Baptism- the sacrament of the Orthodox Church, during the performance of which the baptized person is cleansed from the sins of his past life and is prepared for communion with the church.

This is a necessary condition for being born again in order to enter the Kingdom of God.

During the performance of the sacrament, the priest pronounces the established prayers and takes placeeither three-fold immersion of a person in water, or pouring water over the baptized one.

Below is information that will allow the parents of the baptized person, godparents and the baptized person himself (if he is already an adult) to learn about some of the features of the Sacrament of Baptism directly in our Temple.

Please do not forget in advance discuss with the priest all questions that you have about the Sacrament of Baptism and the answers to which are not presented here.

At what age can a child be baptized?
According to the established tradition, babies are baptized from the first day of life .

When can you perform the Sacrament of Baptism?
ο Baptism takes place at any time (day) of the year;
ο periods of Fasting are not an obstacle to Baptism;
ο Orthodox holidays are not an obstacle to Baptism;
ο you need to make an appointment to perform the Baptism.

To register for the Sacrament of Baptism, you need:
ο and go to the church shop for a date and
time of Epiphany.
ο In our Temple, Baptism is performed on Sundays at 13.00 (by
pre-registration).

The procedure for preparing for Baptism:
ο Before Epiphany, the priest conducts public talks with
baptized (if he is an adult) or with parents and intended
godparents (for the baby).
ο Talk time: Friday 18-00, Saturday 19-00.
ο Topics of conversation:
Acquaintance. The true meaning and purpose of baptism.
What is Scripture.
Analysis of the Orthodox Symbol of Faith.
Commandments of God.
ο Desirable:
future godfathers (in
baptism time this prayer is read aloud by the godparents
three times);
read the Holy Gospel if possible, and
confess and receive communion before the sacrament of Baptism.
ο On the fortieth day, the mother of the baptized baby comes to the Church, where
it reads the prayer of the 40th day:
day ".

Some features of the Sacrament of Baptism for adults:
ο if possible - observe fasting for 2-3 days before the Sacrament
Baptisms;
ο preferably - on the very day of Epiphany in the morning, do not eat, drink or smoke;
ο those who are married the night before to refrain from marital
communication;
ο attend the Sacrament of Baptism clean and tidy, without
cosmetics and jewelry;
ο for women - the Sacrament of Baptism is performed at the end of the
monthly cleansing.

What you need to prepare with you for Epiphany:
o Orthodox cross (if in doubt, it is better to show it
to the priest in advance);
ο baptismal gown (new);
ο a large towel (to wrap the child after the font) - 2 pcs.;
ο change of footwear (for adults, for getting out of the hot tub);
ο candles;
ο all baptized people attending baptism must have
pectoral cross.

The cost of baptism in our Temple?
ο The sacrament of Baptism is performed with donations;
ο the amount of the donation - not established, not specified - this is
completely your personal decision.

What is the name given to a child at Baptism?
ο An Orthodox Christian is given the name of an Orthodox Saint who
will become his heavenly patron;
ο in the month of the word is selected the day of remembrance of that Saint, with whom
the baptized one has the same name (given by the parents);
o if there are several days of commemoration of Saints with a similar name in a year, then
the day of remembrance is selected, which follows the first after the birthday
baptized;
o if the name given to the person to be baptized is not in the calendar, then at baptism
the name that is closest in sound is selected;
ο give in Baptism a name different from the passport name, if the person
baptized in honor of some especially revered saint in the family;
ο the names "Mary" and "Jesus" - in the Orthodox Church it is not customary to give
names in honor of Jesus Christ and the Mother of God. The reason is especially
reverence for Their holiness. The name Jesus is given in honor
St. righteous Joshua. The common name in Russia is Maria
Orthodox Christians carry in memory of the saints of God:
Mary Magdalene, Mary of Egypt and others.

When is the Name Day celebrated?
Name days are celebrated on the Day of Church veneration (day of remembrance) of the Saint, whose name a person was named at Baptism.
Memorial Day of the Saint is chosen after the birthday of the baptized person, and not before. Those. a person celebrates the name day after his birthday, and not before.

When is Angel Day celebrated?
Angel Day is the date of the sacrament of Baptism.
It is during Baptism that a person receives his Guardian Angel, who will be by his side all the days of his life.

At what age can you become godparents (recipients)?
According to the existing rules, a person can become a recipient / recipient at the age of 18.

Mandatory requirements for godparents:
ο godparents must themselves be baptized into Orthodoxy;
ο if the person chosen to be the godparent has recently
accepted Baptism, then he can become a Receiver only
after 1 year, after their own Baptism.

Unacceptable options for family ties between spiritual relatives:
ο marriages between :
godparents and their godchildren
(godchildren);
godparents and natural parents
godchildren;
godmother and godfather of the same
godson.
ο unacceptable, to
adoptive father / adoptive mother became godparents
parents in relation to their adopted child.

Some acceptable options for family ties between spiritual relatives:
ο a husband and wife can be godparents of different children in the same
to the same family;
ο brother and sister, father and daughter, mother and son can be godparents of one
the same godson;
ο several children from the same family may have the same godparents
parents;
ο a brother / sister can be a godfather / godmother to a sibling
brother / sister;
ο grandparents, uncles and aunts - not married to each other-
can become godparents of the same grandson, nephew;
ο relations between godfathers (godfather / godfather are godparents of one
baptized in relation to each other, as well as in relation to
to the parents of the baptized):
the married parents of the person being baptized may
to be / become godparents to children
their godfathers (but not the same child);
ο one person can become godparent to several
a person from the same family.

How many times can you become godparents?
You can become godparents any number of times, if at the same time you are able (feel the strength in yourself) to properly fulfill the duties of a godparent: to participate in the religious education of your godchildren, to educate them in the spirit of Orthodoxy and piety.

How many godparents can one baptized have?
ο Church rules require a child to have a child
of the same sex as the person being baptized, i.e. for a boy - a man,
and for a girl - a woman;
ο the tradition to choose both godparents for the child at once: father and mother,
does not contradict the canons in any way;
ο the situation when the baptized person has only one godparent
the opposite sex with the baptized - permissible, but in exceptional
cases.

