Is it possible to be godmother twice. At what age is it best to baptize a child? Is it possible to baptize a child without godparents, godmother, godfather, with one godfather

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Ancient Apostolic tradition gave rise to the custom of baptism. A person who accepts the faith of the Lord must have godparents. The Orthodox Church requires that the recipients be believers so that they can give an account of their actions and teach the faith of their godchildren, making a vow before the Almighty at the ceremony.

At the sacrament, you need to know the Symbols of Faith, be able to competently answer the questions of the priest, unite in spiritual kinship with the Lord, having renounced Satan in your thoughts. In our country, there are few people who would not know that there is a rite of Baptism, even fewer of those who did not take part in it at least once in their lives.

Secular people do not always fully understand the essence of what it means to be baptized and to be godparents, so they set the mass, find out the details of the future action. One of the important questions that interests future sponsors is: "How many times can you be a godmother?"

The rite of baptism according to church canons

According to the clergy, the Russian Orthodox Church does not limit a person in his desire to baptize, therefore there are no clear limits in this matter. It is believed that the godmother becomes spiritual relationship closer than the one that gave life. She should become a real example for the goddaughter or godson, she should protect her godchild and help him not to stray from the true path. Indeed, during the ceremony, the godmother pronounces the words of renunciation of Satan for herself and for her named son or daughter, therefore, according to the Orthodox Church, she bears full responsibility for the child. Another thing is when a woman is asked to be a godmother several times. The question arises by itself: “Can the godmother bear so much responsibility?”

Before you take on the role of a godmother, it is better to talk with the ministers in the temple so that they explain in more detail the essence of your duties, the main God's commandments etc. For many people who "live in the world", the concept of baptism is limited to buying a cross in the church and a towel in which the child is wrapped after the font. And from the church point of view, the godmother must herself observe God's laws and teach them to her godfather.

Relatives of the godson can also be godparents. It is unacceptable for both godparents to be spouses or have an intimate relationship with each other.

To be a godmother twice - to remove the cross from the first godson?

The church also refutes the popular belief that, having visited the godmother for the second time, the cross is removed from the first godson. These rumors Orthodox priests they do not support, comparing the rite of baptism with the birth of a second child: a woman, having become a mother for the second time, does not abandon her firstborn and bears responsibility for him all her life.

The decision to baptize is yours...

Before you ask yourself whether it is possible to be a godmother several times, think about the fact that you, like no one else, will be responsible to God for your godchildren, you will have more responsibilities (and this, of course, is not about Easter cakes and eggs). Ask yourself: “Am I able to live according to the Sacred Laws of the Orthodox Faith?”, “Can I teach my godchildren righteousness and piety, and introduce them to the basics of the Orthodox Church?”, “Will I be able to pray for them until the end of my life and be held accountable for their deeds at God's Judgment?" These questions are not taken out of thin air, they are asked in the church at the interview when you have expressed a desire to become a godmother.

How many times to be a godmother, of course, you decide. The main thing is that the desire should come from the heart, and also not be spontaneous and thoughtless. No wonder they say that godparents are more connected with their spiritual children than with the parents who gave them physical life...

If you were invited to become a godfather or mother, then, in addition to the rules for accepting the sacrament of Baptism by your future wards, you need to know how many times you can be godfather, what are the duties of godparents and how to pray for children and godchildren.

Following the rules of Christianity, becoming a good godparent means raising your godchild to be a worthy Christian.

Responsibilities of Godparents

Duties to the baby appear as soon as you decide to baptize him, and you must follow them:

1. A godparent is a person who must guide his ward to faith. He talks about Christian faith and the importance of attending church, making sure children are brought to Communion, teaching them how to pray and live according to the will of God.
2. By example, godparents should show how to behave correctly. It is the godfather who must teach the godson the rules of kindness and love. He must be as merciful as possible so that the child takes an example from him, because the main duty is to educate a believing Christian.
3. He must teach the child the basic rules of Christianity. If you yourself do not know enough the rules prescribed by Christianity, then you can always contact the church and sign up for special classes. In general, you need to study and learn new things all your life, therefore you should read a variety of Orthodox literature, and most importantly, attend divine services, at least 2 times a year to confess and take communion.

