of the child's mother wonder if it is possible to refuse to be a godparent if the girl has not yet baptized the boy before. This is another folk myth that says that the godmother of a girl, who has taken on these obligations for the first time and has not previously baptized the boy, will definitely remain a loner, and the goddaughter will “take away her beauty and good luck.”
This delusion does not have any Christian justification, but is exclusively a superstition, which is a sin to obey. The godmother for a girl must be a convinced Orthodox Christian. Another interesting point, which not many parents know about, is that the girl must have a godfather, and it is allowed to perform the ceremony without a godfather.
Choice of a successor for a son
It is also worth understanding who can be the godparents of a boy. Here, just as in the case of a girl, there are no rules and restrictions. The godfather must understand what responsibility he bears for the child and that he will need to maintain a spiritual connection with him all his life.
What are the duties of a receiver
It is hard to realize that not every person understands why a godmother and dad are needed, and why this is the name of their new and such a responsible life role. The maximum that limits the participation of godparents in the life of a child is visits to name days and angel's day and giving gifts. This, of course, is wonderful, but from the spiritual side, everything is much deeper.
The duties of a godfather are to pray for a son. At least once a day, the beneficiary must turn to God with a petition for his godson. Nothing special, exactly what you need to do for your children: ask for health and well-being, salvation and help. When wondering who might be godparents to a boy and a girl, answer if any of your close friends can love the child the way you do. And only then it will be possible to decide.
The godmother assumes the same duties at the baptism of the child as the father. She should help the biological mother, say prayers for the godson, go to church with him on holidays and develop spiritually.
Preparing for the Baptism of a Child
The main point is that the chosen godparents must come to the church for the baptism of the child with consecrated pectoral crosses. The godmother must be in the temple only with her head covered. Pants should be avoided. The dress or skirt must be below the knee and the shoulders covered.
The sacrament of baptism is a long rite that can last up to two hours, so you need shoes that are stable, low-speed and without heels. During the whole time, the recipient will have to hold the baby in his arms.
It is enough for a man to wear a formal suit or trousers with a shirt.
Everything that is required for the ceremony: towels, candles, an icon - can be purchased at the church. With you for the child, you should prepare only a cross and clothes.
Church is a place where one should refrain from attracting attention, so be modest in dress and behavior.
Common gifts for godchildren
Modern traditions regarding baptism are not much different from the ancient ones. Just as before, it is customary to give a child a pectoral cross - this is the responsibility of the godfather, and the godmother gives clothes. This is about the baptism of a boy.
If a girl is baptized, then the rules are the same, just the opposite. Now the gifts are purchased by the parents of the child, but it is desirable that the godparents present some kind of memorable present.
It has long been customary to give a child a silver spoon. Her godparents presented her as a gift when the child had the first tooth.
It is believed that it is from this spoon that complementary foods should be introduced. This tradition has been preserved to this day.
Is it possible to become an accomplice of a pregnant woman
There are no prohibitions for a pregnant godmother to take part in the ceremony. The Church cannot prevent a woman in position from baptizing a child. The only thing that can prevent this is the physical condition of the pregnant woman, but if she is sure that she can withstand 2 hours with the child in her arms in a standing position, then it is possible. The main thing is the realization that soon the mother will not only have her own born child, but also a spiritual godson.
Who is prohibited from becoming a recipient of the church
According to the laws, there are a number of restrictions, falling under which, a person does not have the right to take part in the sacrament of baptism:
- godparents of another, non-Christian faith - Buddhists, atheists, Catholics, Muslims, and so on, even if they are the closest friends of the family;
- if the child wants to be baptized by parents connected by marriage or family relations;
- are not allowed to the ceremony;
- if the parents were not baptized;
- if there is no desire to become a recipient;
- biological parents cannot baptize their own child;
- minors;
- it is forbidden for stepmothers and stepfathers to baptize their stepdaughters and stepsons;
- if a woman has critical days, entry to the church is prohibited;
- monks and priests.
In the latter case, the exception is if the priest is the godfather of a monk or a person belonging to the church.
