The Christian religion appeared in Rus' back in 988, when the first rulers of Kievan Rus accepted Baptism. The tradition of baptizing children arose gradually, naturally turning into a surrogate for religious baptism.
Initially, the baptism of infants by pagan peoples was perceived as a kind of mysterious rite of initiation into imperishable life. In modern Russia, children began to be baptized everywhere from infancy. Let's consider the main points that prompt parents to receive Baptism.
Christening
Christening is a holiday held as a baptism ceremony for a baby or an adult. In this case, the baptized person is given a name in accordance with the church calendar (names of saints).
In popular usage, the concept of “christening” means a home feast with treats for godparents and guests (they drink at christenings).
Church ritual and home feast have nothing in common. Therefore, while it is important to baptize a child according to all canons and traditions, it is necessary to know who can be godparents and what their “salt” is.
Some useful information about baptism
- After the baptismal sacrament has been performed, it is impossible to make personnel changes: the child has the same godfather and godmother for life, even if the person has disappeared or left the church.
- The presence of godparents at the church baptism procedure is mandatory. Extreme cases involve performing the sacrament without godparents.
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Who are godparents?
Godparents are considered the recipients of religion. They participate in the ritual as witnesses or guarantors for the godson’s faith.
Throughout the child’s life, they must participate in religious education and guide him on the true path, that is, teach him everything that the Orthodox Church proclaims. The godmother is a symbol of faith and purity, the godfather is a moral teacher and mentor in life.
To the question of who can be godparents, the Orthodox Church gives a clear answer. Both parents must adhere to the Orthodox religion and be baptized.
Godparents should not be chosen based on property or financial factors. The Church provides guidance in such situations. In some cases, clergy allow the ceremony to be performed when the godparents are Protestants and Catholics.
Baptism with “Father, Son and Holy Spirit” means for godparents the need to teach the godson faith, piety and purity.
Let's sum it up
You should not choose a person for the role of godfather who has no idea about church traditions. His main duty is to teach the basics of religion to a little Christian, and what can someone teach who doesn’t know anything?
It is reckless to accept responsibility for raising a child in the traditions of the Orthodox faith, whose father and mother are unchurched and do not intend to change the order of things, also without attaching importance to the spiritual education of the child and teaching him the basics of religion.
When accepting an invitation to become the godfather or mother of a child, whose parents support the idea of the Orthodox baptism of their child and are ready to join the church, before making their own vows, it is worth making promises from them to follow the commandments, pray for the child every day, attend services and churches, and try to make communion every day . Advise parents to attend Sunday school classes or kakhetization classes in advance to understand how serious their desire to enter the Orthodox Church is, and whether they consider the sacrament of baptism as a tradition of the past, some kind of magical rite.
Sacrament of Baptism
The church does not officially disclose requirements for godparents. The entire ceremony is negotiated in advance with the participation of parents and those elected by the church. The process itself is carried out with the participation of the baby’s godparents.
During the procession, godparents must follow the priest’s instructions unquestioningly. As a keepsake, the child is given a cross, which he must wear throughout his life.
Who can't be?
The Church Patriarchate prohibits the ceremony with the participation of Jews, Muslims, Buddhists and participants in other church movements.
If the priest establishes the fact that a person does not belong to religion according to the law of God, that is, in fact he is an atheist, baptism will be denied. Church rank is more valuable than money.
They will also refuse christening if the godparents are involved in intimate relationships or other manifestations of sexual empathy (vicious attraction).
Responsibilities
Godparents are necessary in order to take a vow of allegiance to the church. All monarchs who ascended the throne did this when the direct heirs to the throne were minors.
Godparents simply make a promise to the church before God to be responsible for the soul of the child as he grows up. Therefore, Orthodox Christians after 18 years of age can be baptized independently without the participation of witnesses.
General responsibilities of baptists:
- conduct a preliminary interview in a cathedral or church;
- attend several lectures on the topic of Orthodox culture to make sure that the choice is correct (not to doubt the responsibility before God for the child);
- buy a baptismal set (icon and cross of the Orthodox Church);
- if you have the means, buy a measured icon painted in honor of a baby with a name given according to God’s law;
- come to church tidied up.
Responsibilities of the godfather and mother during the baptism of a girl (boy):
- memorize the verse “Creed”;
- hold the child in your arms during the prayer service (together, in turn);
- accept the child from the priest after the font (the mother accepts the girl, the father accepts the boy);
- to be baptized with a nod, usually after the word “Amen”;
- give a gift for church name days (baptisms).
How many babies can you become godfather for?
There is no clear guidance in this regard: the number of baptisms depends directly on the desire of the person. If you want, there will be one, if you want, at least ten. At the same time, we should not forget that the vows made before God are inviolable and provide for responsibility for the spiritual future and moral character of the little Christian. You will have to answer for your obligations throughout your entire life.
A church myth says: the godmother, making vows for the second child, “removes the cross” from the first. The Church categorically disagrees, citing the example of the birth of another child. A mother who has a second child does not abandon the first. The situation is similar with the godmother: being a godmother at least four times, she is equally responsible for each of the children. It is quite difficult to devote time to all the godchildren, so think about who can be the child’s godparents, whether the person has enough strength, energy and time, and only after that offer such a responsible post.
Is it necessary to baptize a child?
