In chapter Family, Home, Children to the question Can Native sister to be a godmother? given by the author User deleted the best answer is when I baptized my child, the priest explained to us this way: “Godparents, understand all the importance placed on you! Godmother is not just close person- this is a person who takes responsibility, if something happens, to become a natural parent to his godson!" in general, something like that. so choose with intention.... anything can happen in life....

Answer from Atomic LEDA[guru]
A sister can be a godmother, but the age requirement is 16 years or older, so that she understands what she is doing))

Answer from Dreamcz[guru]
must not only be an adult, but also understand what it is! Being a godmother means taking responsibility for the spiritual upbringing of a child.

Answer from Natalia Motyakova[guru]
A 5-year-old girl cannot become a godmother, because the godfather and godmother are responsible for the spiritual development of the godson(s), then how will she be able to keep small child on hands??? It is necessary that godparents be adults, baptized people, a sister, just like a brother can be a child’s godmother!!!

Answer from Maxim[guru]
Only an adult, in my opinion you should take only relatives as godparents, sooner or later your friends will run away, but your relatives will remain, which means there will be a child with gifts))

Answer from User deleted[guru]
of course it can...

Answer from Maral[guru]
Ask Father!

Answer from User deleted[guru]
Of course it can, if age allows...

Answer from 2 answers[guru]

Godparents: who can become a godparent? What do godmothers and godfathers need to know? How many godchildren can you have? The answers are in the article!

Briefly:

• The godfather, or godfather, must be Orthodox Christian. A godfather cannot be a Catholic, a Muslim, or a very good atheist, because main responsibility godfather - to help the child grow in the Orthodox faith.
• There must be a godfather church man , ready to regularly take his godson to church and monitor his Christian upbringing.
• After baptism has been performed, godfather cannot be changed, but if the godfather has changed greatly for the worse, the godson and his family should pray for him.
• Pregnant and unmarried women CAN to be godparents of both boys and girls - do not listen to superstitious fears!
• Godparents the child's father and mother cannot be, and husband and wife cannot be godparents of the same child. other relatives - grandmothers, aunts and even older brothers and sisters can be godparents.

Many of us were baptized in infancy and no longer remember how it happened. And then one day we are invited to become a godmother or godfather, or perhaps even more joyfully - our own child is born. Then we think once again about what the Sacrament of Baptism is, whether we can become godparents to someone and how we can choose godparents for our child.

Answers from Rev. Maxim Kozlov on questions about the responsibilities of godparents from the website “Tatiana’s Day”.

— I was invited to become godfather. What will I have to do?

- Being a godfather is both an honor and responsibility.

Godmothers and fathers, 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.

During the celebration of the Sacrament over the baby, the godfather (of the same gender as the child) will hold him in his arms, pronounce on his behalf the Creed and vows of renunciation of Satan and union with Christ. Read more about the procedure for performing Baptism.

The main thing in which the godfather can and should help and in which he undertakes an obligation is not only to be present at Baptism, but also then to help the one received from the font to grow, strengthen in church life, and in no case limit your Christianity only to the fact of Baptism. According to the teachings of the Church, for the way we took care of fulfilling these duties, we will be held accountable on the day of the last judgment, just as for the upbringing of our own children. Therefore, of course, the responsibility is very, very great.

- What should I give to my godson?

- Of course, you can give your godson a cross and a chain, and it doesn’t matter what they are made of; the main thing is that the cross be of the traditional form accepted in the Orthodox Church.

In the old days, there was a traditional church gift for christening - a silver spoon, which was called a “tooth gift”; it was the first spoon that was used when feeding a child, when he began to eat from a spoon.

— How can I choose godparents for my child?

— Firstly, godparents must be baptized, church-going Orthodox Christians.

The main thing is that the criterion for your choice of godfather or godmother is whether this person will subsequently be able to help you in a good, Christian upbringing received from the font, and not just in practical circumstances. And, of course, an important criterion should be the degree of our acquaintance and simply the friendliness of our relationship. Think about whether the godparents you choose will be the child’s church teachers or not.

— Is it possible for a person to have only one godparent?

- Yes it is possible. It is only important that the godparent be of the same gender as the godson.