It is important: remember, as soon as you took the baby and went to the temple of God to participate in the sacrament of Baptism, you made a promise to God that throughout your life you would try to bring the ward to the temple, pray for him and teach all the rules of Christianity.

Who can be godfather

When choosing candidates, unfortunately, few people follow the rules of the Orthodox Church. Godparents can be best friend or a girlfriend, close relatives, even grandparents.

But it is important to understand that the person who will lead your child to faith must meet the following requirements:

1. First of all, he himself must be a believing Christian. You cannot baptize a child if you do not profess Christianity. A worthy choice is a person who regularly attends church, prays and takes communion.
2. It can be one who is ready to direct the upbringing of children in a Christian direction, lead them to the service, teach them to pray, help them come to confession for the first time, instill love for God, the Most Holy Theotokos and Holy Ascetics, teach them to turn to them in various life circumstances.
3. After the sacrament of Baptism, it is impossible to refuse or change the godfather. A person still remains a godfather, even if during his life he refused to attend the temple or the Christian Orthodox faith, and cannot engage in the Christian upbringing of a child.
4. An unmarried, married or pregnant woman can become a godmother, but a husband and wife cannot simultaneously be godparents of the same child.
5. According to the rules prescribed in the Ribbon, one person must be a godfather. Accordingly, girls have a woman, boys have a man. But the presence of a second godfather is just an ancient custom of the church.
6. You cannot become a godparent if a person has the rank of a monk or nun.
7. If it is not possible to attend the sacrament of Baptism, then it is allowed to enter the name of the parent / parent in absentia. Responsibilities of recipients, both full-time and part-time, are absolutely equivalent.
8. If there is no one to become the godparent of your child, go to the temple, they often baptize without godparents, then the priest who conducted the sacrament is considered the godfather.

Is it possible to be the godfather of several children

There are no restrictions on the number of godchildren. One person can become a godfather twice, thrice, and so on - there are no obstacles to this.

You can refuse when there is doubt not to cope with the responsibility assigned to him.

If you are already a godparent, but friends are asking you to be honored again, you need to think carefully. Becoming a godfather is a big responsibility.

And if you live in the same city with one godson, make friends with families, even go to the same church, you know that his parents are believing Christians, so far your only task is to pray regularly for his entire family.

Well, if, after a while, when a grown-up child needs help, advice, he will come to you, and you, together with his parents, will be able to resolve a difficult issue.

And if another godson lives far away from you, perhaps his family moved, or you, due to various circumstances, 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.

Prayers for children and godchildren

Conclusion

Being a godfather is a big responsibility that everyone who agrees bears before the baby and Almighty God. Therefore, if you are not ready to help your child follow the Christian faith and cannot teach him faith, mercy, then it is better to refuse the offer to become a successor.

"How many times can you be a godmother?" - I constantly hear this question from this or that girlfriend when it comes to the christening of someone's child. I am amazed at their complete ignorance in this regard! They argue that after a second child is baptized by the same person, the first one is no longer his godson. To my question: “Why do you think so?” they say, "I don't know, I think so." Well, citizens, if you talk like that, then it’s a sin to die - what if it’s wrong ... In general, it’s time to dispel all the rumors and doubts about how many times you can be a godmother! I dedicate this article primarily to my girlfriends and, of course, to you, my beloved readers! Let me start a little from afar and introduce you to some of the basics of choosing spiritual mentors for your child. It is very important not to make mistakes! Remember, the godfather (or mother) is spiritual mentor your child. Stop your choice only on those candidates who, in your opinion, will be able to endow the child with spiritual values ​​... In addition, the main rule was and remains the following: the spiritual mentor of your baby must be of the same genetic sex as the child himself. However, now this prescription has been simplified a little, and both a man and a woman can be chosen as such. The main thing is that they should not be spouses, should not be intimate with each other, both were Orthodox believers.

Godparents are responsible before God for their successor. Therefore, I advise you to consider relatives or close people, and not friends and girlfriends. Although sometimes it happens that friends are closer people than their own relatives. Well, we got to the main thing - how many times can you be a godfather or mother? I will devote a separate chapter of my article to this. So go ahead!

How many times can you be a godmother or godmother for a child?

