Responsibilities of godparents: for boys and girls

The sacrament of baptism is a great event in the life of every person, and especially for a child. All obligations that recipients undertake before God are very serious and responsible. That is why (this is very important) godparents, whose duties are to understand this responsibility, must convey to their godparent all the knowledge about the saving Sacraments of the Church, such as Confession and Communion, as well as convey knowledge about the meaning of worship. The responsibilities of godparents also include the transfer of knowledge about the meaning of the church calendar, about the miracles of church icons and other shrines.

Responsibilities of godparents - how to do it and what to do?

  As soon as the child plunges into the font, from that moment on, responsibility passes to the recipients. Now the “second” parents will have to attend church and divine services together with the baby, and teach them to observe the Church Charter. But the main thing is to pray for your godson both in joy and in sorrow. Always be there in difficult times. What exactly are the main responsibilities of godparents at baptism? They must give them more from the font or help them find a new path in life. The godfather must buy a cross. As a rule, a chain is not bought, since according to customs the baby wears a cross on a string or ribbon. Just like every conscious believer, recipients need to know the following prayers: “Our Father”, “Creed”, “Virgin Mother of God”!

  Parents, as well as the godson, must be prepared for the Sacrament of baptism. Recipients must know the basics of Orthodox teaching, as well as have a pious attitude towards the rules of Christian piety.

Such important events as Fasting, Confession and Communion for godparents are not strictly obligatory, but the believer must adhere to them. All this must be competently transferred to the godson. If he is a baby, then love for the church will be instilled from a conscious age.

A very good sign will be the reading of the Creed prayer by one of the recipients. For a godson, the prayer is read according to gender: for a girl - the godmother, for a boy - the father.

  Before Baptism, it is advisable to confess, because it is important that not only your thoughts are pure, but also your soul. There must be blessed crosses on the body. Those invited must bring donations to the church. This is not necessary, but you should not neglect customs.

Godparents should know about such responsibilities!

  From this day on, the godparents must protect the godson from all kinds of temptations and enticements. This is precisely what is most dangerous for children and adolescents. In the future, a godparent can help with choosing a profession. Advice will also be important when choosing a life partner. The Russian Church teaches that it is the chosen successors who prepare the wedding for the godson. It is worth noting that even with physical suffering, godparents should provide help and this is done first, and brothers, sisters, grandparents help only then! Spiritual connection is stronger than physical!

  The responsibilities of godparents for a girl are no different from those for a boy. However, girls are given a little more attention, as they are taught humility and faith, which directly leads to submission.

For a girl, the chosen godmother is the second closest person, because she can replace the physical mother.

The mother’s responsibilities include buying a kryzhma or rizka - this is a special towel in which the baby is wrapped after the bath.

Godparents responsibilities

  If godparents take their responsibilities lightly, then this becomes a grave spiritual sin. This is what will pass on to the fate of the chosen godson.

Do not become a godson if you cannot take on such great responsibility; you should not accept the invitation to become a second godson. Physical parents should also not take rejection as neglect or insult.

After all, godparents must fulfill their responsibilities fully and with a pure soul.

Please note that all people must be churchgoers, otherwise: how can a godson go to church with his godparent? All the main attitudes that should be instilled in the godson are love, humility, forbearance, patience and continuous work in the spiritual education of your child - all these are the main responsibilities of godparents ! All this is also the main proof of the truth of Orthodoxy for the godson and for his successors.

  You can learn in advance how to behave correctly in church during the Sacrament of Baptism. Mainly, you need to buy the right baptismal set. If one of the parents buys it, it will not be considered a mistake.

What is important is the meaning of the reception itself; presence during the celebration of the Sacrament is important. Of course, both parents must give their consent.

Without godparents, baptism is performed only in special cases, for example, if the child's life may be in serious danger.

More about godparents

  The sacrament of baptism relates a person to the One Apostolic Church. Orthodox teaching has its own certain doctrinal principles, from which one cannot deviate.

That is why only people of the same faith can become guarantors of a godson. The recipients assume the responsibility to educate only the Orthodox faith.

A person with other religions simply cannot do this.

  As soon as baptism takes place, parents and baby will become spiritually closer and become related. This is mandatory; godparents fulfill their duties in full. And such spiritual kinship belongs to the first degree and is fully recognized by the church and its canons!

  It is worth noting that such a relationship becomes stronger than biological. Between themselves, these two concepts become practically incompatible. An important point is that parents who adopt a child cannot become godparents for him. This is explained by the fact that they will find the closest family connection with each other and will not be able to continue their marital cohabitation.  

Source: https://kreshchenie.ru/articles/krestnye-rodireli-obyazannosti/

Responsibilities of the godfather during and after Baptism

A godfather is able to make an invaluable contribution to the spiritual education of his godson/goddaughter, helping parents instill in their child the love of God, explain the meaning of divine services, and teach the basics of the Orthodox faith. After all, spiritual mentoring is the main task of the recipient.

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.

How to pass an interview

The number of classes is determined by the level of churching of the recipients. After the first conversation, the priest decides how many classes will be needed.

• If future godparents regularly visit church, confess, and receive communion, then you can get by with one or two meetings.
• If knowledge and understanding are not enough, then there may be three to five conversations.