— If one of the godparents cannot be present at the Sacrament of Baptism, is it possible to carry out the ceremony without him, but register him as a godparent?

— Until 1917, there was a practice of absentee godparents, but it was applied only to members of the imperial family, when they, as a sign of royal or grand-ducal favor, agreed to be considered the godparents of a particular baby. If we are talking about a similar situation, do so, but if not, then it is perhaps better to proceed from generally accepted practice.

- Who can’t be a godfather?

- Of course, non-Christians - atheists, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists and so on - cannot be godparents, no matter how close friends the child’s parents are and no matter how pleasant people they are to talk to.

An exceptional situation - if there are no close people close to Orthodoxy, and you are confident in the good morals of a non-Orthodox Christian - then the practice of our Church allows one of the godparents to be a representative of another Christian denomination: Catholic or Protestant.

According to the wise tradition of the Russian Orthodox Church, a husband and wife cannot be godparents of the same child. Therefore, it is worth considering if you and the person with whom you want to start a family are invited to become adoptive parents.

- Which relative can be godfather?

- An aunt or uncle, grandmother or grandfather can become the adoptive parents of their little relatives. You just need to remember that a husband and wife cannot be godparents of one child. However, it’s worth thinking about this: our close relatives will still take care of the child and help us raise him. In this case, aren’t we depriving little man love and care, because he could have one or two more adult Orthodox friends to whom he could turn throughout his life. This is especially important during the period when the child seeks authority outside the family. At this time, the godfather, without in any way opposing himself to the parents, could become the person whom the teenager trusts, from whom he asks for advice even about what he does not dare to tell his loved ones.

— Is it possible to refuse godparents? Or baptize a child for the purpose of normal upbringing in the faith?

— In any case, a child cannot be rebaptized, because the Sacrament of Baptism is performed once, and no sins of either the godparents, or his natural parents, or even the person himself can cancel all those grace-filled gifts that are given to a person in the Sacrament of Baptism.

As for communication with godparents, then, of course, betrayal of faith, that is, falling away into one or another heterodox confession - Catholicism, Protestantism, especially falling into one or another non-Christian religion, atheism, a blatantly ungodly way of life - in essence speaks of that the person failed to fulfill his responsibility as a godfather. The spiritual union concluded in this sense in the Sacrament of Baptism can be considered dissolved by the godmother or godfather, and you can ask another church-going pious person to take a blessing from his confessor to take care of the godfather or godmother for this or that child.

“I was invited to be the girl’s godmother, but everyone tells me that the boy must be baptized first.” Is it so?

— The superstitious idea that a girl should have a boy as her first godson and that a baby girl taken from the font will become an obstacle to her subsequent marriage has no Christian roots and is an absolute fabrication, which Orthodox Christian should not be guided in any way.

— They say that one of the godparents must be married and have children. Is it so?

- On the one hand, the opinion that one of the godparents must be married and have children is a superstition, just like the idea that a girl who received a girl from the font will either not get married herself, or this will affect her fate some kind of imprint.

On the other hand, one can see a certain kind of sobriety in this opinion, if one does not approach it with a superstitious interpretation. Of course, it would be reasonable if people (or at least one of the godparents) who have sufficient life experience, who themselves already have the skill of raising children in faith and piety, and who have something to share with the baby’s physical parents, are chosen as godparents for the baby. And it would be highly desirable to look for such a godfather.

— Can a pregnant woman be a godmother?

— Church statutes do not prevent a pregnant woman from being a godmother. The only thing I urge you to think about is whether you have the strength and determination to share the love for to your own child with love for the adopted baby, will you have time left to take care of him, to advise the baby’s parents, to sometimes pray warmly for him, to bring him to the temple, to somehow be a good older friend. If you are more or less confident in yourself and circumstances allow, then nothing prevents you from becoming a godmother, but in all other cases, it may be better to measure seven times before cutting once.

About godparents

Natalia Sukhinina

“I recently got into a conversation with a woman on the train, or rather, we even got into an argument. She argued that godparents, like father and mother, are obliged to raise their godson. But I don’t agree: a mother is a mother, whoever she allows to interfere in the child’s upbringing. I also once had a godson when I was young, but our paths diverged long ago, I don’t know where he lives now. And she, this woman, says that now I will have to answer for him. Responsible for someone else's child? I can’t believe it..."

