Church Godfather. How to prepare your godmother for baptism

What a young dad should know about a newborn baby, and what he needs to learn to do in order to help the baby's mother, read the website

The primary task of newly minted parents is to obtain the necessary knowledge about the characteristics of newborns and to master the technique thoroughly.

If mothers almost immediately recognize everything and easily learn to change diapers, rock the baby, bathe the baby, then many dads have a hard time figuring out what to do with the baby. And not because dads are less capable than moms, but because dads usually spend less time with children.

Employment, employment, but to learn more about and learn to take care of him is still worth it. Dad must communicate with the baby from the first days, communication between the child and the dad during the newborn period is the foundation for their future good relationship and mutual understanding.

Also, the dad's knowledge about the child and the ability to handle him can be useful if an unforeseen situation suddenly occurs in the family (illness of the mother or baby, in which urgent hospitalization is required, urgent departure of the mother for 1-2 days) or just to give the mother a break from the hassle of several hours. Do not forget that the child is common and both parents should be able to take care of him.

So, let's figure out what a young dad should know about his newborn baby and what points he should master as soon as possible in caring for a child.

What does dad need to know about a newborn?

In order to learn more about a newborn baby, learn how to take care of him, it is desirable that the dad has the opportunity to stay at home for 3-5 days after the child and mother return from the hospital, and only then go to work. It is also very desirable for the dad to take part in caring for the baby on a daily basis; on weekdays, dad can bathe the child in the evening, and on weekends, perform almost all the functions of caring for the baby.

So, what every dad should know about a newborn baby.

The skin of a newborn may peel off, pimples may appear on it, it may turn yellow, all these manifestations are associated with the adaptation of the baby's body to life in a new environment. Learn more about what can happen to the skin of a child,.

The baby's mammary glands may swell a little, and girls may have bleeding from the genitals. All this is quite natural and is associated with the influence of the mother's hormones on the child's body.

In the early days of life, it may be dark green, and dark yellow urine is normal.

You need to put the baby to sleep on the back, turning his head to one side in case he spits up. A little later, you can put the baby on the tummy. Astill a crumb must sleep without a pillow.

The air temperature in the child's room should be no more than 22 degrees, and the humidity from 50 to 70%. It is important for dad not only to know that this should be so, but also to make every effort to ensure that it is so - to buy a thermometer and a hygrometer, to install an air conditioner, taps on batteries.

All children are many and your baby is no exception.

What a newborn dad should be able to do

In case of unforeseen situations, dad should be able to:

dilute the mixture and bottle feed the baby;
prepare a bath for the child and him;
rock the baby, put him to sleep;
change the diaper and wash the baby;
change your baby's clothes;
remember where children's clothing and hygiene products are stored;
know where the child's birth certificate is;
remember the date and time of birth of the child, weight and height at birth, whether there were congenital defects or diseases;
know if the child has an allergy;
remember where the child's first aid kit is;
know the phone number of the pediatrician, the phone number of the children's clinic.

Irina Kolpakova, pediatrician, homeopath - Homeopathic Center. Demyana Popova: “The newly made dad must understand that the spouse now, more than ever, needs his help and support. Who if not him? Dear dads, do not hesitate to show your feelings for the child, hug, kiss, carry in your arms, sing songs, read fairy tales. The son will grow up to be your friend and helper. The daughter will flirt with you, train for you in her feminine tricks. Both children in adulthood will rely on your type of behavior: the son - to imitate, and the daughter - to look for a man like you in his wife.

Mom and Dad are the two closest people to a child, so it is quite logical and natural that they should share the responsibilities of caring for a newborn. Joint caring for the child will ensure the baby's harmonious development, will help the mother to cope with postpartum depression faster, will enable the father to really feel like a father, needed and important person for the kid.

Baptism is one of important events in the life of an Orthodox person. It is believed that he receives a kind of pass to the Kingdom of God. This is the moment spiritual birth a person, when his previous sins are forgiven, and the soul is cleansed. Special attention should be given to the choice of godparents for the child, since they have an influence on the spiritual life and salvation of the believer. Therefore, the godfather, whose duties and responsibilities lie in all of the above, must be worthy.