During the interview, recipients are not only told the procedure for conducting the ceremony and their responsibilities are announced. The priest conveys the main meaning of accepting the Christian faith. After the first meeting, the godparents are given the task to learn the basic Orthodox prayers (if they do not know them), and also begin to study the text of the Gospel.

Fasting, Confession and Communion

At the preparation stage, it is also necessary to visit the temple a few days before the sacrament, confess and receive communion. Just before baptism, one is required to observe a three-day fast, which involves excluding animal products from the diet.

In addition, it is necessary to refrain from entertainment, intimacy and foul language.

On the day of baptism, the godfather, like the godmother, is forbidden to eat food until the end of the ceremony, since sometimes after the sacrament the priest administers communion to the newly baptized person and his recipients.

What prayers does a godfather need to know?

Godparents must learn the main prayer of the ritual, “The Creed.”
It is pronounced immediately after the words of renunciation of the devil and union with Christ. The recipients must read and understand the meaning of the prayer, which is a set of basic provisions of the Orthodox faith. The list of significant prayers also includes: “Our Father,” “Rejoice to the Virgin Mary,” “Heavenly King.”

How to dress a godfather for a christening

At the baptismal ceremony, the godfather, like the godmother, must wear a consecrated cross. The appearance is expected to be modest and not attract much attention. It is not recommended to enter the temple in sportswear, shorts, or a T-shirt. On a hot summer day, it is better to choose light trousers and a short-sleeved shirt.

What do you need to buy for baptism?

The godfather's responsibilities include purchasing a pectoral cross and a chain or gaitan for it. He also needs to purchase an icon of the Guardian Angel and a personalized icon with the image of the saint whose name the godson will be named.

The godfather should visit the church where the ceremony will take place in advance and clarify the details of the organization:

• Is it possible to take photographs?
• Whether the baptism will be mass or individual, how long it will last;
• Will there be communion on the day of baptism or will it be necessary to give communion to the godson in a week;
• What needs to be brought to the temple in addition to baptismal clothes, an icon and a cross;
• When can you consecrate a purchased cross?

Donating to the needs of the temple is also the responsibility of the godfather. The amount of payment for the ceremony can be found out in advance. Candles are purchased on the day of the sacrament according to the number of invited guests.

The godparents renounce the devil and are united with Christ instead of the godson, then the main stage of baptism begins - immersion in the font, symbolizing death and rebirth from water and the Holy Spirit.

At the baptism of a boy

When a boy is baptized, the godfather receives the godson from the baptismal font. Together with the godmother, he wipes the baby with a baptismal towel and helps dress him in a white shirt, the color of which denotes the purity and sinlessness of the newly baptized soul. The godfather holds a baby up to one year old in his arms. Children over two years old can stand in front of the receiver.

At a girl's christening

The girl is received from the font by her godmother. The godfather’s task at this time is to constantly be nearby, help undress/dress the baby, and say prayers.

What are the responsibilities of a godfather after baptism?

When turning to God in daily prayer, the godfather must mention the name of his godson and ask for health and prosperity for him. When visiting a temple, you need to write notes with the child’s name and order a magpie about health.

The godfather is of particular importance to the boy. He should become for him an example of masculinity, piety, and mercy. It is very important to take a grown-up child with you to church, teach him to pray, and honor Orthodox laws.

It’s good when the godfather brings the child to first confession and communion.

It is necessary to visit church together on major church holidays, as well as on Angel’s Day, light candles for health, and say a prayer to the heavenly patron.

At baptism or during the first year of life, a children's Bible should be given to the godson so that as the child grows up he becomes familiar with the life of Christ.
For birthdays, Angel Day, Christmas and other holidays, it is right to purchase gifts with spiritual meaning. Communication between a godson and goddaughter should not be interrupted throughout life. Relationships built on trust will allow an adult child to turn to the recipient for advice or support in a difficult life situation. The godfather, in turn, must be ready to come to the aid of his godson or daughter.

Photos courtesy of Zoya Vanyukova.

Source: https://www.krestilnoe.ru/kreshchenie-podgotovka/obyazannosti-krestnogo-ottsa/

Godparents: their duties and responsibilities

In Christian families (regardless of how strongly religious and devout the father and mother are), baptism becomes comprehensive protection for the child. This is often the baby’s first appearance in the world and meeting all the relatives.

We invite you to talk about christenings and their organization; about who godparents are, how to choose them correctly and what their responsibilities are.

When to baptize a newborn

In families where the baptism of a child is not just a formality, but a significant event with enormous spiritual significance, they prepare for it quite seriously and responsibly. But the criterion of significance is not always identical to the scale of the festivities.

• For some, it is important to see only their closest relatives at this celebration, while others make a big holiday for all their relatives, friends and acquaintances.
• In any case, it is important to choose the right time (date) for the christening:

• so that it complies with church canons;
• so that all invited guests can come to the ceremony.

As for the church, there are absolutely no restrictions here. It is only necessary to take into account some nuances associated with a certain period:

• christening is scheduled for the period from 8 to 40 days of the baby’s life, but then the mother cannot attend the ceremony;
• if the child was born weak, or there is a threat to his life, parents may decide to baptize the baby in the first week of life;
• If the parents decide that the child has the right to choose his own religion at a conscious age, then he can be baptized as an adult.