(From a letter from a reader)

It so happened, and my life paths veered in a completely different direction from my godparents. Where they are now, how they live, and whether they are alive at all, I don’t know. I couldn’t even remember their names; I was baptized a long time ago, in infancy. I asked my parents, but they themselves don’t remember, they shrugged their shoulders, they said that people lived next door at that time, and they were invited to be godparents.

Where are they now, what are their names, do you remember?

To be honest, for me this circumstance was never a flaw, I grew up and grew up without godparents. No, I was lying, it happened once, I was jealous. A school friend got married and got a wedding gift a gossamer-thin gold chain. The godmother gave it to us, she boasted, who could not even dream of such chains. That's when I became jealous. If I had a godmother, maybe I would...
Now, of course, having lived and thought about it, I am very sorry about my random “father and mother”, who are not even in my mind, that I remember them now in these lines. I remember without reproach, with regret. And, of course, in a dispute between my reader and a fellow traveler on the train, I am completely on the side of the fellow traveler. She's right. We must answer for the godsons and goddaughters who have scattered from their parents’ nests, because they are not random people in our lives, but our children, spiritual children, godparents.

Who doesn't know this picture?

Dressed up people stand aside in the temple. The center of attention is a baby in lush lace, they pass him from hand to hand, go out with him, distract him so that he does not cry. They are waiting for the christening. They look at their watches and get nervous.

Godmothers and fathers can be recognized immediately. They are somehow especially focused and important. They are in a hurry to get their wallet to pay for the upcoming christening, give some orders, rustle with bags of baptismal robes and fresh diapers. The little man does not understand anything, gawking at the wall frescoes, at the lights of the chandelier, at the “persons accompanying him,” among which the godfather’s face is one of many. But when the priest invites you, it’s time. They fussed, became agitated, the godparents tried their best to maintain importance, but it didn’t work, because for them, as well as for their godson, today’s entrance into God’s temple is a significant event.
“When was the last time you were in church?” the priest will ask. They will shrug their shoulders in embarrassment. He may not ask, of course. But even if he doesn’t ask, you can still easily determine from the awkwardness and tension that the godparents are not church people, and only the event in which they were invited to participate brought them under the arches of the church. Father will ask questions:

— Do you wear a cross?

— Do you read prayers?

- Are you reading the Gospel?

— Do you honor church holidays?

And the godparents will begin to mutter something incomprehensible and lower their eyes guiltily. The priest will certainly reassure you and remind you of the duty of godfathers and mothers, and of Christian duty in general. The godparents will hastily and willingly nod their heads, humbly accept the conviction of sin, and either from excitement, or from embarrassment, or from the seriousness of the moment, few will remember and let into the heart the main thought of the priest: we are all responsible for our godchildren, and now and forever. And whoever remembers will most likely misunderstand. And from time to time, mindful of his duty, he will begin to contribute what he can to the well-being of his godson.

The first deposit immediately after baptism: an envelope with a crisp, solid bill - enough for a tooth. Then, for birthdays, as the child grows older, a luxurious set of children's trousseau, an expensive toy, a fashionable backpack, a bicycle, a branded suit, and so on up to a gold chain, to the envy of the poor, for a wedding.

We know very little. And it’s not just a problem, but something that we don’t really want to know. After all, if they wanted to, then before going to the temple as a godfather, they would have looked there the day before and asked the priest what this step “threatens” us, how best to prepare for it.
Godfather is a godfather in Slavic. Why? After immersion in the font, the priest transfers the baby from his own hands to the hands of the godfather. And he accepts, takes it into his own hands. The meaning of this action is very deep. By acceptance, the godfather takes upon himself the honorable, and most importantly, responsible mission of leading the godson along the path of ascension to the Heavenly inheritance. That's where! After all, baptism is the spiritual birth of a person. Remember in the Gospel of John: “Whoever is not born of water and the Spirit cannot enter the kingdom of God.”

