Can a godfather be a godfather? Responsibilities of a godmother at baptism

Baptism is the most significant event in the life of every Orthodox person. And of course, you need to responsibly approach the choice of godparents. After all, they are the second parents, and play an important role in human life. There are many superstitions about godparents. And many are wondering: who can be a godfather and who is not. Let's try to answer the most frequently asked questions on this topic.

Can children be godparents?

According to church rules, children from the age of seven already bear full responsibility for their actions. They are no longer allowed to take communion without confession. Therefore, if a child is sufficiently churched, he can become a godfather. But when choosing a godparent, think carefully. The godmother or father must educate their godson in the Orthodox faith, and the child himself is only learning the basics of Orthodoxy. Still, it is better to choose an adult, accomplished person as godparents. After all, if something happens to the child's blood parents, the minor will not be able to take responsibility for the godson. If you still decide to take a minor as a godparent, then it is better that it be a child who has reached the age of 15.

Can there be one godfather?

There are situations when baptisms have already been scheduled, an agreement has been made with the priest and guests have been invited, and one of the godparents cannot be present at the baptism. Or you could not find a second successor at all. How to be in such a situation? The Church allows baptism with one godfather. The second can be recorded in absentia in the baptismal certificate. But there is one important point here. When a girl is baptized, a godmother must be present, and for a male baby, a godmother. During the sacrament, the godfather (of the same sex as the child) will pronounce on behalf of the baby a vow of renunciation of Satan and union with Christ, as well as the Creed.

Can a sister be a godmother?

If a sister is a believer, an Orthodox person, she can become a godmother. But it is desirable that the godmother was already an adult enough, because she will have to bear responsibility not only for herself, but also for her godson. Many who have older sisters take them as godparents. After all, no one will take care of the godson as much as a native person.

Can an ex-husband be a godfather?

It's more of a moral issue. If you have excellent friendly relations with your ex-husband, and he is not the father of your child, he can become a godfather. But if your ex-husband is the birth father of the child, then he cannot be the godparent, since the natural parents cannot be the godparents of their child. Well, again, the godfather becomes practically a relative, so discuss with your current husband if he will not be against your close relationship with your ex-spouse.

Can there be a godmother's wife?

The godfather's wife cannot be a godfather if it is about the same baby, since the church forbids spouses to be godparents of one child. During the sacrament, they acquire a spiritual connection, which means that there can be no intimate relationship between them.

Can a brother be a godfather?

A sibling or cousin can become a godfather. The Church does not forbid close relatives to be godparents. The only exceptions are the parents of the child. Grandmothers, brothers, aunts and uncles can be godparents. The main thing is that these people be Orthodox, baptized, and responsibly approach the duties of godparents. That is, to teach the child the basics of Orthodoxy and educate him as a believer, an honest and decent person.

Can a husband and wife be godparents?

A woman and a man during the rite of baptism become spiritual relatives, which means they cannot be married. Because marriage implies physical intimacy, which cannot be between spiritual parents.

If the godmother and the godmother are spouses, they are forbidden to participate in the sacrament of the baptism of one child. Moreover, a man and a woman cannot baptize the same child if they only plan to marry. If they nevertheless become godparents of one baby, they will have to give up close relationships in favor of raising a godson.

Husband and wife can baptize children from the same family. A man can become the godfather of one child, and the wife of another baby.

If a husband and wife unknowingly become the recipients of one child, the spouses need to contact the ruling bishop. From the current situation, as a rule, there are two ways out: recognition of the marriage as invalid, or the spouses will be assigned penitimia for a sin committed out of ignorance.

Who definitely can not be a successor?

Before choosing godparents for your baby, you need to know who the church unequivocally forbids to take as godparents:

- the birth parents of the child;

- spouses;

- not baptized and atheists;

- people of other religions;

- monks;

- mentally retarded people;

- sectarians.

The choice of godparents is very important. And here you need to be guided primarily by the interests of the child, and not your own. Often, the best friends or “necessary” people are chosen as godparents, without really delving into how much a person is churched.

If you want your child to be brought up in the Orthodox faith, choose only believers who know prayers and regularly attend church services. If people do not attend the temple and believe, as they say on a case-by-case basis, then there is great doubt about their serious attitude to the sacrament and their duties.

It often happens that the paths of people diverge, and the godfather cannot take part in the upbringing of the godson. But he still bears responsibility for this child, so the beneficiary must pray all his life for a godson or goddaughter.

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 are 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 it up, wipe it off 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 attached 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:

1. The religion of the godparents themselves.
2. Family connection with the future godson.
3. The relationship between the godparents themselves.
4. Special periods for women.
5. 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

It seems to many that choosing godparents for your baby is very simple, but it seems so only at first glance. In fact, everything is not so.

You need to understand that godparents must be responsible for their godson before God. They are responsible for his morality and spiritual education. Godparents are not only good friends, relatives or well-to-do acquaintances in material terms - these are the people to whom you entrust the upbringing of your baby, these are the people who can gain authority from the child and can become a good example for him, spiritual parents . Godparents are the people you can always rely on in difficult times.

