Who can be godparents?
This question is not idle. Godparents are not just people who will hold the baby at the font during the ritual, celebrate this event and forget about it. They should be considered as the spiritual leaders of the godson. And in life it may happen that something bad happens to the child’s father and mother, then godparents should be ready to fully replace them in the matter of upbringing.
That is why the choice of those who should baptize a boy or girl must be approached with great seriousness. It is best if these are close relatives or friends. But they must also be worthy of this choice.
Orthodox baptism does not allow the following as recipients:
- atheists,
- people who are not themselves baptized,
- non-believers (Muslims, Buddhists, etc.),
- members of various sects,
- fortune tellers and psychics,
- sinners in essence, which are alcoholics, drug addicts, etc.,
- also, young people under 16 years of age, mentally ill people, monks and nuns cannot be godparents (their participation is not prohibited, but this is somehow not accepted),
- bride and groom,
- spouses (since those who are spiritually related cannot lead married life),
- the child's parents themselves.
Conversation before baptism
Preparing for baptism
Preparations for Holy Epiphany must begin in advance. The woman chosen by the named mother two or three days before this ceremony is obliged to confess and receive communion. On the day of baptism, she should not eat or engage in carnal pleasures. Also, by the beginning of the sacrament of Baptism, the named mother must know exactly the prayers “Our Father” and “Creed”.
It should be emphasized that the future godmother is obliged to make or buy baptismal clothes and a towel for Holy Baptism, and on the day of christening she must wear a breast cross.
What is needed for a boy's christening?
First of all, you should know who is buying a cross for a boy’s christening. And the godfather does this. He must buy a pectoral cross, which the child will not part with until the last days of his life, wearing it under his clothes.
For such a solemn ritual, special baptismal clothes for the boy are also necessary. What should a boy be baptized in? This could be a baptismal shirt or a special suit for a boy's baptism. Usually the baby's godmother buys clothes for christening. The outfit for this occasion should be pleasant and soft to the touch, that is, such that the hero of the occasion feels comfortable in it, then the child will not become capricious.
There is a very good tradition: if the child is not the first in the family, then he should be dressed in the baptismal attire in which his older brother or sister was baptized. Then the children will be friendly and sincerely attached to each other.
Boy's christening clothes, list:
- For the sacrament of baptism, you need a baptismal shirt - a universal outfit that is suitable for both the christening of a boy and the christening of a girl. Traditionally it is white. You can sew such a shirt yourself without any problems, but now there is a wide selection of clothes for this occasion with different designs and different styles. You just need to remember that the outfit in which boys (and girls) are baptized should be easy to take off and put on, be fairly loose, not pinch, not squeeze, not rub. Let it be better with a larger allowance. It’s worth paying attention to the fabric – no synthetics! The baby's body in clothes made of natural fabric will breathe freely.
- Socks or booties will not hurt (they are removed during the ritual).
- The girl needs a headscarf or cap . A boy is not required to cover his head in church.
- Often a bib . From a purely practical point of view, this is a very important item: during the anointing of the baby with oil, it will not allow the baptismal robe to get dirty.
- There is also such an important item that is needed for christenings, which is called kryzhma . This is a white, brand new diaper (or towel) in which the baby is wrapped after taking him out of the bath. This is perhaps the main attribute in baptism. Often in the corner it is embroidered with the memorable date of christening and the name of the new Christian. After the ritual, the kryzhma is not washed off for a year. It is believed that during the days of a child’s illness or during restless sleep, it can provide healing and calm if the patient is covered with it.
Godmother's duties after Baptism
After Baptism, a festive feast is usually held, the so-called Christening. It can be difficult for parents to prepare everything in a timely manner. A small child requires constant attention. If the godmother helps look after her godson and takes charge of preparing one or more dishes, then it will be much easier for the baby’s parents. During Christening, the godmother can help serve the table and look after the guests, pronounce congratulations and joyful words addressed to her godson and his parents. After the feast, it would be nice to help clean everything up and put the child to bed. In the future, pay as much comprehensive attention as possible to the development of your child in all areas. You can take your child to Sunday school, and then discuss the material covered, pray together and attend services, participate in the Sacraments of Confession and Communion, travel to holy places and celebrate his birthdays, Angel Days, and major church holidays. Thus, before you, dear godmother, a wide field of opportunities opens up for you to use your creative potential and discover the depths of a loving heart!
The duties of a godmother continue throughout the life of the godmother and her godchild. For their conscientious fulfillment, the Lord can grant eternal life and sweet bliss in the heavenly abodes.
Having realized the high degree of responsibility before the Lord and neighbors that the godmother bears, you should not avoid this cross. On the contrary, you need to try to fulfill your duties with a clear conscience. May the Lord Himself and the Most Holy Theotokos help you in this difficult but blessed task!
Author of the article: theologian and religious scholar Ksenia Orabei
Boy's christening clothes (photo)
Is it possible to baptize on critical days?
The date of christening is agreed upon by the parents not only with the priest, but also with the godmother, because this date cannot coincide with the period of the woman’s monthly purification. On critical days, women are prohibited from entering the temple; they are not allowed to participate in any sacraments or rituals.