The role of the godfather in a child's life

Now let's take a closer look at what role the godfather plays in Orthodoxy, whose duties are not only gifts for the holidays. The most important thing he must do is to help in the spiritual life of his godson. So, let's look at the responsibilities in order:

Set a worthy example for him with your life. This means that in the presence of the godson, you cannot drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes, speak swear words. You need to be noble in your actions.
Prayers for your godson are obligatory, especially in difficult moments.
Visit the temple with your child.
Spiritual education of the godson is obligatory (stories about God, teaching the Bible, etc.). If there are problems in life situations, then provide all possible help.
The duties of the godfather also include material support if necessary (if the parents difficult situation with money or work).

What do you need to know to choose godparents?

So how do you choose a godfather, or a recipient? What should be guided by? First, you should know that in the spiritual life of a child, the most important is the godfather of the same sex (for a boy - the godfather, for a girl - the godmother). However, according to an established tradition, two are chosen as godfathers.

Of course, the decision on who will be the spiritual educator of the child throughout his life is made at the family council. If there are any difficulties in choosing, then consult with the priest or spiritual father. He will probably suggest a suitable candidate, because this is a rather honorable duty.

It is very important that godparents are not lost in life, so that they continue to spiritually nourish the child throughout life. Both the godmother and the godfather, whose duties and functions are described above, have their own responsibility to the Lord.

Based on all this, Christians who are over fourteen years old are suitable for the role of spiritual parents. They take responsibility for the child's further spiritual life, making prayers for him, and then teaching him to live in the Lord.

Who can't be godfather?

When choosing a godfather or mother, you need to know who cannot be one for your child:

Those who are going to become spouses in the future or are already such in the present.
Parents of the kid.
Those who took monastic vows.
Unbaptized people or unbelievers in the Lord.
You cannot take people who have a mental illness as godparents.
Those who profess a different faith.

All of this should be considered before a godfather is chosen. His responsibilities are quite extensive, so a person who has agreed to be one must be clearly aware of everything.

Required items for the ceremony

It should be told in more detail about what items are needed for this rite:

Kryzhma. This is a special towel on which a cross is embroidered or simply depicted. A child is wrapped in it during chrismation, as well as when prohibitive prayers are read. Sometimes the name of the baby and the date of his baptism are embroidered on such a towel.
Baptismal diaper. It's not really required attribute but should be when it's cold. This diaper is used to wipe the baby after dipping into the baptismal font, and then again wrapped in a kryzhma.
Christening clothes. This can be a baptismal set (dress) for a girl or a special shirt for a boy. It is desirable that these clothes be purchased as a gift by the child's recipient.
It is necessary to have a pectoral cross with you for a future Christian. The godfather usually buys it. The baptismal duties for him, of course, are not limited only to this acquisition, but they will be written about them below.
It is necessary to bring an envelope for your baby's cropped hair.
You should also purchase icons for the child and make a donation to the temple (this is an optional condition).

Is there any special preparation for the recipients before the ceremony?

You should also pay attention to the preparation for christenings. The most correct step would be to turn to a confessor or priest for advice. However, you should know that it is usually necessary to confess and receive communion before the sacrament. Before that, you need to observe the fast (the father should tell you about the number of days). You may need additional actions, such as reading prayers, spiritual literature, etc. It is also advisable not to attend noisy parties, various entertainment establishments at this time, refuse to watch TV. It is advisable to devote all free time to prayer.

If this is your first time in the role of a godfather, then it is advisable to familiarize yourself with how the sacrament goes, what prayers are read, what is the order of the chants. This is necessary because when you become the spiritual educator of a little person, you need more than just a formal presence. A sincere prayer is needed, which should not stop even after the completion of the sacrament, because this is the essence of becoming a godfather.

In more detail about what duties the godfather has during the performance of this rite, will be described below.

