The modern world is full of dangers, anxieties and difficulties that torment not only our flesh, but also our soul. Our spiritual world is subject to constant influence from the outside. To protect their children both spiritually and physically, Orthodox parents try to perform the sacrament of baptism in infancy.
Understanding the importance of the ritual, young parents approach the baptismal ceremony with all seriousness. Therefore, a number of questions related to the Sacrament often arise. One of the main ones is is it possible to baptize a child without godparents?
Baptism is one of the most important church sacraments, which can be performed even on an infant.
Godparents are the main figures in the sacrament of baptism
It is not difficult to answer the question asked if you understand the very concept and meaning of the sacrament of baptism. By performing baptism, a person not only converts to the Orthodox faith, but participates in the act of spiritual rebirth. Thus, just like at physical birth, the sacrament of baptism requires parents, who are godparents.
It is important to remember that spouses and couples cannot be godparents, since future godparents will be bound by a spiritual relationship that is not possible if there is another relationship between them.
To the question “how many godparents should a child have?” the answer will follow the same logic - in the Orthodox tradition it has developed to have two godparents. However, the church allows baptism without one of the godparents, if there is no person who is ready to take on the responsibilities of a godparent. In this case, it is better for the child to have a receiver of the same sex.
It is more important for girls to have a godmother
According to the church canon, a girl must have a godmother, and a boy must have a godfather. Although the church does not prohibit it if a boy has only a godmother, and a girl only a godfather.
The main thing is that none of the adoptive parents is a biological or adoptive parent. Therefore, answering the question: “Is it possible to baptize a boy without a godfather?”, the answer will be positive. True, the church will most likely insist on observing traditions.
It is more important for a boy to have a godfather
What you need to know about the ritual
Baptism is an important event in the life of a newly born child. At such a moment he joins the Church and becomes a Christian
The sacrament of baptism cleanses a person from original sin and allows God's grace to descend.
Age
According to church rules, a child is baptized on the 40th day after birth. At this age, the baby has not yet lost the intrauterine instinct to hold his breath in water and tolerates being immersed headlong in the baptismal font well. If it was not possible to baptize the child on the 40th day, you can perform the sacrament later.
The sooner a person is baptized, the sooner he comes under the protection of God. If a child was born weak and his life hangs by a thread, he can be baptized any day. To do this, you need to invite the priest to the hospital. True, instead of immersing the baby in water, they will simply sprinkle it with holy water.
How to choose a temple
If the parents are believers, they can baptize the child in the church where they attend services. When father and mother go to church only on holidays, they can go to the nearest parish and ask the priest to perform baptism. If for some reason parents do not like the clergyman, they can turn to any other temple. The main thing is that the church belongs to the Orthodox denomination.
When not to baptize
A child can be baptized on any day and in any month. True, each temple has its own rules. Before setting the day for christening, you need to go to the church and talk to the priest.
Price
According to church canons, the sacrament of baptism should be performed free of charge. However, this rule only applies if parents or godparents are experiencing financial difficulties and cannot pay for the ceremony. Each temple has its own price list, according to which payment is made for the services of the clergy. Typically a baptism costs $15-$50 (equivalent).
Conversation with the priest
Before the christening, parents and godparents need to talk with the priest. The conversation will help strengthen your faith. There is no need to prepare in any special way for a meeting with a clergyman.
Choice of godparents
According to established traditions, a child must have a godfather and a godmother. These people should not be spouses. Godparents are chosen from among friends or relatives. It is desirable that these are believers who observe all church rules and constantly attend church services.
Godparents are a kind of guarantors for raising a child. They must raise him as a Christian, teach him prayers, take him to first communion. Godparents must take care of the moral education of the godson, help him along the path of life, give instructions and advice.
Godparents are the spiritual mentors of the godson
When a child is baptized, godparents play important roles; they serve as the main mediators between the child and God. They read prayers during baptism, renouncing the devil for the child, accepting Christ and the Orthodox faith. That is why during the baptismal ceremony there cannot be “absentee godparents”; the physical presence of recipients is necessary.
Godparents take the main role in the baptism ceremony
Participation in the Sacrament is only one of the responsibilities of godparents. Becoming godparents, they must first of all participate in the spiritual life of the godson, educate him according to the Orthodox faith, instill virtues and encourage the performance of good deeds.
