When a baby is born, his soul and body are defenseless, therefore, the sooner he is baptized, the sooner he will find his own and learn faith in God. Up to 7 years of age, it is customary to assign godparents to children. But what to do if unforeseen situations arise when such people are simply not around. The question arises: “Is it possible to baptize a child without godparents?”
Cases of performing a ritual without godparents
Our life is a series of events in which it happens that the Christian rite of baptism must be performed regardless of whether godparents are nearby or not.
- The child is seriously ill. In this case, anything can happen, the baby can die at any moment or he will have a serious operation. Then little man should be baptized right in the hospital. This ritual can be performed by anyone. To do this, you should bring blessed water from the church. If this is not possible, take the usual one. Then, pouring this water over your head, say things like this or similar words: “The servant of God (name) is baptized in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen". After this, you can go to church and ask the clergyman to complete the baptism according to all the rules. You can also choose Orthodox godparents for your child in the future.
- There are no people of the Orthodox faith nearby who adhere to God's Laws. Sometimes parents cannot entrust their child to people who have nothing to do with the faith, and it is impossible to appoint godparents from among friends and acquaintances who will not raise the child in Orthodoxy.
- The godparents are far away. There are situations when close person is located several kilometers away, but you really want him to become the spiritual mentor of your child. The Church approaches this situation differently. Some clergy do not advise choosing godparents who cannot be with the godson. Others think that there is nothing wrong with this. A person, even being far away, can take part in the life of a child and will be able to convey to him the basic commandments.
It is best to baptize a child in infancy, then he will be reliably protected from all the evil that exists in this world. In addition, this is the revival of the human soul.
Most often, baptism is carried out after the baby turns 40 days old, because all this time the mother cannot attend church, and the baby needs to feel under the protection of the mother’s wing when performing the sacrament. Therefore, as soon as a woman is cleansed after generational sin, she can immediately take part in baptism.
If the mother trusts the chosen godparents, then baptism can be carried out on the 8th day after birth without her presence.
Required preparation:
- purchase pectoral cross. If it is purchased in a regular jewelry store, then it must first be consecrated;
- buy kryzhma - a towel for wiping the baby. After the sacrament it must be preserved. It is believed that in case of illness it helps to alleviate the child’s condition. To do this, you need to dry your baby with this towel every day after bathing;
- Prepare comfortable clothes for the baby so that they can be taken off and put on easily and quickly.
The rite of baptism is always the same. But in order for the baby to be calm, you should come to church early, let the child get used to the new place, then he will be less nervous and capricious.
Then you can prepare the baby - undress and wrap it in a baptismal towel. Next comes the ritual itself. There is no need to worry that you might do something wrong. Father will tell you what to do.
What does the Church advise if the baby does not have godparents?
Try to find at least one of godparents. The girl is a godmother, and the boy is a spiritual mentor. Children should trust other parents and seek any help.
If, after all, there are no such people, the Church answers the question “Is it possible to baptize a child without godparents?” positively. The baby should not be deprived of the sacrament of baptism due to the lack of spiritual mentors. In addition, during baptism, this role is taken on by the priest who conducts the ritual.
Remember, it is necessary to baptize a child, then his life will be under reliable protection and his guardian angel.
Church canons and rules require compliance. The sacrament of baptism has been performed for centuries. Parents must preserve church traditions and prepare in advance for the baptism of their child. The most important thing is the choice of godparents, people who will take on the responsibility of spiritual education of the godson.
You can baptize a child with one godfather.
According to spiritual rules, a baby can be baptized without one of the godparents. But it is desirable to have two mentors. There are no special requirements for them:
- Orthodox Christians,
- not necessarily married,
- not necessarily planning a marriage in the future,
- close relatives or just acquaintances
It is much more important that the desire to engage in the spiritual education of a child is not nominal, but real.
What is the responsibility of godparents
To raise children in faith, godparents themselves must be spiritual people. A lot of useful literature is sold on church shelves, including for little Christians.