Present

Considering the question of the duties of the godfather at the christening, it should be said that on this day it is customary to give gifts, both to the baby and to the godfather. If you wish, you can present a gift to your parents.

It is appropriate for a child to give both an educational toy and something more important for spiritual life, for example, a Bible for children with pictures. By the way, the gift can be negotiated with the parents in advance, because something else may be more important at this moment.

There is one main gift that the godfather should give the baby. The responsibility during baptism is not only to hold the baby, but also to show the first example of honoring the Lord. After all, children understand everything from birth at the level of feelings. In addition to reading prayers, such a gift becomes pectoral cross which is baptismal. It must be bought and donated by the recipient.

For parents, especially for the mother of the baby, good gift will become a prayer book, where there will be necessary prayers for the whole family.

How were christenings celebrated in ancient times?

Earlier, as now, christenings were a very significant event in the life of people. This sacrament was performed necessarily no later than two months from the birth of the baby, and sometimes even earlier, on the eighth day. This happened because there used to be a high mortality rate for babies, so it was very important for loved ones to baptize the child before the irreparable happens, so that his soul goes to heaven.

The celebration of the initiation of the little man to the church was performed with big amount guests. This was especially noticeable in large villages... A lot of people gathered for such a holiday, who came with gifts and Best wishes baby. At the same time, they brought mainly various pastries - pies, pies, pretzels. In the house where the little man lived, a magnificent table was laid for the guests, and there was practically no alcohol (there could only be red wine in very small quantities).

There were traditional holiday dishes. For example, a rooster baked in porridge for a boy or a chicken for a girl. There were also a lot of curly pastries, which symbolized wealth, fertility, and longevity.

It was customary to invite the midwife who took the baby to the table. They could also call the priest, who performed the rite of baptism. During the festival, they sang numerous songs, thus wishing the child all the best. They saw off all the guests, presenting everyone with sweets.

How is baptism going? Duties of the Godfather

Now we will consider how the ceremony itself goes, what should be done at this time and what responsibilities each of those present has. In our time, this ordinance usually takes place on the fortieth day after birth. Parents or future godparents should go to the chosen temple in advance and sign up for the chosen date, as well as agree on the process itself. After all, you can hold individual christenings or general ones.

The duties of the godfather at the baptism of a girl are one, a boy - others (although they differ slightly). If the child is not yet a year old and cannot stand by himself, then he is held in his arms all the time. The first half of the ceremony (before dipping into the baptismal font), the godmothers hold the boys, and the fathers hold the girls. After the dive, everything changes. Since the father is the main thing for the boy, it is he who takes the baby into the kryzhma, and the mother accepts the girl. And until the end of the ceremony, everything continues.

The service itself lasts about forty minutes (more time is required if there are a lot of people). It begins after the celebration of the Liturgy. The celebration of the sacrament begins with the laying on of hands on the baptized person and reading a special prayer. After that, you should renounce Satan and his works. Adults are responsible for the kid who cannot speak.

The next step in the ceremony will be the consecration of the water in the font. Before immersing the baptized person in it, he should be anointed with oil (back, chest, ears, forehead, legs and arms.) Only after this is immersion in the font. The priest reads prayers at the same time. This action symbolizes dying to the world and resurrection to the Lord. So there is a kind of cleansing.

Then the child is transferred to the godfather, he is wrapped in a canyon (as mentioned above, the boy is transferred to the father, and the girl to the mother). Now the baby is anointed with myrrh.

So now you know the duties of a godfather when a boy and a girl are baptized. As you can see, they are slightly different.

Baptism at home

In addition to being baptized in the temple, it will not be reprehensible to perform this sacrament at home, with your family. However, it is better to do it in the right place. This is based on the fact that after the baptism of the boys, it is imperative that they be brought to the altar (girls simply kiss the icons).

After the ceremony is completed, the little man becomes a full member of the church. This can be felt most strongly only in the temple. Therefore, home christenings are possible only if the infant is unable to withstand the ceremony in the church. They are also performed when the child is in mortal danger (illness, etc.). If the whole sacrament takes place at home, then the godfather has the same duties for baptism as if the rite was performed in a church.