The Church calls its recipients with serious words – “guardians of faith and piety”. But in order to store, you need to know. Therefore, only a believing Orthodox person can be a godfather, and not the one who went to church for the first time with the baby being baptized. Godparents must know at least the basic prayers “Our Father”, “Virgin Mother of God”, “May God rise again...”, they must know the “Creed”, read the Gospel, the Psalter. And, of course, wear a cross, be able to be baptized.
One priest told me: they came to baptize a child, but the godfather did not have a cross. Father to him: put on the cross, but he can’t, he’s unbaptized. Just a joke, but the absolute truth.

Faith and repentance are the two main conditions for union with God. But faith and repentance cannot be demanded from a baby in lace, so the godparents are called upon, having faith and repentance, to pass them on and teach them to their successors. That is why they pronounce, instead of babies, the words of the “Creed” and the words of renunciation of Satan.

- Do you deny Satan and all his works? - asks the priest.

“I deny,” the receiver answers instead of the baby.

The priest is wearing a light festive robe as a sign of the beginning of a new life, and therefore of spiritual purity. He walks around the font, censes it, everyone standing nearby with lit candles. Candles are burning in the hands of the recipients. Very soon, the priest will lower the baby into the font three times and, wet, wrinkled, not at all understanding where he is and why, the servant of God, will hand him over to the hands of his godparents. And he will be dressed in white robes. At this time, a very beautiful troparion is sung: “Give me a robe of light, dress in light, like a robe...” Accept your child, successors. From now on, your life will be filled with special meaning, you have taken upon yourself the feat of spiritual parenthood, and for how you carry it, you will now have to answer before God.

At the First Ecumenical Council, a rule was adopted according to which women become successors for girls, men for boys. Simply put, a girl needs only a godmother, a boy only a godfather. But life, as often happens, made its own adjustments here too. According to ancient Russian tradition, both are invited. Of course, you can’t spoil the porridge with oil. But even here you need to know very specific rules. For example, a husband and wife cannot be godparents to one child, just as a child’s parents cannot be his godparents at the same time. Godparents cannot marry their godchildren.

... The baby's baptism is behind us. He has a big life ahead of him, in which we have a place equal to the father and mother who gave birth to him. Our work lies ahead, our constant desire to prepare our godson to ascend to spiritual heights. Where to begin? Yes, from the very beginning. At first, especially if the child is the first, parents are knocked off their feet by the worries that have fallen on them. They, as they say, don’t care about anything. Now is the time to give them a helping hand.

Carry the baby to Communion, make sure that icons hang over his cradle, give notes for him in church, order prayer services, constantly, like your own natural children, remember them in home prayers. Of course, there is no need to do this edifyingly, they say, you are mired in vanity, but I am all spiritual - I think about high things, I strive for high things, I take care of your child so that you can do without me... In general, the spiritual education of a child is only possible in case if the godfather is his own person in the house, welcome, tactful. Of course, you don’t need to shift all your worries onto yourself. The responsibilities of spiritual education are not removed from parents, but to help, support, replace somewhere, if necessary, this is mandatory, without this you cannot justify yourself before the Lord.

This is truly a difficult cross to bear. And, probably, you need to think carefully before placing it on yourself. Will I be able to? Do I have enough health, patience, and spiritual experience to become a recipient of a person entering life? And parents should take a good look at relatives and friends - candidates for the honorary post. Which of them will be able to become a truly kind assistant in education, who will be able to bestow your child with true Christian gifts - prayer, the ability to forgive, the ability to love God. And plush bunnies the size of elephants may be nice, but they are not at all necessary.

If there is trouble in the house, there are different criteria. How many unfortunate, restless children suffer from drunken fathers and unlucky mothers. And how many simply unfriendly, embittered people live under one roof and make children suffer cruelly. Such stories are as old as time and banal. But if a person who stood with a lit candle in front of the Epiphany font fits into this plot, if he, this person, rushes, as if into an embrasure, towards his godson, he can move mountains. Possible good is also good. We are not able to discourage a foolish man from drinking half a liter, to reason with a lost daughter, or to sing “put up, put up, put up” to two frowning halves. But we have the power to take a boy who is tired of affection to our dacha for a day, enroll him in Sunday school and take the trouble to take him there and pray. The feat of prayer is at the forefront of the godparents of all times and peoples.

