Baptism is one of the most ancient church rites, which has a long history. In accordance with established traditions, the church charter provides for certain rules for the baptism of boys, and spells out the responsibilities of the priest, godmother and other participants in the ceremony during this ceremony.

We will talk about how this sacrament of baptism of boys takes place, what you need to know about the peculiarities of its performance by the child’s godmother and much more.

Most often, young children are baptized on the 40th day after birth. This tradition developed back in the Old Testament church, when on the 40th day a child was brought to the temple.

This ritual in Orthodox churches is carried out on all days of the week (usually on Saturday), at any time of the year, including in winter, because the water in the font is warm, and children do not catch a cold after baptism. Anyone who is not indifferent to the fate of the baby can be present when the sacrament is performed.

According to the church rules established at the baptism of boys, it is not at all necessary that he have two godparents. One is enough: a godfather for girls and a godfather for boys. If you have been invited to become the godmother of your friend's or relative's son, you will have to perform a number of responsibilities along with the godfather.

The godfather pays for the ceremony in the temple and the purchase of food for the festive table, which is set after the christening. The child will also need a pectoral cross, which one of the godparents can give him.

The responsibilities of the godmother regarding the baptism of the boy are that she buys the baby a baptismal outfit - a shirt and a beautiful cap with ribbons and lace. The shirt should be comfortable and easy to put on and take off. It is preferable to use clothes made from natural materials that absorb moisture well and do not irritate the baby’s skin.

Also, in order to receive a child from the hands of the priest after the font, you will need a white towel - kryzhma.

All these things can be bought at the church store. In the old days, they were embroidered with your own hands, and if you master this art, you can embroider on these products. According to tradition, after christening they are no longer used for their intended purpose, but are kept throughout a person’s life as a talisman protecting him from troubles and illnesses.

What should a godmother do during the baptism ceremony of a boy?

On the eve of this ceremony, she should fast for several days, and then confess and receive communion in the temple.

Also, the godmother will need to know certain prayers by heart (“Creed”, etc.). They are read before baptism, during the rite of announcement, when the priest pronounces prohibitory prayers directed against Satan.

The words sound: “Cast out from him every evil and unclean spirit hidden and nesting in his heart...”. The godparents read answering prayers on behalf of the child, renouncing the unclean spirit and promising to remain faithful to the Lord.

Then the priest blesses the water, takes the baby in his arms and dips him into the font three times, reading prayers. After this, a cross is put on the baby and his face, chest, arms and legs are anointed with the sacred myrrh, while the corresponding prayers are read.

Finally, the godparents carry the child around the font three times, which symbolizes the eternal life ahead of him in Christ. The priest washes off the myrrh and wipes the child with a towel, and then cuts off strands of the child’s hair as a sign of dedication.

As for the rules for the baptism of boys, they are practically the same as for girls, with the difference that girls are not brought to the altar during this sacrament. At the end of the ritual, the child is applied to one of the icons of the Savior, as well as to the icon of the Mother of God.

The duties of the godmother when performing the rite of baptism of a boy are to hold the child in her arms during this sacrament until immersion in the font. Then all the ritual actions are performed by the godfather, the godmother should only help him if necessary.

During this ceremony, she must maintain emotional contact with the child, and be able to calm the baby down if he cries.

The whole ceremony lasts from half an hour to an hour and a half (depending on how many children are baptized in the church that day). In order not to get tired, the godmother should not wear high-heeled shoes. In addition, her clothes should be modest: trousers, dresses with a deep neckline and cutouts, and short skirts are not suitable for this.

According to tradition, a woman's head in an Orthodox church should be covered with a scarf. Also, the godmother, like the rest of those present at this ceremony, must wear a pectoral cross.

What else does a godmother need to know when baptizing a boy? During this sacrament he is given a Christian name. Previously, children were baptized, choosing their names according to the Saints. This can be done today, but only at the request of the parents.

Also, according to Orthodox rules adopted for the baptism of boys, you can choose a consonant name for the child (for example, Robert - Rodion). Sometimes they give the name of a saint whose commemoration day falls on the day of baptism (for example, January 14 - Basil the Great).

The duties of a godmother performed during a boy’s christening may include coordinating this and other organizational issues. So that it stays good memory about this event, you can arrange photo or video shooting at the christening.

If you decide to hire a photographer, find out in advance whether it is possible to take pictures in the temple using flash. As a rule, there is no ban on filming in churches, but some parishes still have restrictions.