Church life of new Christians

You should know that after baptism for a person, his spiritual life only begins. The first acquaintance with church rules begins with the prayer of the mother and godmother. This is how the word of God is invisibly instilled in a baby. And in the future, when he sees everything himself, you can slowly introduce him to family prayer, explaining its value.

Special mention should be made of baptismal accessories. Kryzhma and special clothing (if you purchased one) should be stored separately and not used in everyday life. The baptismal shirt (dress) can be worn in moments of illness of the child (or simply wrapped in it). The icon that was used during the sacrament must be placed near the baby's bed or on the home iconostasis (if there is one). The candle is used on special occasions and is also kept for life.

The duties of a godfather at baptism are just beginning. In the future, when the child grows up, it will be necessary to go to church with him, to receive communion and to services. Of course, this can be done with the parents, but it is better if it is the godfather. By the way, you need to take a child to church from an early age. It is there, in the bosom of the church, that he will be able to realize all the greatness of God. If he does not understand something, you need to patiently explain the difficult moments.

This is how addiction and beneficial effects on the human soul take place. Church chants and prayers are calming and strengthening. During growing up, you may experience difficult questions... If godfathers or parents cannot give answers to them, then it is better to turn to the priest.

Conclusion

So now you know what a godfather has to do. They need to be taken seriously from the very beginning, as soon as you are offered such an offer. If necessary, consult with the priest about what you should do for the baby, how to educate in the spiritual life, and what kind of support to provide. Be careful, because from now on you and your godson are spiritually bound forever. You will also be responsible for his sins, so upbringing should be treated with special importance. By the way, if you are not confident in your abilities, then it is better to refuse it.

Baptism is one of the important events in the life of an Orthodox person. It is believed that he receives a certain pass to the Kingdom of God. This is the moment of a person's spiritual birth, when his previous sins are forgiven, and the soul is purified. Particular attention should be paid to the choice of godparents for the child, since they have an influence on the spiritual life and salvation of the believer. Therefore, the godfather, whose duties and responsibilities lie in all of the above, must be worthy.

The role of the godfather in a child's life

Set a worthy example for him with your life. This means that in the presence of the godson, you cannot drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes, speak swear words. You need to be noble in your actions.
Prayers for your godson are obligatory, especially in difficult moments.
Visit the temple with your child.
Spiritual education of the godson is obligatory (stories about God, teaching the Bible, etc.). If there are problems in life situations, then provide all possible help.
The duties of the godfather also include material support if necessary (if the parents have a difficult situation with money or work).

What do you need to know to choose godparents?

Who can't be godfather?

When choosing a godfather or mother, you need to know who cannot be one for your child:

Those who are going to become spouses in the future or are already such in the present.
Parents of the kid.
Those who took monastic vows.
Unbaptized people or unbelievers in the Lord.
You cannot take people who have a mental illness as godparents.
Those who profess a different faith.

All of this should be considered before a godfather is chosen. His responsibilities are quite extensive, so a person who has agreed to be one must be clearly aware of everything.

Required items for the ceremony

It should be told in more detail about what items are needed for this rite:

Kryzhma. This is a special towel on which a cross is embroidered or simply depicted. A child is wrapped in it during chrismation, as well as when prohibitive prayers are read. Sometimes the name of the baby and the date of his baptism are embroidered on such a towel.
Baptismal diaper. This is not really a necessary attribute, but should be when it is cold. The baby is wiped with this diaper after dipping into the baptismal font, and then wrapped in a canyon again.
Christening clothes. This can be a baptismal set (dress) for a girl or a special shirt for a boy. It is desirable that these clothes be purchased as a gift by the child's recipient.
It is necessary to have a pectoral cross with you for a future Christian. The godfather usually buys it. The baptismal duties for him, of course, are not limited only to this acquisition, but they will be written about them below.
It is necessary to bring an envelope for your baby's cropped hair.
You should also purchase icons for the child and make a donation to the temple (this is an optional condition).

