The baptism of a child is most often the first sacred event in his life, a special sacrament associated with future spiritual development. It is believed that on this amazing and bright day it becomes the time when the baby receives God's grace, a guardian angel and two significant people are assigned to him - the godfather and the godmother. It is they who will bear the responsibility for the spiritual upbringing of the child in the traditions of Christianity, bringing him to faith and God. What should be given to children for christening from their godparents, what rules should be followed regarding the ceremony - read in detail in the article.
The day a child or teenager is baptized in church is called christening. Usually the sacrament is divided into two parts: the church ceremony itself and the celebration at home, with family and closest friends. Mom and dad set the table and treat the guests with delicacies, and those who come give the newly baptized child memorable and symbolic gifts.
Child Baptism
What is customary to give children from their godparents?
The sacrament of christening places important responsibilities on godparents. During the ritual, they seem to renounce everything sinful and make a promise before people and God that they will support the little one on his path and help him gain faith, as well as protect him from evil intent and various temptations.
Godparents are a kind of spiritual mentors and guides who help mom and dad raise a child as a worthy person with clear moral guidelines. In this regard, both the gifts of the godmother and father should be aimed at the spiritual development of the godson.
The traditional baptism package includes:
- baptismal suit - a white shirt or dress, as a symbol of the purity of a young soul, panties or tights, a headdress - a neat hat or scarf;
- kryzhma is a white towel in which a child is wrapped after he has been sprinkled or removed from the font;
- the pectoral cross is a symbol of faith and protection;
- an icon with the face of the patron saint after whom the boy or girl is named.
Traditional christening set
According to traditions, godparents can give a child a silver spoon with church symbols or the baby’s name at christening. This gift is a souvenir, at first the parents keep it as a treasure, and then use it to feed the child.
Children over one year old can be given educational toys, books, mosaics, panels, a doll in the form of an angel. Teenagers need to choose a gift with meaning - it could be the Bible, spiritual literature, books on psychology and self-development. If the family is a believer, the girl or guy is given a biography of a saint or a pilgrimage trip to sacred places.
Superstitions of ancestors
We were able to discover the following superstitions:
- The man baptizes the girl first, and the woman does the opposite. Otherwise, your personal life will not work out.
- The baptismal dress is allowed to be common to all children in the family. This way their bonds will become stronger, but along with the shirt, the problems of the previous one will be transferred to the new owner.
- Before going to church, the mother eats a clove of garlic or blows on the child. This will protect against the evil eye.
- You cannot take a pregnant woman as a godparent. Thinking about the baby in the womb will prevent you from concentrating on the procedure. And staying on your feet for a long time in the temple will not do any good.
- During the ceremony, the godfather should not be menstruating. Discuss this point in advance without hesitation.
- During the festive dinner, the godparents will try every dish to make the godson happy.
How to choose an icon for a christening?
Once upon a time, on the day of baptism, the named parents presented the child with a measured icon with the namesake patron, which they had ordered in advance from icon painters. It was measured because its size was equal to the height of its godson.
After the consecration, the icon was placed at the child’s cradle. If there is no opportunity to give such an icon now, you can buy an icon of the patron saint in a church shop. You can choose an icon with a guardian angel or one of the most revered saints, and give the girl the face of the Virgin Mary.
How to choose a christening icon
It is better if the godfather and mother agree on how they will distribute gifts and responsibilities among themselves. In this case, there will be no annoying repetitions of attributes, and traditions will be respected.
Congratulations in your own words
Such a significant event requires special words of congratulations. Of course, the baby still doesn’t care what the guests say, but her parents will be glad to hear sincere congratulations and wishes for her. They can be spoken in verse, which means that the person has prepared specially, but heartfelt words spoken impromptu will sound warmest. It might look something like this:
“There is a belief that when a new person is born on earth, a new star lights up in the sky. No one can verify this, but they say that there are as many stars in the sky as there are people on our planet. And even if the star of your newborn baby is not yet shining brightly enough to be able to see it, but now that the baby has passed the sacrament of baptism, her dim star will flare up more and more brightly!
And soon you, parents, will be able to see her. After all, the Creator has now sent his reliable assistant, a Guardian Angel, to your daughter so that he will always protect and preserve her soul. May the star of the new servant of God, starting from this day, shine so that she will be visible to the whole world!”
In your congratulations you can start from the following text:
“Today is an extremely important day in your family’s biography. Your baby, who received holy baptism, acquired another spiritual parent - godfather and mother. And they voluntarily took upon themselves the duty of protecting her, instructing her and protecting her from wrong steps.