After the ceremony in the church, the child's parents serve festive table, and the godmother can help them with this.

You should not have a lavish feast with alcoholic drinks on this day, because baptism is a church holiday. It is better to organize a small celebration only for close people. You can serve ritual dishes at the table - porridge, pancakes, pies, as well as sweets - so that the boy’s life is sweet.

What else should a godmother remember in connection with the baptism of a boy? Now she takes spiritual responsibility for the baby, and will have to take part in his life along with blood relatives.

Godparents, who are responsible for the new church member before God, will have to instruct the godson in the faith: talk with him on religious topics, take him to communion, and also set an example of behavior and give him advice in various life situations.

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

The Sacrament of Baptism: answers to readers' questions

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

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

What is Baptism? Why is it called a Sacrament?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

When should children be baptized?

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

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

Is it possible to baptize children during fasting days?

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

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

How many godparents should a child have?

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

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

What are the requirements for godparents?

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

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

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

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

Some details of baptism include the following question:

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

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

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

How can future godparents prepare for baptism?

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

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

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

Sometimes you hear a purely technical question related to baptism:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Orthodox believe in the Trinity of God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 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 kind of pagan belief regarding baptism itself. But this is a separate issue and I will touch on it later.

A very common question about receivers is:

Can spouses or those about to get married become godparents?

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

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

Can people living in a civil marriage become recipients?

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

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

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

The topic of gender relations is always very pressing in all areas of human life. It goes without saying that this results in 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 should the daughter marry her own father? Quite obviously not. Of course, church canons cannot allow this to happen.

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

Can relatives become godparents?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sometimes people ask this question:

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

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

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

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

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

Sometimes you hear questions from parishioners about the following:

How many times can a person become a godfather?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Many people will probably be interested in this question:

At what age can you become a foster child?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And here's another one interest Ask periodically asked by people:

When is there no need for godparents?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Another strange thought that I have heard more than once:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Christening is a fateful event for every child and parents. This is the acquisition of spiritual peace, integrity of spirit, God's reliable protection of a person. In addition, the baby has second parents who are always ready to provide help and assistance. The responsibilities 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 to superficially follow the traditions of Orthodoxy. It is imperative to choose a suitable candidate with faith in your heart and full responsibility. This could be a relative or friend, not necessarily married, but a believer and an exemplary one. If she is not baptized, it is important to be baptized before the fateful day for the baby and be sure to receive communion.

Responsibilities of a Godmother

You should not conduct an interview or casting for the role of second parents. You just need to draw a conclusion about the attitude of the applicants towards God, the people around them and all living things. If the baby’s mother thinks that godparents should only buy a cross and a kryzhma, and then participate in the church sacrament, and that’s where participation in the fate of the new person ends, then she is very mistaken. Spiritual education and development of a child is what a godmother should be able to do throughout her life. In this case we are talking about the following responsibilities of godparents:

1. Be with the child all the time, help in difficult situations.
2. Teach prayers and simply talk about God, his role in the life of every person, and attend church together.
3. Every year, congratulate you on your birthday and give gifts on Angel’s Day.
4. Take communion regularly, involve your godson/goddaughter in the ritual.

How many times can you be a godfather?

Every Orthodox person can take part in this church rite, an unlimited number of times, if the child’s parents request it. A truthful and informed decision is welcome. Another important question, worried before the sacrament, who can be godparents, according to church scripture? All believing relatives and friends can take on responsibilities, for example, an older brother, sister, girlfriend, friend, grandfather, grandmother, even stepfather. Cannot be godparents:

• non-believers;
• church ministers;
• people of other faiths;
• unbaptized;
• mentally unstable people;
• biological parents.

Baptism of a child - rules for the godmother

The baptismal towel and clothes are made or purchased by the future godmother, and this is an obligatory stage of preparation for the upcoming sacrament. In addition, a woman must first receive communion and confession; on the day of christening, she must have a cross on her chest. There are other rules for baptizing a child in Orthodox Church, which are important to include in the ritual.

Girl's christening - rules for the godmother

It is important for a girl to have a spiritual mother, since she is the first one, after the child’s mother and father, to be responsible for him. It is one thing to baptize a baby, and quite another to become a support, support, and spiritual mentor in life for a growing person. The responsibilities of the godmother at the baptism of a girl are as follows:

1. Before the sacrament begins, read the prayers for the child by heart, among them the “Creed.”
2. Wear a modest long dress for the christening and tie a scarf around your head.
3. Take your goddaughter in your arms after immersion in the font, dress her in clothes white.
4. Hold your goddaughter in your arms while passing around the font behind the priests, while reading prayers, and the procession of anointing.