Is it necessary to be married to become a godfather?
Another folk myth says that at least one of the godparents must be married. This belief is fundamentally wrong. But at the same time, parents should understand that a married man or a married woman is more responsible and experienced people, respectively, they clearly understand what responsibilities are assigned to them.
Being a sponsor is a very responsible and honorable thing. The godmother assumes duties similar to those assumed by the father who baptized the boy.
What to do if the godparent forgot about his purpose
Unfortunately, it happens that the recipients forget about the responsibility that they took upon themselves at the time of the baptism of the child. The duties of the godfather include the upbringing, care and spiritual development of the baby.
If the parents made the wrong choice and the godfather turned out to be a careless person, then the blame for this lies only with them. In such a situation, they should do what the sponsor should have done and introduce the child to the church.
Is it possible to refuse or change godparents
The sacrament of baptism is a rite that is performed once in a lifetime, and no one can baptize a child. It doesn't matter how badly the child's biological or godparents, or the child, have sinned. What was done before Bor cannot be changed in the holy place.
Depending on the life situation, an already matured child can make a choice himself, communicate with godparents who have sinned, betrayed the faith, or not. If the recipients assumed this responsibility, but failed to fulfill their obligations, betrayed the godson, they will have to answer for this before God.
In this case, it can be said that the spiritual union made between parents and the child in infancy is broken.
The parents of the child must clearly understand and be confident in the choice of godparents just as in themselves, because this is not a tribute to fashion, but a great sacrament that a person performs in the temple only once.
We know very little about baptism, but this is the first step of a person on the path to God.
The rite of christening a child- a bright holiday for the whole family! In order for the sacrament to take place according to all the canons, special attention must be paid to the choice of godparents for the baby.
Godparents are angels in the world who are called to help a little person begin a spiritual life, who will protect him from temptations all his life ... The choice of godparents affects the future of the child, this must always be remembered.
©DepositPhotos
Baptism of children in the church
By contacting a minister in the church, you can always get an accurate answer to this question. Taking the following people as godfathers and mothers is not allowed by the church!
Who can not be taken as godparents
- You can not take a girl under 14 years old as a godmother, a boy under 15 years old as a godfather. Having reached this age, one can engage in spiritual education, the church believes.
- In no case should a monk and a nun be taken as godparents.
- You can not take people with mental illness as godparents.
- It is forbidden to call a married man and woman as godparents. Kumovyam church forbids to marry.
- The child's parents cannot be godparents.
©DepositPhotos
Who can be taken as a godfather contrary to superstition
- It is believed among the people that it is impossible to take an unmarried woman as a godmother for a girl, and an unmarried man as a godmother for a boy. Take away happiness, take everything for yourself!
Of course, this is a stupid superstition. The church does not take it seriously, because it has no Christian roots, and approves of such a choice of godparents. The main thing is that people are good!
- Another superstition is about pregnant women who can't be godmothers.
The Church does not forbid it! The only moment that can cause excitement: will it be convenient for the godmother to endure the entire baptism, will she have enough strength. This largely depends on the state of health and the duration of the pregnancy of the woman.
©DepositPhotos
What is selfless love, how to recognize the boundaries between good and evil, what is faith, conscience, patience and mercy: all this the child should tell the godson spiritual parents at every meeting. This is their main gift!
It is difficult to understand and accept such a statement. It is customary for us to bring money, toys to the godson's house, it is customary to spend time idly with the child. It's great, of course! But many people forget that godparents are primarily spiritual mentors.
A young, immature soul is so hard in the world! In order not to make mistakes in youth, in order to become a successful adult and not regret anything later, you need to receive a worthy spiritual and moral education in childhood.
©DepositPhotos
The sacrament of the baptism of a child carried out once. In no case should a child be rebaptized, no matter what happens! The Church forbids this holy rite a second time. What kind of godparents the parents choose for the child, these will remain for life.
©DepositPhotos
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Ever since ancient Russia, a tradition has appeared in our country to baptize children, while not giving them the opportunity to choose another faith.
Thus, in Russia, the majority of citizens adhere to the Orthodox faith.