Can one person at the time of Baptism be the recipient of several people (for example, twins)?
There are no canonical prohibitions on this. But technically it can be quite difficult if babies are baptized. The receiver will have to hold and receive both babies from the font at the same time. It will be better if each godson has his own godparents. After all, each of those baptized separately are different people who have the right to their godfather.

Is it possible to baptize without godparents?
In extreme circumstances, if it is impossible to find recipients, or Baptism is performed at a critical moment for a person's life, it can be performed without godparents.

Is it possible to baptize a child in the Orthodox Church if one or both parents are unbaptized or of a different faith?
It is possible, if the parents do not object to raising their child in the Orthodox Faith and there are believing Orthodox godparents.

Can I be baptized again?
The sacrament of baptism is a spiritual birth. It happens only once in a lifetime. Rebaptism for an Orthodox Christian is impossible under any circumstances.

Can you refuse to become a godfather? Wouldn't it be a sin?
If a person feels an inner unpreparedness or is seriously afraid that he will not be able to conscientiously fulfill the duties of a godparent, then he may well refuse the child's parents (or an adult being baptized) to become a godfather to their child. There is no sin in this. It will be more honest in relation to the child, his parents and himself than, taking responsibility in the spiritual upbringing of the child, not to fulfill these duties.

What to do after baptism with a baptismal gown and towel?
Because of the particles of the holy peace that remain on the baptismal robes and swaddling clothes, they are kept as a shrine. The baby is dressed in a baptismal gown and brought to Communion.
You can put a shirt on your baby if he is very sick and pray for his recovery. The towel, if the child was not wrapped in it after chrismation, but simply wiped off the baptized person after the font, can be further used for its intended purpose.

These are superstitious statements that are not related to the Orthodox faith:
ο the girl should not be the girl's godmother for the first time;
o an unmarried godmother gives up her happiness if she baptizes a girl first,
not a boy;
ο a pregnant woman cannot become a godmother;
ο if at baptism the wax with the baptized person's hair drowns, the life of the baptized
will be short-lived.

The sacrament of baptism is awe-inspiring for most people. Even not deeply religious parents necessarily baptize the baby so that the child is under God's protection.

Baptism is a ritual that requires little preparation. It is important to know when to baptize a newborn, what to prepare for going to church, whom to take as godparents (named parents). Learn more about traditional Christian rites.

Most parents try to provide protection to the tiny man early, carry out the sacrament of baptism until the baby is 1 year old. Most often, the ceremony is held on the 40th day after the birth of the child. Sometimes the sacrament takes place later, if the baby is sick, the weather is so windy and cold that the baby can easily catch a cold.

Take a note:

• you should not postpone the ceremony for a long time: newborn babies up to one year old behave calmly during the sacrament, most of them sleep;
• after a year and a half, the child often turns around, is capricious, afraid of incomprehensible smells, sounds, a lot of strangers, the actions of a priest;
• with such behavior, the special atmosphere inherent in the traditional rite disappears: all efforts are aimed at calming the crying baby;
• whims, screams, admonitions of parents often wake up other children if the ceremony takes place for several couples;
• consider an important point, ensure maximum calmness during the ritual.

In some cases, the priest does not recommend postponing baptism. Perform the traditional ceremony as soon as possible if the baby is restless, weak, prematurely born. In case of a serious illness, priests also advise to baptize the baby early.

Baptism of a child: what you need to know? Helpful hints:

• any day is suitable for the ceremony. Often young parents choose Saturday and Sunday, when many close people and friends of the weekend can come and share the joy;
• On major church holidays, christening is not very convenient: a lot of people gather in the church, the child may burst into tears due to stuffiness, a large crowd of strangers. On such days, the father will not be able to devote enough time to the parents and the baby;
• if you schedule a date in advance, pay attention to a delicate nuance: Mom can be present in the temple when she does not have critical days at that moment. Choose the date of your christening taking into account an important factor.

Where to baptize a newborn

The bulk of child baptism ceremonies take place in the church. Sometimes circumstances interfere with visiting the temple: the child quickly catches a cold in crowded places, the baby is ill, is very worried, cries at the sight of strangers. What to do?

Talk to the priest whom you respect, explain the situation. The priest will take the accessories for the ceremony with him and will baptize the baby at home. Parents will need to prepare supplies for the ceremony.

Advice! In small settlements, there are often one or two churches; there is practically no choice of where to baptize a child. If you live in a big city, do not be lazy, talk to friends, ask for advice on choosing a priest. It is important to know that the Holy Father will come to the sacrament of baptism with a soul. Come to the temple in advance, talk to the priest, ask for advice on preparing for the ceremony. Find a person who is totally supportive.

Necessary purchases: traditions and rules

What is needed to baptize a child? Take a note:

• most often the cost of the ceremony, the purchase of special accessories in the church is paid by the godfather. Sometimes the parents and the godfather pay the ceremony equally. You cannot force the named dad to pay in full for the christening if the person still has a difficult financial situation;
• The godmother must bring a kryzhma - a special towel for the baptism of the child, in which the father will wrap the baby during the ceremony. Kryzhma needs to be consecrated before christening. Often, the named mother buys a teaspoon of silver (cutlery is also holy in the church);
• young parents buy little things for baptism: crosses for guests, candles, a cross for the baby. Many parents choose a gold piece, but a church cross on a satin ribbon is quite suitable;
• when baptized, the child receives a second, church name, based on the date of the ceremony. Parents should buy an icon with the face of a saint (saint) - the patron saint for the baby. Choose an icon in the church: it will be consecrated there, after the christening, the parents will take the amulet home to protect the newly baptized baby from evil forces.

How much does it cost to baptize a child? Check in advance the cost of accessories for the ceremony: often the amount is impressive.

What outfit suits adults and kids

• women are required to have a light shawl / kerchief / thin scarf on their head. A skirt or dress should cover your knees. Deep neckline, open shoulders, too bright, provocative colors are prohibited;
• trousers and a shirt of calm tones are suitable for men. Breeches, shorts in the temple are inappropriate;
• a special baptismal set of a beautiful undershirt and a hat with a cross stitched on will suit the baby. A special set is put on the baby only for the sacrament of baptism, then kept at home, reminding of the purity of a child's soul. If you don't have a baptismal set, wear pretty things that are easy to put on and take off.