The sacrament of baptism occupies a very important place in a person's life, since this is the second birth of a person, his spiritual birth. In godparents, a very great responsibility is assigned, responsibility for the spiritual education of their godchild (grandparent). For this reason, when choosing godparents, one should be guided by the fact that these people are believers and have high moral qualities.

Godparents for a child cannot be:

• The parents of the child himself, as well as people who are related to each other by blood;
• Nuns and monks;
• Unbelieving people;
• Gentiles, and not only non-Christians, but also non-Orthodox;
• Juveniles (girls under the age of 13, and boys under 15).
• Persons who are married or persons who are going to marry, since in the future the godparents of one child cannot have intimate relations with each other, because they are spiritually related.
• Mentally ill people and people who have fallen morally.

What are the responsibilities of godparents?

The duties of godparents are not at all what they imagine them to be. Many godparents believe that it is their duty to give the child gifts on Angel Day, birthday and other holidays, visit their godson (goddaughter) from time to time, and maintain good relations with the baby's parents. Of course, all this should also be present, but this is far from the most important. Godparents need to spend time with the baby reading, playing, talking about morality, love, goodness. They must teach their godson the moral values ​​that every believer should have. Before choosing godparents for your child, mentally ask yourself the question: “will this person pray for my baby?”. Yes, after all, it is the prayer for the godson that is the main duty of the godparent. It is best to choose godparents among close people or among relatives, these should be people who have been tested for years so that after the christening ceremony they do not disappear for a long time. Godparents should be aware that they place great responsibility on themselves, care and guardianship of the godson should be their desire.

Godparents must be believing Orthodox people, they must take their spiritual life seriously. Their vocation is to make sure that the baby attends church, takes communion, and fasts.

How many pairs of godparents can a child have?

The Christian Church says that a child must have one godfather, but it must be of the same gender as the person being baptized. A girl must have a godmother, and a boy must have a godfather. But most often the child has both godparents. Also, one child can have more than one pair of godparents. But parents should understand that the fewer godparents a baby has, the more responsibly and seriously they will take their duties.

What you need to have a godfather during the rite of baptism

• The godmother must have christening clothes and which she buys in advance;
• The godfather must have a pectoral cross, he is also supposed to pay for the ceremony;
• Godparents must have a pectoral cross on themselves, since without it they will not be allowed to the Sacrament;
• Godparents should know the prayer “I believe” (preferably by heart, and if not, then at least be able to read it).

How many times in a lifetime can a person be godfather?

The Orthodox Church does not have a clear definition on this issue. The most important thing is that a person who agrees to be a godparent remembers that he takes on a great responsibility and is responsible for his godson before God. The measure of this responsibility is capable of determining how many times a person can take on such a responsibility in his life. For each person, this measure is individual.

They say that if you can not refuse the offer to become godparents. For this reason, in order to avoid an unpleasant outcome, it is best to first ask the prospective candidate if there is a desire to baptize your baby.

The Sacrament of Baptism: Answers to Readers' Questions

Why are children baptized?

What are the duties of godparents? Can a girl become a godmother to a girl?

Is it possible to refuse to be a godfather? In what cases can baptism be refused?

The sacrament of Baptism: answers to questions

What is baptism? Why is it called a sacrament?

Baptism is one of the seven sacraments of the Orthodox Church, in which a believer, when the body is immersed three times in water with the invocation of the name of the Most Holy Trinity - the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, dies to a sinful life, and is reborn by the Holy Spirit for Eternal Life. Of course, there is a basis for this action in the Holy Scriptures: "He who 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; but 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 reach 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 established by God. The Lord Jesus Christ himself, sending the apostles to preach the gospel, taught them to baptize people: “Go, make disciples of 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 from now on can proceed to the rest of the sacraments of the Church.

Is it possible to baptize infants, because they do not have an independent faith?

Quite right, young children do not have independent, conscious faith. But don't the parents who brought their child to be baptized in the temple of God have it? Will they not instill faith in God in their child from childhood? It is obvious that parents have such a faith, and most likely will instill it in their child. In addition, the child will also have godparents - godparents 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 New Testament baptism was typified by the Old Testament circumcision. In the Old Testament, babies were brought to the temple for circumcision on the eighth day. 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 is the most obvious difference and separation of the faithful from the unbelievers." Moreover, there is a basis for this in the Holy Scriptures: “They were circumcised with a 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 a dying and burial for sin and a resurrection for a perfect life with Christ.

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 for the sake of the circumstances.

Is it possible to baptize children on fasting days?

Of course you can! But technically it doesn't always work. In some churches, during the days of Great Lent, they baptize 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, divine services are somewhat shorter in time, and priests can devote more time to the requirements. Therefore, when planning the day of baptism, it is better to find out in advance about the rules observed in the temple where the child will be baptized. Well, if we talk about the days on which you can baptize, then there are no restrictions on this issue. You can baptize children on any day when there are no technical obstacles to this.

How many godparents should a child have?

