Baptism is a sacrament that makes a person a Christian forever. Even if he ever changes his faith, the grace of baptism still remains with him all his life. Since ancient times, there has been a tradition of conducting this sacrament with the participation of recipients who are responsible for the churching and righteousness of the convert’s entire future life.
In this regard, Orthodox Christians have a question: how many times can one person baptize a child?
Child baptism in church
1Who can become a godfather and godmother?
Previously, relatives were taken as godparents. This was explained by the fact that in the event of an accident with the real parents, the godson was taken into their family by the godfather or godmother.
Priests advise calling on the role of godparents:
- A woman and a man who go to church and adhere to the Orthodox faith, but not necessarily two. The godfather can be one person, but of the same gender as the child.
- People who adhere to a different faith cannot become godparents.
- Young people can become godparents if they are 13 years old for a woman and 14 for a man.
- Close older relatives can be godparents: uncle, aunt, grandfather, but not real parents.
- The godfather and godmother can be unmarried people; if you wanted to invite a husband and wife to this role, you will have to limit yourself to one person.
- The godmother can be an unmarried or pregnant woman.
- Both the first time and subsequent times, a woman can baptize both boys and girls.
- If you are called to be godparents, but you feel that you cannot cope and refuse them, there is no sin in this. It is important to explain to the child's parents why you are refusing.
Allowed number of godparents
A person may have one or two godparents - a godfather and a mother . If there is only one godson, then it is customary to choose for this role a person of the same gender as the godson. But this is just a tradition, if for some reason it is impossible to do this, there is no sin in breaking it.
It happens that the priest himself becomes the recipient.
Child baptism in church
If a baby is baptized, the godfather must make vows to God in his place and receive the baby from the font. When there are two recipients, this is done by the godmother if the child is a girl, and by the father if the child is a boy.
4How many times can you be a godmother?
The clergy, when asked how many times you can become a godmother, answer unequivocally. If you are a believer, do good deeds, attend church, feel the strength to guide someone else’s child on the true path, and help raise him as if he were your own, you can be a godmother as many times as you like .
Thus, you can become a godmother as long as your kindness does not dry up, as long as you are ready to bear responsibility for someone else’s child, who has become yours.
Allowed number of godchildren
The Church does not place any restrictions here. The only thing that can stop a person from agreeing to become a godfather is fear of responsibility. After all, if the recipient has not made enough efforts to teach his spiritual son or daughter the Christian faith and guide him on the path of salvation, he will have to answer to God.
Read about the Sacrament of Baptism:
- Which Orthodox name to choose at baptism
- Prayer "Creed" at baptism
- Conversations before baptism
People have invented many superstitions related to baptism. It’s like if a woman takes a second godchild, then her spiritual motherhood will be “removed” from the first.
It's not worth listening to this nonsense. Taking several spiritual children is the same as giving birth to several children. It’s hard and responsible, but a mother will remain a mother to everyone.
What is baptism and how is it performed?
The first question that arises is at what age should baptism take place? After all, there are known cases when people are baptized even at an adult, conscious age: at twenty, thirty, or even forty years old. There is no clear answer to this question. However, the official Christian church advises baptizing a baby on the eighth day after birth. This is necessary so that he finds himself under divine protection as soon as possible.
Most often, baptism is scheduled for Saturday or Sunday - on these days the priest is less busy at the service. However, if desired, baptism can be carried out on any weekday. The main thing is to read the rules of the temple in which you are going to perform the sacrament, and talk with the priest in advance to fulfill all the necessary requirements.
It is also important to remember: before baptism, you need to choose a Christian name for your child. It does not have to be the same as your regular name. Most often this is the name of a saint who is usually commemorated on your baby’s birthday. However, if this name is not to your liking, you can choose another one. Seek advice from a priest - he will certainly help in a difficult choice.
Is it possible to be a godfather to several children?
There are no restrictions on the number of godchildren. One person can become a godfather twice, three times, and so on - there are no obstacles to this.
One can refuse when there are doubts about not being able to cope with the responsibility assigned to him.
If you are already a godparent, but friends ask you to receive this honor again, you need to think carefully. Becoming a godfather is a big responsibility.
And if you live in the same city with one godson, are family friends, even perhaps go to the same church, you know that his parents are Christian believers, your only task for now is to pray regularly for his entire family.
It’s good if, after a while, when a grown-up child needs help or advice, he comes to you, and you and his parents can resolve a difficult issue.
And if another godson lives far from you, perhaps his family has moved, or you, due to various circumstances, have stopped communicating with his parents, this does not relieve you of responsibility. It is you who will have to answer for his Christian illiteracy before God.