Adults can always turn to clergy for help in raising their godchildren. The church never refuses its parishioners.
When choosing godparents, parents should pay attention to their human qualities and desire for God. The choice may not fall on a relative; the main thing is that he must understand that the sacrament of baptism will draw an invisible thread between him and the child, making him the mentor of a little Christian.
If a girl is baptized under the same godfather, it is better that her spiritual mentor be a woman, if the boy is a man.
Is it possible to baptize a child without godparents?
In rare cases, it is possible to baptize a baby completely without godparents. This is acceptable if:
- the life of a boy or girl is in danger;
- the priest is ready to take on the responsibility of reading prayers instead of godparents.
If the baby survives, the sacrament is subsequently completed and godparents are invited. It is better to discuss the issue of the presence or absence of godmothers and fathers with representatives of the church where the child will be baptized.
It is desirable that a little Orthodox Christian have both godparents, but the spiritual qualities of these people are much more important.
Many children are baptized as infants. By the time they reach adulthood, they remember nothing about their sacramental rite. Again he turns to the rite of the sacrament of a person when he is asked to become a godfather (godparent), or has to baptize a child, and this is more difficult to do. Parents are faced with the mission of choosing godparents. But there are cases when it is difficult to select recipients and the ceremony must be carried out without them or with one recipient. Therefore, the question: “Is it possible to baptize a child without godparents?” is very relevant and the priest's response is of great importance.
Rite of the sacrament without two godparents
According to the church charter and traditions, the baby must have a godfather of the same gender as the godson, and the second godfather is chosen by the parents at will. Traditions have established for the Orthodox faith to have two successors for a child.
The ritual of the sacrament is performed for children at a young or adult age. IN at a young age an infant cannot fully realize his faith and make a promise before the Lord God. Therefore, godparents take on this role. They represent the interests of the baby and say prayers and promises to the Lord for him.
Important! An exception will be when the ritual of the sacrament can occur without a single recipient. This includes situations where baptism needs to be carried out without delay.
So, if the child is in serious condition and cannot get to church, in this case there will be no time for godparents and the baptism will be carried out by a priest in the hospital room. After the child has recovered, he can be given a standard sacramental rite, with the presence of godparents and compliance with all customs and rules. There have been cases when lay people become recipients. These could be healthcare workers or just patients in a hospital.
Attention! There are no strict rules regarding the fact that children are not allowed to be baptized due to the absence of godparents. It is not the child’s fault that there were no suitable adopters. He has the right to accept the Orthodox faith without godparents!
As for adults, it is easier for them to do without godparents. It is easy to verify this by reading the process of conducting the ritual of the Sacrament, where a person converting to the Orthodox faith must answer questions from the clergyman and recite prayers and oaths. An adult does not require outside help from recipients in performing the ritual.
There is no need to despair about the absence of godparents. Tradition and statutes established the presence of two successors, but it is prohibited to prohibit joining the church. The clergyman himself will act as godfather.
Rite of the sacrament without a recipient
If we turn to the church canons, there are no strict rules regarding the baptism of a child with one recipient. It is realistic for a boy to do without a godmother, but it is worth thinking about a godfather, since he is the same gender as the child, he should have an advantage in the ritual. The same applies to girls, but then preference is given to the godmother. It would not be right for a girl to do without a godmother.
If you have problems choosing one recipient, then you can try to register the child without godparents in absentia. Godparents will not be present at the sacramental ceremony, but godparents for the child will be recorded. This will be a kind of formality.
Attention! Before deciding to baptize a child without a godparent, you must first go to church and consult with a clergyman; some may not allow the sacrament to be performed.
Although it would be a violation church rules, since every child and adult can accept the Orthodox faith, despite the current situation.
It is worth paying attention to the baptism of two or more children. In this case, it is not necessary to select a godparent separately for each baby. It will be enough to choose an advantage; a girl cannot live without a godmother, and both girls must have one. And vice versa, if these are boys, then there must be a godfather, and there is only one mother for two.