Church rules prescribe to have a godparent for the child of the same sex as the person being baptized. That is, for a boy - a man, and for a girl - 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 godfather of a different sex than the baptized person himself. The main thing is that it should be a truly believing person who would subsequently conscientiously fulfill his duties of raising a child in the Orthodox faith. Thus, a baptized person can have one or, at most, two godparents.

What are the requirements for godparents?

The first and main requirement is the undoubted Orthodox faith of the recipients. Godparents must be church-going people, living the church life. After all, they will have to teach their godson or goddaughter the basics of the Orthodox faith, to give spiritual instructions. If they themselves are ignorant of these matters, what will they be able to teach the child? The godparents have a huge responsibility for the spiritual upbringing of their godchildren, for they, together with their parents, are responsible for it before God. This responsibility begins with the renunciation of "Satan, and all his works, and all his angels, and all his ministry, and all his pride." Thus, the godparents, answering for their godson, make a promise that their godchild will be a Christian.

If the godson is already an adult and pronounces the words of renunciation himself, then the godparents present at the same time become guarantors before the Church in 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, and the grace-filled power of miraculous icons and other shrines. The godparents must accustom those taken 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 kind-hearted grandmother from the church, whom her parents persuaded to “hold” the baby at baptism.

But also, you should not take as godparents just close people or relatives who do not meet the spiritual requirements that were outlined above.

Godparents should not become an object of personal gain for the parents of the baptized. The desire to intermarry with a profitable person, for example, with 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 upbringing of the child, for which he himself will also answer to God. Unrepentant sinners and people leading an immoral lifestyle cannot become godparents.

Is it possible for a woman to become a godmother on the days of the monthly cleansing? What to do if it did happen?

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

How do future godparents prepare for baptism?

There are no special rules for preparing recipients for baptism. At some churches, special talks are held, the purpose of which is usually to explain to a person all the provisions of the Orthodox faith regarding baptism and acceptance. If there is an opportunity to attend such conversations, then it is necessary to do this, because. this is very helpful for future godparents. If the future godparents are sufficiently churched, constantly confess and take communion, then attending such conversations will be a completely sufficient measure of preparation for them.

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

But these traditions are not binding. Often, 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 and canonical foundations. Therefore, it is better to learn more about them in the temple in which baptism will take place.

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

This question does not lie in the spiritual realm, regulated by canonical rules and traditions. But, it seems 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 soulful things, so acquiring a worthy gift should not be a big difficulty.

Can non-Orthodox Christians or Gentiles become godparents?

It is quite obvious that they are not, 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 Gentile godparents to their children. At baptism, of course, no one talks about this. But then, having learned about the inadmissibility of the deed, the parents run to the temple, asking:

What should I do if this happened by mistake? Is baptism valid in this case? Should a child be baptized?

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. An unequivocal answer to the question "what to do in this case?" it is impossible to give, because there is nothing of the kind in the church canons. This is not surprising, since canons and rules are written for members of the Orthodox Church, which cannot be said about heterodox and non-believers. Nevertheless, as a fact, baptism took place, and it cannot be called invalid. It is legal and valid, and the baptized one 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 once physically, he cannot repeat it again. Likewise - only once a person can be born for spiritual life, so there can be only one baptism.

I will allow myself a small digression and tell the reader how once I had to witness one not very pleasant scene. A young married couple brought their newborn son to the temple for baptism. The couple worked in a foreign company and invited one of their colleagues, a foreigner, a Lutheran, to become godfather. True, a girl of the Orthodox faith was supposed to become a godmother. Neither parents nor future godparents were distinguished by special knowledge in the field of Orthodox dogma. The news of the impossibility of having a Lutheran as godfather of their son was received with hostility by the child's parents. They were asked to find another godfather or to baptize the child with one godmother. But this proposal angered the father and mother even more. The stubborn desire to see this particular person as a godparent prevailed over the common sense of the parents, and the priest had to refuse to baptize the child. So the illiteracy of the parents became an obstacle to the baptism of their child.

Thank God that such situations no longer occurred in my priestly practice. The curious reader may well assume that there may be some obstacles to receiving the sacrament of baptism. And he will be absolutely right. So:

In what case can a priest refuse a person to be baptized?

Orthodox believe in God the Trinity - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The founder of the Christian faith was the 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 accept the sacrament as some kind of magical rite 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 the question:

Can spouses or those who are about to get married become godparents?

The spiritual relationship established between the recipients in the sacrament of baptism is higher than any other union, even marriage. Therefore, spouses cannot become godparents for one child. By doing this, they will question the possibility of the continued existence of their marriage. But one by one, they may well be godparents to different children from the same family. Cannot become godparents and those who are going to marry, because. becoming godparents, they will have a spiritual degree of kinship, which is higher than the physical. They will have to end their relationship and limit themselves only to spiritual kinship.

Unfortunately, many do not know this. And from this ignorance, sometimes completely undesirable consequences follow, such as the marriage of the sponsors. So:

What if a man and a woman became godparents for one child, and then got married?