In order to baptize a child, it is necessary to choose godparents. And the Orthodox Church strictly sets the requirements for who can be godparents, so it is important to know and follow these rules.
The sacrament itself is performed directly in the church. There are no age restrictions for entering Orthodoxy, so this rite can be performed by a person at any age.
But according to Russian customs, parents of newborns try to baptize their children in the first year of life. Thus, they provide their baby under the protection of the Almighty.
The godparents must be present during the baptismal ceremony. They are considered to be people who are in spiritual closeness with the godson. They should be the mentors of the child in the future.
At the same time, it is considered that it is not at all necessary that there be two parents. One is enough, but at the same time, for boys, there must be a godfather, and for girls, a godmother.
The presence of natural parents in the church is not necessary, but if the child is small, then it will be much calmer for him to be close to his relatives in an unfamiliar place.
During the process of baptism, the godparent must hold the child and stay with him at all times. If the baby is small, then he is completely dipped in holy water.
If a person is already an adult, then he simply has to dip his head three times in holy water. After bathing the child, the godparent must pick up, dry and put on new clothes.
Before choosing godparents for your child, as well as agreeing to become a godfather for someone, it is important to understand the very essence of this ceremony and your further duties towards the godson.
You can’t just attend the ceremony, and then forget about the responsibility to the child, which is entrusted by faith.
Baptism itself is called the second birth of a person. At this moment, his spiritual world is born. Since faith implies that after death the life of the soul does not end, then being in the human body, it should not accumulate sins in itself.
That is why the church imposes the following duties on godparents:
The problem of many families in the modern world is that their children go through the rite of baptism, but in fact they do not see the embodiment of Christian ideas in the family.
If the family is not accustomed to the faith, and even more so if the basic commandments are violated, it will be much more difficult for the child to perceive life in accordance with these commandments.
Most churches now do not perform the rite of baptism until the godparents have completed special courses.
This measure was created so that people realize the full responsibility of this step and be able to refuse before they enter into their duties to the Almighty.
After completing the courses, people become really ready for the sacrament, and they understand what they must do after baptism throughout their lives.
Knowing all the duties assigned to the godparents, you need to choose those people who are most suitable for their performance.
But it is also important to consider certain points:
- The religion of the godparents themselves.
- Family connection with the future godson.
- The relationship between the godparents themselves.
- Special periods for women.
- The age of the godparents.
To take into account these features, you need to know who cannot be godparents according to church laws.:
Also, the question often arises about whether it is possible to be pregnant at the sacrament of baptism? The Church does not forbid entry to women who carry a child under their hearts, and also does not put a ban on becoming a godmother.
Knowing all these features, as well as your close circle of friends and relatives, it can be quite difficult to choose someone.
Very often it turns out that among the possible options for godparents are the same people for many relatives and friends.
Therefore, it turns out that the same person is often offered to become a godfather several times with different children.
And there are two main questions:
That is why the godparent courses now organized by many churches are important. Because, despite the fact that in 2019 it is becoming more and more fashionable to baptize a child, as well as appoint influential godparents to him, the most important thing is forgotten, this is the essence of baptism itself.
The financial status of the appointed godparent is not so important, but his lifestyle, which must comply with biblical covenants.
The godparent should be a spiritual mentor and with all his example show his godson how to live and what spiritual principles must be observed in any situation.
It is also important to know that you cannot change the godparents after the rite of baptism.. The chosen parents become them for life. Sometimes it also happens that after baptism, the godparent greatly changed his lifestyle for the worse.
But in this case, the godson himself and his parents should pray for the godparent's deliverance from sins and try to put him on the right path.
No one has the right to refuse such a godparent. Rebaptism is not possible. Therefore, it is very important to choose reliable godparents for your children.
However, in cases where the godparent renounced Orthodoxy, adopted a different faith, or became an atheist, then such a sacred union will be considered terminated.
Similarly, one can regard those cases when the godparent descended to the most forbidden sins, which are prohibited by the Testaments.
In this case, it is understood that this person does not want to live according to the precepts of the Bible, and also does not want to be an example for his godson.