Before baptism, you must first agree on the day of the sacrament, because a child can be baptized during Lent, but not always on weekdays. Only weekends remain. You need to carefully consider the choice of godparents for two children, because there are a number of prohibitions, and not everyone can become a godparent. This is not how you can be a recipient:
- mother or father of the child;
- spouses;
- a person who has no Orthodox religion, Catholics may be an exception;
- to a person far from church life and does not believe in God.
It is permitted by church regulations to baptize children without godparents and with one godparent. It is worth coordinating these nuances with the clergyman in advance, because not everyone treats this with understanding.
Hello! Godfathers and mothers must know, love, and fully participate in the child’s life, so the option of taking strangers is definitely not suitable. If you don’t have one of your close friends or acquaintances, for example, another daughter or son, you can offer it to your nephew or niece, aunts or uncles. In some cases, it is allowed for a child to be baptized by his grandparents. Do not forget that the purpose of baptism in infancy is to represent the interests of the baby and say prayers for him before the Lord, praying for his health and future well-being. Therefore, a person must be decent, fear God “not in words”, and regularly attend the Holy Church.
In special cases, a child has the right to accept the Orthodox faith without godparents - in the arms of his own parents!Answer
my daughter is finally pregnant, we waited 5 years. This is what I think: is it possible to baptize children without a godfather or godmother? Why I ask: My daughter's godmother is at her baptism. when she was 12 years old, she gave it up. I remember that she herself wanted to be a godmother, in a new house, we didn’t know each other, so we sat on a bench with the children…. met. She turned out to be an Old Believers, I don’t even know how to write correctly... We are even afraid to meet her on the street, so as not to jinx her... Who can answer me, I don’t want any of the strangers, but I don’t have any relatives
Answer
Is it possible for an adult to be baptized without godparents?
To answer the question whether it is possible to baptize a child without godparents, it is enough to read the sequence of the sacrament of Baptism, then a lot will become clear to us. The sequence is compiled for adults, that is, it contains places where the person being baptized says prayers and answers questions to the priest. When we baptize a child, the godparents are responsible for him and read his prayers. Therefore, it is obvious that the sacrament of Baptism of a child cannot take place without adults. But an adult is able to profess his faith himself.
Is it possible to baptize a child without one of the godparents?
The question of whether it is possible to baptize a child without a godmother can be answered in the same way as the question of whether it is possible to baptize a child without a godfather. If it was not possible to find a person capable of taking on the responsibilities of a godmother or father, it is possible to perform the sacrament of baptism without one of the parents. In this case, it will be more important for the girl if she has godmother, for a boy - godfather.
Is it possible to baptize a child without godparents?
In this case, baptism can only be performed under the following circumstances:
The child's life is in danger, he is in serious condition. At such a moment, baptism can be performed by a priest or any layman by pouring holy water on the baby’s head three times and saying the words: “God’s servant (me) (name) is baptized in the name of the Father. Amen. And the Son. Amen. And the Holy Spirit. Amen". If after baptism by a layman the baby survives and recovers, then you need to turn to the Church and complete the Sacrament of Baptism with Confirmation.
If no godfather is found for the child, the priest can take on the responsibilities of godparents and say prayers for the child himself. If the priest knows the baby, then he will be able to take care of him and instruct him in the faith, but if not, then he will remember the godson in prayer at every service. Not all priests take on such responsibility, so in different churches the question of whether it is possible to baptize a child without godparents is answered differently.
Still, it is better to try to ensure that your child has two godparents, just like two siblings (see How to choose godparents). Indeed, in later life he will need to see not only the example of the life of his parents, but also other people who visit the temple and try to live according to God’s commandments.
Is it possible to baptize a godfather's child?
You can become a godmother or godfather for any child, unless, of course, he is your own. There is even a pious tradition in Orthodox families baptize each other's children: this makes it easier to maintain connections and communicate with godchildren.
Is it possible for godfathers to baptize a child?