If this happened due to their ignorance of church canons, then this is not so bad. It is worse if, knowing about the impossibility of their marriage, they nevertheless decided to get married, and at the wedding they did not say anything to the priest about their spiritual relationship. In any case, this issue can only be resolved by the highest church authority in the person of the ruling bishop. For this, it is necessary to apply to the diocesan administration with a corresponding petition addressed to the ruling bishop. The marriage will either be declared invalid, or the spouses will be called to repentance for the sin committed in ignorance.

There is also a slightly different situation, when, out of ignorance, the spouses became the recipients. The question arises:

What to do if spouses became ignorantly godparents?

The resolution of this issue is also under the jurisdiction of the diocesan bishop. In such a case, it is worth doing the same as in the case of married spouses, i.e. apply to the diocesan administration with a corresponding petition addressed to the bishop.

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

Can people living in a civil marriage become godparents?

At first glance, this is a rather complicated issue, but from the ecclesiastical point of view, it is resolved unambiguously. Such a family cannot be called complete. And in general it is impossible to call prodigal cohabitation a family. After all, in fact, people living in the so-called civil marriage live in fornication. This is a big problem in modern society. People baptized in the Orthodox Church, at least conscious of themselves as Christians, for some incomprehensible reasons, refuse to legitimize their union not only before God (which is undoubtedly more important), but also before the state. There are countless answers to be heard. 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 “unwillingness to stain the passport with unnecessary stamps” cannot be an excuse for fornication. In fact, people living in a “civil” marriage trample on all Christian concepts about marriage and family. Christian marriage implies the responsibility of spouses for each other. During the marriage, they become one, and not two different people who made a promise to live under the same roof from now on. Marriage can be compared to two legs of one body. If one leg stumbles or breaks, won't the other leg bear the full weight of the body? And in a "civil" marriage, people do not even want to take responsibility for putting a stamp in their passport.

What then can be said about such irresponsible people, who at the same time want to be godparents? What good can they teach a child? Can they, having very shaky moral foundations, be able to set a good example for their godson? Not at all. Also, according to church canons, people leading an immoral life (“civil” marriage should be regarded in this way) cannot be recipients from the baptismal font. And if these people finally decide to legitimize their relationship before God and the state, then they, moreover, will not be able to be godparents to one child. Despite the apparent complexity of the question, there can be only one answer to it - unambiguously: no.

The topic of gender relations is always very acute in all areas of human life. It goes without saying that this translates into various issues that are 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 a daughter to marry her own father? It is quite obvious that it is not. Of course, church canons cannot allow such a thing to happen.

Much more often than others there are questions about the possible perception 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. But they should not be married to each other.

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

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

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

Can the parents of a child become godparents of their godfathers (their godchildren)?

Yes, this is perfectly acceptable. Such an action in no way violates the spiritual kinship established between parents and recipients, but only strengthens it. One of the parents, for example, the mother of the child can become the godmother of the daughter of one of the godfathers. And the father may well be the godfather of the son of another godfather or godfather. There are other options, but, in any case, the spouses cannot become the recipients of one child.

Sometimes people ask this question:

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

Yes maybe. In general, this question is very urgent. From time to time I have to hear a request to become a godfather from people completely unfamiliar to me. Parents bring their child to be baptized. For some reason, there was no godfather for the child. They begin to ask to become a godfather to the child, motivating this request by the fact that they heard from someone that in the absence of a godfather, the priest must fulfill this role. You have to refuse and baptize with one godmother. A priest is the same person as everyone else, and he may well refuse strangers to be godparents to their child. After all, he will have to bear the 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 will most likely never see it again. Obviously this is not possible. But a priest (even if he himself will perform the sacrament of baptism) or, for example, a deacon (and the one who will concelebrate with the priest for the sacrament of baptism) may well become godparents for the children of their friends, acquaintances or parishioners. There are no canonical barriers to this.

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

Is it possible to take a godfather "in absentia"?

The very meaning of reception presupposes the acceptance by the godfather of his godson from the font itself. By his presence, the godfather agrees to be the recipient of the baptized and undertakes to educate him in the Orthodox faith. This cannot be done in absentia. In the end, the person whom they are trying to “record in absentia” as godparents may not agree to this action at all, and, as a result, the person being baptized may be left without a godfather at all.

Sometimes from parishioners you have to hear questions about the following:

How many times can a person become a godfather?

In the Orthodox Church there is no clear canonical definition as to how many times a person can become a godfather during a lifetime. The main thing that a person who agrees to become a recipient should remember is a great responsibility for which he will have to answer before God. The measure of this responsibility determines how many times a person will be able to take on the reception. For each person, this measure is different and, sooner or later, a person may have to give up a new perception.

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

If a person feels an inner unpreparedness or has fundamental fears that he will not be able to conscientiously fulfill the duties of a godparent, then he may well refuse the child’s parents (or the baptized person himself, if it is an adult) to become their child’s godfather. There is no sin in this. It will be more honest in relation to the child, his parents and himself than, having taken responsibility for the spiritual upbringing of the child, not fulfilling his immediate duties.

