Who can be godparents for boys and girls according to church rules, responsibilities and gifts

If you consider yourself a believer and profess Orthodoxy, your child must have godparents. However, not everyone can bear this honorary title. We tell you why godparents are needed, who can become a godparent, and who is strictly forbidden to participate in the baptism of a child.

• Why are godparents needed?
• Who can become a godfather
• Who should not become a godfather?

When should a baby be baptized?

The Orthodox Church does not set the age of baptism for 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 infants no earlier than 40 days from their birth. There is an explanation for this. His parents brought Jesus Christ 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 cleansing. 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 “mother and child,” so God’s help will not leave both of them, but the child’s full participation in church life will be possible only after baptism.

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

When the family decides to baptize their child, you still shouldn’t put off the most important event in his life for too long. There is another argument in favor of this decision: a baby at the age of 1-2 months is not yet attached to his mother and family, he is not frightened by strangers and extraneous sounds. Throughout the entire Sacrament, the godparents will hold the baby in their arms; an older child may resist this.

“Second parents” – who are they?

Baptism usually took place a few days after birth. Under no circumstances could the child's biological parents become godparents. This restriction has a practical meaning: if the real parents died, then the godparents had to take care of raising the orphan. In addition, in a similar way they indicated that a person is not only a biological, but also a social being - which means that spiritual ties are as important for him as blood ones. Through godparents, the child's first contact with society in a broad sense was established.

As a rule, neighbors of the family became godparents. If babies often died in this family, then they tried to take strangers and the first people they met as godparents. According to ancient traditions, these people were perceived as messengers from the other world. The fact is that in Rus' all members of the community took part in the event taking place in it. If a stranger accidentally joined them, he was seen as a representative of an unfamiliar space, which was identified with the otherworldly. The baptism of a child by the first person encountered was considered as transferring the child under the protection of the all-knowing and all-powerful forces that God sent down to the suffering family. Nepotism was on a par with consanguinity. Thus, godparents were obliged to always help their godson and his loved ones in difficult situations, as well as to celebrate church holidays or other significant events in the life of the family together.

Being a Christian sacrament, baptism was also accompanied by traditional practices associated with paganism. The path to church was considered dangerous and long, so on the way the godparents threw coins, bread and coals over their left shoulders. This was a sacrifice to the spirits who ruled the area and could get angry if they were not appeased with gifts. The godparents also brought gifts to the newborn. Typical gifts were a shirt, a belt and a cross - symbols of inclusion in the Christian and human worlds. Before bringing the child into the house when returning from church, an ax, knife and keys were placed on the threshold. These items were supposed to prevent hostile forces that could harm the child from entering the home.

Features of christenings for 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. It is impossible to expect conscious faith from infants. During the Sacrament of Baptism, they must take a vow of fidelity to God and renounce the forces of evil and sin.

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

Godparents have a special role in the spiritual education of a child. They make a promise to God to lead the godson through life in a Christian way, to raise 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 and for others. According to established tradition, a godfather and a 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 - for girls.

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

The meaning of the sacrament of baptism

Why is the sacrament of Baptism so important for Christians? The first reason is the need for rebirth of the human soul. For this, the child is immersed in water 3 times, turning to the holy trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It is believed that after physical death a baptized person will not die. If he knows all the commandments and adheres to them, then after his death he will come closer to God.

The second reason why Baptism is performed is salvation from dark forces, evil and unclean. For this purpose, a guardian angel will help a person throughout his life.

There are often situations when a child cannot find godparents. In such cases, a natural question arises: is it possible to perform the sacrament without them. After all, not every family has those in its inner circle who can be entrusted with the spiritual upbringing of the child. The Church gives several answers to this question. Let's look at each one in more detail.

Who cannot be among the godparents according to church rules?

For newborn boys and girls, before choosing adopters, it is necessary to know who can and cannot become them.

