Do godparents need to fast before baptism?

Usually in our time people undergo the Sacrament of baptism in childhood. Everyone strives to baptize their children as soon as possible after birth. This is how it is accepted in Orthodox society. But the consequences of many years of enslavement to Socialism are still affecting us. Then people were taught that the Orthodox faith was a deception, “the opium of the people.” In Soviet society, baptism of a child was punished quite harshly. Therefore, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, people were baptized in large numbers as adults. We will take a closer look at how the baptism of an adult takes place in this article.

Pros of baptism as an adult

Firstly, a person consciously undergoes the Sacrament, voluntarily renounces Satan and all his works and unites himself with God. He will no longer be able to say that he was forced to accept faith. And then the chance of changing religions is reduced to a minimum.

Secondly, he does not need godparents to vouch for him. He himself is able to utter words of renunciation. Usually, the search for godparents lengthens the preparation time for the Sacrament and complicates it.

It is also easier for the priest performing the Sacrament, because he will not scream loudly, like babies when they are dipped into the font.

Tips and tricks

In order to properly prepare for the upcoming important event, you need to consult with a priest who will tell you all the intricacies of the sacrament. You should not exhaust yourself with long fasting before baptism, as this can negatively affect the well-being of the recipient. The most important thing in preparation is to put your spiritual state in order, ask for forgiveness from those who have been offended, and remain in daily prayers a week before the sacrament.

If, for health reasons, one of the godparents cannot abstain from most foods, this should not be a reason for refusing to become a godparent, since the spiritual state of a person and his willingness to take responsibility for someone else’s child are much more important.

How to prepare for baptism as an adult

A person planning to receive the Sacrament of Baptism must be fully familiar with the dogmas of the Orthodox faith. He must not be a heretic or someone who accidentally entered the temple.

For better preparation, there are preparatory interviews . A priest or other blessed person explains to people what the Orthodox faith is, who Christ is, and what the meaning of this Sacrament is. Those who wish to receive Holy Baptism need to know all this.

Previously, such people were called “catechumens.” They were not allowed to attend the most important part of the liturgy - the Liturgy of the Faithful, when the Eucharistic canon is served.

A person who is about to be baptized must know by heart the Creed and the Lord's , because this is what he will have to read aloud at the Sacrament.

Also, the catechumen must have basic concepts about Christ, the Most Holy Theotokos, and some saints. About why Christ came to earth, from whom he was incarnated, for what he died on the cross, on what day he was resurrected. It would be a good idea to study the general rules of behavior in the temple .

The catechumen must be ready to renounce Satan , blow and spit on him, without laughing, and treat this with all seriousness and responsibility. From this moment on, the devil becomes his enemy for life, he will take revenge on this person and try to seduce him from the true path. But at the same time, the priest reads a prayer of prohibition, in which he forbids the devil to possess the soul and body of the catechumen, asking God to protect this newly baptized person in everything, to protect him from the devil’s slander.

Compliance Rules

4-5 days before the baby’s expected baptism, they begin to abstain from certain foods:

1. On the first day, exclude all meat products from the diet.
2. On the second day, they also refuse milk and dairy dishes.
3. On the third day, limit the consumption of eggs and other animal products.
4. The day before the expected baptism, they eat only plant foods.
5. On the morning before the sacrament, you can drink water and skip breakfast.

Abstinence from certain foods and fasting before the sacrament of Baptism are permissible only if there are no health problems, otherwise it is worth consulting with a doctor about the possibility of excluding certain foods from the diet. While fasting, you must also stop eating sweets, drinking even low-alcohol drinks, as well as coffee.

What not to do

The catechumens need to know what not to do during preparation and at the Sacrament itself:

1. Women are not allowed to undergo the Sacrament in uncleanness.
2. You cannot enter into intimate relationships on the eve of the Sacrament.
3. Women should not put a lot of makeup on their face because it will run when immersed in water.
4. You cannot overeat and smoke before the Sacrament.
5. You cannot come in a drunken state.
6. Women who have recently given birth should not receive the Sacrament before forty days after giving birth.
7. You cannot be baptized in a swimsuit or underwear.

Interview before Baptism

During the interview, it is worth consulting with the priest what name to give the child at Baptism. Every Christian has his own patron - a saint. The patron saint is usually found by date of birth. A patron saint is your namesake saint, to whom you can pray as your special helper.

Name day will be the day of remembrance of the saint in whose honor the person is named in Baptism. You can choose your own patron saint if you have not yet been baptized, do not know who you are named after, or are still thinking about what to name your child. Most often, patron saints are chosen by date of birth. Such saints are also called “our Angels,” but this is not entirely true. “Your Angel” is a Guardian Angel who protects you from the moment of Baptism, a Heavenly being. Every baptized Orthodox Christian has his own Guardian Angel, but we do not know his name. Angels are individuals, but their nature is different from human and animal ones. They are taller and more perfect than humans, although they also have limitations. The angel is usually depicted in ancient clothes - a cloak and chiton with gold edging around the collar and around the wrists, with golden wings.