Continuing this topic, here are a few more questions that people usually ask about the number of possible godchildren.

Can I become a godfather to the second child in the family, if I already had one with the first?

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

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

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

Probably, many will be interested in the following question:

At what age can you become a foster child?

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

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

What to do if you quarreled with the parents of your godson and for this reason you cannot see him?

The answer suggests itself: to make peace with the parents of the godson. For what can a child be taught by people who have a spiritual relationship and at the same time are at enmity with each other? It is worth thinking not about personal ambitions, but about raising a child and, having gained patience and humility, try to establish relations with the godson's parents. The same can be said for the parents of the child.

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

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

I think that the objective reasons are the physical separation of the godfather from the godson. This is possible if the parents moved with the child to another city, country. In this case, it remains only to pray for the godson and, if possible, communicate with him using all available means of communication.

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

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

The Orthodox Church does not know the order of refusal of godparents. But parents can find an adult who, not being the actual recipient from the font, would help in the spiritual upbringing of the child. At the same time, one cannot consider him a godfather.

But having such an assistant is better than depriving the child of communication with a spiritual mentor and friend altogether. After all, a moment may come when the child begins to seek spiritual authority not only in the family, but also outside it. And at this moment such an assistant would be very helpful. And a child, as they grow older, can be taught to pray for the godfather. After all, the spiritual connection of a child with the person who took him from the font will not be broken if he takes responsibility for a person who himself has not coped with this responsibility. It happens that children surpass their parents and mentors in prayer and piety.

Prayer for a sinner or a stray will be a manifestation of love for this person. After all, it is not for nothing that the Apostle James says in his epistle to Christians: “Pray for one another that you may be healed; the fervent prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much” (James 5:16). But all these actions must be coordinated with your confessor and receive a blessing on them.

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 a conscious faith in God and can quite independently pronounce the words of renunciation of Satan, combine with Christ and read the Creed. He is fully accountable for his actions. The same cannot be said for babies and young children. The godparents do it all for them. But, in case of extreme need, you can baptize a child without godparents. Such a need, of course, can be the complete absence of worthy godparents.

Godless time has left its mark on the destinies of many people. The result of this was that some people, after long years of unbelief, finally gained faith in God, but when they came to the temple, 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 in childhood?

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

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

A person's knowledge of faith begins with the reading of 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 at the so-called catechumens, which are held in many temples. At such conversations, the fundamentals of the Orthodox faith are explained to those who wish to be baptized. If there are no such conversations at the temple in which the person is going to be baptized, then you can ask all the questions of interest to the priest in the temple. It will also be useful to read some books that explain Christian dogmas, such as the Law of God. It will be good if, before accepting the sacrament of baptism, a person memorizes the Creed, which briefly outlines the Orthodox dogma about God and the Church. This prayer will be read at baptism, and it would be great 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 scatter your attention on other, even very important, problems. It is worth devoting this time to spiritual and moral reflections, avoiding fuss, empty talk, participation in various entertainments. It must be remembered that baptism, like the other sacraments, is great and holy. It must be approached with the greatest awe and reverence. It is advisable to observe a fast for 2-3 days, living in marriage on the eve of the night to refrain from marital relations. You need to be extremely clean and tidy for baptism. You can wear new fancy clothes. Women should not wear make-up, as they always do when visiting a temple.

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

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

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

Another odd thought I've heard over and over again:

Can a pregnant woman become a godmother? Would this affect her own child or godson in some way?

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

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

Is it true that in order to remove the damage induced on a person, it is necessary to re-baptize, and keep the new name a secret so that new attempts at witchcraft do not work, because. conjure precisely in the name?

To be honest, hearing such statements, I want to laugh heartily. But, unfortunately, it's not funny. What kind of pagan denseness does an Orthodox person need to reach in order to decide that baptism is a kind of magical ritual, a kind of antidote for corruption. An antidote for some vague substance that no one even knows the definition of. What is this ghostly corruption? It is unlikely that anyone who is 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 are looking for the mother of all evils in everything - damage. And where does it come from?

I will allow myself a small lyrical digression. A man is walking down the street, stumbled. All jinxed! We urgently need to run to the temple to put a candle so that everything is fine and the evil eye passes. While walking to the temple, he stumbled again. Looks like they not only jinxed it, but also caused damage! Ooh, wicked! Well, nothing, now I will come to the temple, I will pray, I will buy candles, I will stick all the candlesticks, I will fight the corruption with all my might. The man ran to the temple, on the porch he again stumbled and fell. Everyone - lie down and die! Damage to death, a family curse, well, and there is some kind of disgusting thing there, I forgot the name, but also something very terrible. Cocktail "three in one"! Against this, candles and prayer will not help, 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 very voodoo whispered their old name and stuck needles into dolls, all their spells flew by. They will not 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 there, and everything will fly by! Bang, bang and - by! Oh, it's good when there is baptism - a cure for all diseases!