The priest will refuse to perform the Sacrament of Baptism if the following are chosen as recipients:

• representatives of other religions, pagans, atheists;
• the parents themselves;
• monastics;
• mentally ill and immoral people;

• drunk;
• young children.

Can godparents be husband and wife or become one in the future? There are no canons prohibiting this in Orthodoxy. In 2022, the Council of Bishops updated the permission for marriages of successors with the blessing of the diocesan bishop. Such permission existed before, but a tradition has developed to prohibit such marriages.

Who can be a godparent for a boy or girl?

The main criterion when choosing recipients is their belonging to Orthodoxy, as well as their church membership - the desire to live in accordance with Christian truths, fight sin, and correct themselves.

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

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

The Church allows one of the godparents to be of a different Christian faith - Catholic or Protestant, if there is no possibility of finding an Orthodox Christian in the family environment.

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

Age of majority is an optional but desirable condition. The responsibility that godparents take on in the face of God involves understanding the importance of the role of the godparent and understanding what spiritual mentoring is.

Requirements for godparents

Who can be godparents?

Godparents must be baptized in Orthodoxy and firmly believe in the Holy Trinity. They need to know basic prayers, read the Holy Gospel, and participate in church life. Unfortunately, these conditions are met less and less often. Godparents often don’t even know the “Creed” prayer and cannot read it without errors. Therefore, before Baptism, it is imperative to undergo public conversations. After this, confess and begin Holy Communion. Read at least one of the Gospels, learn the prayers: the Creed, “Our Father,” “Rejoice, Virgin Mary.”

Godparents can be both married and unmarried men and women (the rule assumes that spouses cannot be godparents for one child at the same time), as well as pregnant women. An Orthodox Christian who has reached the age of 14 can become a recipient; there is no upper age limit.

Who shouldn't be godparents?

A person professing another religion or an atheist cannot become a recipient. In other words, anyone who does not agree with the dogmas set out in the Orthodox Creed. And also monks who have rejected worldly life and devoted themselves to serving God are usually not allowed to play this role. Godparents must not be married to each other.

Can godparents be relatives of the child?

The child's relatives, including the closest ones, can be chosen to play the role of recipient. Except for the parents.

Before choosing one of your relatives as your child's adoptive parent, you need to think about this: a few years will pass and the child will grow up. Teenagers are not ready to discuss their problems with their closest relatives; this is the psychology of this age.

They are looking for an authoritative adult outside the family. A 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 in all previous years he took an active part in raising his godson, and they developed a trusting relationship.

From this point of view, choosing close relatives for the role of adoptive parents is not always the best solution.

Rules and tips for choosing godparents

It is right to choose church-going Orthodox Christians who will raise the child in faith and love for God, respect for people.

You need to answer the following questions:

• Who can you entrust the body and soul of a child to?
• Who will help raise him in faith?
• Who can you become spiritually related to?

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

Difficult choice

In addition to the fact that the biological parents of the newborn could not be godparents, there were many other restrictions. Spouses could not become godparents - for example, the child's aunt and uncle. This ban was associated with the fact that, according to Christian rules, relationships between godparents were supposed to be exclusively spiritual in nature. In traditional beliefs, the intimate relationship between two godparents was equated to incest. However, over time, such rules began to deviate more and more often. Nowadays, spouses becoming godparents are no longer uncommon. The changes were facilitated by the weakening of community ties. As a result, people had to rely more on family connections, and uncles and aunts (and sometimes even grandparents) actually turned out to be the closest relatives to a child after his real parents.

An adherent of another religion could not become the godfather of an Orthodox Christian - this rule is still in effect today. The restriction even applies to other “branches” of Christianity - Catholicism or Protestantism. In addition, godparents should not be people who have taken monastic vows. Due to their age, children cannot become godparents, although girls can take on this responsible mission after the age of 13, and boys after the age of 15. Ideally, a person should find both a godmother and a godfather. The godmother must come to the church for baptism, but the presence of the father is not necessary. If it is not possible to find two godparents, the church allows you to limit yourself to one person, a woman for a girl and a man for a boy.