My dear friends who want to become spiritual parents! You can become them an unlimited number of times! Yes exactly! There are no, sorry for the comparison, "limits"! The most important thing is to remember your direct duties to your godson. Know that you, before the Lord himself, during the Sacrament, take on a great responsibility for your godson. Therefore, remember, if you have become spiritual parents for several children, then please do not forget to take an active part in the life of each of them: pray for them and in no case stop communicating with them!

Without a doubt, the Orthodox Church and the clergy in particular refute various not “pure” rumors about how many times you can be a godmother for a child. Statements that the first godchild for a person who has become a spiritual parent for the second time are no longer considered such are greatly exaggerated.

1. Firstly, each sacrament of baptism, performed in accordance with all the rules and customs, is valid and cannot be canceled. The child is not rebaptized!
2. Secondly, when compared with worldly parents, it turns out that during the birth of the second baby, the first one must be denied! But this is absurd!

So my good ones! How many times can you be a godmother (well, or a father)? That's right - an infinite number! I hope this information will be useful to you, and you, in turn, promise not to inflate any more incomprehensible disputes and battles around a fairly obvious fact. God bless you!

The baptism of a child is one of the most important and bright events in the life of both the baby and his parents. It is unacceptable to treat this ceremony lightly, since christening is an unusual holiday. On this day, the child acquires not only the named parents, but also a guardian angel who will be with him all his life.

It is not surprising that many seek to baptize their child immediately after birth. But it is impossible to hurry in such a matter, it is necessary to carefully prepare for every moment of the christening, thinking over and realizing all the little things. Many people are interested in the question - is it possible to be godfather to several children. There are discussions about this, but it is better to look for an answer from the ministers of the church themselves.

Young parents most often call their close friends for the role of godparents. But sometimes it happens that potential godparents of mom or dad already have several godchildren. How to be in this situation?

On the one hand, traditions say that it is impossible to refuse to be baptized, since you can invite trouble on yourself. On the other hand, would it be right to agree to take responsibility for one more person?

After all, baptism is not just a church ceremony, after which you can go to a banquet, forgetting about your main duties. To accept correct solution, it is necessary to carefully prepare and study the instructions of the spiritual fathers, who give valuable advice.

There is a superstition that one cannot become a godfather twice, since during the second ceremony the cross is removed from the first godson. This is nothing more than human opinion, which should not be relied upon when making a decision.

The clergy assure: nothing can cancel a properly conducted sacrament. Whether or not to agree to become a godfather for the second or third time is a personal matter for everyone. But in this case, you need to remember the responsibility before God, which the recipients take on. To have a godson means to have one more child, who always needs help in everything.

Spiritual parents should participate in the life of the baby not only materially, but also spiritually. Therefore, when choosing godparents, biological parents should be guided by the spiritual education of their friends and acquaintances.

When asked if it is possible to be godfather to several children, the church unequivocally answers yes. Therefore, if you have a desire to have another godson and participate in his spiritual upbringing, feel free to agree. But remember: you agreed to this role - you will have to make efforts to educate the child, and not just invite him to visit and give him presents once a year.

Who should not be called godparents?

The choice of godparents is a responsible task. Often young mom and dad are not familiar with
church laws and invite people to baptize their child who, according to the laws of the church, should not do this.

That is why before the christening it is necessary to communicate with the priest and consult on a number of issues.

Who cannot baptize a child?

• • Gentiles. People who profess a different faith simply cannot be responsible for raising a baby according to Orthodox laws.
  • Young couples or spouses. People who are in a church or civil marriage.
  • The parents themselves. Biological mom and dad cannot baptize a son or daughter, since they are already assigned a special meaning in his life.
  • Atheists. The very idea that an unbelieving person can become a godfather is ridiculous and absurd. After all, the primary task of the godfather is the spiritual education of the child, its introduction into the Christian world and familiarization with God's laws.
  • Strangers, strangers. Rarely, but still, there are situations when the baby's parents, due to some circumstances, cannot find potential godparents among their acquaintances. In this case, complete strangers are asked to hold the baby in their arms during the christening. Such a phenomenon is highly undesirable and is not approved by the church, although it does not fall under a direct ban.

Questions before christening

Questions such as how many times you can be a godmother and how many godchildren a godparent can have are absolutely normal for a person who is preparing to take on such responsibility.