Well, choosing the date for the christening, taking into account the capabilities of the guests, the organizational and financial capabilities of the parents, the time to buy what is needed for the baptism of the child, is a purely personal matter.

But you need to be prepared that it’s unlikely to be possible to organize everything “conveniently” for everyone. Therefore, you should still focus on the closest and godparents who were chosen for the baby.

Who can be godparents

If natural parents are not chosen, then godparents are just the opposite. Only it is not the child who chooses them, but his mother and father.

All parents have their own selection criteria: kinship, strong friendship, financial well-being, etc. But we should not forget about the very essence of the Sacrament of Baptism, its inseparability from religion and faith.

The church and clergy say that it is necessary to take baptized Christians who regularly go to church as godparents - this is due to the responsibilities assigned to godparents.

But there may be exceptions in cases where there are no other options.

Who definitely cannot be godparents for the baby:

• monks and nuns;
• his biological parents;
• minors;
• couples in intimate relationships, married couple.

There are also a lot of different superstitions associated with godparents (for example, that a pregnant woman cannot be a godmother) and other requirements that the priest in the church may present to candidates for godparents: confession before the Sacrament, knowing prayers by heart, being married (if the person is married) etc.

A child can have only one godparent (of the same gender) or the child’s godparent can be the priest who performs the ceremony.

It is impossible to “rebaptize” a child or change his godparents. The parents of the baby must understand the full responsibility of their choice. After all, it often happens that a child loses contact with his godparents only because his parents stopped communicating with them.

Therefore, the godmother and father of the child, first of all, must be good, decent people and be aware of all the responsibility that will be entrusted to them.

Parents should not choose godfathers for themselves, but “second parents” for their child.

Recently, more and more often, parents choose godparents for their children from among close relatives. So many are trying to “play it safe”, trying to ensure that the child has a full presence of second parents in their life and upbringing.

But things don't always go as planned. Sometimes a child needs (especially in adolescence) someone “objective” from outside the family to share his experiences. And non-relative godparents can become such a “safe” interlocutor for them. Aunts and uncles will love and communicate with their nephews in any case, and godparents are plus two more loving people.

Responsibilities of godparents

A godson, of course, does not “automatically” become a natural child for the godparents, but he is also not a stranger, or simply a “child of close acquaintances.” Anyone who agrees to take on the responsibility of baptizing a child agrees to fulfill the duties assigned to him.

And this is not only (or rather “not at all”) regular visits, congratulations and gifts. Based on the very essence of the Sacrament of Baptism, the duties of the godmother and father are related to the spiritual life of the child:

• raise the godson in accordance with Christian values, including by one’s own example;
• teach your child to go to church;
• pray for the baby and over time also teach him to pray;
• protect and support in difficult life situations.

Even if the relatives and godparents are believers, but cannot consider themselves to be devout people (they do not regularly attend church, have not gotten married, etc.), they must make every effort to raise a kind, honest, sincere person.

The godfather’s duties also include thanking (paying) the priest and the church for conducting the baptismal ceremony.

In some churches this is a fixed amount, in others it is at the discretion of the parents/godfather.

Christening gift

“Giving gifts” to a child is not the main task of godparents, but how can you leave your baby without gifts? The first gifts arrive at the child's christening.

1. The rules for parents and godparents do not oblige them to do exactly this, but most often gifts are distributed from godfathers.
2. From godmother:

1. Kryzhma can be a large white baptismal towel or a snow-white cloth in which the baby is wrapped after the baptismal bath. It should be made of natural material/fabric, possibly with church symbols (crosses, angels, etc.). You can buy it both in the store and in the church shop. They say that if you wrap a sick child at any age in his baptismal cap, he will recover faster.
2. A baptismal shirt is the clothing in which the baby will be baptized. It could be a dress, a vest or a suit. The main thing is that the fabrics are natural, and that the outfit is comfortable and easy to take off.

From the godfather:

1. A pectoral cross is a mandatory attribute of the ceremony. What material it will be made of does not matter. But you should pay attention that it is small and safe for the baby, and also depicts the crucifixion of Christ and is consecrated before/before the child’s baptism;
2. Chain / rope / cord - anything at the request (and capabilities) of the godfather, on which the baby will wear a cross;
3. Icon with a patron saint or Guardian Angel.

Instead (or in addition) to this, godparents can give the baby other gifts that the parents wish, or that they themselves consider necessary.

Conclusion

• Now among young people it is probably difficult to find those who constantly attend church, and not just on major holidays; who fasts; who does not succumb to the temptation of the modern world... And many do not consider this important and necessary.
• But, no matter what they say about their religiosity, if parents decide to baptize their baby, they believe at least a little in this rite and its meaning.
• Even a small amount of faith, supported by deeds, as well as the support of good godparents of the child, will help raise a healthy and kind person.

Source: https://its-kids.ru/krestnye-roditeli.html

Responsibilities of a godfather. What should a godfather and godmother do?

You have been invited to be godparents. This is a great honor and a great responsibility. What are the responsibilities of the godfather and godmother, what should be done during and after baptism?

Baby baptism. Photo from the site https://dveri.bg/uap64

Main responsibilities of godparents

During the sacrament of baptism, the godparents have the responsibility to vouch for the faith of the baby and subsequently raise him in the Orthodox faith.