Of course, people who become godparents for one child can become godparents for another, there are no obstacles to this.
Is it possible to baptize a child at home?
It is advisable that the baby be baptized in a church, because after baptism there is still a prayer for churching: the boy is brought into the altar, the girl is placed on the soleya, from where her mother receives her.
There are times when a child is sick or there is no temple nearby, and it is not possible to take the child far away. You can invite a priest to your home, then the priest will read the prayers for churching when the baby is brought to church. Bringing the child to church after baptism and giving him communion is the responsibility of the godparents and birth parents.
Is it possible to baptize two children?
Yes, if a family is baptizing two or more children at the same time, you can ask the same people to be their godparents. It will be even better this way, because two children have the same natural parents and will also have the same godparents.
Is it possible for spouses to baptize a child?
This question cannot be answered affirmatively. There is such a thing as spiritual kinship between godparents; it is impossible in the presence of a marital relationship. Therefore, a husband and wife cannot baptize a child.
Is it possible for a couple to baptize a child?
Godparents must have a spiritual relationship with each other, therefore, even if a couple lives in a civil marriage and they are not registered as husband and wife, they cannot be the child’s godparents.
If young people do not have a marital relationship, but intend to get married in the future, they will also not be able to become godparents of one child.
Is it possible for relatives to baptize a child?
A child can be baptized by any relatives, except for the mother, father and relatives who are spouses, since spouses cannot be godparents.
Is it possible to refuse to baptize a child?
If you have many godchildren and you know that you will not be able to properly care for the new godchild, you are in another city or another country, and you do not know the child’s family well, it is better to refuse to baptize the baby. But if there is a possibility that the child will not be baptized at all because of your refusal, it is better to agree and ask God for help.
Is it possible to baptize several children?
If parents are baptizing several of their children, then it will be very desirable that the same people be godparents. Then the children will have the same godparents, just like their relatives. It will be easier for godparents to take care of raising all the children together. It is possible to baptize several children at the same time - not siblings.
Is it possible to baptize a child twice? Is it possible to baptize a child a second time?
Such questions are rare, but still asked in the Church. The Sacrament of Baptism itself is performed on a person only once. After all, the meaning of this sacrament is a person’s acceptance of the Orthodox faith and his recognition as a member of the Church. But there are several cases when such a question may arise:
If children do not know whether they were baptized or not. This happens if a child has lost his natural parents, or there is a possibility that the child was secretly baptized by one of his relatives. In this case, it is necessary to inform the priest about this, then the sacrament of Baptism is performed according to a different rite. The priest says the words: “The servant of God (name) is baptized (if not baptized) in the name of the Father. Amen. And the Son. Amen. And the Holy Spirit. Amen".
If the child was urgently baptized by a layman. Such baptism is performed if there was a danger to the child’s life, but he later recovered. Then you need to come to Church and complete the sacrament of Baptism with Confirmation.
If the child was baptized in a different faith. The Orthodox Church recognizes the sacrament of Baptism in other denominations as valid in cases where the sacrament of Baptism is performed according to a similar rite and if in this denomination the institution of the priesthood and apostolic succession in the ordination of priests have been preserved. Only Catholicism and the Old Believers can be classified as such confessions (but only that direction where the priesthood has been preserved). After baptism in the Catholic faith, you need to complete the sacrament of Baptism with confirmation, since in the Catholic Church, confirmation is performed separately from baptism at a later age (about 15 years).
Is it possible to baptize a sick child?
If a child is seriously ill, then baptism is necessary; it can even be performed in a hospital or at home. If the baby’s life is in danger, then, as a last resort, he can even be baptized by a layman.
Is it possible to baptize a child in absentia?
Baptism, like any sacrament, is a sacrament in which the invisible grace of God is communicated to the believer under a visible image. The sacrament of Baptism requires the physical presence of the person being baptized, the priest and the godparents. A sacrament is not just prayer; performing a sacrament in absentia is impossible.