A patron saint is a person who lived a holy life on earth and shone in the Kingdom of God for his ascetic or martyrdom.

The patron saint by date of birth will be the saint or saint (for girls and women) whose memory is celebrated in the coming days after the birthday. For example, if you were born on October 6 and bear the name Sergei, then your patron will be the Monk Sergius of Radonezh (his memory is October 8), and if on October 10 - the martyr Sergius (his memory is October 20).

Parents can be advised to consult the Saints - the Orthodox calendar - at the birth of a child. Try to name the child in honor of the saint whose memory is celebrated on this day or the next. For example, one should not neglect the patronage of great saints for children born on their holidays:

• St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, commemorated on December 19 and May 22;
• Venerable Sergius of Radonezh, July 18 and October 8;
• Martyr Tatiana, January 25,
• Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica, November 8;
• Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, July 12;
• Holy Prophet Elijah, August 2;
• Great Martyr George the Victorious, May 6, November 16, December 9;
• Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called, December 13;
• Holy Queen Helena and Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Emperor Constantine, June 3.

We have listed the most common names of the most famous saints in Russia. However, you can baptize a child in honor of your favorite saint and even in honor of your relative, making any named saint the patron saint of the child. This does not require any special customs. One has only to warn the priest before the Baptism, for example, of Alexander, that the heavenly patron of the child will be the blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky or the Reverend Alexander Svirsky.

You cannot baptize a child in honor of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Virgin Mary. Their names have long been revered. The names of Mary are given in honor of the martyrs, and Jesus - this is a rare monastic name - in honor of the Old Testament righteous man Joshua.

In addition, you can baptize a person with a name different from the name on the passport. This is necessary when the name you have chosen for your child is not in the calendar - for example, Karina. Therefore, the girl Karina can be baptized with the name Irina.

If you don’t know how to choose a name for a child whom you named not according to the calendar (Orthodox calendar), take a baptized name that sounds close to yours.

Also in the Orthodox Church tradition there are names that sound different when translated. The main and most common example: Svetlana - Photinia. It is important that you and your family write exactly the baptized name in the health notes submitted for the child in the church. This is what will be written in the certificate of Baptism. The child can also be named in honor of the Archangel, one of the seven commanders over the Angelic Host, the Archangels, who, according to the Bible, bring prayers to God and stand close to Him as military leaders of His Heavenly Host of Angels.

What are the responsibilities of a godfather after baptism?

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.

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.

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.

Photos courtesy of Zoya Vanyukova.

In which church should a child be baptized?

Everyone decides for themselves in which church it is better to baptize their child. For a small child, it is preferable if the church is located close to home. First of all, you can find out from relatives and close friends where they baptized their children. What they liked and what they didn’t. You should know that the larger the church, the more children will be baptized in it. It may be difficult for little ones to wait an hour and a half for their turn.

You should first visit the chosen temple and find out when you can perform the Sacrament of Baptism. Perhaps you have chosen a specific date and would like to christen it on that day. You can find out all the detailed information in the church. A child can be baptized on any day, but each parish has its own rules and you should know them in advance.

What needs to be done before a child is baptized?

Before baptizing a child, parents need to choose good godparents. Then the child’s parents and godparents undergo a special interview with the priest and sign up for a specific time and day when the sacrament will be performed. You will also need to know certain Christian prayers by heart, prepare a baptismal set for the baby, a towel for baptism, and a pectoral cross with a chain.

The pectoral cross serves as an image of our life cross, which manifests itself in all sorrows, joys, worries and concerns. If a person carries his life’s cross with dignity and without grumbling, then he will rejoice at his salvation and will be in the heavenly abodes. The task of the godparents and parents of the child is to show him a good example with their lives, to teach him the basic principles of Christian behavior and worldview.

The cross as a symbol of faith

The pectoral cross is a symbol of a Christian. Everyone who has undergone the sacrament of baptism is required to wear it constantly. Here the words of the apostle “I have been crucified with Christ” come to mind. Everyone who wears crosses believes that it serves as a talisman - it helps protect against evil, lead a godly life and do good deeds. You can often hear that crosses made of expensive precious metals are not used during the sacrament. But the clergy refute this erroneous opinion. It doesn't matter what the symbol of religion is. The main thing is why he was dressed as a person.

The material from which the cross is made can be any. It is preferable to buy gold, silver or wooden attributes. It is believed that the baptismal cross has power, so it is advisable to wear it throughout your life. Gold products are durable and less susceptible to external influences; they last longer than other materials.