Godparents need to introduce their godchildren to the Sacraments of Confession and Communion, show how to pray correctly, explain how worship takes place, what its meaning is, tell about the saints and their lives, read spiritual literature together and much more. It is the godparents who should bring their godchildren to the temple, not the parents.
Godparents
must participate in the spiritual life of the child, raising them according to the Orthodox faith
Sometimes such a serious responsibility scares future adoptees, and some people think: is it possible to refuse to be a godmother or godfather? Whatever choice you make, the church will not condemn you.
However, it is worth remembering that a person is given tests from above and, if you have been chosen as godfather, no matter how difficult it may be, it is better to accept the offer and ask God for help. After all, perhaps because of your refusal, the child will not be baptized at all.
The rules state:
Clearly, life shows us that there is one religion, but different priests explain the question of the possibility of baptizing a child without godmothers and fathers in the same way. Some priests allow godparents to be recorded from the words of the baby’s mother and father. This can figuratively be called absentee christening. Other priests are confident that, according to the canons of the church, godparents who are not present at the Sacrament of Baptism cannot be considered such before God.
Therefore, if you want to baptize your baby, but the people you have chosen, for certain reasons, do not have the opportunity to attend the Sacrament of Baptism, and you do not want to choose others, or, in extreme cases, there is no one to call, then you definitely need to talk to the priest personally and clarify what to do in this situation. By the way, the priest himself can be a godparent.
How to choose godparents for your baby?
The main thing is that they must be baptized people, religious Christians belonging to the Orthodox Church
It is important that the condition for your choice of godparents is whether the chosen person will be able to help you in the future with good deeds, raise your child according to Christian customs, and also help in practical circumstances
And of course, important conditions should be the degree of your acquaintance with the prospective godparents and simply a good relationship between you. Think carefully about whether the godparents you choose can serve as church mentors for your child.
If one godfather is not present at the Sacrament of Baptism, is it possible to carry out the ceremony without his participation, while registering him as a godparent?
Before 1917, there was such a thing as “absentee godparents,” but it was practiced only in relation to the imperial families if, as a sign of their mercy, they agreed to be the godparents of a baby. If we are talking about a similar situation, only, of course, in the modern version, then you can do this, but if not, then it is better to proceed from the norms of practice that are common to all.
Is it possible to refuse godparents if the child has already been baptized? And is it possible to baptize a child in order to properly raise him in the Christian faith?
In no case should a child be rebaptized, since the Sacrament of Baptism occurs once, and the sins of godparents, biological parents, and even the baptized person himself do not cancel all the gifts that are given to the child in the Sacrament of Baptism.
As for a person’s communication with his godparents, of course, betrayal of faith, that is, a transition to another religion or a fall into atheism, as well as a non-Christian lifestyle, confirm that the person failed to fulfill the responsibility of a godfather.
Church canons and rules require compliance. The sacrament of baptism has been performed for centuries. Parents must preserve church traditions and prepare in advance for the baptism of their child. The most important thing is the choice of godparents, people who will take on the responsibility of spiritual education of the godson.
You can baptize a child with one godfather.
We advise you to study Prayers to Sergius of Radonezh for successfully passing the exam
According to spiritual rules, a baby can be baptized without one of the godparents. But it is desirable to have two mentors. There are no special requirements for them:
- Orthodox Christians,
- not necessarily married,
- not necessarily planning a marriage in the future,
- close relatives or just acquaintances
It is much more important that the desire to engage in the spiritual education of a child is not nominal, but real.
In a desperate situation, you can perform the sacrament of baptism without godparents
Parents try to perform the rite of baptism in infancy in order to protect the soul of the newborn. Usually the baptism of a child is a holiday for which parents and relatives prepare.
18 years
People who have reached this age can be chosen as godparents
The tradition of baptism is possible without a biological mother or without a father, but it requires the presence of at least one godfather. But there are times when it is urgent to baptize a baby due to a serious illness. So that, in the event of death, the soul of the baby rises to God.
If in such a situation it is impossible to find godparents, the church allows the sacrament to be performed without godparents. In this case, the priest himself, if he gives his consent, can take the role of godfather.