In this case, the natural parents can ask other pious people to take care of the spiritual way of life of their child. This situation must be reported to the holy father before the rite itself is performed.
Many godparents like to pamper their godchildren with expensive gifts in order to win their favor and bring them closer spiritually.
But you need to understand that this is not the purpose of godparents. Not according to the size of the wallet, parents should choose godparents.
The best gifts that the church mentions are:
This is what godparents' gifts to their godchildren should look like. But besides this, the church does not prohibit giving other gifts that will delight the child. But still, the main emphasis should be placed on the spiritual education of the godson.
It is also believed that the most important date for giving is the name day of the godson's guardian angel. During the sacrament of baptism, a person who accepts Orthodoxy receives a middle name.
It may coincide with his real name, if this name is in the Orthodox book of names. And if the name is missing, then the child will be assigned a different name from this book.
Each such name has a name day. If the selected name has several dates during the year when name days are celebrated, the date closest to the Orthodox person's birthday is selected. It is on this date that godparents should bestow gifts on their godson.
Knowing all the nuances of the sacrament, as well as the requirements of the church for godparents, it is important to take a very responsible approach to choosing a godparent.
It is better to make him a responsible relative than an influential family friend.. Because financial values in this case are not as important as spiritual ones.
Video: Godparents. The duties of a godfather. Baptism in the church
Baptism is a fateful event for every child, parents. This is the acquisition of spiritual peace, integrity of the spirit, God's reliable protection of man. In addition, the baby has second parents who are always ready to provide help and assistance. The duties of a godmother are especially valuable in later life.
Godmother
Before agreeing to baptize a child, a woman must accept the great responsibility placed on her shoulders. It is important to understand what it means to be a godfather, and not superficially follow the traditions of Orthodoxy. It is imperative to choose a suitable candidate with faith in the heart and full responsibility. This may be a relative or girlfriend, not necessarily married, but believing and exemplary. If she is not baptized, it is important to be baptized before the fateful day for the baby, be sure to take communion.
Responsibilities of a godmother
You should not conduct an interview and casting for the role of second parents. You just need to make a conclusion, what is the attitude of the applicants to God, the surrounding people and all living things. If the mother of the crumbs thinks that the godparents should only buy a cross and a kryzhma, and then participate in the sacrament of the church, and this is where participation in the fate of a new person ends, then she is very mistaken. Spiritual upbringing and development of the child - this is what the godmother should be able to do throughout her life. In this case, we are talking about the following duties of godparents:
- Always be close to the child, help in difficult situations.
- To teach prayers and just talk about God, his role in the life of every person, attend church together.
- Happy birthday every year, make gifts for Angel's Day.
- Communion regularly, involve the godson / goddaughter in the ceremony.
How many times can you be godfather
Every Orthodox person can participate in this church ceremony, and an unlimited number of times, if the baby's parents ask for it. A truthful and informed decision is only welcome. Another important question that worries before the sacrament, who can be godparents, according to church scripture? All believing relatives and friends can assume duties, for example, an older brother, sister, girlfriend, friend, grandfather, grandmother, even stepfather. Cannot be godparents:
- unbelievers;
- ministers of the church;
- people of other faiths;
- unbaptized;
- mentally unbalanced people;
- biological parents.
Baptism of a child - rules for the godmother
The future godmother makes or buys a baptismal towel and clothes, and this is a mandatory step in preparing for the upcoming sacrament. In addition, a woman must first take communion and confess; on the day of christening, it is imperative to have a cross on her chest. There are other rules for the baptism of a child in the Orthodox Church, which are important to include in the rite.
Christening girls - rules for the godmother
It is important for a girl to have a spiritual mother, since she is the first after the mother and father of the child to be responsible for him. It is one thing to baptize a baby, and quite another to become a support, support, spiritual mentor for a growing person in life. The duties of the godmother at the baptism of a girl are as follows:
- Before the beginning of the sacrament, read by heart the prayers for the child, among them the "Symbol of Faith."
- Wear a modest long dress for christening, tie a scarf around your head.