The child himself does not know anything yet and cannot profess faith, so godparents bring baptismal vows for him. If your faith is not strong enough, you should think seriously before agreeing to take on the responsibilities of a godfather.

After all, in the future you will have to answer to God not only for yourself, but also for your godson.

Godparents pray for their godson all their lives. While the child is small, they teach him the Orthodox faith, try to get him to visit church more often, take communion, explain the meaning of the service, talk about saints, icons, and Orthodox holidays.

When a child becomes a teenager, it is the godparents who must take special care of his moral condition. This explains the choice of godparents - a boy certainly needs a godfather, and a girl needs a godmother; the presence of a second godfather is not mandatory.

With a godfather of the same sex, it is easier for a teenager to discuss some personal issues, problems that he may not dare to talk about with his parents.

What godparents must do before the sacrament of baptism

The future godparents, together with the baby's parents, agree on the place and time of baptism. Before the sacrament, you will need to undergo a public conversation, or “interview,” in the church where the baptism will take place. There may be several such conversations. They lay out the basics of the Orthodox faith, which every Christian needs to know.

Who exactly will buy a baptismal set, a pectoral cross and an icon does not make a fundamental difference. If godparents want to give a gift to their godson, they can bear part of the costs themselves.

Some wealthy people order a measured icon - this is an icon painted to order, on a board that corresponds to the height of the baby at birth. It depicts a saint whose name is given to the child.

More often they buy an icon in a church shop: for a boy - the Savior, for a girl - the Mother of God. You can choose any icon based on your desires, tastes and means. But it should be borne in mind that this icon will be with the godson all his life. In the old days, it was customary to bless a grown child for marriage with this icon.

When entering family life, the bride and groom each brought their own icon with them, and they formed the so-called “wedding couple” of icons. Based on this, it is better to buy not the smallest icon (on which you can barely see the image), but a slightly larger one (usually chosen approximately the size of a book) and in a frame.

But, I repeat, there are no hard and fast rules here, and if you are very limited in funds, an expensive icon is not at all an end in itself.

When choosing a cross for a child, you should not buy the tiniest one. It seems very suitable for such a baby, but the baby will grow up, and a tiny cross, especially on a man, will look completely different. It is better to buy a medium-sized cross.

Should a baby wear a cross?

A baptismal set, as a rule, can be bought at a church shop at a temple. It includes a diaper with an embroidered cross, a shirt and a scarf for a girl.

The sacrament of baptism. Photo from the website of photographer Nadezhda Smirnova http://www.fotosmirnova.com/kreschenie

Responsibilities of godparents during baptism

Godparents must know by heart the Creed , which contains all the main truths of Orthodoxy. It will need to be read during the sacrament of baptism:

I believe in one God, the Father, Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, visible to all and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only begotten, who was born of the Father before all ages; Light from Light, true God from true God, born, uncreated, consubstantial with the Father, to Whom all things were.

For our sake, man and our salvation came down from heaven and became incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became human. She was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried. And he rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures. And ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father.

And again the coming one will be judged with glory by the living and the dead, His Kingdom will have no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Life-Giving One, who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who spoke the prophets. Into one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. I confess one baptism for the remission of sins.

I hope for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the next century. Amen.

During the sacrament, the godparents hold the baby in their arms (if the child is worried and crying, it is allowed to be held by the mother, there is no violation). The most important moment is when the godfather receives the godson from the font from the hands of the priest. Therefore, godparents are otherwise called godparents. The godfather must receive the boy from the font, and the godmother must accept the girl.

How does the sacrament of Baptism occur?

The sacrament of baptism. Photo from the website of photographer Ekaterina Orlova http://lovaphotos.com/krestiny

Responsibilities of godparents after baptism

Godparents pray for the godson, take care of his visit to church, participation in the sacraments, and the upbringing of the godson in the spirit of the Orthodox faith.

As for any special gifts, this does not matter and depends on the desires and capabilities of the godparents themselves.

Godparents are considered spiritual relatives, and therefore they cannot marry each other or their godson. If such a situation arises, then you should contact the ruling bishop for permission.

Misconceptions and superstitions about baptism

Publication date 05/04/2018 Author of the article:

Source: https://materinstvo.ru/art/17025

Rules for a boy's christening, what is needed, how it goes, responsibilities of godparents

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Christening is a great sacrament, a responsible and important step in the life of both the child and his parents. This rite means the acceptance of the newborn by the church, and in its guise by the Lord himself. This procedure is one of the oldest and has a centuries-old history. The tradition itself, although it has changed to this day, has still retained all the most basic rules and canons.

You can find out how a boy’s christening takes place in our article. Baptism prepares a little person for life through spirituality and faith, and to those who know and understand this, the Almighty bestows his eternal grace.

Rules for a boy's christening

In Christian culture, there are a number of rules for the baptism of a boy and a girl, as well as the duties of godparents, which must be strictly fulfilled.

