Baptism is a sacrament that makes a person a Christian forever. Even if he ever changes his faith, the grace of baptism still remains with him all his life. Since ancient times, there has been a tradition of conducting this sacrament with the participation of recipients who are responsible for the churching and righteousness of the convert’s entire future life.
In this regard, Orthodox Christians have a question: how many times can one person baptize a child?
Child baptism in church
Responsibilities of godparents
Responsibility for the godson rests with the godparents as soon as the decision was made to baptize the baby. They have few responsibilities, however, they are all very important:
- ensure that the child follows the righteous path;
- teach him the Orthodox faith;
- encourage regular church attendance;
- form the habit of praying and receiving communion;
- be a worthy example;
- teach the main Christian virtues;
- raise a real Christian.
The main task of godparents is to tell the child about the laws of God and teach him to live according to these inviolable rules. To do this, they themselves need to constantly improve themselves, read religious literature, acquire new knowledge, and then pass it on to their child.
Main responsibilities of godparents
Parenting details
Godfathers can take part in a church marriage without any obstacles. After all, they are not blood relatives. But in the future they should not baptize one baby.
Another question of interest to many is: is it possible for one person to baptize several children in one family? The answer is simple - it's up to you. Rely on whether you can handle this mission. But if you are asked for this task again, then you are a good godfather to their previous children.
The main tasks of godparents are:
- Be a child's teacher in life.
- An advisor in all matters and endeavors.
- A faithful and devoted friend.
If the godson is sick, then you need to pray for his health and involve your whole family in this ritual. It is worth asking the Lord for the house of an adopted daughter or son. You should take communion and attend church services together with your baby. It is necessary to help him live with faith in the church, talk about the existence of saints, and take care of his heirs in the future.
Each godson should be given attention not only on holidays.
An individual child requires certain words, his own special approach. If you can help your godchildren in a difficult situation and in life in general, then the Lord will definitely thank you. He will send you good luck and happiness.
Allowed number of godchildren
Often godparents are interested in how many godchildren they can take into their care. The Orthodox Church does not place any restrictions on this matter. If a person is not afraid to take responsibility for the spiritual upbringing of several children at once, one can become a recipient countless times. It is important to understand that for poor performance of their duties, the recipients will be responsible to the Almighty, and therefore the decision must be well thought out and balanced.
You can often hear the opinion that it is impossible to become a godmother or father a second time. Allegedly, after re-baptism, the first child is deprived of the protection of his spiritual parents. However, this is not so, because a person remains a mother or father, regardless of how many children he has given birth to.
There is a known case when one Georgian patriarch had about 30 thousand godchildren in his care.
Recipients are the main participants in the sacrament of Baptism
Manifestations of abuse
The following signs are typical for a toxic relationship:
- Jealousy. Any situations that involve communication with members of the opposite sex cause a scandal.
- Touchiness. The abuser plays the role of a misunderstood, insulted person, waiting for the victim to take the first steps towards reconciliation.
- Excessive control. A toxic partner interrogates the victim, demanding an account for every step.
- Pickiness. The abuser attaches importance to every little thing, inflating it to large proportions, which leads to attacks against the victim.
- Accusations. In any difficult situations, the abuser shifts responsibility to the victim.
- Mood swings. The emotional background of the abuser is unstable. Having splashed out negativity on the victim, he soon calms down. And the partner cannot recover for a long time after the conflict.
Allowed number of godparents
The exact opposite question is asked by the baby’s parents: how many adoptive children can one child have? Here the church answers unequivocally - a maximum of two (father and mother). In this case, it is allowed to choose one godfather, but only of the same gender as the baby. Sometimes a priest can become a spiritual parent for a child.
Since the baby cannot speak for himself, vows before the Lord are made on his behalf by his successors. They take him in their arms at the end of the ablution: the mother - a girl, the father - a boy.
Do planes fly to Ukraine now?
Most airlines continue to operate flights to Ukraine in February 2022. However, there are also those carriers that have temporarily suspended flights.