- Pick up the goddaughter after immersion in the font, dress in white clothes.
- Hold the goddaughter in your arms while walking around the font for the priests, when reading a prayer, during the procession of chrismation.
Boy's christening - rules for the godmother
During the christening of the boy, not only the godmother plays an important role, but also the father, who in the future will provide him with spiritual support in everything. The main duties of the godmother during the baptism of a boy are identical, as well as during the church ceremony of a girl. The only difference is this: after immersion in the font, the godfather takes the baby in his arms; the priest also carries baptized boys behind the altar.
Prayer for the baptism of a child for godparents
During the procession, the priest leaves a reminder of what the godparents should do: say the prayer “Symbol of Faith”, “Our Father”, “Our Mother of God, Rejoice”, “King of Heaven” three times aloud, answer honestly several traditional questions about faith. Each prayer for godparents at baptism gives a powerful energy charge, contributes to the child receiving grace.
What do they give a girl for christening
What should the godmother do after the completion of the sacrament? Buy and present to your godson or goddaughter a memorable gift. This is where the problem arises with choosing a suitable presentation. So what does the godmother give for the christening of a girl?
- silver or gold cross;
- god's image;
- nominal icon of the Guardian Angel;
- silver spoon.
What does a godmother buy for a boy's christening?
For future men, there are also certain requirements for gifts. This needs to know what is needed for the christening of the boy, so that during the sacrament not be taken by surprise. Here's what a second mom should do:
- buy a white vest, blanket, towel;
- to present as a gift a Bible, a nominal icon;
- make another memento.
What should a godmother do
If a woman has her own children, nephews, younger brothers and sisters, she should not forget about her own godchildren. There are a number of beliefs and will accept why godparents are needed. Here is what the godmother is obliged to do until the last day of her life:
- Pray for the godson every day, ask God for a bright path for him.
- Attend church with him, take communion, confess.
- Participate in spiritual formation, growth and development.
- Become a role model in his mind.
- Take full responsibility for the baby if the blood parents die.
Video: what godparents need to know before baptism
Is it possible for an adult to be baptized without godparents?
To answer the question of whether it is possible to baptize a child without godparents, it is enough to read the following of the sacrament of Baptism, then much will become clear to us. The following is composed for adults, that is, it contains places where the person being baptized says prayers, answers the priest's questions. In the case when we baptize a child, godparents are responsible for him and read prayers. Therefore, it is obvious that the sacrament of the Baptism of a child cannot take place without adults. But an adult is able to profess his faith himself.
Can a child be baptized without one of the godparents?
The question whether a child can be baptized without a godmother can be answered in the same way as the question whether a child can be baptized without a godfather. If it was not possible to find a person capable of taking on the duties of a godmother or father, it is possible to perform the sacrament of baptism without one of the parents. For a girl in this case, it will be more important if she has a godmother, for a boy - a godfather.
Can a child be baptized without godparents?
In this case, baptism can be performed only under the following circumstances:
The child's life is in danger, he is in serious condition. At such a moment, a priest or any layman can perform baptism by pouring holy water three times on the baby’s head and saying the words: “The servant (a) of God (I) (name) is baptized in the name of the Father. Amen. And the Son. Amen. And the Holy Spirit. Amen". If, after being baptized by a layman, the baby survives and recovers, then you need to turn to the Church and complete the Sacrament of Baptism with Chrismation.
In the event that not a single godparent was found for the child, the priest can take on the duties of godparents and say prayers for the child on his own. If the priest is familiar with the baby, then he will be able to take care of him and instruct him in the faith, but if not, then he will commemorate the godson in prayer at every divine service. Not all priests take on such responsibility, therefore, in different churches, the question of whether it is possible to baptize a child without godparents is answered differently.
Still, it's best to make sure that your child has two godparents, just like two relatives (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 attend 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, it is your own. There is even a pious tradition in Orthodox families to baptize each other's children: it is easier to keep in touch and communicate with godchildren.
Is it possible to baptize a child godfather?
Of course, people who have become godparents for one child can become godparents for another, there are no obstacles to this.