The priests well understand the severity of the feat of their successors and do not give their blessing to recruit a lot of children for their children, good and different.

But I know a man who has more than fifty godchildren. These boys and girls are right from there, from childhood loneliness, childhood sadness. From a big childhood misfortune.

This man’s name is Alexander Gennadievich Petrynin, he lives in Khabarovsk, directs the Children’s Rehabilitation Center, or more simply, an orphanage. As a director, he does a lot, gets funds for classroom equipment, selects personnel from conscientious, unselfish people, rescues his charges from the police, collects them in basements.

Like a godfather, he takes them to church, talks about God, prepares them for Communion, and prays. He prays a lot, a lot. In Optina Pustyn, in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, in the Diveyevo Monastery, in dozens of churches throughout Russia, long notes written by him about the health of numerous godchildren are read. He gets very tired, this man, sometimes he almost falls from fatigue. But he has no other choice, he is a godfather, and his godchildren are a special people. His heart is a rare heart, and the priest, understanding this, blesses him for such asceticism. A teacher from God, those who know him in action say about him. Godfather from God - can you say so? No, probably all godparents are from God, but he knows how to suffer like a godfather, knows how to love like a godfather, and knows how to save. Like a godfather.

For us, whose godchildren, like the children of Lieutenant Schmidt, are scattered throughout cities and towns, his service to children is an example of true Christian service. I think that many of us will not reach its heights, but if we are to make life from anyone, then it will be from those who understand their title of “successor” as a serious and not an accidental matter in life.
You can, of course, say: I am a weak person, a busy person, not much of a church member, and the best thing I can do in order not to sin is to refuse the offer to be a godfather altogether. It’s more honest and simpler, right? Easier - yes. But more honestly...
Few of us, especially when the time has imperceptibly approached to stop and look back, can say to ourselves - I good father, good mother, I don’t owe my own child anything. We owe everyone, and the godless time in which our requests, our projects, our passions grew, is the result of our debts to each other. We won't give them back anymore. The children have grown up and are doing without our truths and our discoveries of America. The parents have grown old. But conscience, the voice of God, itches and itches.

Conscience requires an outburst, and not in words, but in deeds. Couldn't bearing the responsibilities of the cross be such a thing?
It’s a pity that there are few examples of the feat of the cross among us. The word "godfather" has almost disappeared from our vocabulary. And the recent wedding of my daughter was a great and unexpected gift for me. childhood friend. Or rather, not even a wedding, which in itself is a great joy, but a feast, the wedding itself. And that's why. We sat down, poured the wine, and waited for the toast. Everyone is somehow embarrassed, the bride’s parents let the groom’s parents go ahead with the speeches, and they do the opposite. And then the tall one stood up and handsome man. He stood up somehow very businesslike. He raised his glass:

- I want to say, as the godfather of the bride...

Everyone became quiet. Everyone listened to the words about how the young people should live long, in harmony, with many children, and most importantly, with the Lord.
“Thank you, godfather,” said the charming Yulka, and from under her luxurious foaming veil she gave her godfather a grateful look.

Thank you godfather, I thought too. Thank you for carrying love for your spiritual daughter from the baptismal candle to the wedding candle. Thank you for reminding us all of what we had completely forgotten about. But we have time to remember. How much - the Lord knows. Therefore, we must hurry.

The child's mother and father do not have the right to be with him. It is worth noting that a husband and wife cannot be the adoptive parents of one child. Grandparents, uncles, aunts, brothers and other relatives are allowed to become godfathers or godmothers. It is recommended to take as godparents blood relatives. It is believed that the blood connection becomes stronger, since the adoptive parents are the second parents of the child.

Orthodox Christians

A person who is an Orthodox Christian and regularly receives communion can become a recipient. Atheists and representatives of other religious denominations cannot be godparents. At the same time, it is mandatory to know the Creed and read it during the process of baptism. The recipient will also be required to read a daily prayer for the godson, since he is now responsible for the spiritual in the future. Regular attendance at church and education in the Christian faith is an integral part of the responsibilities of a godfather.