Basic church laws when baptizing a boy:

a few days before the christening, it is very desirable that the godparents undergo a rite of purification and confess;

• everyone who takes part in the ritual must come to the temple in advance, be peaceful and calm;
• the parents of the child in church during the sacrament should not be present in the church;
• the boy is brought into the temple by his godmother as soon as the priest gives her a sign;
• the child does not have to be dressed, you can wrap him in white cloth;
• godparents clearly repeat all the prayers after the priest, thus renouncing everything sinful and accepting God’s commandments for fulfillment;
• the boy is turned to the west, anointed with oil and immersed in the font (the arrival of the Holy Spirit);
• then they put on the baptismal set and place it on the chest (protection from sin);
• then a passage is made around the font (a Christian symbol of eternity);
• at the end, the priest himself carries the boy to the altar, where the completion of the sacrament takes place;
• After the christening, everyone present goes to the orphanage for the celebration.

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If twin boys undergo the baptism ceremony, then their godparents must be different, but they can be baptized on the same day.

There are also questions that the baby’s parents, in particular the mother, need to know. Basically, the church does not allow her presence in the temple during the ceremony, but if the desire is strong enough, this is possible if the following conditions are met:

• the priest must read a special prayer both before and after the sacrament;
• mother undergo a confession ritual (if she has not done this in the near future);
• the mother must fast for several days immediately before the christening.

On average, the entire ceremony takes from 30 minutes to an hour. The main thing is that everything goes right, this is very important for the boy, and for the godparents, and for his parents, because from now on they are one spiritual family, blessed by the Almighty.

Baby boy christening set

This set is also a very important component of the sacrament. Therefore, adults need to approach their choice with all seriousness and responsibility. It includes:

• the most important element is the kryzhma (a white diaper, often openwork with embroidered initials of the baby or an Orthodox cross);
• baptismal shirt (simple or elegant with trim);
• white blanket.

It is not necessary to purchase a cap and socks for a boy. The set itself is a relic that should be kept in the house for many years; it cannot be used in everyday life. But it is worth remembering that kryzhma is endowed with healing properties, so if a child suddenly gets sick, then this baptismal cloth can help him recover.

There is also a belief: if parents want the next boy born into this family to be friends with his brother, then he too will be baptized in this baptismal shirt.

Boy's christening, rules for godmother

There is a certain set of rules for each of the godparents, which must be strictly followed, because the whole future life of the baby depends on it.

• Rules for a godmother:
• must not be pregnant;
• have no mental illness;
• conduct a confession before the ceremony;
• not be married to a godfather and not be his close relative;
• not to be a nun;
• be of age.

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What does the godmother buy for a boy’s christening:

• the fabric in which the baby is wrapped (kryzhma);
• baptismal set (shirt, blanket, maybe a cap);
• silk scarf for the priest.

Boy's christening, rules for godfather

• confess before the sacrament of baptism;
• not be married to the godmother, not be her closest relative;
• have no problems with the law or mental illness;
• not to be a minister of the church (monk);
• reach adulthood.

What does a godfather buy for a boy’s christening:

• purchasing a cross for a child;
• buying a gift;
• fulfillment of all financial obligations.

Responsibilities of godparents at the baptism of a boy

• be sure to be an example for inheritance;
• regularly prays for his godson;
• to guide the boy on the true path according to God’s commandments;
• always keep in touch with him (even if they live far from him);
• be present at the baby's first communion;
• in the event of illness or death of parents, take full responsibility for raising the child.

But the most important thing is that the godparents understand the importance of their rank, and the boy knows that there are always people next to him who will help, advise, and support. Godparents are spiritual educators, and their role in the life of a godson cannot be overestimated.

Responsibilities of the godfather at the baptism of a boy

Another quite important responsibility of a godfather is buying a gift for his godson. And its implementation must be treated with special understanding. According to tradition, the godfather must present a silver spoon at the christening.

It must be said that products made from this noble metal are the most common gifts for baptismal rites. This is a symbol of prosperity and fullness of life. A Bible can be a wonderful gift. Reading it will help in shaping the boy’s spiritual world.

It is also common for a godfather to give a gift with an engraving. This thing becomes very personal for a child and goes with him along the path of life, protecting him from all kinds of adversity.

In addition, the godfather can give:

• silver or gold jewelry;
• personalized photo album;
• clothes;
• thematic religious and fiction books;
• various toys.

Boy baptism names

Choosing a name for christenings is a very important issue when preparing for them and quite a big problem, since sometimes there are different opinions, which are not always possible to reconcile. But most often parents turn to the priest.

If the boy’s name is Orthodox, then you don’t have to change it, but still many try to do this, because in this way they want to protect the baby from everything bad. The name is selected mainly according to the calendar, taking into account the day (or period) in which the child was born, and the name can be either in tune with the worldly or completely different from it.

What is needed for a boy's baptism

Baptism of a child is the great mission of man on Earth. What is needed for the baptism of a child or a boy - the main thing is that you need to be especially careful and prepared. Godparents should read as much spiritual literature as possible in order to be able to help their godson in any life situation.

And what is important, the godfather as a man must develop and shape the best masculine qualities, such as: courage, endurance, self-control, willpower and spirit. After all, the role of godparents does not end immediately after the baptismal ceremony; this is a long journey of development for a little person, and there can be no room for error.

Therefore, when preparing to become godparents, you need to weigh the pros and cons many times, try to understand yourself, study religious literature, be educated in the field of spirituality, and most importantly, be a true example for the child.

Life prepares challenges for everyone, but not everyone can cope with them. And often times come when it is not parents, close relatives or friends who can help, but godparents, because their spiritual level and knowledge of life are quite high.