How to choose named parents

Unfortunately, parents often do not attach much importance to this moment. They are looking for someone who will agree or who the rules allow. Not always godparents - these are people who are ready at the first call of their parents to come to the rescue, to be happy for the named son or daughter.

Many choose second parents, based on the wealth of the named mothers and fathers, in the hope of expensive gifts or an invitation to visit abroad. Kind, decent people with below average income, unfortunately, are rarely seen as suitable candidates.

That is why many godparents see their named children only for birthdays, and even then, not for all. Sometimes the godparents are remembered only before preparing for the godson's wedding in order to get an expensive gift.

Important! Ideally, the named parents should be like-minded people or good friends. If you have such acquaintances or relatives in mind, invite them to christening, entrust them to become a named father or mother. Good godparents are joy in the house. Remember about spiritual communication with the godson, and not only about the material side of the issue. Remember: the financial side tends to change for better or worse, and good relationships often last for life.

Who can be god

Entrust an honorary duty:

• good friends;
• relatives whom you are glad to see in your home;
• dear aunts and uncles.

Who can't be god

Young parents should be aware that there are limitations. Traditions do not allow certain categories of relatives and friends to be invited to this responsible role.

Cannot be gods:

• baby's parents;
• children: the minimum age of the godmother is 13 years old, the godmother's age is 15 years;
• a married couple cannot be invited to become godparents for one baby;
• mental illness is a reason to refuse the help of a person who, due to pathology, is not fully aware of the extent of responsibility;
• people of a different faith. Sometimes the prohibition is violated if the future godfather is a very good, kind person.

How is the ceremony

How is the baptism of a child going? The script of the ritual is practically the same, regardless of the location of the church (a large city or a small village). Parents, friends, relatives, future godparents, in general terms, should understand how the sacrament is performed, so that there is no confusion or awkwardness in some situations.

Basic moments:

• baptism is scheduled for a certain time, but you need to drive up to the church in advance: this way you will have time to arrange financial issues, negotiate documents for the baby;
• an important point is to properly prepare the baby for the ritual. Undress the child, wrap naked in a canopy - a special diaper or a beautiful towel larger than a baby;
• the clergyman first invites the godmother with the boy in her arms to the church, the future goddaughter is carried by the man;
• then the invited guests pass inside the temple, mom comes in last. Sometimes, before reading certain prayers, Mommy waits outside;
• the priest takes the newborn in his arms. At this time, the guests repeat the prayer of renunciation of the devil;
• the next stage is the immersion of the crumbs in the font. The action takes place three times. If the baptism is carried out during the cold season, the priest can pour water from the font on the arms and legs of the baby;
• Confirmation takes place after the water ritual. The newly baptized baby receives a blessing, protection from the dark forces. To do this, on the nose, forehead, eyes, lips, ears, arms, legs and chest, the clergyman puts smears in the shape of a cross with church liquid;
• Father gives the baby to the named parents: the boy is taken by the woman, the girl is taken by the man. Now you need to wipe, dress the baby.

Find out why your child stutters and how to deal with it.

The sacrament of baptism continues:

• the baby receives a pectoral cross. One of the named parents holds the baby, the second puts on a consecrated cross;
• the priest cuts off several strands of hair from the baby's head (in the center). This detail means obedience to God, a new spiritual life of a newly baptized baby;
• at the end of the ritual there is a three-fold round of the priest with the child in his arms around the font. The priest applies the girl to the icon of the Mother of God, the boy is brought into the altar;
• now it is possible to pass the newly baptized infant to the mother. The parent brings out the crumb of their temple;
• all guests, godparents go home with their parents to celebrate the baby's baptism.

The traditional ceremony takes from 30-40 minutes to two hours. The more couples in the church baptize children, the longer the sacrament lasts: the priest pays attention to each child.

Now you know when a newborn baby is baptized, whom to make named parents, what to buy for the ceremony. Consider the recommendations, choose worthy godparents, take responsibility for the preparation of the solemn ceremony. May God and the saints bless the newly baptized baby, protect him from adversity, protect him from troubles and the influence of dark forces!

Amount of records: 156

Hello. In quarrels with her husband, she mentally wished him harm, cursed. Now we are on the verge of divorce. It torments me very much. How to pray, what to read, so that the Lord would forgive me this sin, how to pray for it, that the Lord would lead him, how to forgive my curse? Thanks.

Alexandra

If you learn not to wish your husband evil, but, on the contrary, to prayerfully wish him well, then the power of your curses with God's help will dissipate. Start with a serious conversation with your husband, just avoid mutual accusations by all means, try to find something for which it is worth keeping your marriage. “May the God of peace Himself sanctify you in all its fullness” ().

deacon Elijah Kokin

Hello! I have such a question, please tell me, I lived with my wife for 3 years, was there a wedding? well nonsense divorced. I love my wife, well, she doesn’t want to communicate with herself and says more, don’t write to me and don’t call me. He says that I don’t love you anymore and I have a boyfriend. How to be, how to act correctly?

Evgeniy

Well, Eugene, as they say, you can't be cute forcibly. Perhaps this situation could still be solved while you were married, now everything is too neglected. But do not be discouraged, just think about what you can correct in yourself, so as not to push your loved one away from yourself and not to lose.

deacon Elijah Kokin

Hello! we have such a situation: my husband and I decided to baptize our son, the godfather chose his brother, he is 23 years old, and my niece, she is 8 years old. When they came to church, the priest said that my niece should not be godmother, because she is small (accordingly, my nephew burst into tears), at this time my mother-in-law, having protested everyone, goes and gets up with the godfather and says that she will be the godmother. Father at this time, seeing the tears of my niece, allows her to be present at the baptism and she stands next to my mother-in-law and her husband's brother (godfather), i.e. already three people. My niece stands the entire baptism to the end, the priest passes by with the cross and everyone kisses the cross, but my niece passes by. We asked the priests and everyone speaks differently, who says what is possible, if the godfather is an adult, who says that it is impossible, but we entered my niece as godfather. Question: is my niece the godmother in such a case? from how old can you become a godmother?

