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Among the large number of different church rites, the sacrament of Baptism is of particular importance. Since ancient times, the Orthodox Church has performed this ritual on infants. Therefore, it is very important to choose good guarantors, because the child cannot yet be responsible for himself. According to all the rules, godparents must have a conversation with the priest before the child’s baptism . What kind of conversation this is, how it goes and how long it lasts, will be discussed further.
Who are the catechumens
In the early Christian period, only adults were baptized. Preparation for the Sacrament was very serious and took from 1 to 3 years. Those who wished to accept the Christian faith were publicized, that is, they studied the fundamentals of the teachings of Christ and passed unique exams. All this time they read the Holy Scriptures, went to services, but did not have the right to be there until the end. After the words of the clergyman: “Catechumens, come out!”, the latter left the temple. They were not allowed to attend the Liturgy, Confession, or the Eucharist. Only after full acceptance of the faith were real Christians allowed to participate in other church rituals.
Church regulations require a mandatory interview before a child’s baptism
Naming
During the interview before baptism, the name that the baby will take after the sacrament is discussed with the parents. This question is especially important if the birth certificate contains a name that is beautiful, but not included in the calendar. The parents of Eduard and Stanislav, Oles and Victoria, on the advice of the priest, select an Orthodox name for the child in advance and, along with it, a heavenly patron. This protector and prayer book accompanies a person throughout his life. Usually the person being baptized is given the name of the saint whose memory is celebrated on the day of his baptism.
Previously, naming took place on the 8th day after birth - the name day was more important than the birthday. The fate of a person was connected with the way he was named. Now, unfortunately, many do not know what they are called in Orthodoxy. But the church knows a person by his Christian name. It would be good to give the godson an icon with the image of his patron, so that it will be his companion throughout his life.
Rules for conducting public conversations
Today, the Russian Orthodox Church has made an interview before christening a mandatory requirement. As a rule, conversations are held in the temple where the Sacrament will be performed. There, godparents and parents can attend a Sunday school, which opens its doors on weekends.
Is it necessary to pass
Without a certificate of catechism, which is issued by the catechist based on the exam results, it will not be possible to baptize a child. This is an unbreakable rule for the recipients, since they are the ones who become the spiritual parents of the newborn. Godparents must have a Christian upbringing and be able to behave correctly in order to be a worthy example for a new member of the Church.
Even devout people who regularly visit the temple cannot avoid public conversations. But those who are far from church life must undergo a preliminary interview. After all, in order to follow the righteous path, it is necessary to constantly check with Orthodox teaching. At the same time, there is no need to be afraid to ask the priest any questions you are interested in. At your request, he can recommend religious literature or relevant films to you.
What does the priest ask during an interview?
There is no specific list of questions that the clergyman asks during the conversation. What they will be depends on the catechist himself and his views on this procedure. He may ask about the following facts:
- full names of parents, adoptive children and baby;
- residential address;
- date of birth of the child;
- frequency of church attendance;
- date of the last Eucharist;
- have you undergone the Sacrament of Marriage;
- prayers you know.
Most often, the catechist asks by heart “Our Father,” “Heavenly King,” and “Rejoice, Virgin Mary.”
Author's advice
Why is catechesis needed before a child’s christening in church?
Some people do not know why catechesis is carried out and therefore it is necessary to understand in advance the need for it. Catechesis is considered the oldest Christian procedure, which is carried out before a person is baptized. Such conversations are held to call God to a person, and also to direct him on the path of serving the Lord. Moreover, catechesis is carried out not only with unbaptized people, but also with already baptized people. This is called a post-baptismal conversation, during which people read a prayer and prove their loyalty to the Lord.
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.
Who can't be a godfather
- A person who is under church punishment, on whom penance is imposed, and who is excommunicated from communion, cannot become a recipient of the font.
- Close relatives: parents, brother or sister also do not have the right to this.
- A husband and wife cannot baptize the same child.
- Monks and those preparing for monasticism are not godparents.
- People with mental disorders do not participate in the sacrament of baptism.
As you can see, a fairly wide range of issues is covered by the first interview before baptism with the receivers from the font. At the same lesson, a questionnaire is filled out for the child and his godparents, and a task is given, the completion of which may take 3-4 weeks.
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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Order of the Patriarch
At the end of the last and beginning of this century, the Russian Orthodox Church experienced an influx of adults wanting to join the church and parents wanting to baptize their children. Moreover, many of them had a very distant idea about faith, about Christ, about spiritual life. These people needed at least a minimum of religious knowledge and an idea of the responsibilities that the Sacrament of Baptism imposes on them.
For this purpose, the Patriarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church in 2013, by special order, introduced the requirement that an interview be held in the church before baptism. It is intended for both parents and the adopters of their children. They come to the public conversation twice to gain the necessary knowledge about the upcoming event. Without these conversations, the priest has no right to perform the sacrament.
The last word remains with the priest
The priest, like no one else, understands the role of godparents in the life of a child: this includes introducing him to the life of prayer and reading the Bible with him. If something happens to the parents, and the child is left alone, his adoptive parents from the font will adopt him.
How the interview before baptism goes depends largely on the priest conducting the catechesis. One will ask a couple of questions, wave his hand and christen the baby. Another will ask in all severity, and only after making sure that the child will be in good hands will he give permission for the sacrament. Perhaps both will be right: the ways of the Lord are mysterious.