How to choose godparents for a child if the parents are non-believers?

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

Atheists can be godparents for boys and girls

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 grown up, these children came to God consciously.

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

Their role increases many times over: only they can graft a branch onto the Tree of Life, cultivate 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 parents must have consent to baptism in order to avoid conflicts.

Who can be a child’s godfather: how to choose them

When choosing future godfathers, the attitude of strangers towards my child is of paramount importance. Here you cannot be guided by mercantile considerations and count on the wealth of the named father and mother or their high social status.

It is the godparents who are responsible for the spiritual development of the child. Who should be taken as parents in Christ, the church tells:

1. Not all Orthodox Christians know whether it is possible to baptize a child without godparents . On this issue, priests have disagreements regarding the canon; in our church I was allowed to perform such a ceremony without strangers. If this seems somehow unacceptable to you, invite your godfather to be your godfather. According to his purpose, he is obliged to lead the baptized to faith and obedience to God. And it certainly won’t teach your baby anything bad.
2. Siblings, siblings, cousins ​​can also baptize a child . They must be old enough, since now they will have to be responsible not only for themselves, but also for their ward. Grandmothers, grandfathers, aunts and uncles can also be participants in the ceremony, the main thing is that they are of the Orthodox faith. A child can also become a godfather, although it is unlikely that anyone will entrust such an important mission to a minor Christian.
3. Can a child have one godparent when mom and dad were unable to find a suitable match for him? Of course it can. After all, calling a person to be a godfather just to perform a ceremony is fundamentally wrong. Our priest allowed my colleague to hold the event under these conditions, having previously stipulated that the gender of the baby and the named parent must match.
4. whether it is possible to baptize a child with a pregnant godmother, often refusing the opportunity to become related to a good person precisely for this reason. When a woman feels great and there are no health problems, pleasant communication with the child and people around her does not threaten her. But pregnancy does not free her from her responsibilities to her godson.

Is it possible to baptize a child without godparents?

Sometimes life situations arise when a child needs to be baptized immediately, for example, if he is in danger of death. A priest can perform the Sacrament of baptism without recipients, so that he can 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 the parents spiritually raise the boy or girl. Churched parents can do this on their own.

In emergency situations, lay people can baptize a baby by saying the Baptismal Prayer. At the first opportunity, the priest will complete what he started, since the process of Baptism consists of several stages and ends with the Sacrament of Confirmation.

Is it possible to become a godfather at 14 years old?

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes.

Reader question:

Good afternoon Help me understand the situation. The other day I baptized my daughter. The baby is three months old. I chose her cousins ​​(my nephews) as godparents, because I know that they will always be there, help and support. They went through two preparatory conversations and received certificates that they could be godparents. We have set a day for this joyful event. But they chose a different temple, not the one in which the conversations took place, so that they could baptize on Sunday and not miss school. And in the chosen temple there is a separate room for christenings. I called the temple in advance and said that the conversations took place in another temple. There were no questions or problems. On the day of the christening we arrived at the temple with joy in our hearts. The whole family was gathered and eagerly awaited the Sacrament. But our baptism was immediately called into question, since my godmother turns 14 this year. According to them, godparents must be adults. I tried to convince them that we have no people dearer and more beloved than them. She is a responsible and mature girl, although she has not yet reached 18. They asked me: “Will she be able to give birth tomorrow? No! So she can’t become a godmother! Ask the priest for permission!” It was strange for me to hear this. I didn’t think there was an age limit in the Church. For the next forty minutes we were on pins and needles... waiting for the priest and his decision. He began the Sacrament with us and immediately raised the question of the godmother’s age. By the way, in the same temple I became godmother to my nephew at the age of 14. Then he asked our godfather if he had read the Creed yesterday. Our godfather answered honestly that no. Father considered this an important violation and addressed me with an ultimatum: either we baptize without a godfather, or we don’t baptize at all. A lump of tears gathered in my throat. We were so looking forward to this event! At that moment it was important for me that the baptism take place, and I agreed. The sacrament went well. Despite the whole situation, I was glad that my daughter was being baptized. After baptism, the priest looked up the name day for us and in honor of which Saint Mary my daughter is. And I honestly told him that my daughter was growing up without a dad and I really wanted her to have a godfather, and that I never expected that this could happen. To which he replied: “Let this be a lesson for him.” Yes, maybe he’s right in some ways. Sometimes you have to deprive something in order for a person to do the right thing. But if you think deeper, he did something bad to an innocent child. He deprived him of his godfather only because he did not pray. Four children were baptized that day. There were no questions for the rest, since the conversations took place in this temple. I’ll be honest, I still have a bad feeling in my soul, I even cried today. The nephew is also worried, because he so wanted to become a godfather. If everything were returned and I was given such a choice, I would reschedule the baptism to another day in our church. Our family still believes that Mashenka has a godfather. But from a church point of view, my daughter does not have a godfather. I have a question: can I turn to another priest so that he can name our chosen dad godfather? I will be very grateful to you for your answer. Thank you for listening to my long story.