Is it possible to baptize a child during Lent?
IN Orthodox Church There are no days when a child cannot be baptized. The baptism of a child can be performed on any day agreed upon with the priest and godparents. Usually the question of whether it is possible to baptize a child during Lent arises due to the fact that the sacrament of weddings in the Church is not performed during Lent. Fasting is a time for repentance and abstinence from fasting food and marital intimacy, therefore there are restrictions for weddings, but not baptism. Is it possible to baptize a child during Lent? Of course, yes, and on any day of Lent, and on holidays, and on the eve fast days and holidays.
Is it possible to baptize a child on Saturday?
Sunday services are held in all churches, urban and rural. Therefore, most often baptism is performed on Saturday: after baptism, you can participate in the service and give the child communion the next day on Sunday.
Is it possible to baptize a child at Epiphany?
In the Ancient Church due to the spread large quantity In the case of heresies, baptism was preceded by a long period of instruction in the faith, which lasted up to 3 years. And the catechumens (learners) received baptism on the Epiphany of the Lord (at that time this holiday was called Enlightenment) and on Holy Saturday before Easter. The celebration of Baptism on these days was a great holiday in the Church. If you decide to baptize a child on Epiphany (Epiphany), then not only will you not violate the canons of the Church, but you will also follow the ancient Christian tradition.
Is it possible to baptize a child with menstruation?
The days of a woman’s purification in the Church are called impurity; many restrictions are associated with these days for women in Old Testament. Today, it is not appropriate for a woman in uncleanness to touch sacred objects (icons, crosses) or to receive sacraments. Therefore, when choosing the day for a child’s baptism, it is advisable to take this circumstance into account. However, baptism is performed on the child, and not on his godmother or birth mother; a woman in uncleanness, if necessary, can be present at the sacrament, but should not touch the shrines.
Is it possible to baptize a child under a different name?
There is a belief that the baby should be baptized under a different name, and no one should know his baptismal name, otherwise the child’s energy will be spoiled. These are all rumors that have nothing to do with Holy Scripture and Sacred Tradition. The child can be baptized with another name, but most often this is done if the child’s real name is not in the list of names of Orthodox saints (see Choosing a name according to the calendar).
Why does a child need godparents and who can become godparents?
A child, especially a newborn baby, cannot say anything about his faith, cannot answer the priest’s question whether he renounces Satan and unites with Christ, cannot understand the meaning of the Sacrament that is taking place. However, it is impossible to leave him outside the Church before he becomes an adult, since only in the Church there is the grace necessary for his correct growth, for the preservation of his physical and spiritual health. Therefore, the Church performs the Sacrament of Baptism over the baby and itself undertakes the obligation to raise him in Orthodox faith. The church is made up of people. She fulfills her obligation to properly raise a baptized child through those whom she calls godparents or godparents.
The main criterion for choosing a godfather or godmother should be whether this person can subsequently help in the good, Christian upbringing of the person received from the font, and not only in practical circumstances, as well as the degree of acquaintance and simply the friendliness of the relationship.
Concern for expanding the circle of people who will seriously help the newborn child made it undesirable to invite closest physical relatives as godfather and godfather. It was believed that they, due to natural kinship, would help the child. For the same reason, they tried to prevent brothers and sisters from having the same godfather. Therefore, natural grandparents, brothers and sisters, uncles and aunts became recipients only as a last resort.
Now, when getting ready to baptize a child, young parents often do not think about who to choose as godparents. They do not expect their child’s godparents to seriously participate in his upbringing and invite people who, due to their lack of roots in church life, cannot fulfill the duties of godparents to be godparents. It also happens that people become godparents who are completely unaware that they have received a truly great honor. Most often, the honorary right to be godparents is given to close friends or relatives who, having performed simple actions during the Sacrament and eaten all kinds of dishes at the festive table, rarely remember their duties, sometimes completely forgetting about the godchildren themselves.