Can a child be baptized at home?
It is desirable that the baby be baptized in the temple, because after baptism there is still a prayer for churching: the boy is brought to the altar, the girl is placed on the salt, from where her mother receives her.
There are cases when a child is sick or there is no temple nearby, and it is not possible to take the child far. You can invite a priest to your house, then the priest will read the prayers for churching when the baby is already brought to the temple. Bringing a child after baptism to the temple and taking communion is the duty of godparents and native parents.
Can two children be baptized?
Yes, if a family is baptizing two or more children at the same time, the same people can be asked to be their godparents. It will be even better, because two children have the same natural parents, there will be one godparents.
Is it possible for spouses to baptize a child?
This question cannot be answered in the affirmative. There is such a thing as the spiritual relationship of godparents to each other, it is impossible in the presence of marital relations. Therefore, it is impossible for a husband and wife to baptize a child.
Is it possible for a couple to baptize a child?
Godparents must have a spiritual relationship with each other, so even if the couple lives in a civil marriage and they are not registered as husband and wife, they cannot be godparents of the child.
If young people are not married 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 relative, except for the relatives of 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 take care of the new godson, you are in another city or another country, you do not know much about the child’s family, 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.
Can multiple children be baptized?
If parents baptize several of their children, it is highly desirable that the godparents be the same people. Then the children will have one godparents, just like relatives. It will be easier for the godparents to take care of raising all the children together. It is possible to baptize several children at the same time - not brothers or sisters.
Can a child be baptized 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 the acceptance by a person of the Orthodox faith and recognition of him as a member of the Church. But there are several cases where such a question may arise:
If the children do not know whether they have been baptized or not. This happens if the child has lost his birth parents, or it is likely that the child was secretly baptized by one of the relatives. In this case, it is imperative to inform the priest about this, then the sacrament of Baptism is performed according to a different order. The priest pronounces the words: “The servant (a) of God (I) (name) is baptized (if not baptized (a)) in the name of the Father. Amen. And the Son. Amen. And the Holy Spirit. Amen".
If the child was urgently baptized by a lay person. Such baptism is performed if there was a danger to the life of the child, but later he recovered. Then you need to come to the Church and complete the sacrament of Baptism with Chrismation.
If the child was baptized in another faith. The Orthodox Church recognizes the sacrament of Baptism in other confessions as valid in cases where the sacrament of Baptism is performed according to a similar order and if the institution of the priesthood and apostolic succession in the ordination of priests have been preserved in this confession. Only Catholicism and the Old Believers can be attributed to such confessions (but only the direction where the priesthood has been preserved). After baptism in the Catholic faith, it is necessary to complete the sacrament of Baptism with chrismation, since in the Catholic Church chrismation is performed separately from baptism at a later age (about 15 years).
Can a sick child be baptized?
If a child is seriously ill, then baptism is necessary, it can be performed even in a hospital or at home. If the life of the baby is in danger, then, in extreme cases, he can even be christened by a layman.
Is it possible to baptize a child in absentia?
Baptism, like any sacrament, is a sacred ceremony in which the invisible grace of God is communicated to the believer under a visible image. The celebration of the sacrament of Baptism presupposes the physical presence of the person being baptized, the priest, and the godparents. The Sacrament is not just a prayer, the performance of the Sacrament is impossible in absentia.
Is it possible to baptize a child in fasting?
There are no days in the Orthodox Church when a child cannot be baptized. Baptism of a child can be performed on any day, agreed with the priest and godparents. Usually the question of whether it is possible to baptize a child in fasting arises due to the fact that the sacrament of wedding in the Church is not performed in fasting. Fasting is a time for repentance and abstaining from fast food and marital intimacy, so there are restrictions on weddings, but not baptisms. Is it possible to baptize a child in fasting? Of course, yes, and on any day of fasting, and on holidays, and on the eve of fasting days and holidays.
Is it possible to baptize a child on Saturday?
In all churches, urban and rural, Sunday worship is performed. Therefore, most often baptism is performed on Saturday: after baptism, you can participate in worship and take communion of the child the next day on Sunday.