Is it possible to be a godmother several times for children of the same family or in different families?
Baptism is a special stage in the life of a person and his loved ones.
It symbolizes the birth of a Christian; thanks to this sacrament, a Guardian Angel is assigned to the child, who will protect him throughout his life.
Parents should take this very seriously and take into account several important points. And in this article you will find answers to the most common questions regarding the baptism of a baby.
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What you need to know about infant baptism
First, it’s worth understanding the basics of preparing for this process.
- It is customary to baptize infants from the 40th day of their life.
- For the baptism of a baby, it is customary to call both the godmother and the godfather, but this is not a prerequisite. It is customary for a girl to have at least a godmother, and a boy to have a godfather.
- People who are godparents should not be related by marriage. Their connection must be maintained on a spiritual level. The baby's natural or adoptive parents are also not chosen to be his godparents.
- The age of godparents is also taken into account. It is preferable that these are adults, since they are already considered full-fledged adults, and therefore responsible and capable of consciously being mentors in the faith for a growing child. But a younger age of godparents is also acceptable, but the godfather should not be younger than 15 years old, and the godmother should not be 13.
- A pregnant woman can become a godmother if the fetus is already 40 days old on the day of baptism. However, this does not apply to those who are unaware of their situation.
- On the day of baptism, no food is eaten until after the ceremony. You should also fast for three days before the scheduled date, confess and take communion.
The ceremony itself lasts at least forty minutes. It can be carried out either individually or with several children at the same time. It is preferable to do this on weekends and not on major holidays, since services are shorter on these days, but in general it can be done on any day.
What is needed for baby baptism
- a pectoral cross, which a godmother can buy for a girl, and a godfather for a boy;
- a shirt and towel or krizhma, as well as a hat (optional), which can be purchased by both parents and godparents;
- godparents can give an icon with the image of a saint who patronizes the newborn according to his name or the day on which the child is baptized and on which the saint is commemorated.
It is preferable for godparents to know “Our Father” and “Creed”, but these prayers can also be read by repeating after the priest.
Choose godparents for your baby with all responsibility so that they are able to fulfill the responsibilities assigned to them.
How to choose a name at baptism
From ancient times to the present day, some Orthodox families give their children baptismal names in honor of the saint whose commemoration falls on this day. But this is not a prerequisite. The priest can also choose a name at his own discretion if the parents are in doubt.
Allowed number of godchildren
The Orthodox Church does not give restrictions regarding whether one can become a godfather a second time or more. What is important is how conscientiously and faithfully a person will fulfill the role of godfather or mother.
Anyone who is going to take on this role should take into account that the child needs to be helped in life, including in religious education, and not just given gifts for his birthday and, possibly, the New Year.
One person is allowed to baptize several children, but he should take into account that there is a Christian belief that at the last trial a person is asked not only for raising his own children, but also his godparents.
Allowed number of godparents
Often a child is baptized by two people - a man and a woman. However, it is permissible for a baby to be baptized by one person of the same sex, that is, a girl is a woman, and a boy is a man. But it is also not a sin if a person of a different gender becomes a godfather.
It happens that, for example, there is no one to be a godparent for a girl. Why not choose a person “from the street”? Then the priest himself can become her godfather. In any case, even if this is not a clergyman, then this person must be a believing Christian.
Who cannot become a godparent
- as previously mentioned - parents, spouses and children;
- non-believers or people of other faiths;
- strangers.
Erroneous superstitions regarding baptism
- A woman who has become a godmother 2 times or more “removes the cross” from the previous one.
This belief is erroneous, because just as a mother of many children is equally a mother to her children, so on a spiritual level a woman must support all her godchildren.
- A woman does not need to baptize same-sex children.
An explanation for this myth can be given similar to the previous one.
- A woman cannot become a godmother for the first time for a girl, but must first baptize a boy, otherwise this is an obstacle to her marriage.
A nonsense statement that does not contain a drop of truth.
Is it possible to refuse to be a godfather?
It happens that a person who has been offered to baptize a child has some doubts about his candidacy for this responsible role, for example, he considers himself insufficiently knowledgeable about matters of religion and the duties of a godfather. If a person is not ready to be a foster child for a child, then he has the right to refuse. And there is absolutely no sin in this. An honest refusal is better than an unscrupulous attitude as a godfather in the future.
Is it possible to baptize a baby without godparents?
If an adult who truly believes in the Lord God can consciously undergo the rite of baptism, then the baby needs helpers. He is not born with an understanding of religion, and for this role the successors are called to protect him from Satan and help him follow the true path.