In a hopeless situation, even a layman has the right to baptize a baby by saying prayers and sprinkling the baby’s head three times with holy water. However, if the child recovers after baptism by a layman, the baptismal rite should be supplemented with Confirmation in the church.
In difficult situations, baptism can be performed at home
“You baptize, and then we’ll see...”
– What exactly do godparents need to do for this?
– According to the statutes of the Orthodox Church, according to ancient tradition, a boy is given a successor, and a girl is given a successor. Now, as a rule, each child has two godparents. And in some regions there are several pairs of godparents. But this is already a human addition - people simply want to become related to the family of the baptized baby. This has nothing in common with the Orthodox Christian tradition, and is not conditioned in any way from a spiritual point of view.
In general, in my opinion, the institution of godparenthood in our time is deeply and seriously profaned by its attitude towards the responsibilities of godparents. In many ways, the blame for this lies with us, the clergy. We do not pay enough attention to working with people who come to church with the desire to baptize a child.
By the way, in our Ioninsky monastery and in the monastery in the village of Neshcherov near Kiev, a conversation with parents and adoptive parents is mandatory. In Neshcherovo there are even several conversations - both with those being married and with those being baptized, and it is impossible to be baptized or get married until people have listened to the entire course.
Some priests say: “What courses! They only push away, people turn around and go to church to be baptized, where no one pays attention to it.”
Nothing like this. As experience shows, people get baptized and get married very willingly and advise their acquaintances - they say, in such and such a church they take the sacrament seriously, go and get baptized there.
We advise you to study Why do they kiss the hand of a priest?
The fault of the clergy that they do not work with the flock in this direction does not explain the tasks of their successors, and does not warn against hasty agreement to step on such a spiritually dangerous path. I truly believe that becoming a recipient is spiritually dangerous.
– Can you explain why?
– There are several aspects. Ideally, parents who themselves live a church life invite an Orthodox person to baptize their children. In this case, of course, it’s hardly worth refusing. Yes, this is a responsibility, but the risk of an unkind answer at the terrible judgment of Christ is significantly reduced. The father and mother are involved in upbringing themselves, and the godfather only helps - he gives spiritual literature, goes on pilgrimages together.
But when an Orthodox person is invited to be a recipient by non-church people, I always ask him to think very, very carefully. How close is this family to you, how loyal are the parents to Christianity, are they ready to give the opportunity to really participate in the upbringing of their child? In most cases, it turns out that they are not ready: “Well, you baptize, and then we’ll see...”
Therefore, you need to weigh everything carefully - after all, this is a great responsibility, you are vouching before God for this baby.
If, out of cowardice, or foolishness, or for some other reason - perhaps out of love for this family - a person agreed to become a godfather, and then they say to him: “Thank you, we don’t need your advice, we ourselves will raise our child in those traditions that we consider necessary,” in this case, the task of the recipient is to pray for the godson day and night, as much as he can. Remember at morning and evening prayers, submit notes for the Liturgy. Try to make up for the lack of physical communication with prayerful communication.
Unbaptized godchildren are not allowed
When choosing future adoptees, the child’s parents often refer to close friendship or kinship. Therefore, one of the frequent questions they ask is: can an unbaptized person become a godfather?
The answer lies in the very meaning of the sacrament of baptism. Can a person who has no concept of the Orthodox faith, who does not believe in God, who does not know church canons, traditions and sacraments, spiritually educate and instruct a future godson? The answer will be no.
Therefore, it is not reasonable to entrust the spiritual development and fate of a child to an unbaptized person. If the prospective godfather seriously intends to fulfill his duties and the duty of a godfather, and is ready to accept the Orthodox faith, then he should first be baptized.
godparents must be Orthodox Christians
The rules state:
Clearly, life shows us that there is one religion, but different priests explain the question of the possibility of baptizing a child without godmothers and fathers in the same way. Some priests allow godparents to be recorded from the words of the baby’s mother and father. This can figuratively be called absentee christening. Other priests are confident that, according to the canons of the church, godparents who are not present at the Sacrament of Baptism cannot be considered such before God.
Therefore, if you want to baptize your baby, but the people you have chosen, for certain reasons, do not have the opportunity to attend the Sacrament of Baptism, and you do not want to choose others, or, in extreme cases, there is no one to call, then you definitely need to talk to the priest personally and clarify what to do in this situation. By the way, the priest himself can be a godparent.