Age

People under the age of fourteen cannot become godparents, since they do not have the spiritual experience that would be required to instruct a newborn in the right faith.

Church servants

Monks cannot become godparents, because these people have abandoned the whole world in order to devote themselves to fasting, prayer and the fight against passions.

Number of godparents

The Christian Church stipulates that a child must have one godfather, but of the same gender. If a boy is baptized, then it must be a man. If a girl, then a woman. Often a child has two godparents, but there may be more. It is necessary to understand that the fewer godparents a little person has, the more responsibly these people will take their responsibilities as a godparent.

Lack of receivers

If godparents are not able to attend Baptism, then the ceremony is carried out without them. In rare cases, it is possible to carry out the procedure without godparents. In such a situation, the priest himself is considered the godparent, but the presence of godparents is not considered mandatory.

Pregnancy and marriage

Both girls and boys have the right to be godparents to unmarried or pregnant women. It is worth knowing that marriage between a godfather and someone undergoing Baptism is prohibited. Likewise, a spiritual daughter cannot become the wife of her successor, and a mother who is widowed cannot become the wife of a godfather who has become her daughter’s godfather.

note

After the Sacrament of Baptism has passed, the godfather cannot be changed. Even if he went missing or changed his faith.

Helpful advice

The status of “godfather” imposes many responsibilities on a person, so it is recommended to choose responsible people who can take care of the child if the parents are no longer there.

Sources:

• Who can be godparents

When planning to baptize a child, parents must understand that baptism is not a tradition, not a ritual, it is a great sacrament. Through baptism, a person unites with God and receives a Guardian Angel for help. This event must be approached responsibly and prepared with everything necessary.

You will need

• - cross;
• - ribbon or string for a cross;
• - baptismal shirt or dress, cap (for girls);
• - a white sheet or large towel.

Instructions

Take your choice of godparents seriously. After all, they will become the spiritual parents of your baby. Future godparents must be Orthodox people and lead a Christian life. After baptism, godparents have a huge responsibility. They should take part in raising your child and pray for him.

You must make arrangements in advance at the temple for baptism. To do this, contact a priest. With him you can discuss questions that interest you, find out the day and time of baptism. Also inquire about videotaping and photographing the baptism.

Prepare everything you need in advance. You can buy a cross in a church shop. If you want to purchase it at jewelry store, then after purchasing, give the cross to the priest for consecration. For this, choose a rope that is not too thin. The chain can be worn by a child when he grows up a little. Some godparents, if possible, cover the costs of performing the sacrament. The godfather can give the baby a cross, and the mother usually gives a shirt and a diaper.

For the baptism of a baby, prepare a white shirt, which the baby will wear after baptism. You also need a white sheet, a large towel or diaper. They will be needed to wrap the baby after immersion in the font. According to the teachings of the Orthodox Church, white clothes is a symbol of the purification of the soul and the beginning of a new life. Church shops and some children's stores sell a special kit for infant baptism, which includes a white diaper, a shirt and a cap. For girls, christening dresses may be sold separately.

You can invite your family and friends to the baptism. But you shouldn't call a large number of people, since in some churches baptism is carried out in a small room, and everyone may simply not fit. Parents are allowed to attend the baptism. Mother can go to the temple on the 40th day after giving birth. Before this, she must receive a prayer of permission from the priest.

Before baptism, godparents need to go to the “candle box” and fill out their information for the baptismal certificate. It is also necessary to purchase two candles that the godparents will hold during baptism.

At the beginning of baptism, the godparents and the baby stand in front of the priest. The priest reads prayers and illuminates the water in the baptismal cup. Then he anoints the baby with oil. The baby is undressed and lowered into the font three times. The godparents receive the child and dress him in baptismal robes. The priest puts a cross on the baby. After baptism, the sacrament of confirmation is performed. After which the priest and godparents with the baby walk around the font three times. After reading the prayer, the priest washes the ointment with a sponge and cuts the child’s hair in a cross shape. This is where the baptism ends.

Helpful advice

Don’t forget to take the necessary food, water, wet wipes and diapers for your baby.