Is it possible to baptize a child for Baptism?
In the Ancient Church, due to the spread of a large number of heresies, baptism was preceded by a long period of instruction in the faith, which lasted up to 3 years. And catechumens (learners) were baptized at the Baptism of the Lord (then this holiday was called the Enlightenment) and on Holy Saturday before Easter. The celebration of Baptism these days was a great feast in the Church. If you decide to baptize a child on Epiphany (Baptism of the Lord), 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 cleansing in the Church are called uncleanness, and many restrictions are associated with these days for women in the Old Testament. Today it is not fitting for a woman in uncleanness to touch shrines (icons, the cross), to receive the sacraments. Therefore, when choosing a day for the baptism of a child, it is advisable to take this circumstance into account. Nevertheless, baptism is performed on a child, and not on his godmother or mother, a woman in uncleanness, if necessary, can attend the sacrament, but should not touch the shrines.
Can a child be baptized under a different name?
There is a belief that the baby should be baptized under a different name, and no one should know his name in baptism, otherwise the child's energy will be spoiled. All these are rumors that have nothing to do with Holy Scripture and Holy Tradition. A child can be baptized with a different name, but most often this is done if the real name of the child 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 ongoing Sacrament. However, it is impossible to leave him outside the Church before he becomes an adult, since only in the Church is the grace necessary for his proper growth, for the preservation of his bodily and spiritual health. Therefore, the Church performs the Sacrament of Baptism over the infant and itself assumes the obligation to educate him in the Orthodox faith. The church is made up of people. She fulfills her obligation to properly educate 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 a good, Christian upbringing received from the font, and not only in practical circumstances, as well as the degree of acquaintance and simply friendliness of the relationship.
Concern about expanding the circle of people who would seriously help the newborn child made it undesirable to invite the closest physical relatives as godfather and godfather. It was believed that, by virtue of natural kinship, they would help the child anyway. For the same reason, they tried not to allow brothers and sisters to have the same godfather. Therefore, relatives of grandparents, brothers and sisters, uncles and aunts became godparents only as a last resort.
Now, having gathered 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 take a serious part 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 who become godparents are completely unaware that they really have a great honor. Most often, the honorary right to be godparents is granted to close friends or relatives, who, having performed simple actions during the Sacrament and having 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 the second birth, that is, “birth from water and the Spirit” (John 3:5), which Jesus Christ spoke of as a necessary condition for salvation. If physical birth is the entry of a person into the world, then Baptism becomes the entry into the Church. And the child is accepted in his spiritual birth by the godparents - 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 able to teach the godson the basics of faith can be godparents (minor and mentally ill people cannot be godparents). But do not be afraid if, agreeing to become a godfather, you do not fully meet these high requirements. This event can be a wonderful occasion for self-education.
The Church considers spiritual kinship as real as natural kinship. Therefore, in the relationship of spiritual relatives, there are the same features as in relation to natural relatives. At present, the Russian Orthodox Church, on the issue of marriages of spiritual relatives, adheres only to the 63rd canon of the VI Ecumenical Council: marriages between godchildren and their godchildren, godchildren and physical parents of the godson and godchildren are impossible between themselves. At the same time, the husband and wife are allowed to be godparents of different children in the same family. Brother and sister, father and daughter, mother and son may be godparents of the same child.
The godmother's pregnancy is a perfectly acceptable condition for participation in the Sacrament of Baptism.
What are the duties of godparents?
The obligations that recipients take on 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 features of the church calendar, the grace-filled power of miraculous icons and other shrines. The godparents must accustom those taken 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 duties 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 they received from the font, can help them determine their life path, 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 physical parents are unable to financially provide for their children, this responsibility is assumed primarily not by grandparents or other relatives, but by godparents.
A frivolous attitude to 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 an invitation to become a successor, especially if you already have one godson. Refusal to go to the godfather should also not be taken as an insult or neglect.
Is it worth it to agree to be a godfather if the child's parents are not churched?
In this case, the need for a godfather increases, and his responsibility only increases. Otherwise, how can a child come to Church?