Is there any special preparation for the recipients before the ceremony?

In more detail about what duties the godfather has during the performance of this rite, will be described below.

Present

There is one main gift that the godfather should give the baby. The responsibility during baptism is not only to hold the baby, but also to show the first example of honoring the Lord. After all, children understand everything from birth at the level of feelings. In addition to reading prayers, such a gift becomes a pectoral cross, which is a baptismal one. It must be bought and donated by the recipient.

For parents, especially for the baby's mother, a prayer book will be a good gift, where there will be necessary prayers for the whole family.

How were christenings celebrated in ancient times?

The celebration of the initiation of the little man into the church took place with a large number of guests. This was especially noticeable in large villages. A lot of people gathered for such a holiday, who came with gifts and best wishes to the baby. At the same time, they brought mainly various pastries - pies, pies, pretzels. In the house where the little man lived, a magnificent table was laid for the guests, and there was practically no alcohol (there could only be red wine in very small quantities).

How is baptism going? Duties of the Godfather

Then the child is transferred to the godfather, he is wrapped in a canyon (as mentioned above, the boy is transferred to the father, and the girl to the mother). Now the baby is anointed with myrrh.

So now you know the duties of a godfather when a boy and a girl are baptized. As you can see, they are slightly different.

Baptism at home

Church life of new Christians

This is how addiction and beneficial effects on the human soul take place. Church chants and prayers are calming and strengthening. As you grow up, difficult questions can arise. If godfathers or parents cannot give answers to them, then it is better to turn to the priest.

Conclusion

Baptism is a sacred ceremony through which a person is cleansed from his sins and becomes a servant of the Lord. Having learned the sacrament of baptism, the child is born again - now spiritually.

During the christening, the baby has another father and mother - godparents. Earlier on church traditions there was only one godfather, the boy had a man, the girl had a woman. But later, when the times of lack of faith and debauchery came, it was decided that it would be too hard to save the child's soul and faith for one recipient (godfather). After all, the duties of a godfather and mother are very great.

What should a godfather know?

The godfather is the child's spiritual mentor. His responsibilities include:

spiritual education of the godson;
bringing the basic canons preached by the church and the Bible to the attention of the baby;
communion and confession of a child in church;
helping parents take care of their godson or daughter;
responsibility for the upbringing and dignified life of the godson in the event of the death of his parents.

Also, according to unspoken rules, future godfathers take on the organization of christenings.

What should a godmother do?

Buy a baptismal set:

Special white towel with embroidery.
The baptismal suit is a white undershirt and a cap, in the cold season - white pants and a blouse. Keep your palms and feet open.

What should a godfather do?

Organize christenings in the church (negotiate with the priest).
Organize a feast.
Buy a cross and a string or chain.

Duties of a Godfather at Baptism

Before baptism, future parents are cleansed spiritually - they confess, receive communion. The godfather or mother needs to learn the Creed prayer. This prayer will need to be read during the ceremony. The godfather must also give a cross and a chain. The godmother, in addition to the baptismal set, can give the godson a silver spoon.

Is it possible to change the godfather?

The godfather can only be changed before the baptismal ceremony. If for some reason your godfather can no longer see the child and there is a worthy person who will spiritually educate the child, he will become a mentor for him, but not a father. The godmother cannot be changed either.

Baptism is the main Sacrament of the Orthodox faith, requiring careful preparation and strict adherence to established rules. The rite of baptism itself is of paramount importance because passing through it introduces a person to Orthodox Church... Our tradition prescribes baptism in infancy (about 3-12 months), which means that the child himself is not yet able to perceive and comprehend the very purpose of the ceremony. As a result, the entire burden of responsibility falls on the shoulders godparents who, after going through this ordinance, receive a number of new responsibilities.