May everything always work out for your daughter, and may her Angel spread his bright wings over her. After all, baptism is a holy sacrament that gives a person strong spiritual protection in life. I wish that your baby always follows the right path, respects you and her godparents, as well as everyone around her, lives in love and peace with everyone and pleases with her successes. Happy baptism of your daughter!”
Gift from godmother
At the boy’s christening, the mother can give the godson a set of kizhma and a baptismal shirt, having previously asked the mother for the sizes. On white fabric, you can embroider lace patterns with your own hands using gold or blue threads. Usually crosses, angels, birds, floral patterns are depicted, the name of the child and the date of christening are embroidered.
In the baptism ceremony of a girl, the godmother presides - she holds the baby in her arms throughout the ceremony. In addition to the traditional set of white clothes, the godmother can give the girl things that symbolize their spiritual connection. This could be an icon with the Mother of God, a prayer book, a cross or pendant, candles, a children's Bible with bright illustrations, any philosophical parables and good fairy tales.
Of course, the baby will not understand the content of the Holy Scriptures or fairy tales, but as his mother and father grow up, he will introduce the child to the gift, and this will be the beginning of his introduction to the spiritual life.
Gift from godmother
From godfather
Before the ritual, the godfather gives his godson or goddaughter a pectoral cross, which the clergyman puts on the baby at the end of the ritual. It can be gold, silver, metal or wood, the most important thing is that it is pre-consecrated.
Traditionally, a cross is given with a chain, but you need to understand that on a baby’s delicate skin it will be better to wear a cotton rope of a suitable and safe size. You can crochet such a strong thread yourself using a simple technique.
Another contribution of the godfather is to make a donation for performing the sacrament in the church and to give the godson some significant thing that appeals to the child’s soul and contributes to the development of his skills. This can be a religious book if the family is a believer, any other educational literature, a high-quality wooden toy, clothing or educational games, as well as a souvenir item that will be cherished first by the parents, and then by the child himself.
Gift from godfather
What is customary to give as a baptism gift from relatives?
After the christening ceremony, almost the whole family gathers at the festive table - grandparents, aunts, uncles, sisters and brothers on both sides. On such an important day, gifts are prepared not only by godparents, but also by all the other guests who were invited to the family holiday.
Grandparents can buy their child clothes or an icon, a pillow with an embroidered prayer, a hand-knitted blanket, or several pairs of warm socks.
Relatives can give educational toys, sets of children's dishes, girls - earrings for the future, boys - an elegant suit or designer set, bedding sets or any attributes of a nursery, practical things or decor. It is appropriate to present the mother with a beautiful bouquet of flowers, congratulating her and the father on a clean and bright holiday.
It all depends on the imagination and finances of the guests: the gift does not have to be expensive, the main thing is to give it with attention and warmth.
A handmade craft can be original - a postcard, photo frame, panel, embroidery or a beautiful handmade cake.
What is customary to give as a christening gift from relatives?
Gifts from guests
If you've been invited to share the joy of baptism with your family, you can give a practical gift that the baby will love and the parents will approve of. Options include elegant dresses and suits according to age or for teenagers, soft toys, games, cakes, playpen/walkers, educational mat, certificate for a family photo. Everything according to the child’s needs and age.
A universal choice is to give an amount acceptable to you in an envelope, so that mom and dad can decide for themselves what their baby needs most now. You can give the certificate to children's goods stores - it is very practical and convenient for parents. There are no recommendations on the size of a monetary gift: everyone decides how much money to give according to their financial capabilities and the laws of appropriateness.
What to give an adult for christening?
It also happens that an adult is baptized in church. In such situations, few people plan a major celebration - baptism takes place in the circle of those closest to them.
What to give an adult for christening
It is best to give a gift related to faith, because what did a person come to God for at a conscious age, if not for it? Give a collector's edition of the Bible or hagiography. In search of a gift, you can visit an Orthodox shop and choose something there: an icon, illuminated honey, monastery bread, homemade marshmallows or another pleasant surprise for the newly baptized.
Signs familiar and unusual
On the day of such a big event, everything matters. You can try to predict the fate of the girl by carefully observing how the christening went, and also attract happiness with some rituals.
Common
- If a child cries during a christening, this is a good omen .
- The baptismal dress and kryzhma should be stored. If you wrap your child in them to sleep in the first days after baptism, he will be calm and peaceful .
- It is not good if the priest drops objects and confuses words during the ceremony.
- It is not customary to widely announce that a family is going to baptize a child. He will be under better protection if unnecessary people do not know when the ceremony will take place.
- After church, it’s better not to go anywhere, but to go straight home. This way the Guardian Angel will remain strong.