Darya

In general, of course, the godfather must be an adult, and the child may have one godfather - the same sex as the child. After all, we are talking about the "godparent", think, can an 8-year-old child be a parent who will be fully responsible for the godson? But the fact that your niece was entered as a godmother can be a good incentive for her to take care of her cousin. And there is nothing wrong with that.

deacon Elijah Kokin

How to behave after the sacrament?

Stanislav

After Communion, as before it, you need to behave like a Christian: meek, merciful, honest, reverent ... You need, as they say, “to walk before God” (Genesis 5:22), and then the Communion will benefit you - "For the salvation of soul and body."

deacon Elijah Kokin

Father, hello! My husband and I have sinned by intemperance in our marital relationship! And now I am tormented by the question, will the Lord forgive us? Is it a big sin? I am very afraid of God's punishment!

Yuliya

Calm down, Julia. I don't know what it is about, but you shouldn't panic anyway. Now, if you cheated on your husband, then the matter would be more serious, tk. it is the destruction of marriage. As for marital relations, here everything is up to you with your spouse and only you alone. These relationships are therefore called intimate, because they do not concern anyone except two. People are different, different temperaments, different experiences of intimate life, etc. etc. The church does not climb into the matrimonial bedroom and does not regulate intimate life. There are fasts, but the canons do not say anything about marital abstinence, even during Great Lent. It is said about the violation of abstinence in food, but not a word about abstinence from intimacy. Because this is an intimate matter. If something in this matter worries your conscience - repent in confession, but do not devote it in detail: it is not useful for you or the priest. And most importantly - in everything, seek help from the Heavenly Father as a father and the Lord Jesus as a friend. He Himself called His disciples his friends and knows all the circumstances of our life, who we are, what we are and how we are made. Do not be afraid of anything other than the loss of this friendship, and the friendship must be sincere, otherwise it is no longer friendship. In the same way, faith is above all trust. So you need to trust God in everything, seeing in Him a Friend, and not a punisher.

Priest Konstantin Kravtsov

I have violated a lifelong smoking policy, so the seal of Judas is on me? Can this seal be removed?

Maksim

Maxim, all church punishments are given to a person with only one purpose - to move a person to correction. I am not inclined to share with some priests such a sharply negative attitude towards the passion of smoking, some even try to give smoking the meaning of a certain satanic ritual (“to smoke - the demon to burn incense!”). But still, smoking is a harmless habit from a moral point of view, albeit a bad habit. In your case, the penance did not give the desired result (at least, the first time). You need to act according to the principle: if you fell, do not lie on the ground, but get up and move on. And you certainly should not put the sin of smoking - perhaps one of the smallest sins - on a par with the act of Judas. Moreover, the Church venerates as saints some people known to be smokers, for example, Emperor Nicholas II. This does not at all mean that the passion-bearer Nicholas needs to be imitated in this very thing, but this example shows that a smoker, if desired, can achieve salvation and even holiness.

deacon Elijah Kokin

Hello. Father, please teach me how to pray for my sister. For more than 10 years she has been a member of the Deed of Faith sect, claiming that it is there that God is alive. She crossed herself there, does not recognize icons, candles, does not go to graves with us. All these years they tried to return her to Orthodoxy. Nothing can convince her. From a young age, her personal life did not work out, she got divorced twice, she eventually overlooked her sons, unlucky. One served time, the other is now serving drugs. The soul aches for them and for their sister. We helped them as much as they could. Mom will be 77 years old with us, she gets very upset. In church, the priest said: you can only pray for her at home. Maybe God will have mercy. The sister has grandchildren, she takes them to her services, and the children are baptized. Well, how to be? My sister has become like a zombie, whatever she earns, drags her to her sect. Both daughters-in-law broke off relations with her, but there is nowhere to go - they give children to be found. So she is a good, hardworking person. These enemies pulled it in, they will not be left behind. We have a lot of these sects in our city.

faith

Dear Vera!
Trouble is trouble. But let's not lose heart. It is important on our part to do our best to get rid of the trouble. As for where you can pray for those who have departed from the Church, I think, if I was baptized in Orthodoxy, why not remember it during the Liturgy. We are all lost before God, and in confession the priest prays for us: “Reconcile, unite them to the Holy Church”! The options for helping by action, judging by your description, have been exhausted. This is a direct indication that the main thing we can do to help is prayer. Take care of your mommy. Let him worry less, and pray more with you. It is also possible to establish some small general rule for those who are able, and this situation is not alien to them. As for the grandchildren, it would be good to minimize the influence of the sectarian grandmother. It is also necessary to understand from the legal point of view to what extent it has the right to decide their fate. Of course, it would be better to take an active part, if possible, in their upbringing. But, naturally, carefully, pondering each step.

Archpriest Elijah Shapiro

Good afternoon. I recently learned that 1 hour before the wedding, my wife started her period! The priest was not told about this, his relatives knew, but they did not stop us! Please tell me how terrible this sin is and what is due for it? God save you!

Dmitriy

Dear Dmitry! Don't panic! As they say, this is already a thing of the past - and we will consider that this is not so much a sin as a human female weakness, which cannot be predicted with an accuracy of an hour or even a day. Therefore, since it did not work out differently, now you still cannot play the situation back. The main thing now is to strive to live like a Christian, in numbers and in the arrangement of family life, to keep in mind the commandments of God - and then, seeing this our aspiration, the Lord will not condemn for those wrongs that could unwittingly happen to us in this life.

Archpriest Andrei Spiridonov

If a man was not married in the previous marriage, but was married in the next, is this married marriage considered the only Christian - the first?

Sergius

Formally, yes, but personally I think that an unmarried marriage cannot be discounted, especially if it was registered. I think that any happy marriage is a real Christian, and any unhappy marriage, even a married one, is non-Christian.

deacon Elijah Kokin

Hello. They gave me the belongings of a woman who had died in a car accident. I personally did not know her. Many things. It took up to 40 days. I wore them. But I am very suspicious, began to torment myself with the question whether they would harm me. The clothes are not bad, she wore them during her lifetime. Please, tell me what to do.