First, you need to understand why in the Orthodox canon there is such a figure as the godparent or, as it is also called, the recipient. During baptism, the godparent acts as a witness, who before the priest takes on the responsibility of instructing and teaching the godson within the framework of the Orthodox tradition. Due to the fact that it is customary to baptize young children who often do not even know how to speak yet, godparents participate in the ritual in order to say prayers instead of the godson and answer the priest's questions. This very form of replacing speaking by godparents demonstrates the full responsibility that is imposed on them.

It is quite obvious that a person of the appropriate religion can baptize a child. But it is not enough to be just a baptized person, as this will not allow you to fully fulfill your duties. An important condition the readiness for the baptism of a child is the presence of certain knowledge. The minimum requirement for godparents is usually familiarity with the text of the Gospel and knowledge of the Creed by heart, the prayer that will have to be said during the ceremony. Although now priests most often help future godparents and say a prayer with them so that the latter have time to repeat it.

In addition, fasting and passing the sacrament are important aspects. Again, for people who constantly live according to the Orthodox canon, following these rules will not be difficult, but those for whom these actions are new should contact the priest in advance, who will tell you how to prepare for participation in the ritual.

Duties of Godparents at Baptism are reduced to following all the structural components of the sacrament. In accordance with the canon, throughout the entire rite of the godson (regardless of gender) he holds in his arms Godfather... As soon as the priest gives permission to enter the temple, it is better for the biological parents to stay on the street, although now they are not prohibited from being present during the baptism.

The sacrament of baptism begins with the fact that the godparents, holding the godson and candles in their hands, approach the font, where the priest begins to read prayers. After that, they should carefully listen to what he says, as he will give directions for action. Usually the priest says prayers, which the godparents must repeat after him. At this stage, the main responsibility of godparents is to understand what they are saying. Usually they are asked to recite the Creed and, answering the priest's questions, make promises of a righteous life and following the commandments.

After the prayers, the priest takes the baby and dips him into the baptismal font and performs the rite of chrismation. Then the child is transferred into the hands of the godparent of the same sex, so that he wraps the godson in a canyon, after which the priest puts a cross on the baptized one. This is followed by a part of the actions in which the godparents do not take part: the introduction into the altar, the attachment to the icon of the Mother of God.

The name at baptism can be chosen by both biological and godparents. In fact, the Orthodox canon has a very simple algorithm for choosing a name. It is enough to look into the month and see the name of the saint whose day coincides or is in close proximity to the day of baptism or the birth of a child. In Orthodoxy, it is believed that the saint, whose name is given to the child at baptism, becomes his personal patron, and therefore, in order to avoid the human factor in choosing a name, it is recommended to simply check the calendar.

It is extremely important to understand that the duties of godparents are not limited to the very conduct of the ceremony and imply performance throughout subsequent life. It is customary to distinguish three main responsibilities assigned to godparents:

Having become the child's recipient, the godparents thereby take on prayer duties, which include both independent reading of prayers and teaching the prayers of the godson. It should be understood that in Orthodoxy, prayer is understood as direct communication with God, which means that the godparents in the first years of the godson's life do it instead of him;

The second range of responsibilities is associated with ethical instructions: godparents should, both by their example and in other ways, show the godson what Christian morality and ethics are, so that the child is formed as a morally developed personality;

The most important, but also the most difficult duty of the godparents is the initiation of the godson into religion. God-parents must be ready to answer any questions, which means that they themselves must acquire the necessary knowledge in advance.

You can also find and invite to the ceremony. It will be a good gift for your baby.

Of course, it should be borne in mind that now the requirements and duties of godparents do not look so categorical. Both the ceremony itself and the subsequent communication between the godfather and godson may be less religious and less instructive. But be that as it may, within the limits of baptism itself, godparents will have to follow the minimum established rules. It should be understood that even if you are not a deeply religious person who performs all Christian rituals, this is not an obstacle to becoming a godparent. In fact, baptism will help you feel special bond with a child who will connect you throughout your life.

5Dbabtism

Services:

Description: Preparation and responsibilities of godparents. Duties of Godparents at Baptism