However, when inviting godparents, you need to know that Baptism, according to the teachings of the Church, is a second birth, that is, “birth of water and the Spirit” (John 3:5), which is described as necessary condition Jesus Christ spoke of salvation. If physical birth is a person’s entry into the world, then Baptism becomes entry into the Church. And the child is accepted at his spiritual birth by his adopters - new parents, guarantors before God for the faith of the new member of the Church they have accepted. Thus, only Orthodox, sincerely believing adults who are capable of teaching a godson the basics of faith can be godparents (minors and the mentally ill cannot be godparents). But do not be alarmed if, when agreeing to become a godfather, you do not fully meet these high requirements. This event can be a wonderful opportunity for self-education.
The Church considers spiritual kinship to be as real as natural kinship. Therefore, in the relationship between spiritual relatives there are the same features as in relation to natural relatives. At present, the Russian Orthodox Church, on the issue of marriages of spiritual relatives, adheres only to the 63rd rule of the VI Ecumenical Council: marriages between godchildren and their godchildren, godchildren and the physical parents of a godson and godchildren among themselves are impossible. In this case, the husband and wife are allowed to be the adoptive parents of different children in the same family. Brother and sister, father and daughter, mother and son can be godparents of the same child.
Pregnancy of the godmother is a completely acceptable condition for participation in the Sacrament of Baptism.
What are the responsibilities of godparents?
The obligations that recipients assume before God are very serious. Therefore, godparents must understand the responsibility they take on. Godparents are obliged to teach their godchildren to resort to the saving Sacraments of the Church, mainly Confession and Communion, to give them knowledge about the meaning of worship, the features of the church calendar, and the power of grace miraculous icons and other shrines. Godparents should teach those they received from the font to visit church services, fast and observe other provisions of the Church Charter. But the main thing is that godparents should always pray for their godson.
Their responsibilities also include taking care of protecting their godchildren from all kinds of temptations and temptations, which are especially dangerous in childhood and adolescence. Godparents, knowing the abilities and character traits of those perceived by them from the font, can help them determine their path in life, give advice in choosing education and suitable profession. Advice in choosing a spouse is also important; According to the custom of the Russian Church, it is the godparents who prepare the wedding for their godson. And in general, in cases where natural parents do not have the opportunity to financially provide for their children, this responsibility is primarily assumed not by grandparents or other relatives, but by godparents.
A frivolous attitude towards the duties of a godfather is grave sin, since the fate of the godson depends on it. Therefore, you should not thoughtlessly agree to the invitation to become a godson, especially if you already have one godson. Refusal to become a godfather should also not be taken as insult or neglect.
Is it worth agreeing to be a godfather if the child’s parents are not churchgoers?
In this case, the need for a godfather increases, and his responsibility only intensifies. After all, how else can a child come to Church?
However, while fulfilling the duty of a foster parent, one should not reproach parents for their frivolity and lack of faith. Patience, forbearance, love and continuous work of spiritual education of a child can be irrefutable proof of the truth of Orthodoxy for his parents.
How many godfathers and mothers can a person have?
Church rules provide for the presence of one godparent (godfather) when performing the Sacrament of Baptism. For a boy being baptized, this is a godfather; for a girl, this is a godfather ( godmother).
But since the responsibilities of godparents are numerous (for example, in special cases godparents replace the physical parents of their godson), and the responsibility before God for the fate of the godson is very great, the Russian Orthodox Church has developed a tradition of inviting two godparents - a godfather and a godmother. There cannot be any other godparents besides these two.
How should future godparents prepare for the Sacrament of Baptism?
Preparation for the Sacrament of Baptism involves studying the Gospel, the foundations of Orthodox doctrine, and the basic rules Christian piety. Fasting, confession and Communion before Baptism are not formally obligatory for godparents. A believer must adhere to these rules constantly. It would be good if during baptism at least one of the godparents could read the Creed.
What things should you bring with you to Baptism and which godparent should do it?