Milena

Milena, those doubts that torment you really come from all sorts of superstitions. But, if this is so serious for you, then sprinkle things with holy water. And also order a commemoration for this woman, and pray for her yourself.

deacon Elijah Kokin

Hello! On December 27, during the Christmas holidays, I found a gold chain (buttoned) with a Jerusalem cross and a pendant in the shape of a square with the inscription “sator arepo tenet opera rotas”. Can it be worn, donated or sold, consecrated. Or what can you do with it? Thanks.

Vladimir

Dear Vladimir!
Let's start with the fact that it is not good to take someone else's, therefore, you cannot use a thing lost by someone, if there is no clear evidence of conscience that this thing was sent for some reason to you personally (such cases happen, but extremely rarely). I don't see anything similar in your example. As far as I understood, the value of the find is not great. Therefore, I advise you to advertise accordingly. If the owner is not found within, for example, three months, take it to the temple. The inscription in the square is a palindrome, that is, a phrase read the same in all directions. It does not mean anything mystical in itself.

Archpriest Elijah Shapiro

Hello, father. I don’t even know how to say it, it’s already scary, since kindergarten I have been sinning by hand and hand at different intervals. I struggle, I read prayers and still fail. I do not know what to do. The priest is ashamed and scared to confess this sin. Our dean and for lesser sins can literally scream that, if he hears, he will probably kick them out altogether. Our town is small, there is only one church and the priests are familiar, how they will look at me after confession. I do not know what to do. I have a friend, father, who understands very much, but if I confess this to him, he will probably turn his back on me. Go to another church, but where? Vicious circle. Help.

Catherine

Dear Catherine!
Rather than keeping such a load on your conscience, isn't it better to go to a priest who understands how you write. Here I am, a sinner, and have never seen you, but sorry for the soul, weakened in faith. But Father knows you and, I believe, will be glad that the sinner repents, wants to improve. He will pray especially for you, and he will give advice as someone who is not a stranger to you. We have no fear, only let us not offend the Lord with cowardice!

Archpriest Elijah Shapiro

Father, this is my question: they say that you have to suffer, that by suffering, by sorrows, God shows that he remembers you, cares about the salvation of your soul, but I am doing well in recent years, there have been many sorrows in my whole life, of course, a lot, like without them, and loved ones died, and my son was seriously ill, and was at gunpoint, there were a lot of things, but in recent years - as she retired - God had mercy, as they say, I often catch myself thinking - how good it is! And for everything, I thank God. For everything that happened in my life ... And now it is somehow calm ..., of course, it could have been better with money, and my health is not so great - but still - good - so I think - hasn't God forgotten about to me? Should I be happy or upset that there are no special "shock" sorrows? The only thing I regret very much is that my health is rather weak - sometimes I really want to do charitable things - to work as a volunteer in the hospital - I was recently in the hospital - the nurses don't really bother there - my hands were itching to wash everything, scrape it out, or in church to bear some kind of obedience - but my back and joints do not give - I, by a sinful deed, try to sit down for almost the entire service - my back hurts so much that in the church there will be only one confusion from me instead of help - but I really want to help .. So - what should I think - if I do not have strong sorrows and temptations - is that bad? After all, they say that the more a person becomes churched, the more the devil attacks him - and I seem to have nothing special - even the first fast was given relatively easily - without straining - so what is it? To be happy about it or not? And yet - they say that the more a person succeeds in the spiritual life, the more it seems to him that he has become even worse than he was, because he sees his sins better - "like the sand of the sea" - and I still see progress - I have become kinder, softer towards people, more tolerant - what does this mean? Is this good or bad? So I hated everyone before - I was a complete misanthrope, everything irritated, condemned everyone, etc. - now - it has become much easier, somehow "relieved" - "thawed", I condemn, of course, sinful, but I suppress this passion in myself, I try to control myself - that is, I see progress and benefit from the fact that I receive communion and try to be a Christian - how should I feel about this? Thanks for the answer.

Ludmila

Dear Lyudmila!
It is good when we try to be Christians in life, when regular confession and communion become our urgent need. But a great danger awaits us, who begin spiritual life, when we compare the present state of our soul not with what the Lord would like to see it, but with the past. It is good for a first grader to know the multiplication table. He is an excellent student. And what is the use of a tenth grader who has learned nothing but this table. He is a poor student. Therefore, we must not be comforted by our outward correction, but look deeply, listen to ourselves, as the Scriptures and the Fathers teach. So, maintaining an even, seemingly, unfortunate order of life is also not an easy task. This is a new task for you from the Lord. This is a call to strictness to oneself and mercy to others. And you can humble yourself, of course, from the fact that the Lord does not give great sorrow, for we do not have the strength and little to bear. It is better to rejoice and thank, for even in the smooth flow of life God is present, and His call addressed to us is still the same: "He who loves Me will keep My commandments."

Archpriest Elijah Shapiro

Why do baptized people often end up in extreme disbelief and negative attitudes toward God?

Alexander

Dear Alexander!
Baptism is a spiritual birth, the beginning of a free path to God. Everyone who has started the journey is not guaranteed not to get lost or turn back at all. There are many obstacles on the way. And they are overcome by trusting God, courageous adherence to Him, prayer, labor. But few, alas, are ready to work, to make an effort over themselves, over their fallen sin-loving nature. And God's righteousness is eternal, and it denounces the conscience of such people. And some, not wishing to heed the voice of conscience, themselves choose darkness instead of the Light of Christ, as the Lord speaks of in the Gospel. They want complete comfort, permissiveness. And, as Dostoevsky noted, the easiest way to establish yourself in such madness is to reject the very existence of God.