Julia

Hegumen Andrey (Moroz) answers:

Dear Yulia! Please accept congratulations on the birth of your daughter and her spiritual birth in the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation. Everything you describe is a test of your faith. The positive side of the matter is that your nephews learned more about their Orthodox faith by taking courses for future godparents.

Every person is born thanks to a father and mother, but the presence of two parents is not necessary in the canonical practice of the Church when performing Baptism. Strictly speaking, the rules stipulate the presence of one godfather for the person being baptized. For a boy it is a man, for a girl it is a woman (Chapter 5 of the Nomocanon under the Great Breviary). Regarding the age of godparents, the age of the godparents is indeed required (17 years). In emergency situations, a fifteen-year-old is allowed to be a godfather, and a thirteen-year-old godmother (Edicts of the Holy Synod of 1836, V, 23; 1837, VIII, 27). The age limit when choosing adoptive children should not be the only concern of parents. The essence of church rules in the main requirements for godparents was expressed by our contemporary theologian, teacher and church publicist, professor of the Moscow Theological Academy, Archpriest Maxim Kozlov: “Godmothers and fathers, by participating in the Sacrament, take responsibility for the little member of the Church, so they must be Orthodox people. “Godparents, of course, should be a person who also has some experience of church life and will help the parents raise the baby in faith, piety and purity.”

What to do if you still want to have two godparents? You can go to another priest and ask him to bless your nephew to be your daughter’s godfather. The priest will probably ask about the circumstances of the story you described. Therefore, let your nephew memorize and understand the meaning of the Creed, the prayers “Our Father” and “Virgin Mother of God, Rejoice!”

I recently went to renew the contract at the local Gorgaz. The story was similar. No one bothered to explain and explain what I should consistently do, who I should bow to, who I should smile at. The employees of this important organization were nervous that I did not understand their abbreviations and “bird” words. Apparently we all have something in common. But what? Everyone has their own reasoning for this. I realized that this was a temptation.

An archive of all questions can be found here. If you do not find the question you are interested in, you can always ask it on our website.

Responsibilities of godparents

Godparents have serious responsibilities towards their godchildren in raising them in the traditions of the Orthodox Church:

• Prayer: pray for the child, and as he grows, teach him to pray, turn to God for help, and trust in Him.

• Doctrinal: teach the basics of Orthodoxy, read the Gospel and spiritual literature with him.
• Moral: become an example of life in Christ, be a source of love, mercy, kindness.

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

Now it becomes clear why choosing 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 can godparents prepare for the Great Sacrament?