This is how superstitions associated with re-baptism appear. But much more often, the sources of these superstitions are the figures of the occult sciences, i.e. fortunetellers, psychics, healers and other "gifted by God" personalities. These tireless "generators" of newfangled occult terminology use all sorts of tricks to seduce a person. Birth curses, and crowns of celibacy, and karmic knots of fate, translations, love spells with lapels and other occult nonsense are used. And all that needs to be done to get rid of all this is to cross yourself. And there was no damage. And laughter and sin! But many peck at these near-church tricks of "mothers Glafir" and "fathers Tikhonov", and run to the temple for re-baptism. It’s good if they tell them where they have such an ardent desire to cross themselves, and they will be denied this blasphemy, having previously explained what trips to the occultists are fraught with. And some do not even say that they have already been baptized and are baptized again. There are also those who are baptized several times, because. previous baptisms "didn't help". And they won't help! Greater blasphemy over the sacrament is difficult to imagine. After all, the Lord knows the heart of a person, knows about all his thoughts.

It is 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 a prayer for naming is read by a priest immediately before baptism. Surely everyone knows that the name is given to a person 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, it seems 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, in whose honor he is named. And instead of calling for help from his heavenly patron, his saint, at the moment of trouble or danger, he visits fortune-tellers and psychics. The “reward” for this will be appropriate.

There is another superstition related directly to the sacrament of baptism itself. Almost immediately after baptism, the rite of hair cutting follows. At the same time, the recipient is given a piece of wax, in which it is supposed to roll the cut hair. This wax receiver must throw into the water. This is where the fun begins. Not sure where the question comes from:

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

No, this is a 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 really go under water. Fortunately, if the superstitious godfather does not see this moment and "fortune telling on 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 that, it is sometimes difficult to get out of a state of terrible depression the parents of a child who are told about the “sign of God” seen at baptism. Of course, this superstition has no basis in church canons and traditions.

Summing up, I would like to note that baptism is a great sacrament, and the approach to it should be reverent and deliberate. It is sad to see people who have received the sacrament of baptism and continue to live their former sinful lives. Having been baptized, a person must remember that now he is an Orthodox Christian, a warrior of Christ, a member of the Church. It owes a lot. First of all, to love. Love for God and neighbor. 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.

Unless one is born of water and the Spirit,

cannot enter the Kingdom of God(John 3:5)

The birth of a child in an Orthodox family is followed by his baptism. Unfortunately, not all Orthodox Christians are churched, so many questions arise: what are the terms for the baptism of a child, how does the procedure itself go, who are the godparents, who can be spiritual teachers for boys and girls?

The Orthodox Church does not set the age for the baptism of children. In each family, this issue is resolved independently, based on the characteristics of the way of life, the health of the child, and so on.

For centuries, a tradition has been established to baptize babies no earlier than 40 days from the date of birth. There is an explanation for this. Jesus Christ parents brought to the Temple for dedication to God on the fortieth day, according to the custom of the ancient Jews.

During the same period, a woman after childbirth goes through a period of purification. After reading a special prayer, she can visit the temple and fully participate in the life of the Church and its Sacraments, including being present at the baptism of her child.

If the baby is weak and sick, you can wait until he grows up and gets stronger. The Church prays for a "mother with a child", therefore God's help will not leave them both, but the child's full participation in church life will be possible only after baptism.

If the life of a newborn is threatened by death, then it is better to baptize him as early as possible in order to be able to pray for health or commemorate during the Liturgy. Regular communion, which is possible only for a Christian, will strengthen the physical and spiritual strength of the child.

When the family decides to baptize their child, but still you should not postpone the most important event in his life for a long time. There is another argument in favor of such a decision: a baby at the age of 1-2 months is not yet attached to his mother and family, he is not afraid of strangers and extraneous sounds. Throughout the Sacrament, the godparents will hold the baby in their arms; an older child may resist this.

Features of christening boys and girls

The sacrament of Baptism can be performed on a person who consciously believes in Christian truths. An adult himself testifies to his readiness to unite with Christ and receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Babies cannot be expected to have conscious faith. During the celebration of the Sacrament of Baptism, they must make a vow of fidelity to God, renounce the forces of evil and sin.

Is it possible to baptize them? “Yes, it is possible,” the Orthodox Church answers. Godparents from the font or godparents are given to the baby at baptism in order to answer for him before the Lord not only during the sacrament itself, but also in the subsequent earthly and eternal life. According to their faith and the faith of their parents, babies are baptized.

Godparents have a special role in the spiritual upbringing of a child. They make a promise to God to lead the godson through life in a Christian way, to educate him in the spirit of the Orthodox faith. The life of the recipients themselves should be a worthy example of piety and love for God, for those around them. According to the established tradition, the godfather and godmother are chosen for the child, by analogy with the parents.

However, according to church canons, one thing is enough:

• men - for a boy;
• women are for girls.

There may even be a gender mismatch. However, each such case is considered individually, the decision is made by the priest. The main thing is that future godparents should be full members of the Orthodox Church, know the basics of the Orthodox faith and be ready to spiritually educate the child.

Who can not be among the godparents according to church rules?