How to choose godparents for your baby?
The main thing is that they must be baptized people, religious Christians belonging to the Orthodox Church
It is important that the condition for your choice of godparents is whether the chosen person will be able to help you in the future with good deeds, raise your child according to Christian customs, and also help in practical circumstances
And of course, important conditions should be the degree of your acquaintance with the prospective godparents and simply a good relationship between you. Think carefully about whether the godparents you choose can serve as church mentors for your child.
If one godfather is not present at the Sacrament of Baptism, is it possible to carry out the ceremony without his participation, while registering him as a godparent?
Before 1917, there was such a thing as “absentee godparents,” but it was practiced only in relation to the imperial families if, as a sign of their mercy, they agreed to be the godparents of a baby. If we are talking about a similar situation, only, of course, in the modern version, then you can do this, but if not, then it is better to proceed from the norms of practice that are common to all.
Is it possible to refuse godparents if the child has already been baptized? And is it possible to baptize a child in order to properly raise him in the Christian faith?
In no case should a child be rebaptized, since the Sacrament of Baptism occurs once, and the sins of godparents, biological parents, and even the baptized person himself do not cancel all the gifts that are given to the child in the Sacrament of Baptism.
As for a person’s communication with his godparents, of course, betrayal of faith, that is, a transition to another religion or a fall into atheism, as well as a non-Christian lifestyle, confirm that the person failed to fulfill the responsibility of a godfather.
Church canons and rules require compliance. The sacrament of baptism has been performed for centuries. Parents must preserve church traditions and prepare in advance for the baptism of their child. The most important thing is the choice of godparents, people who will take on the responsibility of spiritual education of the godson.
You can baptize a child with one godfather.
According to spiritual rules, a baby can be baptized without one of the godparents. But it is desirable to have two mentors. There are no special requirements for them:
- Orthodox Christians,
- not necessarily married,
- not necessarily planning a marriage in the future,
- close relatives or just acquaintances
We advise you to study the Prayers of St. Francis
It is much more important that the desire to engage in the spiritual education of a child is not nominal, but real.
Baptism is rebirth, it is given to us only once in our lives
Another question that concerns parents: is it possible to rebaptize children, that is, baptize them a second time?
The sacrament of baptism is a detachment from the “old man” and rebirth into a new one, who takes the new path of the righteous, and his life will be in Christ. Baptism is likened to Jesus accepting the death of a martyr and resurrecting the Savior, so that after death our soul becomes immortal.
Just like the resurrection of Christ, rebirth can only happen once. By performing the rite of baptism, a person accepts Orthodoxy and becomes a member of the Church. Therefore, a person can only be baptized once in his life.
Baptism is a new birth that can be performed once in a lifetime
Moreover, the Orthodox Church accepts the baptism of other faiths if they have an institution of priesthood and similar rites. Similar denominations are Old Believers and Catholicism.
Christening gifts
Epiphany Day is the day of new birth in Christ. Therefore, on this day, a particularly appropriate gift for the newly baptized would be a gift with the image of the namesake patron saint. The icon will also be a wonderful christening gift from godparents.
An expensive cross can also be a gift for Baptism - the greatest shrine of an Orthodox person, a symbol of his faith in Christ and his protection. Choose a chain or leather cord that is long enough so that the cross can be hidden under clothing. In the Orthodox tradition, in Slavic lands, it is not customary to wear a cross on a short chain so that it is noticeable. Only Orthodox priests wear crosses over their clothes - but these are not body crosses, but pectoral (that is, “breast”, translated from Church Slavonic) crosses, which are given upon ordination to the priesthood.
It is important to remember that if you purchase a cross outside the church, you need to consecrate it by bringing it to church and asking the priest to consecrate it. It's free, or you can thank for the consecration with any amount
All Christians wear crosses of various shapes and from various materials. Particles of the Life-giving Cross, on which Christ Himself was crucified, are today in many churches around the world. Perhaps in your city there is a piece of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord, and you can venerate this great shrine. The cross is called Life-giving - creating and giving life, that is, having great power.