They are like “faithful companions” who walk with a person through life, and when necessary, lead him to God through communion, confession, and prayer. And it is thanks to them that from early childhood the child feels boundless confidence, care and grace of the Almighty.

• The Lord is always with you!
• Watch also the video about the sacrament of baptism:

Source: https://ikona-i-molitva.info/pravila-krestin-malchika-chto-nuzhno-kak-proxodit-obyazannosti-kryostnyx/

Godfather

See section THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM

• Godparents and godchildren: informal relationships
• About the baptism of children

• Table of contents
• The godfather (recipient) is a witness in the Sacrament of Baptism, a guarantor for the faith of the person being baptized, obligated to instruct him in the rules of Christian life.
• The baptism of an infant is performed according to the faith of the recipients, who have the sacred duty to teach children the true faith and help them become worthy members of the Church of Christ.

After the baby is immersed in the baptismal font, the godfather receives him from the hands of the priest. Hence the Slavic name - receiver. Thus, he takes upon himself the responsibility for life to raise the child in the Orthodox spirit, and the answer for this upbringing will be given at the Last Judgment.

During the Baptism of infants, the recipients pronounce (confess) in their place the Creed, pronounce vows and take care of teaching faith and morality to those received by them (VI Ecumenical Sob., rights. 53; Carth., rights. 54, Trebnik).

The custom of having a recipient at Baptism dates back to the most ancient Apostolic Tradition.

The presence of two receivers is a Russian tradition. According to the rules of the Church, one godfather is enough: a godfather for a boy and a godmother for a girl. In practice, gender mismatch is tolerated.

* * *

^ Responsibilities of godparents

Godparents have 3 main responsibilities towards their godchildren:

1. Prayer . The godfather is obliged to pray for his godson, and also, as he grows up, to teach prayer, so that the godson himself can communicate with God, thank the Creator and ask Him for help in all life circumstances.

2. Moral . Using your own example, you must show your child human virtues - love, kindness, mercy, etc., so that the child grows up to be a truly good Christian.

3. Doctrinal . Teach the godson the basics of the Christian religion. (If you yourself are not sufficiently informed, then there will be a reason to undergo at least public conversations (catechesis).

In the Sacrament of Baptism, the godparents promise God to bring the baby to Him. It's important to remember this.

^Who can be godfather

– The godfather (father) must be an Orthodox Christian. A godfather cannot be someone who has fallen away from the Church (who does not regularly receive communion), a representative of another religion, or an atheist. The recipient is required not only to know the Creed and read it at Baptism, but also to provide spiritual education for the godson in the future and daily prayer for him.

1. – The godfather must be a churchgoer, ready to regularly take his godson to church and raise him in the Christian faith.
2. – After the Sacrament of Baptism has been performed, the godfather cannot be changed, even if he has gone missing or fallen from the faith.
3. – Pregnant and unmarried women can be godparents to both boys and girls.
4. – The father and mother of a child cannot be godparents, and a husband and wife cannot be godparents for one child; other relatives - grandmothers, aunts and even older brothers and sisters can be godparents.

– A person should only have one godparent. According to the Trebnik, only one recipient is considered necessary - a man for a male person being baptized or a woman for a female person. The presence of a second godfather is an unwritten, albeit ancient, custom of the Church.

– Monks and nuns are not allowed to be ordained.

– The rite of the Sacrament of Baptism assumes the presence of recipients in person during its celebration. As a last resort, infant baptism is allowed even without godparents, then the priest himself is considered godfather.

– Marriages between the baptized person and the recipient are prohibited: the recipient cannot take his spiritual daughter as a wife, and the godfather cannot marry the widowed mother of his spiritual daughter (VI Ecumenical Coll., rights. 53).

* * *

It is reckless to invite a non-church person to be godparents: what can someone who does not know the subject teach?
It’s like choosing a guide on a dangerous journey, where the price at stake is life (in our case, Eternal), a rogue who does not know the route. It is also unreasonable for a church person to take vows before God to raise a child in the Christian faith, whose parents are not only outside the Church, but also do not intend to become a church member, to instill their child in Christ the Savior.

If you are invited to be a foster parent by parents who are not only not against baptizing a child, but are themselves ready to become members of the church community, then it is reasonable, before taking your own vows, to make your parents vow to fulfill the Commandments, to pray daily for their children, come to church with them, try to give them communion weekly. Ideally, it would be good to advise parents to go to Sunday school or catechesis classes: after a couple of classes it will be clear whether they are serious about spiritual life, or whether they view Baptism as a magical rite.

According to the ancient church rule, during the Baptism of infants, only one recipient was considered necessary - a man for a male person being baptized or a woman for a female person (Great Trebnik, Chapter 5, “see”).

The rule about “being one recipient at Baptism” belonged to the first centuries of Christianity and was strictly observed in the Eastern and Western Churches until the 9th century.

In our time, the custom of having two godparents at Baptism has become widespread: the godfather and the godmother.

  Only Orthodox recipients or recipients have ecclesiastical significance. Their names are remembered in prayers and included in certificates of Baptism.

The recipient “represents the person of the person being baptized and makes vows to God for him, makes the Symbol, confesses and is obliged to instruct the adopted son in the faith and law of God, which neither an ignoramus in the faith nor a person of other faith can do” (Book on the Positions of Parish Presbyters, 80).