However, while fulfilling the duty of a beneficiary, parents should not be reproached for their frivolity and lack of faith. Patience, condescension, love and continuous labor of spiritual upbringing of a child can prove to be irrefutable proof of the truth of Orthodoxy for his parents as well.
How many godfathers and mothers can a person have?
Church rules provide for the presence of one godfather (godfather) when performing the Sacrament of Baptism. For a baptized boy, this is a godfather (godfather), for a girl - a godmother (godmother).
But since the duties of godparents are numerous (thus, 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 a tradition of inviting two godparents - the godfather and the godmother. There can be no other godparents besides these two.
How should future godparents prepare for the Sacrament of Baptism?
Preparation for the Sacrament of Baptism involves the study of the Gospel, the foundations of the Orthodox faith, 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 at least one of the godparents could read the Creed during baptism.
Which of the things you need to bring with you to Baptism and which of the godparents should do this?
For baptism, you will need a baptismal kit (it will be recommended to you in a candle shop). This is mainly a baptismal cross and a baptismal shirt (you do not need to bring a bonnet). Then you will need a towel or a sheet - to wrap the child after the font. According to the established tradition, a godfather buys a cross for a boy, and a godmother for a girl. It is customary to bring a sheet and a towel to the godmother. But it will not be a mistake if someone alone 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 "appointed in absentia" godparents. The very meaning of the reception shows that the 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 life of a child is in serious danger.
Can representatives of other Christian denominations, in particular Catholics, become godparents?
The Sacrament of Baptism makes a person a particle of the Mysterious Body of Christ, a member of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. Such a Church, founded by the Apostles and preserving intact the dogmatic teaching of the Ecumenical Councils, is only the Orthodox Church. In the Sacrament of Baptism, the recipients act as guarantors of the faith of their godchild and accept before God the obligation to educate 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 have adopted a child, be godparents for him?
At Baptism, the person being baptized enters into a spiritual kinship with his godfather, who becomes his godfather or godmother. This spiritual kinship (of the 1st degree) is recognized by the canons as more important than kinship according to the flesh (canon 53 of the VI Ecumenical Council), and is fundamentally incompatible with it.
Parents, including those who have adopted a child, in no case can be the godparents of their own children: neither both together, nor each separately, otherwise such a close degree of kinship would form between the parents, which would make it inadmissible to continue their marital cohabitation.
Name day. How to determine the name day
How to determine the name day- this question is asked by every person who has ever thought about the meaning of his name.
name day- this is not a holiday of the name - this is the day of memory of the saint, in whose honor the person was named. As you know, in Russia the name of the child was given according to the holy calendar - the church calendar - and the parents prayerfully hoped that the child would live life worthy of the name of the saint who became the patron saint of the baby. During the years of atheism in Russia, the meaning of tradition has been forgotten - now a person is first given a name, and then, already growing up, he is looking for a church calendar to find out when the day of his memory, when to celebrate name day. The word name day comes from the word “namesake”, “namesake saint” - the modern “namesake” came from the same word. That is, the 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, according to the Orthodox calendar. As a rule, the name day is the day following the birthday of the saint, whose name the Christian bears. For example, Anna, who was born on November 20, will have Angel's Day on December 3 - the day following her birthday, when St. Anna, and her saint will be St. mts. Anna Persian.
The following nuance should be remembered: in 2000, at the Bishops' Council, the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia were glorified: if you were baptized before the year 2000, then your saint is selected from the saints glorified before the year 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 Saint Catherine, whose date of memory is closer to your birthday.
If the name that you were called 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, Jeanne - John, Milan - Militsa. According to tradition, Alice receives the name Alexandra in baptism, in honor of St. Passion-bearer Alexandra Feodorovna Romanova, before the adoption of 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 Nika, both names in Latin and Greek mean “victory”.
How to celebrate birthday?
On the day of the Angel, the Orthodox try to confess and partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. If the day of the angel falls on a fast day or fast, then the celebration and feasts are usually transferred to non-fast days. On non-fast days, many invite guests to share the bright joy of the holiday with relatives and friends.