The main requirement for the cross is its consecration. This can be done in advance or at the sacrament itself.

How to make nut meatballs

And here is one of the Lenten dishes prepared without the use of vegetable oil - “Nut Meatballs”:

• Walnuts – 2 cups
• Potatoes – 4 pcs.
• Oatmeal – 1 cup
• Onion – 1 piece
• Garlic – 3-4 cloves
• Tomato juice – 1 glass
• Salt - to taste
• Pepper - to taste
• Dill - to taste
• Parsley - to taste
• Marjoram - to taste

How to cook:

1. Pass the walnuts through a meat grinder. Grate the potatoes on a fine grater. Mix nuts, grated potatoes, oatmeal and spices and stir until the minced meat is smooth. 2. Roll small meatballs from the resulting minced meat. Heat a frying pan with a small amount of vegetable oil. Fry the meatballs, pre-dipped in flour, on all sides until golden brown. 3. Place the fried meatballs in a saucepan. 4. In a frying pan, fry the onion cut into half rings and finely chopped garlic until golden brown. Gradually add a glass of tomato juice to the pan and simmer until the onion is soft. 5. Pour the resulting sauce over the meatballs, bring everything to a boil and immediately remove from heat.

During the period of Great Lent, true believers strive to limit themselves not only in food, but also in all kinds of entertainment, devoting time to spiritual self-improvement, since the main idea of ​​fasting is humility and renunciation of one’s negative emotions and pride. Dietary restriction is one of the techniques for achieving the goals of fasting.

Participle

The baptized person is allowed to take communion immediately. Further, the date of his first communion depends only on when his parents bring him. More often than not, parents take their child to communion for the first time when he can already understand what is happening, and this is 4-5 years old. At the same time, there is no prohibition on an infant who was baptized even the day before taking part in the sacrament of communion. Communion after the baptism of a child can be held from the next day.

If the child is under 3 years old, then he must be fed for the last time 2 hours before communion. Children over 3 years old must refuse food on the day of communion before it.

During communion, a pectoral cross must be worn. You should not take part in the sacrament of communion without a cross.

Conversation for godparents

Without a certificate of catechesis, as mentioned above, the priest does not have the right to baptize a child. The preliminary interview for recipients consists of two stages.

Without a certificate of catechesis, the priest has no right to baptize a child

First lesson

During the introductory lecture, the priest explains to the godparents their role in the life of the godson. He talks about the duties and responsibilities they will have to the child. The priest notifies the recipients of what is required to carry out the Sacrament of Baptism, and also explains in detail the procedure itself. He asks to prepare a kryzhma, a snow-white simple shirt, a pectoral cross and a towel. Catechumens, in turn, can also ask the priest questions, but it is better to think through a list of them in advance.

The first lesson ends with homework, which the catechist gives to the catechumens:

• learn by heart the ten Old Testament and seven Commandments of Christ;
• undergo the Eucharist with preliminary confession;
• learn by heart “Our Father”, “Rejoice to the Virgin Mary”, “Creed”;
• understand the meaning of the above prayers;
• learn the structure of the New Testament;
• read the Gospel of Mark;
• three days before Baptism, observe strict fasting and take communion before the ceremony itself.

There is no time limit for completing assigned tasks. It will depend on the success of the catechumens, their desires and abilities.

Second lesson

The next meeting with the priest takes place in a month or earlier, as soon as the godparents complete all their homework. Based on the results of this interview, the clergyman makes a decision on the admission of recipients to the Sacrament of Baptism. He asks to read three main prayers from memory, tests knowledge of Holy Scripture, and examines all the Commandments.

If the theoretical knowledge satisfies the catechist, he proceeds to the confession of the catechumens and their subsequent communion. The procedure is aimed at testing the sincerity of the faith of the catechumens. If they refuse to perform a church ritual, the priest has the right to prohibit them from participating in the christening. Then the parents will have to find new recipients, who will also have to undergo public conversations.

The preliminary interview for recipients consists of two stages

Treasured certificate

Catechesis is not an easy process. Very often it lasts about a month, sometimes it is postponed or postponed indefinitely. It often turns out that godparents are not ready to become spiritual parents for a child, and then it is necessary to look for other godparents. However, those who have successfully passed all the examinations approved by the catechist receive an officially certified certificate of catechism. Its authenticity is confirmed by a wet seal and the signature of the responsible person.

If the future godfather or godfather lives in another city, they can undergo a public interview at their place of residence. The document issued to them by the local church is valid throughout Russia.

Roles and responsibilities of the godfather during the sacrament

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.