For a churchgoer there is nothing special in preparation. Prayer, fasting, confession, communion, reading the Gospel - the ordinary life of a Christian. Each parish may have its own traditions, so it is worth checking with the church where the baptism will take place whether there are any special requirements for recipients.

In many parishes, so-called public meetings are held for those future godparents who are still little familiar 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 parish traditions that relate to baptism.

Godparents, who can serve as receivers from the font for boys and girls, so as not to approach holy responsibilities formally, must prepare themselves to participate in the upcoming Sacrament:

• read at least one Gospel;
• carefully study the Creed - it is read out loud during baptism;
• if possible, learn “Our Father” - one of the main Christian prayers;
• confess and receive communion.

Even if the priest does not require it, it is advisable to take such steps. The duties of godparents require involvement in 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 wear a skirt that covers her knees and cover her head. A man must wear trousers and no headdress.

What should godparents have during a christening?

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

Most often, godparents prepare:

1. Orthodox pectoral cross - a symbol of the cross on which Jesus Christ sacrificed himself. The child will wear it from the moment of baptism, so you need to choose a comfortable size and not traumatic. The length of the rope or chain also matters: if it’s long, a child can get entangled.

2. White baptismal shirt - the white color symbolizes the Transfiguration: Jesus Christ on Mount Tabor appeared before the disciples in the radiance of white light. The person being baptized is also transformed during the Sacrament, and the white shirt is a visible image of this transformation. She should dress easily.
3. A diaper or towel in which the baby is wrapped after immersion, the so-called kryzhma. She is also a symbol of a new, clean life.

These items are kept throughout life as a shrine. There is no need to wash the kryzhma: if a child gets sick, you can cover the baby with it so that it will help him recover faster.

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. You need to agree in advance who is responsible for what.

The child’s parents can prepare everything they need themselves. Things sewn or knitted will retain the warmth of the hands and 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 sign of gratitude, you can donate a certain amount to the temple. You can find out its size at the arrival or determine it yourself.
2. Usually the child is given a certificate of Baptism, the names of the child and his adoptive parents are written on it, so their documents may be needed.
3. You need to find out whether it is possible to photograph the Baptism process; not all priests allow this.
4. The sacrament lasts long enough, the baby will need ordinary 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 each other: Baptism and Confirmation.

The entire procedure lasts about 40 minutes. All this time the baby is in the arms of the recipients, they hand him over to the priest when the ritual requires it.

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

It is advisable to give the child communion for the first time the next day.

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 from sin, dies to it and is born again in purity, receiving hope for salvation and eternal life. This is possible only in connection with the Lord. The Body of Christ is called the Church.

According to its wise arrangement, 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 desire to live according to Christ.

Godparents, who can guide boys and girls on the path to eternal life, take responsibility for whether they go forward or stay put. The sacrament of Baptism so far only places 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, be it done to you” (Matthew 9:29). Where there is true faith, there is no need for superstition.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6Rc9Fk5a4g

Orthodox Life

Should a person be baptized in order to be saved - explains Archimandrite Sylvester (Stoichev).

Baptism of the Lord (fragment), second half of the 11th century. Athens, Daphne Monastery, Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

– Father, is Baptism the most ancient Sacrament?

– Baptism is mentioned more than once in the Holy Scriptures of the New Testament. The Savior commands his disciples, the apostles: “Go and teach all nations, baptizing in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). We must remember that the Bible initially speaks of the Baptism of John and that Christ received Baptism from John. The Holy Fathers distinguish between them. For example, one of the treatises of Patriarch Photius is devoted to this issue.

– Why is Baptism called the second birth? What happens during this Sacrament? How does rebirth occur?

– Baptism is called the second birth because it is a spiritual birth. We are all born physically, with the consequences of the fall of our ancestors, with what is commonly called ancestral defilement, or ancestral sin and original sin. In baptism we are born again, we are given the opportunity for spiritual life. This is spiritual birth. The Consequence of Holy Baptism speaks of death with Christ and resurrection with Him, and adoption as sons to God through Jesus Christ.