It does not matter what the cross is made of, different traditions have existed in different centuries, and today a cross can be made
- Made of metal or wood;
From threads or beads;
Be enamel or glass;
Most often they choose one that is comfortable to wear and durable - usually silver or gold crosses;
You can choose blackened silver crosses - they do not bear any special signs.
The Church recommends choosing crosses with the Crucifixion - that is, the figure of Christ and the inscription “Save and Preserve,” which usually appears on the reverse side. They are sold in temples.
When choosing a name for your child, use a special church calendar
Recently, it has become popular to name newborns with original and unusual names. At the same time, parents are not always guided by the church calendar to choose the name of the heavenly patron.
Therefore, during baptism, it may happen that the name given at birth will not be on the list of Orthodox saints. Then the baptism ceremony is performed under a different name, and the child will have two names. You can find a suitable name in a special church calendar - the calendar.
If the child's name is not in the list of Orthodox saints, it can be selected in the calendar
However, you should not resort to deliberately assigning a different name at baptism, as this may lead to some confusion in the child’s future life. When tonsured into a monastery, a person in adulthood is able to independently decide on a name change.
The sacrament of baptism is an important step in the beginning of a new existence.
It is important not to forget that baptism itself is not the achievement of an immortal soul and its salvation. Only following God's commandments, comprehending virtues and performing good deeds will help the soul ascend to God. And godparents are the main mentors and guides on this spiritual path.
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Description and stages of the procedure in the church
Baptism is the only rite that can be performed by clergy, laymen, and even women. An ordinary person can baptize a child or an adult in an emergency if he is dying. But for this you need to be a Christian and know the baptismal prayer. Before the sacrament, the child is undressed and carried into the temple in his arms, wrapped in swaddling clothes.
We recommend studying Psalm 26
Announcement
The first part of the sacrament takes place in the center of the temple. The priest reads prayers of prohibition over the baby, lays his right hand and asks the Lord to accept the baptized person under His protection.
Renunciation of the devil and union with Christ
The godparents renounce Satan in place of the child. Order of renunciation:
- stand facing west, with their backs to the altar;
- repeat the words of renunciation after the priest, blow and spit towards the unclean;
- turn their backs to Satan and face to the Lord - to the altar, to the East;
- read the “Creed” prayer.
The words of the prayer must be learned by heart in order to consciously swear an oath of allegiance to God.
Baptism
The priest blesses the oil and water in the font at the altar. Baptism sequence:
- anointing the baby with oil for the sake of strengthening in the fight against the unclean - on the arms, legs, ears and chest;
- three times immersion in water as a sign of the end of a sinful life and rebirth into a righteous one;
- the godfather or mother takes the child from the hands of the priest and wraps him in a towel - kryzhma, wipes him;
- the newly baptized person is dressed in baptismal clothing, signifying the purity of the soul.
The rite ends with the placement of a cross on the chest - the priest puts a cross on the child.
Confirmation
In the third part of the sacrament, the grace of the Holy Spirit, symbolized by myrrh, descends on the child.
How does the ceremony take place:
- with a brush dipped in myrrh, the priest places crosses on the child’s body and face - Seals of the gift of the Holy Spirit;
- godparents with a godson in their arms walk around the font three times;
- the priest wipes off the ointment from the newly baptized person, announcing baptism, washing and confirmation;
- The child is tonsured - the priest cuts off four strands of hair on each side of the head, molds them with wax and dips them into the water of the font.
The rite ends with a prayer for the godfather or mother, for the newly baptized person, mentioning the name of his patron saint. A special litany is also read. The stage finally ends the vacation.
Churching
After the fortieth day from birth, the ritual includes the rite of churching. The priest makes the sign of the cross as a child in the vestibule, in the center of the temple and in front of the Royal Doors.
Participle
For the first time after Baptism, the child receives communion on a separately designated day. Parents come to the end of the Liturgy, and the priest gives the newly baptized baby a glass of wine to drink from a teaspoon. The baby can be fed before communion. Older children should fast from midnight, just like adults.
Duration of the ritual
Baptism lasts on average 40 minutes. Individual and group rituals are held in the central temples. The sacrament in a group takes longer. Depending on the number in the queue, the ritual lasts about an hour. In rare cases, the sacrament is delayed for 2 hours.