Rumors appeared in the media about the closure of Ukraine's air borders and the cancellation of flights. Today, the international airport in Kyiv continues to operate. Let us remind you that it is easier to get into the country by air than through the land border.
Due to the political situation, flights to Ukraine are not cancelled. Minor delays occur solely for technical reasons.
- Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, airBaltic, LOT will fly according to the schedule and follow the instructions of the authorities.
- Turkish Airlines will also fly to Ukraine, but has offered passengers on flights scheduled until the end of February (from 13 to 28) to reschedule their trips or receive a refund.
- KLM and Norwegian are temporarily suspending flights to Ukraine.
Who can't be godfather
The Sacrament of Baptism is carried out strictly according to church regulations and Orthodox dogmas. Thus, the church prohibits certain categories of people from becoming spiritual parents:
- unbaptized, atheists or people of other faiths;
- natural mother or father, adoptive parents;
- those suffering from alcohol or drug addiction;
- leading an unrighteous lifestyle;
- nuns or monks;
- those suffering from mental disorders or serious illnesses;
- to strangers;
- spouses.
Having become godparents, a man and a woman cannot get married in the future, since the godparents are responsible for the spiritual development of their ward and there should be nothing worldly between them.
Author's advice
Sometimes you can come across a myth that unmarried or pregnant women cannot be receptive. The Church denies such superstition, since the main rule for godparents is to be churchgoers, live according to Orthodox canons and know the Holy Scriptures.
As for the age at which one is allowed to become spiritual parents, there are two thresholds:
- boys - from 15 years old;
- girls - from 14 years old.
Baptism kit for a child from spiritual parents
Life story
Olga, 37, claims that she has learned to see the benefits in her marriage, although previously her husband seemed controlling and authoritarian to her. The woman understands that the other side of this behavior is his concern for the well-being of the chosen one. Difficult and boring responsibilities, such as enrolling a child in kindergarten or filling out documents, are taken on by the husband. Olga works as a designer and contributes well to the family budget. But the decision about what and when to buy is made by the spouse.
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The woman met her future husband when she was 18. Olga’s parents divorced a long time ago. Mom was busy organizing her personal life. The girl was deprived of parental love. But the future husband compensated for this lack. He provided for Olga when she studied at the university. After maternity leave, the woman decided to change her profession and become a designer. The husband supported his wife’s decision and helped financially. Olga says that her chosen one has always been a support and protector for her. However, he actively interferes in his wife’s life and controls his wife’s social circle. Olga believes that this is payment for the benefits that she receives in marriage. The woman learned to adapt to the situation and use cunning. For example, seeing a good couch or coat in a store, she invites her husband to buy the item. The husband refuses. And as a rule, such a choice is not related at all to the price, but to the fact that the husband simply wants to make the decision himself. Olga does not argue with him. But after a while, as if by chance, he remembers that the coat was of high quality. As a result, the husband agrees to buy the thing that Olga liked.
Prayers for children and godchildren
The prayer book contains many prayers concerning children and godchildren:
God, our merciful and heavenly Father! Have mercy on our children (names) and our godchildren (names), for whom we humbly pray to You and whom we entrust to Your care and protection. Put strong faith in them, teach them to revere You and deign them to deeply love You, our Creator and Savior. Guide them, God, on the path of truth and goodness, so that they do everything for the glory of Your name. Teach them to live piously and virtuously, to be good Christians and useful people. Give them mental and physical health and success in their work. Deliver them from the cunning machinations of the devil, from numerous temptations, from evil passions and from all wicked and disorderly people. For the sake of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, through the prayers of His Most Pure Mother and all the saints, lead them to the quiet haven of Your eternal Kingdom, so that they, along with all the righteous, will always thank You with Your only begotten Son and Your life-giving Spirit. Amen.