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Is it necessary to baptize a child at all?
There are true believing Orthodox Christians who perform this ritual responsibly and with all seriousness, like any other spiritual action. In most cases, young parents simply follow generally accepted traditions.
But there is also a certain percentage of parents who may not believe themselves or simply do not want to make a decision for their child in this case, thereby giving him the opportunity in the future to determine for himself whether he should follow this path of faith.
If the parents themselves are still related to Orthodoxy, then they should take into account the fact that through baptism they provide the child with protection on a spiritual level, assigning a Guardian Angel to him, who, as is known, is called upon to protect a person throughout his life.
Is it possible to be a godmother several times for children of the same family or in different families was last modified: April 4, 2021 by Bogolub
Source: https://bogolub.info/byt-krestnoj-neskolko-raz/
Pectoral crosses are made from different metal alloys. Naturally, when worn, the cross can darken, fade and even turn black for a number of different reasons.
Why does a silver cross turn black?
From the point of view of doctors, a silver cross and other products made from this metal turn black due to a common chemical reaction - metal oxidation
resulting
from exposure to sweat
. This may indicate various diseases. However, in order to understand for sure what diseases a person is susceptible to, it would be good to find out the other symptoms. Most likely, excessive sweating indicates the presence of a number of diseases, among which endocrine diseases are the most common. Diabetes mellitus, menopause, tuberculosis and increased thyroid function are also possible. Common intoxication, which accompanies more than one disease, can also cause excessive sweating. That is why, in order not to guess what illness the person on whose body has darkened silver is suffering from, you should consult a therapist and undergo all the necessary tests. However, it should be remembered that the chemical composition of sweat is different for all people. And it is very difficult to predict what reaction it will enter into with silver. Because of this feature, silver jewelry darkens on some people, but on others this never happens. There is nothing supernatural in such manifestations. However, as you know, every rule has an exception.
As a rule, copper, brass and bronze crosses, as well as items made of silver (especially alloyed with copper) or low-grade gold, turn black. This happens due to a chemical reaction of sweat, sebum, as well as moisture and oxygen
contained in the air, with the metal from which the cross is made.
The silver cross turns black: superstitions
People who believe in light and dark forces have their own opinions about this phenomenon. They believe that a blackened cross signals damage.
To get rid of this and remove the “evil eye” you need to perform the following ritual. It is necessary to light three candles in three different churches on one day. Order sorokoust. Then change the pectoral cross.
People prone to a mystical view of things, suspicion and fears can say that the darkening of the pectoral cross is a sure sign of impending disaster
. For example, it is believed that the owner of a darkened cross will certainly find himself in an unpleasant life situation, get sick or die. Oddly enough, their fears are not without some basis.
Attention! Helpful advice!
The pectoral cross can be cleaned by placing it in a jar with a mixture of a spoonful of water, a few drops of dishwashing liquid, a drop of ammonia and a pinch of tooth powder and soda. After placing the decoration in the mixture, close the jar and shake it vigorously. Source and additional information:
Why does the cross turn black?
Reasons why the cross turns black
Who is not suitable for the role of godmother?
It is prohibited for the child's blood or adoptive parents and people belonging to another faith or atheists to baptize a child. All other relatives and friends have the right to become spiritual mentors.
Also, people who are married to each other cannot be a pair of godparents. This is explained by the fact that the relationship between godfather and godmother should be at the highest, spiritual level. You will have to choose only one of them. If by chance this happens, you should submit a petition to the diocesan administration, which will decide whether to dissolve the marriage or impose repentance on the godmother and godfather for a sin committed through negligence.
Responsibilities of godparents
The godmother and father must take an active part in the life of the godson. It is worth thinking about the possibility of fulfilling such a number of obligations, because they take a lot of time. Every godfather or mother is obliged to:
- enlighten the child in faith;
- take him to church;
- talk about Christian holidays;
- teach the child piety, kindness and behavior;
- help the godson explore the depths of the Orthodox Church;
- participate in the baby's daily life.
The most valuable gift for a child will be good godparents who will pay enough attention to their ward. Natural parents also help educate the child in church matters. Talk about customs, traditions, holidays, kindness.
Being a godfather is a responsibility. Making such a decision is not easy. You need to be aware of how much effort, time and attention this role takes. The sacrament of baptism is the child’s turning to Jesus, the beginning of life in faith in God. The ritual opens the gate to the child's religion. Spiritual mentors make efforts to help the child deal with all the issues. Many children can be baptized, but everyone needs to be given attention.