Archpriest Elijah Shapiro

Hello! Merry Christmas to you! I am 25 years old, I am married. We have a big problem in our family, my husband drinks, sometimes it lasts for several days. We have a small child, he is a year and a month old. Before the wedding, I knew that my husband was drinking, but I hoped to help him get out of this hole, because we fell in love. I believed that I could help him, because his heart is all good when he is sober. After the wedding, it only got worse. I worry, cry, break down, the child sees it, I run away to my parents, then I come back. Recently we lived apart for a month, now together. At Christmas, I realized that I was pregnant, on the 8th the pregnancy was confirmed. I scold myself for the irresponsibility I have committed. I do not have my own home, the maternity is very small, what can I give my children? Suffering? Will they see the father drinking? Yes, of course, I had to think earlier, before the wedding. Inside, everything is torn apart in the soul. There was a thought about terminating pregnancy, sisters, parents are categorically opposed to childbirth, they say that giving birth from an alcoholic, only a child's life is ringing. Parents are very worried, they say that with my marriage I am undermining their health anyway. My parents are alone, it's a pity to see their experiences. It's like I'm in a vicious circle. I understand that this is murder and a terrible sin, but wouldn't it be a great sin to hurt children in this world? And how can you help your husband to get on the right path in this life? Thanks a lot! And I'm sorry.

Evgeniya

Dear Evgenia! Nothing justifies killing (including your own child in the womb) if only because it is irreparable! In such sad cases, when a child is, as they say, completely undesirable, the lesser evil is to abandon it after birth, since this last evil can still be somehow corrected, while the sin of murder can no longer be completely atoned for, because the murdered the child cannot be returned back. Elementary everyday experience shows that the pangs of conscience in relation to this kind of sins can then persecute all life, and this sin itself cries out to God for revenge - that is, it is impossible to build any happiness on the blood of your own children, God, seeing this kind of lawlessness, earthly happiness he simply does not give, but, on the contrary, allows one or another sorrow and misfortune as punishment for the sin of killing one's own children. I say all this not at all in order to scare or intimidate you, but in order for you to understand one simple thing: admitting the possibility of killing your own child, you and your relatives proceed from a completely false motive, following which cannot bring happiness, well-being, relief or elimination of earthly problems, but, on the contrary, can only bring on even worse troubles and sorrow. Once people considered children as a gift from God, and sterility as a curse, now they tend to view children as a punishment or a burden, but this is a direct violation of the commandments of God and the natural laws of life given by God. Understand that your child is exactly your child, and not something that suddenly appeared from the outside, foreign and alien! Whatever the child's father is, it is still your choice and your life, because no one forcibly married you to this person. With all the difficulties and difficulties of living together, by killing your child, in addition to committing a grave sin, you thereby abandon your main purpose, one of the main life meanings of your life - you cut off, deprive yourself of what by living and overcoming (certain difficulties , which in turn are part of your consciously chosen path), you must finally be formed, mature as a person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, it is still better not to mutilate yourself, your own body and soul with a conscious choice of a grave sin, but accept what is happening - your own child - as a gift and will of God - then all this work, motherhood (and it is never easy) will be accompanied by the help of God, and not by heavy pangs of conscience, which in fact you would not wish on anyone and with which in other people, unfortunately, every priest who regularly confesses repentant people is familiar.

Archpriest Andrei Spiridonov

Save me, God! Is rigorism the lot of all novice believers, or can it somehow be avoided? Or is it a kind of punishment from the Lord for a past sinful life, so to speak, if you want to achieve that precious thing that is faith in God, then through blood, figuratively speaking, because at one time you did not follow the commandments. Although I know that the Lord is not vindictive, He can punish. I just read it, I thought, and I can’t understand. It seems that the person turned, understood everything, realized the wrongness of his life and, of course, wanted to live differently. But here's the bad luck, it turns out that immediately changing this way by 180 degrees is sometimes detrimental and can lead to irreparable consequences. What should a new convert be? After all, he does not yet have a spiritual mentor and he draws a lot from patristic literature, in which there is a lot of asceticism, applying it to himself, thereby going to extremes and spoiling the life of his loved ones or alienating them from the Mother Church. Probably, you need wisdom, but where can you get it, if you only get out of the spiritual mud? I also remember myself (already four years in Orthodoxy). She was rigorous. Thank God, I didn't break the wood, but maybe it just seems to me. Guardian angel!

Helena

Dear Elena!
Your question is great! You have begun to understand many things correctly. But, frankly, the well-known maximalism in posing problems betrays that you have been in the Church for four more years. Here I am, a sinful one, 30 years in the Church, but I still “break the wood”, so I don’t dare to give recipes to all beginners at once - the circumstances of life are very different for everyone. But back to your question. What is the main property of the rigorism of a new convert? It is a lack of experience of humility. Hence the false priority of ideology (this is how Christianity is perceived for some reason) over the active fulfillment of the commandments. The latter leads to humility, because you try and try - but it doesn't work out. You are absolutely right that converts have many problems. But it was one thing - in Soviet times, when with great difficulty it was possible to get only the Bible and the prayer book. And then the Lord helped to find the true path. And now! There are many books on all aspects of human life, most often in agreement with each other, and readable. Why start with the Ladder? There the first step is renunciation of the world. Are you capable? No? So close bye bye. Read about the basics of faith, the lives of the saints, read about youth problems, about family life, briefly - about your own. If you want to look deeper inside the soul - perhaps St. Ignatius or St. Theophanes, who are close to us in time, will be good mentors. And most importantly - believe and pray, do not leave regular confession, then by prayer (God is merciful!) - and a confessor will eventually be found and a lot will be arranged as if by itself. And - move, deepen, do not stop! This is where all of us, beginners, may abide and share, if necessary, the slightest experience with others. And, perhaps, the Lord will accept us as honest first-graders who have learned little, but did not dare to be reputed to be academicians.

Archpriest Elijah Shapiro Thank God that “someone” is in the way. A sign of God's blessing in every deed is trials, difficulties, and sometimes fiery temptations that occur during the execution of this deed. So in prayer, “someone” does not allow us to concentrate, so children bring bad words from the street or from school (from “someone”), which they have not heard at home, and so on ... We know who this is “ somebody". This is the enemy of our salvation. He is sick of all good. But with these temptations, our weaknesses also appear (and this is also good so that we do not turn up our noses), and the need to call God for help becomes obvious - and to thank Him. This is what we will learn for the rest of our lives.