If suddenly these days come unexpectedly, then you cannot hide this fact; it is better to explain the situation to the parents and reschedule the christening date.
In the event that it is not possible to reschedule the date of the sacrament, this issue is discussed with the priest. Sometimes the godmother is allowed to be present at the ceremony and simply observe it, but it is strictly forbidden to receive the child after the font and kiss the icons.
Prayers and traditional vows may be said. Such a rite is considered completed, and the woman at baptism is included in the certificate as a godmother, while she is also assigned all the responsibilities provided for by the sacrament and church charter.
When is the best time to baptize a child?
Most often, parents decide this issue themselves. But if you listen to the recommendations of the Church, then it is better to do this as early as possible. This is justified by the fact that the rite of baptism cleanses a boy from original sin and includes him in the membership of the Church with the descent of God's grace on him.
Most often, they decide to baptize a baby after 40 days of age. In religion since the times of the Old Testament, 40 has been a significant number, but in our time it is more associated with female physiology due to the postpartum period. As for the baby himself, it is at this age that children are not yet afraid of strangers and will behave at such a crucial moment much calmer than older ones.
It is also worth remembering that children under three months of age are not afraid if they are dipped into water with their heads, since they still retain the reflexes of intrauterine development that allow them to hold their breath.
On what days are babies baptized? This can be absolutely any day - a holiday or a weekend, fast or ordinary, which you agree in advance with the priest of the parish whose church you are visiting. After all, each temple has its own schedule. If for some reason a free day at the nearest temple does not suit you, you can contact another temple or even several.
It’s not bad if there is a separate room on the territory or in the temple building itself where baptism is carried out. It is specially adapted for such events, it is heated, and it is not visited by strangers.
If this is a fundamental question for you, then you can find out how many more children will be baptized on the day you choose. If it is crowded, you can arrange for baptism to take place on an individual basis.
It is permissible to carry out the ceremony at home, although this, of course, is much less solemn.
What should a godmother wear? Appearance of the godmother at the christening
It is required to respect church traditions, among others, those that relate to observing the rules of strict clothing when attending the rite of Baptism. It is mandatory for godparents to have crosses that were consecrated in the church.
The godmother is prohibited from arriving at the ceremony in trousers; she must wear a dress that covers her shoulders and legs below the knees, and a scarf on her head. Immodest clothing and flashy makeup are not permissible; it is not recommended to come in high heels, as this will lead to great inconvenience, because the child will need to be held in your arms for a long period.
How is a boy's christening going?
The sacrament of baptism itself, of course, takes place exactly the same for both boys and girls, with all the necessary actions performed. There are only a few points where differences are observed.
- The baptism of a boy allows only the presence of a godfather, and there may not be a godmother, while for a girl it is the other way around. But this is not a categorical requirement: there can only be a godmother.
- The question often arises: when there is both a godfather and a godmother, who holds the boy at baptism? During the entire ceremony, before the baby is dipped into the font (or, which is also acceptable, before pouring blessed water over him), the godmother holds the baptized person, and after that the godfather takes him - receives him. That is why godparents are also called the old Slavic word “godparents”.
- At the end of the ceremony, the priest brings the boy into the altar - as evidence that he is the future head of the family, which is the home Church. And only men have the right to serve at the altar.
- And if a girl, like a woman in general in church, needs to cover her head, then a boy does not need a cap.
Godparents, who have learned the rules for baptizing a boy, should become a role model for the grown-up godson, constantly pray for him, teach him faith and the fight against evil. The godson, accordingly, should feel their interest in his spiritual world and concern for himself.
What is needed for a girl's baptism
Preparation for a girl’s baptism is no less important. It should be taken into account that the influence in the upbringing process will come from the godmother, who needs to teach the girl patience, faith, reliability and fidelity in the process of life. She, with her example and advice, should become a support for the young child of God. In this regard, her knowledge also needs to be replenished with spiritual literature.
The ritual requires almost the same preparation as in the case of a boy. You just need to buy a kryzhma, a cross, a baptismal dress. The set may also include a scarf, tights and other accessories.
How to prepare a godfather for the rite of baptism in the Orthodox Church
Do not rush to abandon this honorable mission if you feel a lack of knowledge about Christianity and church rules. You have an amazing opportunity to make things right. Inspired by an important role, you can fill gaps in knowledge through religious literature, temple visits, conversations with a priest, and become an example of virtue and obedience to the Lord for your godchild.
It is for the purpose of conveying to future recipients their significance in the lives of godchildren, most churches practice mandatory public conversations for godparents who are preparing at the stage of preparation for the sacrament.
Requirements for a godmother
The godmother should begin preparing for her role in this role much earlier than the ceremony itself. She will need not only knowledge of prayers, but also awareness of the very essence of Holy Baptism. an Orthodox woman who is guided in life by God’s commandments can be awarded this role .
She needs to know a number of prayers: the Heavenly King, the Virgin Mary, Rejoice, the Creed and Our Father. They reflect the essence of the Christian faith. A woman must have full awareness of the responsibility that is entrusted to her. After all, asking God for help in the development of the baby and in gratitude to him is now part of her responsibilities. The godmother must make every effort to ensure that the child becomes a religious person in adulthood.