For baptism you will need a baptismal set (the candle shop will recommend it to you). Mainly this is a baptismal cross and a baptismal shirt (no need to bring a cap). Then you will need a towel or sheet to wrap the child after the bath. According to established tradition, the godfather buys a cross for a boy, and the godmother for a girl. It is customary to bring a sheet and a towel to the godmother. But it won’t be a mistake if one person buys everything you need.
Is it possible to become a godfather in absentia without participating in the Baptism of an infant? ?
Church tradition does not know “absentee-appointed” godparents. The very meaning of succession shows that godparents must be present at the Baptism of the child and, of course, give their consent to this honorary title. Baptism without any recipients at all is performed only in special circumstances, for example, when the child’s life is in serious danger.
Can representatives of other Christian denominations, in particular Catholics, become godparents?
The Sacrament of Baptism makes a person a part of the Mystical Body of Christ, a member of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. Such a Church, founded by the apostles and preserving the dogmatic teaching of the Ecumenical Councils intact, is only the Orthodox Church. In the Sacrament of Baptism, the recipients act as guarantors of the faith of their godson and accept the responsibility before God to raise him in the Orthodox faith.
Of course, a person who does not belong to the Orthodox Church cannot fulfill such duties.
Can parents, including those who adopted a child, be godparents for him?
During Baptism, the person being baptized enters into a spiritual relationship with his recipient, who becomes his godfather or godmother. This spiritual kinship (1st degree) is recognized by the canons as more important than kinship in the flesh (53 rule VI Ecumenical Council), and is fundamentally incompatible with it.
Parents, including those who have adopted a child, can under no circumstances be the adopters of their own children: neither both together, nor each individually, otherwise such a close degree of kinship would form between the parents that would make the continuation of their marital cohabitation impermissible.
Name day. How to determine the name day
How to determine the name day- This is the question asked by every person who has at least once thought about the meaning of his name.
Name day- this is not a holiday of a name - it is a day of remembrance of the saint in whose honor the person was named. As you know, in Rus' the child’s name was given according to the calendar - the church calendar - and the parents prayerfully hoped that the child would live his life worthy of the name of the saint who became the baby’s patron. Over the years of atheism in Russia, the meaning of tradition has been forgotten - now a person is first given a name, and then, growing up, he seeks church calendar to find out when the day of his memory is, when to celebrate name day. The word name day comes from the word “namesake”, “namesake saint” - the modern “namesake” comes from the same word. That is, name day is the holiday of a saint bearing the same name.
Often parents choose a name for the child in advance, having a special love for one or another saint, then the day of the Angel is no longer associated with the birthday.
How to determine your name day if there are several saints with this name?
The name of the saint whose memory follows your birthday is determined by the calendar, for example by Orthodox calendar. As a rule, the name day is the day following the birthday of the saint whose name the Christian bears. For example, for Anna, born on November 20, Angel's Day will fall on December 3 - the day following her birthday, when St. Anna, and her saint will be St. mts. Anna of Persia.
One thing to remember is this: in 2000, Bishops' Council the new martyrs and confessors of Russia were glorified: if you were baptized before the year 2000, then your saint is chosen from the saints glorified before the year 2000. For example, if your name is Catherine, and you were baptized before the glorification of the new martyrs, then your saint is St. Great Martyr Catherine, if you were baptized after the Council, then you can choose St. Catherine, whose memorial date is closer to your birthday.
If the name you were given is not in the calendar, then at baptism the name that is closest in sound is chosen. For example, Dina - Evdokia, Lilia - Leah, Angelica - Angelina, Zhanna - Ioanna, Milana - Militsa. According to tradition, Alice receives the name Alexandra in baptism, in honor of St. passion-bearer Alexandra Feodorovna Romanova, who before accepting Orthodoxy bore the name Alice. Some names in church tradition have a different sound, for example, Svetlana is Photinia (from the Greek photos - light), and Victoria is Nike, both names in Latin and Greek mean “victory”.
How to celebrate name days?