– They say that Baptism is the door that enters the Church of Christ and opens access to participation in other Sacraments, that is, without this Sacrament we cannot participate in others. Is it so?

- Absolutely right. It must be clarified that, on the one hand, Baptism is a Sacrament that introduces one into the Church, and, of course, other Sacraments cannot be performed if adoption and communion with the chosen people of God - the Christian Church - have not occurred. On the other hand, after the Sacrament of Baptism, the Sacrament of Confirmation is performed. And, strictly speaking, without this Sacrament no other Sacraments can be given. Can a baptized person, but not anointed, say, be a priest? Naturally not. In order to be introduced to all the other Sacraments, you also need to be anointed and receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

And in this regard, there are two church aspects: christological - entry into the Church, into the body of Christ, and pneumatological - the action of the Holy Spirit. Vladimir Lossky wrote about this in one of his works: “The Son and the Holy Spirit do the same thing on earth: They create the Church in which people are united with God.”

Epiphany. Fresco in the Cathedral of the Presentation of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God. Moscow Sretensky Monastery

We in the Church receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit. And the day of the founding of the Church is still considered to be the day of the descent of the Holy Spirit, and not any other preceding moment. There is an interesting text in Acts according to which the apostles meet certain people. Although they were baptized, they did not have the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Then the apostles laid hands on them (the laying on of hands is the oldest form of anointing) - and they received the Holy Spirit (Acts chapter 8).

Therefore, we must remember that to enter the Church, two Sacraments are necessary: ​​Baptism and Confirmation.

– In the early days, Baptism was performed exclusively on Easter. Is it true?

– And on other holidays too, for example, on the Nativity of Christ (Christmas and Epiphany were one holiday for a long time), on Pentecost. As a result, instead of the usual “Holy God” at the Liturgy, “Elites were baptized into Christ…” is sung.

– More about the traditions associated with the Sacrament of Baptism. You have to wear white, is that true? And why?

– This practice is associated with the idea of ​​forgiveness of sins, with the purification of a person. Accordingly, since ancient times white clothing has been used, in which the person being baptized was dressed.

– Who can’t become a godfather?

– A non-Orthodox Christian, i.e. a person who is not baptized or baptized in another denomination. The task of the recipients is to instruct in the Orthodox faith. It would be strange for a godparent to be a person professing a different faith.

– What if he is baptized, but does not participate in the Sacraments? That is, he was baptized as a child, but he does not live a church life?

– Ideally, the recipient should be a churchgoer. But these rules are not always followed. Often, unfortunately, godparents do not have the deepest knowledge in the field of Christian doctrine. But, thank God, in the Kyiv diocese, as far as I know, in many parishes catechetical conversations with godparents are held without fail. And it must be said that the majority of godparents (90-95%), having learned that the condition for participating in the Sacrament as a godparent is completing such a course in 5-10 conversations with a clergyman, as a rule, agree. This is encouraging.

– Are they baptized exclusively in church? Under what circumstances can you be baptized outside of church?

– According to tradition, people are baptized in the temple. You can be baptized in a river, in an open source. In exceptional conditions somewhere else. I know that in some dioceses of Ukraine there is a tradition of baptism at home. But I am not a supporter of this practice for one simple reason: Baptism is associated with the presence of things and objects that were used during the Sacrament - the same water. And in the temple there are special places for such items.

In houses and apartments it is almost impossible to do this without fear that the elementary reverent attitude towards such things will be violated. Well, you can’t pour water after Baptism into the garden or into the bathroom... Therefore, in my opinion, Baptism should be performed in the temple.

– In what cases can lay people baptize?

– Lay people can baptize in exceptional cases: when a person dies and there is no priest to perform it, for the fear of a mortal. If the person survives, the priest must supplement the rite with the necessary prayers and sacred rites.