For newborn boys and girls, before choosing a godparent, it is necessary to find out who can and who cannot become them.

The priest will refuse to conduct the Sacrament of Baptism if the following are chosen for the role of recipients:

Can godparents be husband and wife, or become one in the future? There are no canons forbidding this in Orthodoxy. In 2017, the Council of Bishops updated the permission for marriages of godparents with the blessing of the diocesan bishop. Such permission was before, but there was a tradition to prohibit such marriages.

Who can be a godparent for a boy or girl?

The main criterion for choosing recipients is their affiliation with Orthodoxy, as well as their adherence to the Church — the desire to live in accordance with Christian truths, to fight sin, to correct themselves.

The mission of the recipients is to testify before God for their ward about faith, about renunciation of Satan, in the promise to build their lives according to the commandments of God, in helping their godson or goddaughter to fulfill all these promises in the future life.

Spiritual work continues throughout the life of godparents and their godchildren. Prayer for godchildren should be supported by real deeds: take the child to communion, read spiritual literature with him, learn prayer, explain the basics of the Orthodox faith.

The Church allows one of the godparents to be of another Christian denomination - a Catholic or a Protestant, if there is no way to find an Orthodox Christian in the family environment.

A clergyman can become a godparent, but as a rule, they have many responsibilities and there will be little free time for full communication with the godson.

Adulthood is an optional but desirable condition. The responsibility that godparents take on in the face of God presupposes an understanding of the importance of the role of a recipient and an understanding of what spiritual mentoring is.

Can godparents be relatives of a child?

Relatives of the child, including the closest ones, can be chosen to be the recipient. Except for the parents.

Before choosing one of the relatives as the godparent of your child, you need to think about this: it will take several years, and the child will grow up. Teenagers are not ready to discuss their problems with their closest relatives, such is the psychology of this age.

They are looking for an authoritative adult outside the family. The godfather could become such a person, help and guide the teenager in the right direction along the Christian path of development. Of course, provided that all previous years he took an active part in the upbringing of his godson, and they developed a trusting relationship.

From this point of view, the choice of close relatives for the role of godparents is not always the best solution.

It is right to choose churched Orthodox Christians who will raise a child in faith and love for God, respect for people.

Questions to be answered:

• Who can be trusted with the body and soul of a child?
• Who will help raise him in the faith?
• Who can be spiritually related?

Godparents are mentors in the Orthodox faith, not rare guests with birthday gifts. True Christian love is the most valuable gift to godchildren from godparents, and the most important role is to be an example in the organization of Christian life.

How to choose godparents for a child if the parents are unbelievers?

Unbelieving parents can baptize their children. Strictly speaking, the presence of parents is optional. In some churches, the priest does not allow parents to attend the Sacrament at all.

In Soviet times, grandmothers brought their children to be baptized without the participation of atheist parents.

They preserved and remembered the Orthodox faith and hoped for the mercy of God. Having matured, these children came to God already consciously.

Godparents, who can be spiritual educators for boys and girls, take full responsibility for raising the child in gospel truths.

Their role increases many times over: only they will be able to graft a twig to the Tree of Life, to nurture the seeds of the Orthodox faith in the soul of the godson.

You can baptize a child even if the parents are of a different faith.

In such situations, first of all, you need to think about the benefits for the child: the consent of the parents for baptism must be in order to avoid conflicts.

Is it possible to baptize a child without godparents?

Sometimes life situations arise when a child needs to be baptized without delay, for example, if he is threatened with death. A priest can perform the Sacrament of Baptism without a recipient, so that there is an opportunity to help the child in the struggle for life with the help of the Holy Gifts and the common prayer of the entire Orthodox Church.

In the future, when the baby gets better, you can find people who will become godparents for the child and help parents spiritually nurture the boy or girl. Church parents can do this on their own.

In emergency situations, the laity can baptize an infant by saying the Baptismal Prayer. At the first opportunity, the priest will complete what he has begun, since the process of Baptism consists of several stages and ends with the Sacrament of Chrismation.

Responsibilities of Godparents

Godparents in relation to their godchildren have serious obligations to educate them in the traditions of the Orthodox Church:

Godparents renounce sin for the child and undertake obligations for the spiritual upbringing of the godson before God. The Church teaches that at the last judgment He will ask for the upbringing of the godchildren in the same way as for the upbringing of his own children.

Now it becomes clear why the choice of godparents is a responsible and difficult decision. The connection with them can become stronger than with blood relatives, since it is sanctified by the Lord and based on Christian love.

How should godparents prepare for the Great Sacrament?

There is nothing special in preparation for a person who has been churched. Prayer, fasting, confession, communion, reading the Gospel - this is the ordinary life of a Christian. Each parish may have its own traditions, so you should find out in the church where the baptism will take place, if there are any special requirements for the recipients.

In many parishes, so-called categorical meetings are held for those future godparents who are still little acquainted with the life of the Church. The priest explains in detail the main provisions of the Orthodox faith, talks about the Sacrament of Baptism, as well as those traditions of the parish that relate to baptism.