Fasting before the ceremony

A person, preparing for the sacrament, undergoes the first test. We can say that this is how the seriousness of the intentions of the person who wants to accept faith is tested. It is necessary to give up non-fasting foods for at least three days. Fast (non-lenten) food includes:

• meat,
• dairy,
• fish products,
• eggs.

On the day of the ceremony, eating is prohibited from midnight. Fasting is not only a refusal to eat, but also a cleansing of the soul. During fasting, you must give up smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages, watching TV and listening to music, and engaging in intimate relationships. Time from entertainment should be used for reading prayers, the Bible, Lives of the Saints, and visiting church.

Conversation with parents before baptism

The main characters during the Sacrament are the recipients and the child, and therefore the Church’s requirements for biological parents are not so strict. The priest also conducts a preliminary conversation with them, but asks less complex questions. First of all, he fills out the personal information:

• date of christening;
• exact time;
• the name by which the baby will be baptized.

The priest also conducts a preliminary conversation with the child’s parents.
Then the priest asks:

• do you attend church regularly;
• how often do you pray;
• When was the last time you took communion?

The interview ends with a story about the Sacrament itself: its meaning and sequence of stages. The priest also explains to parents how they should behave after their child converts to the Christian faith:

• attend religious services with your child;
• offer prayers for him;
• educate according to the Laws of God;
• regularly initiate a new member of the Church.

Father reminds us that after baptism the Savior becomes the baby’s mentor. However, parents, like godparents, are also responsible for the spiritual development of the child, raising him in the Orthodox faith.

Parents and godparents are responsible for the spiritual development of the child

Today, not everyone understands why public conversations are needed before baptism. The answer, as always, is simple: in order to raise your child spiritually, to instill in him Christian values, you need to have a good understanding of this issue yourself. The announcement, like nothing else, helps those of little faith to obtain the missing knowledge, and pious people to once again remind themselves of it.

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Who to choose as godparents

Traditionally, if a child has one godfather, a person of the same sex as the baby is chosen. If 2 godparents are planned, then this is a man and a woman. In this case, the baby has godparents (spiritual) father and mother.

Choosing the right person is especially important. A person is needed who is close to the family and ready, if necessary, to take care of the child. Thus, in most cases these are close friends of the parents or relatives. It is not advisable for godparents to be very old, as this may not allow them to fully fulfill their duties.

It is good if a deeply religious person is chosen as a godparent who can guide the child in the spiritual world. It is not forbidden to make grandparents, aunts or uncles godparents.

There are categories of persons who cannot participate in the sacrament of baptism and become godparents for a child.

These include:

• persons under 15 years of age;
• people of other religions;
• atheists;
• mentally ill persons;
• drug addicts;
• alcoholics;
• persons leading a depraved lifestyle;
• parents of the baby;
• nuns;
• monks;
• brothers;
• sisters.

Twins are baptized on different days, but the same people are allowed to be their godparents.

Secrets of lean nutrition

What is the correct diet during Lent?

Do not chase any particularly intricate and complex recipes: even if they formally fit the concept of “lenten food”, luxury contradicts the spirit of Lent, the essence of which is self-restraint.

In general, Lenten food should be modest, but still fresh and tasty. To save time on trips to the store and avoid unnecessary temptations, you should pay attention to modern technologies, in particular the vacuum system. The vacuum system can not only extend the shelf life of products by 3-5 times, but most importantly preserve vitamins, nutrients, natural color and aroma of products, since in a vacuum it is impossible for bacteria to multiply, which cause food spoilage. In addition to the listed advantages of vacuuming, a system such as, for example, Vacsy is capable of storing food fresh both in special zepter dishes and in containers.

At first glance, it may seem that fasting imposes quite large restrictions on food intake, but in fact, the range of dishes that can be eaten during Lent is very wide, and here are not all the dishes that will diversify your table:

Porridge

• buckwheat porridge with vegetables.
• Wheat porridge with vegetables.
• Vegetarian pilaf.
• Millet porridge seasoned with fried onions.

Flour dishes

• Dumplings with potatoes, seasoned with fried onions.
• Dumplings or pies with cabbage.

Potato dishes

• Boiled potatoes (you can mash them).
• Potatoes baked in the oven.
• Fried potato.
• Potatoes stewed with vegetables.

Vegetable dishes

• Cabbage rolls (vegetables with rice).
• Carrots stewed with celery, sweet peppers in tomato sauce.
• Boiled beans, pureed and seasoned with fried onions.
• Sweet pepper stuffed with vegetables.
• Fried mushrooms, stewed with vegetables.

Special days of fasting involve cooking without using vegetable oil, but preparing lunch or dinner without it is technically quite difficult. However, here, too, advanced Masterpiece technologies come to the aid of the modern housewife, offering cooking without water and frying without fat, in which the food retains all its nutritional and biological value and organoleptic properties: natural taste, color, shape and structure.