It is important to know! What is it for and what is it: the rules of the sacrament

Every sane person who has been offered such a role thinks about what he will have to do after the baptism, what is his participation in the life of the godson in the future and how to behave in church? Excitement before a responsible event is a common phenomenon. There is no need to worry that you will do something wrong, because next to you there will always be a spiritual mentor who will tell you how to behave and in what sequence to perform the required actions.

Frequent questions asked by young parents before christening to a church minister:

• Can a minor be a godfather?
• Is it possible to be the godfather of several children?
• Can a pregnant girl be baptized?
• What is the best age to baptize a baby?
• How many godparents should there be and how many times can one person become a godparent?

It is believed that a person who has not reached the age of majority cannot baptize a baby, since he does not realize all his responsibility in this process. It is definitely possible to baptize several children. But one should agree to this only if a person is sure that he will have enough time and energy to make a significant contribution to the upbringing of each godson.

Most often, young parents spend christening on the eighth day after birth. It is believed that the sooner a guardian angel is assigned to a new person, the better. But such an opportunity is not always available, because the church is not against christening at a later age. In some cases, the rite of baptism is carried out when a teenager is already entering a conscious age.

From the moment of christening, the baby has an invisible protector who will always protect him from all troubles. Often the name of an angel is directly related to the name of a person, since in the church they name a new servant of God in honor of a saint who patronizes a birthday or christening day.

According to church canons, each person can even have one godparent ( godmother or father). It is not necessary to invite a couple to the christening. But if the parents have a desire to intermarry with a large number of people, then you can arrange the sacrament of baptism with the involvement of even two or three couples.

Important! Having several godparents is not forbidden by the church, but before the sacrament, everyone who decides to become a godfather should listen to a brief parting word from the priest regarding further participation in the life of the godson.

Useful video: Rules for baptizing a child

Conclusion

Each person can become a godfather an unlimited number of times. The main thing in this matter is to remember that God's Judgment each will have to answer for the upbringing of his godchildren as well as for the upbringing of his own children.

Baptism in Orthodoxy is a special sacrament. It is also called spiritual birth. During the ceremony, the newborn receives a guardian angel as the protector of his soul, who will protect him throughout his life. According to church traditions, it is recommended to baptize a newborn on the eighth day of his life or on the fortieth. A special role in this ceremony is assigned to the godparents. They have a very serious task. They will have to spiritually educate their godson, introduce him to the Church and Orthodox faith. Therefore, church ministers recommend taking the choice of spiritual successors very seriously.

According to the laws of Russian Orthodox Church Godparents cannot be:

The godparent and godmother of the newborn must not be married;

Biological parents cannot baptize their child;

People belonging to other religious concessions cannot become spiritual recipients of the Orthodox;

A pregnant woman and a woman who is menstruating at the time of baptism;

Crazy, immoral and unbelieving people;

Strangers or unfamiliar people who agreed to this only because they were persuaded by the parents of the newborn;

Minor children.

In any of the above cases, the clergyman has the right to refuse to conduct the sacrament of baptism. Of course, you can lie. But after all, the future of the child will depend on this decision.

Who can be godmother and godfather?

As a rule, both a woman and a man become godparents at the same time. But if the child has only one godparent, then the church recommends choosing a godfather by gender. That is, a woman should baptize a girl, and a man should baptize a boy. This is not a strict requirement. Situations are allowed when a man becomes a spiritual recipient for a girl, and a woman for a boy. Before performing the sacrament of baptism, the clergyman will talk with the selected candidates. It is important that godparents are true believers Orthodox people. So that you can completely rely on them in the duties of the spiritual upbringing of the child.

For the sacrament of baptism, the recipients must come with pectoral crosses. Godmother must be covered with a covered head, with covered shoulders and in a dress no lower than the knees. There are no strict requirements for a godfather. But it is better to refuse T-shirts with shorts. There should not be any headgear on the head of a man. It is strictly forbidden to come to the rite of baptism in alcoholic or drug intoxication.

How many times can you be godparents?

When asked how many times one can be a godmother or father, the church does not give a definite answer. There are no strict restrictions. The godparents decide on their own whether to become a spiritual successor again or not. When making such a decision, it is necessary to remember that godparent takes on a very serious responsibility. After all, he will have to not only introduce the child to the Orthodox faith, but also take care of him throughout his life.