Rare and interesting signs
- If a girl is passed over the church fence and brought into the house after baptism through the window, she will be healthy . Bringing it in through the door means, on the contrary, loosening it .
- Getting caught in the rain during a christening is a sign of joy .
- A girl sneezing during a christening is not good .
- It is necessary to count the money on the day of christening so that the child grows up in prosperity .
- When the family has left for church, those remaining at home should not open the door to anyone until the relatives return with the baptized girl, so as not to let trouble in .
- Knitting, sewing, or making preparations on christening day is a bad omen .
- If several people are baptized in a church at the same time and, moreover, they have the same names, this is unfortunate .
Giving traditions at christenings
People's opinions about baptism gifts can vary greatly depending on the views and customs of a particular family.
- Find out in advance whether the gift you choose will be appropriate, whether mom and dad will like a practical thing, or whether something related to spirituality is required.
- Ask about the child's current sizes.
- Find out if there is something that is needed specifically now - for example, a pair of baby undershirts is missing or the baby has grown out of onesies.
- Do not give overly religious gifts unless you are sure that mom and dad are truly believers. Many people adhere to traditions only because it is customary, and christenings also belong to this, playing the role of a social celebration.
- Do not give watches, knives, or sharp objects: this is of no use to a small child, and giving such things to adults is a bad omen.
- You can only accept icons and crosses from very close people. In principle, such gifts should only be given by godparents. Do not spend money on a church amulet without being sure that it will be accepted and worn.
Traditions of giving at christenings
Christening is a special holiday in the life of every person. On such a day, godparents present their ward with gifts aimed at developing high moral qualities and values of the child. Godmothers and fathers become senior mentors, family members who help the child succeed in this life and grow up happy. That is why it is important to choose as godparents those who will really take part in the baby’s life and are ready to support him all the way.
Preparation for the rite of Baptism of a girl
Basic preparation for the rite of Baptism involves three aspects:
- choice of godparents;
- christening time;
- places of the Sacrament.
When choosing godparents for a baby, you need to follow some rules. The main one: godparents should be spiritual people, believers who can make a huge contribution to the spiritual life of the baby
.
Being a godfather is a very responsible task.
This means that you need to become a spiritual mentor for the child, constantly communicate with him and pass on your experience to him. It is best if there are two godparents, but one godparent is allowed, but only on the condition that he is of the same sex as the child. Therefore, a godmother must be present at a girl’s christening.
Shortly before the ceremony, the godparents must visit the church, confess, and receive instructions from the priest. They should completely free themselves from bad thoughts and lead the most spiritual way of life these few days before the Sacrament.
Who cannot be godparents
Do not confuse these prohibitions with superstitions, of which there are a great many today. The rules and prohibitions come from the church itself, so they must be observed.
So, check them out:
- people leading an immoral lifestyle;
- persons who have not reached the age of majority (it is believed that they do not have high enough spiritual potential);
- mentally ill or mentally unstable people;
- incapacitated persons;
- a married couple or young people planning to get married;
- unbaptized people or representatives of another faith;
- the baby's parents themselves;
- complete strangers.
One more prohibition should be remembered: if the future godmother is going through “critical days,” then you cannot enter the church during this period. Postpone this ritual for a few days.
When to baptize a child?
The timing of a child’s Baptism today is not particularly important.
. Previously, it was believed that christenings should take place on the 8th or 40th day after birth. This was explained by the fact that on the 8th day, as a rule, the newborn was given a name, and after 40 days the woman was completely cleared of discharge after childbirth and had the right to enter the church. If a girl was born, the purification period was extended to 80 days.
Now these canons are practically not observed. The Church allows a person to be baptized at any age. If a child was not baptized before the age of 7, then, having reached this age, he himself has the right to decide whether he should be baptized. Of course, the sooner you baptize a child, the better - he will be protected by a Guardian Angel, and you can pray for him in church.
Sometimes parents baptize their baby immediately after birth. This is appropriate if he is very weak or was born in a serious condition.
Usually the christening date is set for a convenient Sunday. It is advisable that this day does not coincide with fasting. The rite of Baptism itself is not contraindicated during Lent, but by celebrating this significant event, you can commit a sin: it is difficult to decorate the festive table with Lenten dishes alone.
Where to baptize a child?
The choice of place of baptism is also important
. You can baptize a child in any church. Often parents choose the church where they are parishioners. On the eve of the Sacrament, you need to come to the temple and talk with the priest about organizational issues. Each church has its own nuances in organizing this ritual.
Sometimes it is possible to baptize a child at home. This occurs due to the inability of parents to be present anywhere outside of it, for example, in the event of a serious illness of the baby.
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