– All paraphernalia that is associated with Baptism must be preserved throughout life: kryzhma, etc. Why do you need to do this?

– This is how we express a reverent attitude towards things connected with our path in the Church, with the stages of our church life. For example, monastics keep a candle, a cross, and a mantle, everything that was used during tonsure.

Interviewed by Natalya Goroshkova

What to give to a godson or goddaughter?

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

It can be:

• cross;
• icon;
• christening shirt and towel;
• Gospel and other spiritual literature;
• A silver spoon is a baby’s first spoon, a “tooth gift.”

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

Can a pregnant woman be a godmother?

There are no obstacles for a woman to become a godmother.

It is necessary to evaluate whether she has enough love, kindness and opportunities for two children: her unborn one and the adopted one. Not only spiritual and prayerful help is required from godparents, but also effective help, requiring strength and time.

Is it possible to refuse godparents?

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

If parents still need help in the spiritual upbringing of their child, they can find a pious, church-going person and ask him to take on the responsibilities 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 you have one.

Who should you not take as godparents to your child?

There is a whole category of people who cannot participate in the sacrament. On this matter, the priests of all churches are unanimous in their opinions and attitudes:

• A Catholic or Muslim, an atheist or a Buddhist cannot dedicate a baby to the faith of Christ. Since the main duty of godfathers remains to introduce the ward to the Orthodox canons, a representative of another concession is not suitable as a church mentor;
• It is not recommended to perform the ceremony if the godmother is having her period. This rule has been fixed in the minds of believers since the time when women did not have underwear and could dirty the floor in the temple. Now the abbots are more democratic in this regard, however, many women during this period are experiencing poor health, and they are physically unable to devote themselves entirely to the process of baptizing the baby. Therefore, it is better to first talk with the priest and godfather about whether it is possible to baptize a child during menstruation with the godmother.
• You cannot take your ex-husband as godparent to your child. The head of a family who has failed to improve relationships in his own home is unlikely to be able to teach the right things to your son. In addition, such a person will not fully fulfill his duties - various problems that often accompany divorce will interfere. This will be another psychological trauma for the child;
• a father or mother cannot be godparents to their child. This rule was established long ago, since it is the responsibility of all believers to spread God's word throughout the world. Moreover, in the event of the premature departure of the biological father and mother to another world, there will be no one to further introduce the offspring to the Christian faith and guide him on the righteous path;
• Priests also do not allow a married couple to be godmothers to one child. The husband and wife may separate in the future, and the godson will have to choose who to invite to his birthday or wedding. This will be difficult, especially if, as a result of the divorce, the former spouses did not maintain friendly relations. For the same reason, you should refuse to choose young people who are connected by close relationships and intend to start a family in the future;
• Priests do not have a consensus on whether it is possible to baptize a child by a godfather or mother. Some Orthodox abbots prohibit holding the sacrament between established relatives in Christ, others do not see anything wrong with this. For example, I asked our parish priest if the godfather could be my child’s godmother. Father answered in the affirmative, considering that she is a very pious woman, she treats my children well and we have been friends for decades;
• to become a godfather for several children or not - everyone decides for themselves. It must be remembered that this is a big load and lifelong responsibilities, so priests do not advise spreading yourself thin.

Is it possible to change godparents?

Sometimes parents want to change the godparents of the child's mother or father. I also turned to the priest about this when the named parents simply forgot about their youngest daughter, in fact, immediately after the ceremony. Unfortunately, the priest’s answer was categorical - this cannot be done.

For example, if you replace your mother, you get a stepmother; if you replace your godfather, you get a mentor and a mentor. Therefore, it is impossible to baptize a child with other godparents or change one of the godfathers; you can only pray for negligent relatives in Christ.

On a note! Famous icons with photos

Is it possible to baptize a child for 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 raised in the Orthodox faith, the adults around him must live according to the canons of this faith and be an example in a pious Christian life.

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

Article design: Vladimir the Great