Baptism is a church ceremony in which a person joins the church. In Orthodoxy there are seven sacraments, among which is baptism. A person must come to this ritual on his own, but if he is too young, then his parents decide whether to baptize or not to baptize.

Each person has a dual nature: physical and spiritual, that is, he has a body and a soul. So, the initial preparation for baptism should take place in two stages. To begin with, you must mentally come to this, that is, go to church not because “you have to,” but because “your soul asks.” For example, if you are an atheist, then the sacrament of baptism is clearly not for you. You must believe in God, pray daily and try not to commit sinful acts. First, visit an Orthodox church, talk with the clergy, and attend a service.

As a rule, in order to be baptized, you must discuss the date with the priest. For baptism, do not wear provocative clothing or wear too much clothing. bright makeup. A woman's hair should be covered with a scarf. Take a towel with you, it will come in handy after the sacred dousing with holy water. You must also purchase a pectoral cross; you can buy it in any store or in a church. Be sure to take the cross to baptism, as it needs to be consecrated. For adults, it is not necessary to have godparents, since they themselves can be responsible for their step and go to church.

What does it take to baptize a very young child? Of course, you must choose godparents, and not based on personal considerations (for example, best friends, relatives), but from their participation in spiritual education. Godparents must be believers; it will be good if on the eve of the wedding they go to a service, go to confession and, along with the baby’s parents, talk with the clergyman. On the day of baptism, take a cross and a large towel.

As a rule, it is very difficult for babies to endure the baptism process - it is stuffy, cramped and smells of incense, so one of the parents can go outside with the child until the moment of baptism, while the other will be at the process at this time. At the moment of dousing (dipping), the child must be present in the church.

Choosing godparents for a child is not the easiest task as it might seem. After all, the godfather must meet a number of requirements that are presented to him by the church. Therefore, you need to think very carefully about who you are going to appoint as the spiritual parents of your child.

In most cases, people are baptized in childhood. Moreover, childhood is often quite early. Therefore, all responsibility for choosing godparents lies entirely with the child’s parents. And it is very important that they choose godparents correctly.

What requirements must godparents meet?

First of all, it is desirable that the godfather be an Orthodox Christian. Orthodox Church will not accept a Muslim or an atheist as a spiritual parent. After all, the main purpose of a godparent is to help the child in matters of upbringing the Orthodox faith. In this regard, it is desirable that the godfather be a churchgoer. This means that he will be able to take on the responsibility of regularly driving the godson to church and observing all the necessary rituals and services.

You, of course, can choose a person to be a godparent who has nothing to do with the church, but in this case it is worth remembering that no matter how good a person he is, in fact, by definition, a godfather cannot correspond.

When choosing a godfather for your child, remember that you make this choice once and for all: you cannot change the godfather. If after some time he changes not for the better, the family and the godson will only have to pray that enlightenment will overtake him.

Questions often arise about whether immediate family members, pregnant women, etc. can be nominated. And often ordinary people have no answer to these questions. The Church gives a fairly clear explanation on the topic of who can be a child’s godparents. So, contrary to popular myth, you can freely choose a woman. And for both boys and girls.

The restriction applies only to the father or mother of the child, who cannot be godparents. own baby. Also, spouses are not allowed to become spiritual parents of one child (if a couple is just planning to get married, they are also prohibited). Other relatives, including siblings of the child's parents, as well as their parents, may well take on the responsibilities of godparents. Also, you should not choose priests or monks or young children as godparents. In addition, adoptive parents also cannot become godparents to their stepdaughters and stepsons.

By the way, in relation to godmothers there is a ban on the participation of ladies in the sacrament of Baptism during the period of monthly impurity.

What should godparents give to a child during the sacrament of Baptism?

It is usually stated that godparents must purchase a pectoral cross for the Baptism ceremony. Naturally, if a person who has been chosen for such an honorable position does not want to make a mistake, it is better to consult with his parents in advance.

Also, godparents often purchase for their godchildren silver spoons For a present. Such a gift is especially relevant if the baby is baptized at the age when his first tooth emerges.

The godfather should establish contact with his godson as much as possible. After all, he becomes not only the spiritual mentor of the baptized person, but also a kind of backup for the biological parents. After all, one of the duties of a godfather is to raise a child in the event that the natural parents die or are unable, due to certain circumstances, to fulfill their duties. parental responsibilities.