On the day of the Angel, Orthodox Christians try to confess and receive Holy Communion Mysteries of Christ. If the day of the angel falls on a day of fasting or fasting, then celebrations and feasts are usually transferred to non-fasting days. On non-fasting days, many invite guests to share the bright joy of the holiday with relatives and friends.
People often say that having a baby is God's gift. It is for this reason that one of the first steps in the first year of a baby’s life is his baptism. Believers believe that the rite of baptism gives the child the protection of God. Godparents play a special role in this procedure. They represent the baby and on his behalf tell God that the baby has faith. It is the godparents who must tell the child about Christianity and teach him everything that a believer needs to know. Frequently asked question question that arises among parents before the baptism procedure - is it possible to baptize a child without godparents?
What should young parents know about godparents?
Of course, the tradition of Baptism of children is a very ancient rite, however, despite this, young parents have a huge number of questions regarding baptism. One of the main issues is the choice of godparents. IN Lately In most families, close friends of the child’s parents become godparents, who happily take on part of the cost of the baby’s baptism. In addition, it becomes a good tradition for many to visit their godchildren on holidays and give them gifts.
If we consider the role of godparents from the position of the church, then it should be noted that the Christian world sees their functions somewhat differently. It is not for nothing that godparents are also called godparents, since they receive an already baptized Christian in their arms when they take him out of the font. In the Christian world, at the moment of baptism, the godfather receives a lifelong spiritual connection and becomes his mentor, with which he assumes certain obligations.
It is worth noting that the functions of godparents do not disappear after baptism. Godfather is a rather spiritual role. The main concern for the godfather is introducing the child to the Christian world, helping in the formation of his spiritual worldview. It is for this reason that a person who belongs to a different faith cannot be a godfather. And the ritual itself contains, in addition to the threefold renunciation of Satan, a declaration of one’s adherence to the Orthodox faith.
Who shouldn't be a godfather?
The adopter of an Orthodox child cannot be:
- People who do not belong to any faith or people of another faith are not Orthodox.
- People who do not believe in the existence of God are atheists.
- People who belong to other branches of Christianity, for example, Catholicism, Protestantism, etc.
- Lyuli, who were excommunicated from the church.
- People who have been convicted of serious crimes against morality, for example, rape or pedophilia.
- A husband and wife cannot be godparents of the same child.
- The child's parents cannot become his godparents.
- Children who have not yet reached the age of 14 years.
- People who are unable to control their actions and actions, for example, are mentally ill people.
- People leading an immoral lifestyle, for example, pimps, people who traffic people, sell drugs, etc.
- Representatives of the clergy, for example, are monks and nuns, but it is worth noting that a priest can baptize his own child.
- People who know nothing about the Orthodox faith.
What to do if there are no godparents?
In order to perform the baptism ceremony for a baby, godparents are required. In general, according to the rules of the Christian Church, a child needs a godfather, but Russian traditions require the presence of two godparents. Moreover, both father and mother must be baptized and believers in God.
If it is not possible to find two godparents for your child, you can choose one. The role of the recipient may be a relative of the baby, for example, an uncle, aunt, grandfather, etc. However, it is worth noting that in extreme cases, when the child’s parents cannot find people suitable for the role of godparents, the church allows the baby to be baptized without godparents. However, in this case, the child’s parents take full responsibility for the child’s spiritual upbringing.
It is worth noting that clergy today note that similar situations quite common these days. Despite the fact that many people demonstrate their commitment to faith, it is very, very difficult to find truly worthy people today.
- The future godfather should be well acquainted with the godson's family; it is better that he has a spiritual connection with the child's relatives.
- Godparents must be close to the child in order to maintain contact with him and be able to communicate with him, teach him and monitor his spiritual development.
- Godparents must understand that expensive gifts will instill in the child a materialistic attitude towards the world, while godparents should primarily take care of the child’s spiritual upbringing.
The godparent should become a real support for the child, because the sacrament of baptism establishes a spiritual connection between him and the godson.
Video: is it possible to baptize a child without godparents