Lord Jesus Christ, our God, in the Jordan you deigned to be baptized by John and commanded us to be baptized for the remission of sins, have mercy and save the child (name), whom I received from the font. Grant him undoubted faith, love for You, our Savior and his neighbor. Guide him yourself along the path of salvation, so that when he passes into perfect age, he will be granted spiritual gifts, good physical health will be preserved, and the Kingdom of Heaven in the soul (name) may grow from the pea grain into a blessed-leaved tree and bear good fruit to the glory of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
O Most Holy Lady Virgin Theotokos, save and preserve under Your shelter my children (names), all youths, young women and infants, baptized and nameless and carried in their mother’s womb. Cover them with the robe of Your motherhood, keep them in the fear of God and in obedience to their parents, beg my Lord and Your Son to grant them what is useful for their salvation. I entrust them to Your maternal supervision, for You are the Divine Protection of Your servants.
Prayer for the godchildren of Father John
The baptism of a child is impossible without spiritual parents, who, along with biological ones, are responsible for the future fate of the baby. On their shoulders rests the spiritual development of their ward and his introduction to Orthodox traditions.
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How does the baptism ceremony take place?
An adult must have a conversation with a priest before baptism. A person must also remember all his grave sins and renounce them.
Before the start of the ritual, the rite of announcement is performed and a prayer is said to prohibit unclean spirits. The priest asks the question: “Are you compatible with Christ?” To which you need to answer: “I combine.” Next, read the Creed.
Then the sacrament of Baptism itself begins. During it, the child is immersed three times in consecrated water and puts on a white shirt, which is a symbol of new life with Christ in the light. A pectoral cross is put on, which must be worn throughout your life. The baptismal shirt is kept. After baptism, the newly baptized person is confirmed and receives first communion.
Horizontals
(isohypses), used to represent landforms in topography, are lines of equal elevations on a map or plan. The relief forms of the earth's surface are conveyed by all the horizontal lines drawn on a sheet of a map or plan in the aggregate.
On maps and plans
horizontal lines are the main way to depict the relief of the earth's surface. To convey the full variety of relief forms, horizontal lines are combined with conventional signs: individual relief forms (rocks, screes, cliffs, karst sinkholes, etc.); elevation marks of characteristic points of the area; contour lines inscriptions; inscriptions of relative heights and depths of positive and negative landforms; indicators of the direction of the slopes (berg strokes). On small-scale maps, relief shading and hypsometric coloring are additionally used.
Apply
the following types of contour lines.
When creating each sheet of maps and plans, the value of the height of the relief section is set, in accordance with which contour lines will be drawn on this sheet. Horizontal lines spaced from one another by the accepted value of the height of the relief section are called basic
.
If the height of the relief section is expressed in whole meters, then every fifth main horizontal line is displayed as a thick line. These horizontal lines are also called thick
.
If the height of the relief section is tenths of a meter, then every fourth main horizontal line is displayed as thick. Relief details that are not expressed by the main contours are displayed by additional
contours drawn through half the accepted value of the height of the relief section.
Additional horizontals are also called half-horizontals
.
Relief forms that are not expressed by the main and additional contours are displayed using auxiliary
contours, which are drawn at heights that provide the best display of these forms. Auxiliary contour lines are not signed and are drawn only in those areas of the map or plans where they are needed (construction of response contour lines is not required).
For comfort
The following is provided for the use of contour lines when reading the relief on a map or plan. The values of contour heights are written in places where there is little data to quickly determine them. The inscription is placed in a horizontal break, in a place convenient for reading, so that the top of the number faces toward the higher relief. If the value of the horizontal height is whole meters, then the number in the inscription contains only whole meters. If the horizontal height value contains tenths of a meter, then the number in the inscription is given with tenths of a meter. In places that are difficult to read the relief, when displaying peaks, basins, saddles and areas with small slopes, berg strokes are used to indicate the direction of the slopes (lowering of the relief). They are placed on horizontal lines on the side of the lower relief.
Usage
contour lines makes it possible to determine the absolute and relative heights of points, the steepness of slopes, mutual visibility of points, and build terrain profiles.
Sources and additional materials:
- slovopedia.com—horizontals (definition);
- GOST 22268-76. Geodesy. Terms and Definitions. - M.: Stroyizdat, 1981. - P. 32.
- Kuzmin B.S., Gerasimov F.Ya., Molokanov V.M. et al. Concise topographic-geodetic dictionary. - M.: Nedra, 1979. - P. 58-59.