What qualities should a godfather have?

It should be noted that there is a practice of choosing two godparents - father and mother. However, due to lack of candidates, one godparent is allowed. For girls - mom, and for boys - dad. But even here, if necessary, you can choose a godfather of any gender. The main quality that must be possessed spiritual parent, is the church-going nature of the latter. That is, the godfather must not only be a “believer,” but also have an idea of ​​the Orthodox faith. This is no coincidence, because the main responsibility can be called teaching a child the Orthodox faith. It is the godparents who are entrusted with responsibility before God for their child. In this regard, it is necessary to point out that the godfather must be close to the family of the person being baptized. This is necessary in order to have access to communication with the child. And the more often it happens, the better for both.

In addition to knowledge of the basics of the Orthodox faith and closeness to family, it is necessary to note church involvement. Many people know about, but do not have the slightest idea about the meaning of Orthodox life. It is advisable for godparents to choose the person who attends the service, who himself often confesses and. In the future, the godfather will be responsible for bringing the child to church for communion.

Godparents take a vow of renunciation of the devil during baptism and promise to unite with Christ. A person must be responsible and understand the importance of the church sacrament. You can’t just hold the baby in your arms. This is a feat of teaching that a person will have to endure throughout his life.

So, the main qualities that a godfather must have are faith, knowledge of Orthodox culture, church involvement, responsibility and closeness to the family of the person being baptized.

Who cannot be a godfather (godmother)

If a child has two godparents, then they cannot be married. Even just two familiar godparents are prohibited by the church from having sexual intercourse with each other in the future, since during the sacrament of baptism a spiritual relationship occurs between them. Accordingly, husband and wife can no longer be godparents.

The parents themselves should not be godparents. If the child has no godparents at all (such cases happen), then the priest himself figuratively becomes the child’s godfather. Adoptive parents also do not have the right to be foster children.

Godparents cannot be people of other faiths, as well as non-Orthodox representatives of Christian denominations. Thus, an Orthodox child cannot have a Catholic or a Protestant as his godfather.

A representative of a sectarianism cannot be godfather (this is understandable; many sectarians will not agree to this, since they do not accept the baptism of children).

An atheist, even one who is loyal to the Church, cannot be a godfather (godfather), because he will not be able to teach the child the Orthodox faith.

In church practice, there are cases when children who have not reached the age of majority become godparents. This is not recommended. That is, a boy of 13 - 16 years old (or a girl) has not yet formed himself as a person, and may not have a clear idea of ​​faith. But there may be exceptions if a young guy or girl quite consciously approaches baptism and their responsibilities.

Dear readers, on this page of our website you can ask any question related to the life of the Zakamsky deanery and Orthodoxy. The clergy of the Holy Ascension Cathedral in Naberezhnye Chelny answer your questions. Please note that it is better, of course, to resolve issues of a personal spiritual nature in live communication with a priest or with your confessor.

As soon as the answer is prepared, your question and answer will be published on the website. Questions may take up to seven days to process. Please remember the date of submission of your letter for ease of subsequent retrieval. If your question is urgent, please mark it as “URGENT” and we will try to answer it as quickly as possible.

Date: 09/14/2014 13:06:00

Margarita, Naberezhnye Chelny

Can a child’s own godmother be elder sister!

Protodeacon Dmitry Polovnikov answers

Hello! Tell me, please, can a child’s own older sister be godmother?

Dear Margarita, the first and main requirement is the undoubted Orthodox faith of the godfather. After all, a godfather is the person who must teach his godson or goddaughter the basics of the Orthodox faith and give spiritual instructions. Accordingly, a minor cannot be a godmother. Usually, it is recommended to become godparents at the age of at least 14-16 years. Godparents are entrusted with the enormous responsibility of spiritual education of their godchildren, for they, together with their parents, are responsible for everything before God. 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 grace-filled power of 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. Before this responsible role, godparents can confess and receive communion at a church service, although this requirement is not necessary. It is good if the godfather learns the Lord’s Prayer and the Creed for the day of christening.