Archpriest Elijah Shapiro

Hello, father. There is a person to whom I owe a lot. Because For over a year now, he has been instructing me with advice that has helped me build my new business. This business is connected with the fact that we provide services for other businesses, i.e. regular clients. Now this mentor has had a fight with his partner and asks me to refuse my partner to provide services. The main condition here is that in no case can you name the true reason for the refusal. In this situation, the mentor actively hints how and how he helped me, what I owe him, etc. I, too, perfectly understand that I am obliged to this person and have nothing against it. But here it is required to refuse a person for no reason on my part, and even not to say why! On the one hand, I am obliged to the mentor, on the other hand, in order to fulfill his demand, it is necessary to sin. Please tell me how best to act in this situation.

Evgeniy

Dear Eugene!
I think we should try to explain again with your former mentor. Pray beforehand. We can say that breaking with that person is against your conscience, despite the fact that you owe a lot to your mentor. There is always a hope that the incomprehension and bitterness of the interlocutor will pass. Of course, purity of conscience is above all. But maybe your mentor will understand you. This is at its best. And if he does not understand, then I will say that there are people to whom we owe and more than you to him. But we owe our freedom to no one but God. And the choice - and you yourself feel it this way - is the following: God's commandment or human demand. He who chooses God will not be at a loss.

Archpriest Elijah Shapiro

Hello! How do you feel about these prayers and should they be read? Prayer on the eve of a leap year (10 minutes before its onset): Horseback riding, walking, but I have a successful year. I will clothe myself in holy clothes, I will be baptized with the holy cross, I will say goodbye to the old year, I will meet leap years, I will dress in holy clothes. Key, lock, tongue. Amen. Amen. Amen. To read on the last night of a leap year, so as not to drag the bad into the new year: Annual angels, holy angels, do not give your words, do not let the coming from the leap year come from the leap year. Do not let the slaves (names of family members) visit neither dark days, nor evil people, nor burning tears, nor sickly ailments. 12 angels, stand up for (names). The word is strong, by the year it is stucco. Amen. Amen. Amen.

At what age the child's parents decide to baptize. But when choosing the time of Baptism for your baby, you should remember some peculiarities, after Baptism you can already pray for the child in the Church, submit notes, bring to the Holy Chalice during Communion. For Christian parents, a natural desire is the desire to perform the Sacrament of Baptism on their baby as early as possible. If a child is born in a difficult physical condition, then he can be baptized immediately after birth. If the baby is feeling well, then they are usually baptized no earlier than the fortieth day after birth. This is due to the fact that during this period of time the mother of the child is considered unclean, she has natural discharge after childbirth. Also, she may feel weak, forty days is given to her to restore her physical strength, during this period she should not enter the Church. Many mothers want to be present at the time of Baptism themselves; they can do this only after a forty-day period and after the priest has read special prayers over them in the Church. Also, there is a tradition of Baptism on the fortieth day after birth, which is associated with the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord and with the Old Testament traditions, according to these traditions, on the fortieth day after birth, the child's parents had to bring a sacrifice to the temple. The Blessed Virgin Mary and Elder Joseph during their sacrifice met Elder Simeon, he was a symbol of the Old Testament. The newborn Savior symbolized the New Testament. Elder Simeon blessed the baby and said a famous prayer, which begins with the words "Now let go ...". Thus, the combination and blessing of the Old Testament and the Old Testament of the New Testament took place symbolically.

At what age are newborn children baptized?

At what age newborn children are baptized, there are no strict rules in the Church; parents can baptize a child both before the expiration of the forty-day period after his birth, and after him. The rules of Baptism presuppose the obligatory presence of godparents or foster parents for the child. This is due to the fact that the infant is not able to realize the Sacrament being performed and give an answer for his Confession of the Christian Faith. The receivers do it for him. At what age to baptize a baby may depend on both his condition and the desire and degree of church-going of the parents. As a rule, believing parents baptize their children immediately after the expiration of the forty-day period after childbirth. It is not necessary to baptize the child strictly on the fortieth day, if it is convenient for you to do it on the next Sunday, when close relatives and friends can gather for christening, then you can safely postpone it a little. There are cases when the fortieth day falls on the time of fasting, it is also better not to arrange a christening during fasting, since breaking the fast can commit a sin. And if you set the table only with lean dishes, then you can greatly limit the number of treats for dear guests. At what age it is better to baptize a child, you can consult with deeply religious pious people, with priests. Some parents want to clarify the following wording of the question: "At what age can a child be baptized?" According to the canons of the Orthodox Church, a person can be baptized at absolutely any age, both from the moment of birth and until the last breath. At what time you need to baptize a child, you decide for yourself, but you always need to remember to whom the Church is not the Mother, to whom God is not the Father, as the Holy Fathers said. They insisted on human participation in the Church life from the moment of spiritual birth. The earlier the spiritual birth, that is, the Sacrament of Baptism occurs, the more opportunities to nourish the soul of a person with spiritual grace, which is in the Church. The earthly life of every person is fleeting and fast-flowing, it is like a rushing river, into the waters of which it is impossible to step twice, so every moment of our life flies quickly and irrevocably leaves. A person will give an answer before God for his every thought, deed and intention. The Church encourages us to take a responsible approach to every step of our life. Parents are responsible before God not only for themselves, but also for their children, therefore, the Sacrament of Baptism and their Church life must be approached with special comprehension and responsibility.

What is needed to baptize a child?

What is needed for the baptism of a child is, first of all, an awareness of the spiritual need for this Holy Sacrament. The child still cannot tell you how much he needs protection from God and blessed consolation, but the fact that after performing Baptism and participating in the Sacrament of the Sacrament, children become much calmer, sleep better, show more joyful and positive emotions, testifies to the fact that that their soul and body feel the special grace of God. For the Baptism of a child, it is necessary that his parents and godparents undergo a special interview before Baptism. You also need to prepare a pectoral cross and a chain, a baptismal set for a child, a baptismal towel, and a diaper. Parents and godparents should know special prayers, the priest should inform you about all these points during the interview, you can also prepare the questions you are interested in and write them down on a piece of paper in advance and take them with you so as not to forget to ask the priest. If you are tormented by doubts about at what age to baptize a child, then you can also consult with the priest on this matter.