Boy's christening - rules for godmother

During the christening of a boy, an important role is played not only by the godmother, but also by the father, who in the future will provide him with spiritual support in everything. The main responsibilities of the godmother during the baptism of a boy are identical, as during the church ceremony of a girl. The only difference is this: after immersion in the font, the baby is picked up by the godfather; 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 out loud three times the prayer “Creed”, “Our Father”, “Hail to the Virgin Mary”, “Heavenly King”, answer honestly several traditional questions about faith. Each prayer for godparents at baptism gives a powerful energy charge and helps the child receive grace.

What do you give a girl at christening?

What should the godmother do after the completion of the sacrament? Buy and present your godson or goddaughter with a memorable gift. This is where the problem arises with choosing a suitable present. So what does the godmother give to a girl’s christening?

• silver or gold cross;
• icon of God;
• personalized icon Guardian Angel;
• silver spoon.

What does the godmother buy for a boy's christening?

For future men, there are also certain requirements for gifts. This one needs to know what is needed for a boy’s christening, so as not to be taken by surprise during the sacrament. Here's what a second mom should do:

• buy a white vest, blanket, towel;
• present a Bible, a personal icon as a gift;
• make another memorable present.

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 signs about why godparents are needed. This is what a godmother must do last day life:

1. Pray for your godson every day, ask God for a bright path for him.
2. Attend church with him, take communion, confess.
3. Participate in spiritual formation, growth and development.
4. Become a role model in his mind.
5. Take full responsibility for the baby if the blood parents die.

Video: what godparents need to know before baptism

", published by the Sretensky Monastery Publishing House, provides in an accessible form the initial knowledge necessary for those who are preparing for the Sacrament of Baptism or are just beginning to live Orthodox life. The book presents the main provisions of our faith, talks about the Sacraments, the commandments of God and prayer.

When I have to baptize an adult, most often I perform the sacrament of Baptism without godparents. Because godparents, or godparents, are necessarily needed only for children. When an adult is baptized, he himself can say that he believes in the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior and wants to accept Holy Baptism in order to save his soul. He himself can answer the priest’s questions and promise fidelity to Christ. Of course, it’s good when there is an Orthodox Christian next to the adult being baptized. church man, who can become his successor and help him take his first steps in the temple, will teach him the basics of faith. But I repeat, for an adult it is not necessary to have godparents.

Why are receivers needed at all? Godparents are those people who, due to the minority of their godchildren, make vows of Holy Baptism for them, a promise of fidelity to God. For their spiritual children, they renounce Satan, unite with Christ and confess their faith, reading the Creed for them. We baptize most people in infancy, that is, at an age when the child does not yet have conscious faith and cannot answer how he believes. His godparents do this for him. We baptize children according to the faith of their recipients and according to the faith of their parents as the closest people. Therefore, both bear a huge responsibility. Godparents are not just family friends, they are not some kind of “wedding generals” standing at the sacrament with an “Honorary Witness” ribbon, as happens at weddings. No, godparents are very responsible persons; they become guarantors before God for the souls of their godchildren. At the moment of baptism, together with their parents, in front of the Cross and the Gospel lying on a lectern, they make a promise to God Himself. What promise? That they will make every effort so that the newly baptized baby grows up to be a believer, an Orthodox person. Their duty now is to pray for their spiritual children, teach them prayers, instruct them in the Orthodox faith and take them to church to receive communion, and then, after seven years, to confess. So that when their godson reaches adulthood, he already knows how to pray to God, knows what we believe in and why we go to church. Of course, the greatest responsibility for the Christian upbringing of children lies with the parents, but godparents can also greatly influence their godchildren and become their spiritual teachers and mentors.

Many parents approach the Baptism of their children quite formally and choose godparents in the same formal manner.

Now a little about the sad things. Most modern godparents are very poorly prepared. Unfortunately, many parents approach the sacrament of Baptism of their children completely formally and choose godparents in the same formal manner. After all, a godfather should not just be a good man, communication with whom we enjoy, our friend or relative - he must be an Orthodox person, churchgoer and knowledgeable of his faith. How can we teach someone the basics of faith if we ourselves don’t even know the basics, haven’t read the Gospel, don’t know prayers? Indeed, in any field, if a person knows something well, for example, knows how to drive a car, work on a computer, solve mathematical problems, do repairs, he can teach this to others, pass on his knowledge. And if he himself knows nothing in this area, who can he teach?