Godparents, who can be godparents for boys and girls from the font, so as not to approach holy duties formally, should prepare themselves for participation in the upcoming Sacrament:

• read at least one gospel;
• carefully study the Creed - it is pronounced aloud during baptism;
• if possible, learn "Our Father" - one of the main Christian prayers;
• confess and take communion.

Even if the priest does not demand, it is advisable to take such steps. The duties of godparents require initiation into the Church. Therefore, from this moment, the deliverance of the recipients themselves from sinful slavery can begin, the beginning of their new life in Christ and with Christ has been laid. Only then is it possible to fully fulfill the duties of a spiritual mentor.

In an Orthodox church, a woman must be in a skirt covering her knees and with her head covered. A man must be in trousers, and without a headdress.

What should godparents have during christening?

To conduct the Sacrament of Baptism, a priest needs only a pectoral cross and a shirt, everything else is a tribute to tradition.

Most often godparents prepare:

These items are kept for life as a shrine. Kryzhma does not need to be washed: if the child gets sick, you can cover the baby with it so that it helps to recover sooner.

There are no strict rules about who prepares what for baptism. Different localities and parishes have their own traditions, and they may differ from each other. It is necessary to agree in advance who is responsible for what.

Parents of the child themselves can prepare everything necessary. Things sewn or knitted will keep the warmth of the hands and the love of the one who created them.

What else to consider before Baptism:

1. An important question concerns the cost of baptism. The Sacrament of Baptism, like all other Sacraments and rites of the Church, is performed free of charge. As a token of gratitude, you can donate a certain amount to the temple. Its size can be found at the parish or determined by yourself.
2. Usually a child is given a certificate of baptism, the names of the child and godparents are written in it, so their documents may be needed.
3. You need to find out if it is possible to photograph the process of Baptism, not all priests allow this.
4. The sacrament lasts long enough, the baby will need the usual care products.

Baptism procedure

Baptism takes place in the temple itself or in a special baptismal room, which can be a separate building. In fact, these are two separate Sacraments following one after another: Baptism and Chrismation.

The whole procedure lasts about 40 minutes. All this time, the baby is in the hands of the recipients, they give it to the priest when the ceremony requires it.

Godparents, who can be spiritual parents for boys or girls, can familiarize themselves with the Baptism scheme, to imagine how things will happen:

The next day, it is desirable for the child to receive communion for the first time.

The sacrament of Baptism is the first sacrament that a Christian receives. Without it, the beginning of a new life with Christ and in Christ is impossible, and, therefore, salvation is impossible. A newborn child has not yet done anything wrong, but he inherits the sinful nature of his first parents. He is already on his way to death.

During Baptism, in an incomprehensible way, a person is cleansed of sin, dies for it and is born again in purity, receives hope for salvation and eternal life. Perhaps this is only in conjunction with the Lord. The Church is called the body of Christ.

According to her wise dispensation, the Sacrament of Confirmation follows immediately after Baptism. A person receives the mysterious gifts of the Holy Spirit, which will act invisibly in him and strengthen him in his striving to live according to Christ.

Godparents, who can guide boys and girls on the path to eternal life, take responsibility for whether they move forward or stay put. The Sacrament of Baptism has so far only placed the child at the beginning of this road.

Is the magical, magical effect of Baptism possible without faith? The answer to this question is given by the Gospel: “According to your faith, let it be done to you” (Matt. 9:29). Where there is true faith, there is no need for superstition.

What to give to the godson or goddaughter?

A christening gift should carry a spiritual meaning, be useful for the further upbringing of a child in Orthodox traditions, and remind of the day of spiritual birth.

It can be:

Many interesting gifts are sold in church shops. It's not about the cost, but about the spiritual value of the subject.

Can a pregnant woman be a godmother?

There are no obstacles for a woman in the position of becoming a godmother.

It is necessary to assess whether she has enough love, kindness and opportunities for two children: her own unborn and adopted. From godparents, not only spiritual and prayerful help is required, but also effective, requiring strength and time.

Is it possible to refuse godparents?

A child cannot refuse such godparents. Godparents can change for the worse and stop fulfilling their duties in relation to the godson or goddaughter. In such cases, you need to teach the child to pray for their correction. This will be a lesson for him in Christian love and mercy.

If parents still need help in the spiritual upbringing of the child, you can find a pious church person and ask him to take on the duties of a godparent, but he still will not be considered a godparent. For such an agreement, it is necessary to obtain the blessing of a priest or confessor, if any.

Is it possible to baptize a child for a normal upbringing in the faith?

There is no such thing as rebaptism in the Orthodox Church. A person is not born twice either physically or spiritually, and Baptism is a spiritual birth in Christ.

In order for a child to be brought up in the Orthodox faith, the surrounding adults must live according to the canons of this faith and be an example in a pious Christian life.

The responsibility that falls on the godparents is great. Their mission goes beyond the limited time of earthly life. Godparents are those who can be guides for boys and girls to the Kingdom of God.

Article formatting: Vladimir the Great

Baptism video

What you need to know before baptizing a child: