When the baby is born, the first cry andsigh indicate his physical birth. Spiritually, this moment comes on the day of baptism. The ritual of acceptance of faith accompanies us for many generations. The right to be a godfather is considered an honor, it indicates a special, warm and trusting relationship between the parents of the child and the beneficiaries. It is their duty to take the spiritual birth of a person and take responsibility for the faith of their godson.
The answer to the question of who can be godparentsparents of a boy or girl, is evident from the point of view of the church. This title is worthy of people who support the Orthodox faith and have reached adulthood. They are obliged to introduce the child to spiritual values.
What carries the sacrament of baptism
Baptism is an ancient rite held inconditions of the Orthodox Church. The main purpose is to purify a person from misconduct committed in a past life, so that he can start his new journey from scratch.
When a baby is brought to church for the first time in its life, in order to christen it, only the closest people and the spiritual guide remain in the holy place. Hence the name "the sacrament of baptism."
After the priest has said all the prayers and washed the baby three times with water from the font, the ceremony is completed.
Most of us are baptized in our first months.life, and therefore in the memory of a person there is no information about everything that happens. People live, develop, build families. At some point in time, the moment comes when an offer to become a godparent comes. Or, moreover, a child is born in the family and needs to be baptized.
In this situation, a natural question arises:“Whom to take a receiver and is it possible to refuse to be a godfather?” It is necessary to look for the answer not in the faith or the church, it is inside us. It is very important to sensibly assess the possibilities of future godparents: whether they can give a child something that you cannot give, whether they will love him as their own, and whether they will not be deceived from the true path.
It is also necessary to understand that life is veryunpredictable, and if the godfather or mom quarrels with the parents of the godchild, this should in no way affect their personal relationships and break the spiritual bond.
Spiritual affinity
Godfathers experience no less than their parentsthe baptism of the child. This is largely due to the progress of church illiteracy among the modern population. This often leads to the refusal to be a receiver. The main thing here is to understand that it’s not scary to be a godfather if you take this step consciously. And to comply with church canons is not necessary. It is possible that this event will change your inner world and perception, and you will reach out for self-education in this regard.
For the church, it is important that the chosen godparents will clearly understand: from now on they are responsible for the child in the same way as it is entrusted to the biological parents.
Choosing receivers for your child,Parents should be aware that the church is not supportive of accepting the spiritual birth of a child if it is accepted by a married couple. But at the same time, a husband or wife may be the godparents of several children of the same parents.
The cross of the child close relatives - is it possible?
Every conscious parent before baptismchild raises a difficult question about how to choose the godfather and godmother for the baby. However, in most cases, the answer to it is on the surface, you just have to delve a little into the rules of the church.
In the old days, the circle of relatives triedexpand as much as possible. This was done in order to increase the number of people who in the future will take care of the child and help him in difficult situations. That is why the invitation to be receivers of close relatives was received only as an exception. This is due to the fact that in one family everyone cares about each other without it. Again, in order to increase the family circle, they tried to make it so that the brother and sister had different godfathers and mothers. But here the restriction is not from the side of the church, but under the influence of human notions.
The main thing is that the recipient does not forget about hisduties, and he did not have a question as to whether it was possible to refuse to be a godfather. Having passed the rite of baptism with the child, the parent should feel a spiritual connection with him.
How many children can baptize one person
If a person is naturally kind, sociable andIf he loves children, then different families can repeatedly offer him to become a receiver. The question of how many times you can be a godfather and mom involuntarily comes up?
Со стороны церкви количественных ограничений нет, and you can be the spiritual parents of several children if you wish. However, it is very important that the godfather realizes the importance of this ritual and understands all the responsibilities that are entrusted to him. The spiritual parent is the holy example for a godchild. Without fulfilling his duties, he will not be responsible to the parents of the child, but to God. Throughout his life, the recipient must take care and protect his godchildren, no matter how many of them he has.
There is a rumor among the people that a woman who baptized one child and desired to become a recipient for one more person removes the cross from the firstborn. Fortunately, this is only a myth and the church has its own opinion.
Re-baptism is like a second birth fora biological mother who will never leave her first baby if she has one or more children. The godmother bears equal responsibility for her godchildren, and having intermarried in the church with several children even from different parents, she will not be able to forget any of them.
Parents should think carefully about who will cope with this role, because among young people there are often questions about whether one can refuse to be a godfather, while having already completed the ceremony.
How to choose godparents for the daughter
Выбрать крестную маму для девочки всегда было more problematic than for a boy. Often the friends of the mother of the child think about whether it is possible to refuse to be a godparent if the girl has not baptized the boy before. This is another folk myth that says that the girl’s godmother, who assumed these obligations for the first time and did not baptize the boy before, will definitely remain a loner, and the goddaughter will “take her beauty and good fortune”.
This fallacy is not under anyChristian justification, and is solely a superstition that is sinful to obey. Godmother for girls should be a staunch Orthodox Christian. Another interesting point about which not many parents know, the girl must have a receptive, and it is allowed to conduct the ceremony without the godfather.
Selection of a receiver for a son
It is also worth understanding who may be godparents.parents of the boy. Here, as in the case of the girl, there are no rules and restrictions. Godfather must understand the responsibility he bears for the child and that he will need to maintain a spiritual connection with him throughout his life.
What are the responsibilities of receivers?
It's hard to realize that not everyoneunderstands why godmother and dad are needed, and why this is the name of their new and such responsible life role. The maximum that limits the participation of godparents in the life of a child is visits to the name day and the day of the angel and the giving of gifts. This, of course, is wonderful, but from the spiritual side everything is much deeper.
Обязанности крестного заключаются в молитве о son At least once a day, the recipient must turn to God with a petition for his godchild. Nothing special, exactly what you need to do for your children: ask for health and well-being, salvation and help. Asking who can be the godparents of a boy and a girl, tell me if any of your close friends can love a child like you do. And only then it will be possible to decide.
Godmother duties at the baptism of the childentrusts the same as the father. She should help the biological mother, say prayers for the godson, go to church with him on holidays and develop spiritually.
Preparing for the baptism of the child
Основной момент заключается в том, что выбранные godparents should come to church for the baptism of the child with consecrated crosses. Godmother must necessarily be in the temple only with her head covered. Clothing with trousers should be avoided. Dress or skirt should be below the knee, and shoulders closed.
The sacrament of baptism is a long rite, whichcan last up to two hours, so shoes need a steady, low speed and without heels. During the entire time, the receiver will have to hold the baby in his arms.
A man is enough to wear a formal suit or pants with a shirt.
All that is required for the ceremony: towels, candles, an icon - can be purchased in the church. With a child for a child is to prepare only a cross and clothes.
The church is a place where you should refrain from attracting attention, so be modest in dress and behavior.
Common gifts to the godchildren
Современные традиции относительно крещения мало what is different from the ancients. Just as before, it is customary to give a child a cross - it is the responsibility of the godfather, and the godmother gives clothing. This is for the boy's baptism.
If a girl is baptized, the rules are the same, only the other way around. Now the parents of the child buy presents, but it is desirable that the godparents present some memorable gift.
A very long time ago it was decided to give a baby a silver spoon. Her receivers were presented as gifts when the first tooth appeared in the child.
It is believed that from this spoon should begin to introduce complementary foods. This tradition has been preserved to this day.
Is it possible to become a successor to a pregnant woman
There are no prohibitions against being pregnant.godmother took part in the rite. The church cannot prevent a woman from being baptized in a position. The only thing that can prevent this is the physical condition of the pregnant woman, but if she is sure that she will stand 2 hours with the baby in her arms in a standing position, then it is possible. The main thing is the realization that soon mother will have not only her born child, but also a spiritual godson.
Who is forbidden to become a receiver to the church
Under the laws, there are a number of restrictions, falling under which a person does not have the right to participate in the sacrament of baptism:
- the godparents of another non-Christian faith - Buddhists, atheists, Catholics, Muslims, etc., even if they are the closest friends of the family;
- if parents want to baptize a child, bound by marriage or family relations;
- mentally ill people are not allowed to the rite;
- if the parents were not baptized;
- if there is no desire to become a receiver;
- biological parents cannot baptize their own child;
- minors;
- it is forbidden to baptize stepmothers and stepfathers of their stepdaughters and stepchildren;
- if a woman has critical days, entry to the church is prohibited;
- monks and priests.
In the latter case, the exception is the situation if the priest is the godfather of a monk or a person belonging to the church.
Is it necessary to be married to become a godfather
Another popular myth says that at least one ofgodparents should be married. This belief is fundamentally wrong. But at the same time, parents should understand that a married man or a married woman are more responsible and experienced people, respectively, they clearly understand what responsibilities they have.
Being receivers is very responsible and honorable. The godmother of the mother at the baptism of the girl assumes the duties similar to those assumed by the father who baptized the boy.
What to do if the godparent has forgotten his purpose
Unfortunately, it happens that the successorsthey forget about the responsibility they took upon themselves at the time of the baptism of the child. The duties of the godfather include education, care and spiritual development of the baby.
If parents made the wrong choice and godfatherturned out to be a careless person, then the only fault lies with them. In such a situation, they should do what the recipient should have done and introduce the child to the church.
Is it possible to refuse or change godparents
Таинство крещения – это обряд, который is performed once in a lifetime, and no one can cross a child. It does not matter how badly the biological or godparents of the child or he himself have sinned. What was done before Bor is impossible to change in a holy place.
В зависимости от жизненной ситуации, уже An adult child can make a choice, communicate with godparents who have sinned, changed faith, or not. If the recipients took this responsibility upon themselves, but did not fulfill their obligations, betrayed the godson, they would have to answer for this before God.
In this case, it can be said that the spiritual union concluded between the parents and the child in infancy is destroyed.
Родители ребенка должны четко понимать и быть confident in choosing godparents in the same way as in themselves, because this is not a fad, but a great mystery that a person performs in the temple only once.