According to the practice of the ancient Church, just as non-Christians are never allowed to adopt children, it is also indecent for an Orthodox Christian to be the foster child of non-Christian parents, except in those cases when the children are baptized into the Orthodox faith. The canons of the Church also do not provide for such a case as participation at baptism as a recipient of a non-Orthodox person.

Insane people, completely ignorant of the faith, as well as criminals, obvious sinners, and those who came to church drunk, cannot be recipients.

For example, those who, due to negligence, have not attended confession and Holy Communion for a long time cannot give guidance and edification in life to their godchildren.

Minors (under 14 years of age) cannot be recipients, since they are still incapable of teaching and are not firm in their understanding of the faith and power of the Sacrament (except in those cases when it is completely impossible to have an adult recipient).

The Ancient Russian Church did not know such a rule that would eliminate monks from succession. It is known that the godfathers of our Russian grand ducal and royal children were mostly monks.

Only later were monks prohibited from succession because it involves the monk in communication with the world (Nomocanon at the Great Trebnik). Parents cannot be recipients of their own children from the baptismal font.

It is inconvenient for a woman who is in normal purification to be a recipient. In such cases, you can postpone Baptism or invite another recipient.

Church rules do not prohibit siblings, father and daughter, or mother and son from being the adoptive parents of the same baby.

Currently, priests do not allow husband and wife to share the same child.

In order to prevent violations of existing rules regarding godparents, the priest usually learns in advance from parents who they want to have as godparents for their children.

^ Prayers for godchildren

^ Prayer for children and godchildren, Father John (Krestyankin)

Sweetest Jesus! God of my heart! You gave me children according to the flesh, they are Yours according to your soul. You redeemed both my soul and theirs with Your priceless Blood.

For the sake of Your Divine Blood, I beg You, my sweetest Savior, with Your grace touch the hearts of my children (names) and my godchildren (names), protect them with Your Divine fear, keep them from bad inclinations and habits, direct them to the bright path of life, truth and of good.

Decorate their lives with everything good and saving, arrange their fate as You yourself want and save their souls with their own destinies! Lord, God of our fathers! Give to my children (names) and godchildren (names) a right heart to keep Your commandments, Your revelations and Your statutes. And do it all! Amen.

^ On raising children as good Christians: Parents' prayer to the Lord God

God, our merciful and heavenly Father! Have mercy on our children (names) and 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.

^ Prayer to the Lord God, compiled by St. Ambrose of Optina

Lord, You are the only One who weighs everything, who is able to do everything, and who wants to save everyone and come to the mind of Truth.
Enlighten my children (names) with the knowledge of Thy truth and Thy Holy will, strengthen them to walk according to Thy commandments and have mercy on me, a sinner. Amen.
Merciful Lord, Jesus Christ, I entrust to You my children whom You have given to me, fulfill my prayer.

I ask You, Lord, save them in the ways that You Yourself know. Save them from vices, evil, pride, and let nothing that is contrary to You touch their souls. But grant them faith, love and hope for salvation, and may their life path be holy and blameless before God.

Bless them, Lord, may they strive every minute of their lives to fulfill Your Holy will, so that You, Lord, may always abide with them by Your Holy Spirit.
Lord, teach them to pray to You, so that prayer may be their support, joy in sorrow and consolation of their life, and so that we, their parents, may be saved by their prayer.
May Your angels always protect them.

May my children be sensitive to the grief of their neighbors, and may they fulfill Your commandment of love.
And if they sin, then grant them, Lord, to bring repentance to You, and You, in Your ineffable mercy, forgive them. When their earthly life ends, then take them to Your Heavenly Abodes, where let them lead with them other Your chosen servants.

Through the prayers of Your Most Pure Mother Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary and Your saints (all holy families are listed), Lord, have mercy on us, as You are glorified with Your Beginning Father and Your Most Holy and Good and Life-giving Spirit oh, now and forever, and forever and ever.

• Amen.
• ***

Does the Church really teach that marriage between godparents is inadmissible according to Article 211 of the Nomocanon?

Obstacles to marriage and adoption at baptism. Grigorovsky S.P. Publishing Council of the Russian Orthodox Church. 2007. With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II. pp. 49-51. Quote from there:

“At present, Article 211 of the Nomocanon [which states the inadmissibility of marriage between recipients] has no practical significance and should be considered abolished... Since during baptism it is enough to have one recipient or one recipient, depending on the gender of the person being baptized, there is no reason to consider recipients who are in some kind of spiritual relationship and therefore prohibit them from marrying each other.”

Prof. Pavlov, in his course on Church law, comments on the problem of spiritual kinship between the recipient and the recipient of one child and the marriage between them:

“...several rules of apocryphal origin and strange content (for example, rule 211, prohibiting a husband and wife from being the adoptive parents of the same baby, on pain of being separated from their marital cohabitation). Already in the first years of its existence, the Holy Synod began to regard such rules with great doubt and often made decisions directly contrary to them, especially in matters of marriage.”

In December 2017, the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church adopted the document “On the canonical aspects of church marriage,” which states: “Marriages between recipients can be performed with the blessing of the diocesan bishop (taking into account the decree of the Holy Synod of December 31, 1837).”

Can pregnant and unmarried women become godparents?