If you are godparents and feel a lack of knowledge in the spiritual field (and none of us can say that he has fully studied the Orthodox faith, for it is an inexhaustible reservoir of spiritual wisdom), it is necessary to fill this gap. You need to educate yourself. Believe me, there is nothing complicated about this, especially now, when no one forbids us to read any spiritual literature and when books, brochures, and CDs telling about the Orthodox faith are sold in all churches and bookstores. The Lord reveals himself to everyone who turns to Him, at any age. My grandfather received Baptism at the age of 70 and then mastered the basics of the Orthodox faith so well that he could even teach and mentor others.

You need to start spiritual education with the very beginning, basic books, such as “The Law of God”, “First Steps in an Orthodox Church” and others. You definitely need to read the Gospel; you can start with the “Gospel of Mark”, it is the shortest, only 16 chapters, and was written specifically for new pagan Christians.

The godfather must live according to the commandments of God, pray to God and receive communion

The recipient must know the Creed and read it at baptism; this prayer book briefly outlines the Orthodox faith, and the godfather must know what he believes. And of course, the godfather must live according to God’s commandments, pray to God and receive communion. According to church canons, a child is entitled to one godfather, of the same gender as the person being baptized, but our Russian tradition presupposes two godparents - a man and a woman. They must not be married to each other. Godparents then cannot marry or marry their godchildren. The child's father and mother cannot be his godparents, but other relatives: grandparents, uncles and aunts, brothers and sisters may well become godparents. Recipients, preparing for the sacrament of Baptism, must confess and partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ.

A newborn baby is usually baptized on the 40th day of birth, but the church does not provide for a specific timing. It is quite possible that this is due to the fact that a woman cannot visit the temple in the first 40 days after giving birth, since she has not yet gained strength. There are no time limits, so the baby can be introduced to the cross at any time. Even doctors recommend that babies who were born unhealthy be baptized as early as possible so that they are protected by the Lord and their guardian angel.

The two main conditions for union with the Lord are repentance and faith. Of course, an infant is unable to do any of them. That is why the little man needs people who will lead him to God with their faith. They are called godparents.

Only Orthodox Christians who are aware of their own faith can be godparents for a child. The Trebnik states that for baptism one godfather is enough: a godfather for a boy and a godmother for a girl. However, customs dictate different rules, so a child often has both a godfather and a godmother (sometimes more than one pair).

Godmother and her role in the life of a child

First, you need to decide who can become the baby’s godmother. The Church does not allow nuns, his parents, or a married couple to lead a child into the cross. Baptism without recipients is also allowed. In this case, the priest himself will become the baby’s godfather and will perform the ceremony. The opinion that if the godmother is pregnant, then it is impossible to take her as a godmother is erroneous.

The duties of the godmother include knowledge of the Creed, which will need to be read at a certain point in the ritual, and familiarization with the answers to the questions asked by the priest (about the godmother’s renunciation of Satan, about union with Christ). Also, the duties of the godmother at baptism include holding the child in her arms during the ceremony. Only after dipping the baby into the font three times can he end up in the hands of his godfather, but on the condition that the baby is a boy. If you have been invited to be a godmother, go before committing this sacrament to church, talk to the priest who will answer all your questions. In general, there is no specific list of what a godmother should know and do to introduce a child to the cross. However, when the child reaches conscious age, the godmother will have to explain to him the basic tenets of Orthodoxy. Until the end of her life, she must pray for her godson, since the godmother’s prayer is intercession for her “ward” before God. She offers God her own faith, heart, confession and love. If the godmother does not have this, then you should not expect the best from the godson.

Sometimes it happens that the woman chosen by the parents does not properly fulfill her duties, then the question arises as to whether it is possible to change the godmother of the child. The Church usually opposes such changes, but if the situation is really difficult, then the priest can bless help in raising a child and another worthy Christian. But the rite of rebaptism is a taboo!

Getting ready for a christening

Before going to church, the future godmother should worry about her appearance. It is unnecessary to remind you that clothes for a godmother should be modest (pants are not allowed!), but in a hurry you can forget the scarf.

Regardless of what the godmother gives to her godson as the main gift, she must bring a pectoral cross to church, which the priest will put on the baby’s neck.