The rite of baptism is carried out so that godparents become protectors on the path of following God. It is believed that the cross helps protect a child from the evil eye, damage and bad thoughts. The spirit in Orthodoxy personifies the soul, and in order for the body not to hurt, it is necessary to cleanse it with faith.
This is how the child gains health and peace. Children are usually baptized in infancy while their minds and souls are pure. But many prefer that the child make the choice himself at a later age.
There are many myths about why the Russian people began to baptize infants. Some associate the ritual with the acquisition of Divine power, others are inclined to believe that baptism will help the child take the right path after death. There is an assumption that an unbaptized person will not find peace and will not proceed to the next world.
And peace and spiritual piety were revered by many generations of our ancestors. Everyone is equal before God and must follow his commandments, set forth by the messengers of God. The decision to baptize an infant depends entirely on the religious upbringing of the parents.
The modern church does not force every family to baptize their children. And it even protects from this act those who decided to do this based on other people’s instructions and beliefs. But christenings are often imposed by relatives of the child’s parents on a whim without explaining any meaning. Orthodox traditions are honored in many Russian families.
Tips for choosing godparents
There are certain unspoken recommendations, guided by which you can choose suitable godparents for your child:
- You can take brothers and sisters for this role, but one of them should not be direct relatives.
- People must be believers because they will have to attend church with their child, read prayers for his health and provide spiritual education.
- People should not have problems with the law, not commit adultery, not abuse alcohol and not use drugs.
- A girl can be baptized by her own sister or cousin, provided that she is 14 years old. A guy must baptize a girl no earlier than he reaches 15 years of age.
- You should not invite a stranger, a passing acquaintance, or a person with whom the connection with may be severed.
- When choosing mentors for a child, one should not be guided by one’s own benefit. All thoughts associated with the ritual must be pure.
Attention!
The restrictions on the number of godchildren for one person are far-fetched. Women and men can have as many spiritual children as they like. The main thing is that they have enough time, warmth and attention to ensure proper upbringing.
A married couple cannot be godparents of a child. A married woman can baptize a girl first; it is not recommended to do this before marriage. But this rule has nothing to do with church prohibitions. Mysticism and esotericism intervene here. It is believed that a goddaughter can take away an unmarried girl’s right to family happiness, and she will not marry.
In Orthodoxy, church rules recommend choosing reliable people as godparents for your child. Those who will not get lost during life, will not break the connection with their godson and will help him. You need to pay attention not to material status, but to spiritual status. When choosing a mentor for your child, you can talk with the candidates and find out what they think about religion and what they mean by faith in the Lord.
What procedures are carried out with a child during baptism?
The christening of an unconscious child is considered common practice in Russia. True believers always baptize a child on the 40th day after birth, when the mother is able to recover from childbirth (come to church clean).
Such an action is not considered religious violence. And on the contrary, it is revered. The day of baptism becomes a special day in the life of a child, when he receives a personal guardian angel and a middle name, which no one except those present at the ceremony should know.
This holiday is often celebrated by a close circle of relatives who dedicated the baby to Orthodoxy, that is, they became the legal successors of Christ, and not Satan (the Devil). The ceremony itself takes place during the daytime, depending on the workload and work schedule of the church institute. The child is held in the arms of one of the godparents (mother). At this time, the priest reads a special speech for baptism.
Before the process of bathing in the font, the priest baptizes the baby in front of the icon. The ablution ends with wrapping the child in kryzhma. This is a special towel (terry white woven), which is a baptismal swaddling cloth. After the priest takes the child out of the font, one of the godparents (depending on gender) receives him and wipes him dry.
Next, the baby is put on a baptismal shirt. It can be embroidered in Russian traditions or be pure white. The godmother buys the kryzhma and the shirt, and the kryzhma cannot be washed after the ceremony.
During the baptism process, a pectoral cross of the correct size and appropriate paraphernalia is put on the child. Purchasing the cross is the direct responsibility of the godfather (according to tradition).
The Church recommends buying silver crosses . When choosing a product in a store, the cross must be doused with holy water, i.e., cleansing is carried out through a ritual with the priest (for an additional fee). It is not recommended to buy a cross made of gold, because the Russian Church classifies gold as a sinful metal.
The cross is hung on a special braid or rope purchased at a church store. In the process of growing up, the cross is replaced with a new one if necessary. Orthodox people at any age can ask to bless the cross.
What you need to know about christening traditions?
Before the ceremony, each parent must take communion in the church or temple where the action will take place.
However, you should not be skeptical about such rituals. Such rules are required by the church code so as not to offend the souls of believers. Immediately before christening, you need to fast for 3-4 days and make sure that the godmother at the time of baptism will not have bad thoughts, and her flesh will be clean. One of the parents needs to know the Prayer of the Holy Faith. Therefore, when baptizing a boy, the godfather must carefully prepare.
When conducting a magnificent ceremony in the cathedral, all those present must undergo the same procedures in advance as godparents. To conduct photo and video shooting, you will need permission from the clergy and punctuality on the part of the performer (silence, calm, inconspicuousness).
All guests at the celebration who wish to be there in person can be of any religion. Clothing for godparents is selected in accordance with Orthodox rules: a black suit for men, a light, closed dress below the knees with a scarf for women. Crosses must be present on both godparents.