Pregnant and unmarried women can be godparents; there are no canonical prohibitions against this. All prohibitions relate exclusively to dense folk superstitions and have no force for Christians.

At what age do you not need a godfather?

Persons over 14 years of age.

How to baptize a child if one or more family members are against it?

– You should try to bring such people to a meeting with the priest. The main thing here is to understand what is inside a person, why he refuses to baptize his child. If people are atheists, it can be difficult to convince them to give up their views. But it is still possible to convince of the need for a calm and loyal attitude towards the fact of a child’s baptism.

Source: https://azbyka.ru/krestnyj

Prot. Pavel Gumerov. About the responsibilities of godparents / Pravoslavie.Ru

In the book of Archpriest Pavel Gumerov “Baptism and Churching.

Preparation for the Sacrament of Baptism and the first steps in the Church,” published by the Sretensky Monastery Publishing House, provides in an accessible form the initial knowledge necessary for those who are preparing for the Sacrament of Baptism or are just beginning to live an Orthodox life. The book presents the main provisions of our faith, talks about the Sacraments, the commandments of God and prayer.

When I have to baptize an adult, most often I perform the sacrament of Baptism without godparents. Because godparents, or godparents, are necessarily needed only for children.

When an adult is baptized, he himself can say that he believes in the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior and wants to accept Holy Baptism in order to save his soul. He himself can answer the priest’s questions and promise fidelity to Christ.

Of course, it is good when next to the adult person being baptized there is an Orthodox church person who can become his successor and help him take his first steps in church and teach him the basics of faith. But I repeat, for an adult it is not necessary to have godparents.

Why are receivers needed at all? Godparents are those people who, due to the minority of their godchildren, make vows of Holy Baptism for them, a promise of fidelity to God. For their spiritual children, they renounce Satan, unite with Christ and confess their faith, reading the Creed for them.

We baptize most people in infancy, that is, at an age when the child does not yet have conscious faith and cannot answer how he believes. His godparents do this for him. We baptize children according to the faith of their recipients and according to the faith of their parents as the closest people. Therefore, both bear a huge responsibility.

Godparents are not just family friends, they are not some kind of “wedding generals” standing at the sacrament with an “Honorary Witness” ribbon, as happens at weddings. No, godparents are very responsible persons; they become guarantors before God for the souls of their godchildren.

At the moment of baptism, together with their parents, in front of the Cross and the Gospel lying on a lectern, they make a promise to God Himself. What promise? That they will make every effort so that the newly baptized baby grows up to be a believer, an Orthodox person.

Their duty now is to pray for their spiritual children, teach them prayers, instruct them in the Orthodox faith and take them to church to receive communion, and then, after seven years, to confess. So that when their godson reaches adulthood, he already knows how to pray to God, knows what we believe in and why we go to church.

Of course, the greatest responsibility for the Christian upbringing of children lies with the parents, but godparents can also greatly influence their godchildren and become their spiritual teachers and mentors.

Many parents approach the Baptism of their children quite formally and choose godparents in the same formal manner.

Now a little about the sad things. Most modern godparents are very poorly prepared. Unfortunately, many parents approach the sacrament of Baptism of their children completely formally and choose godparents in the same formal manner.

After all, a godfather should not just be a good person, with whom we enjoy communicating, our friend or relative - he should be an Orthodox person, a churchgoer and someone who knows his faith.

How can we teach someone the basics of faith if we ourselves don’t even know the basics, haven’t read the Gospel, don’t know prayers? Indeed, in any field, if a person knows something well, for example, knows how to drive a car, work on a computer, solve mathematical problems, do repairs, he can teach this to others, pass on his knowledge. And if he himself knows nothing in this area, who can he teach?

If you are godparents and feel a lack of knowledge in the spiritual field (and none of us can say that he has fully studied the Orthodox faith, for it is an inexhaustible reservoir of spiritual wisdom), it is necessary to fill this gap. You need to educate yourself.

Believe me, there is nothing complicated about this, especially now, when no one forbids us to read any spiritual literature and when books, brochures, and CDs telling about the Orthodox faith are sold in all churches and bookstores. The Lord reveals himself to everyone who turns to Him, at any age.

My grandfather received Baptism at the age of 70 and then mastered the basics of the Orthodox faith so well that he could even teach and mentor others.

You need to start spiritual education with the very beginning, basic books, such as “The Law of God”, “First Steps in an Orthodox Church” and others. You definitely need to read the Gospel; you can start with the “Gospel of Mark”, it is the shortest, only 16 chapters, and was written specifically for new pagan Christians.

The godfather must live according to the commandments of God, pray to God and receive communion

The recipient must know the Creed and read it at baptism; this prayer book briefly outlines the Orthodox faith, and the godfather must know what he believes. And of course, the godfather must live according to God’s commandments, pray to God and receive communion.

According to church canons, a child is entitled to one godfather, of the same gender as the person being baptized, but our Russian tradition presupposes two godparents - a man and a woman. They must not be married to each other.

Godparents then cannot marry or marry their godchildren. The child's father and mother cannot be his godparents, but other relatives: grandparents, uncles and aunts, brothers and sisters may well become godparents.

Recipients, preparing for the sacrament of Baptism, must confess and partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ.

Source: https://pravoslavie.ru/98865.html