Baby baptism- one of the main sacraments, symbolizing the acceptance of a person into the bosom of the Christian church. Baptism is a sacrament when, through certain visible sacred actions, the invisible grace of God is communicated to the person participating in them, according to the teachings of the Orthodox Church, baptism is the spiritual birth of a person, the most important event in his life on earth. In baptism, an Angel is assigned to the child as his guardian, who guards a person throughout his life. Baptism is not entertainment, but a serious matter and the thoughts of all people participating in the ceremony should be pure, transparent and sincere.

Below are answers to questions about the ordinance of baptism that arise for those who are going to baptize children or be baptized themselves. The answers are based on reasoning Priest Dionisy Svechnikov, supplemented by materials from the sites presented in the sources (see the bottom of the answer).

When is it supposed to baptize children?

There are no definite rules in this matter. However, the earlier a person is baptized, the better. The Church encourages a child to be baptized either on the eighth day after birth (at this age the baby Jesus was dedicated to his Heavenly Father), or after 40 days (which happens most often today). You can also baptize at other times. The main thing is not to postpone baptism for a long period unless absolutely necessary. It would be wrong to deprive a child of such a great sacrament for the sake of the prevailing circumstances. Moreover, the baby, more often than not, is in a dream and receives less stress from a large crowd of strangers and surroundings.

Can children be baptized on fast days?

It is possible, but technically not always possible. In some churches, during the days of Great Lent, they baptize only on Saturdays and Sundays. This practice is most likely based on the fact that weekday Lenten services are very long, and the intervals between morning and evening services can be small. On Saturdays and Sundays, services are somewhat shorter in time, and priests can devote more time to services. Therefore, when planning the day of baptism, it is better to know in advance about the rules observed in the temple where the child will be baptized. Well, if in general we talk about the days on which you can baptize, then there are no restrictions on this issue. You can baptize children on any day when there are no technical obstacles to this.

How is a name chosen at baptism?

The baptism of a child is always preceded by a given name. In Orthodox families, the names must be Orthodox, given in honor of this or that saint. A complete list of the names of the saints (saints) is usually published in the church calendars published annually. Earlier in Russia, it was customary to call newborns by the names of those saints whose memory falls on the day when baptism is performed on this infant. However, you need to understand that this was more a custom, but not a requirement. The church always takes into account the wishes of parents about which saint they would like to name their baby after. If the parents have difficulties with this, then the priest himself determines the heavenly patron. In this case, the priest, as a rule, is guided by the sufficient fame of the saint. This is done so that the baby, called by this name, could later easily find out the biography of the person whose name he was named after, find his icon. The day of remembrance of the saint, after whom the person was named at baptism, is the Day of his angel, or the day of his name day.

How many godparents should a child have?

Church rules prescribe that a child has a recipient of the same sex as the person being baptized. That is, for a boy - a man, and for a girl - a woman. In tradition, both godparents are usually chosen for the child: father and mother. This does not contradict the canons in any way. It will also not be a contradiction if, if necessary, the child will have a recipient of a different sex than the person being baptized. The main thing is that this is a truly religious person who subsequently conscientiously fulfills his duties to bring up a child in the Orthodox faith. Thus, the baptized person can have one or, at most, two recipients.

What are the requirements for godparents?

The first and foremost requirement is the undoubted Orthodox faith of the recipients. Godfathers must be church-going people, living a church life. After all, they will have to teach their godson or goddaughter the basics of the Orthodox faith, give spiritual instructions. The great responsibility of the spiritual education of their godchildren is laid on the godparents, for they, together with their parents, are responsible for it before God. This responsibility begins with the renunciation of "Satan and all his works, and all his angel, and all his ministry, and all his pride." Thus, the recipients, being responsible for their godson, make a promise that their godchild will be a Christian.

If the godson is already an adult and himself utters the words of renunciation, then the godparents present at the same time become sureties before the Church in the fidelity of his words. The godparents are obliged to teach their godchildren to resort to the saving Sacraments of the Church, mainly confession and communion, should give them knowledge about the meaning of worship, the peculiarities of the church calendar, about the blessed power of miraculous icons and other shrines. Godfathers should teach those they have received from the font to attend church services, fast, pray and observe other provisions of the church charter. But the main thing is that godparents should always pray for their godson. Obviously, strangers cannot be godparents, for example, some compassionate grandmother from the church, whom the parents persuaded to "hold" the baby for baptism. Also, you should not take as godparents just close people or relatives who do not meet the spiritual requirements that were set out above.

Godparents should not become an object of personal benefit for the parents of the baptized person. The desire to become related with a profitable person, for example, with a boss, often guides parents when choosing godparents for a child. At the same time, forgetting about the true purpose of baptism, parents can deprive the child of a real godfather, and impose on him one who subsequently will not at all care about the spiritual education of the child, for which he himself will also answer before God. Unrepentant sinners and people leading an immoral lifestyle cannot become godparents.

Can a woman become a godmother during her period? What if this did happen?

On such days, women should refrain from participating in church ordinances, which include baptism. But if this did happen, then it is necessary to repent of it in confession.

How can future godparents prepare for baptism?

There are no special rules for preparing recipients for baptism. At some churches, special conversations are held, the purpose of which is usually to explain to a person all the provisions of the Orthodox faith regarding baptism and acceptance. If it is possible to attend such conversations, then it is necessary to do so, because it is very useful for future godparents. If the future godparents are sufficiently churched, constantly confess and receive communion, then attending such conversations will be a sufficient measure of preparation for them.

If potential recipients themselves are not yet sufficiently churchly, then a good preparation for them will be not only the acquisition of the necessary knowledge about church life, but also the study of Holy Scripture, the basic rules of Christian piety, as well as a three-day fast, confession and communion before the sacrament of baptism. There are several other traditions concerning receivers. Usually, the godfather takes upon himself the payment (if any) of the baptism itself and the acquisition of a pectoral cross for his godson. The godmother buys a baptismal cross for the girl, and also brings the things necessary for baptism. A baptismal kit usually includes a baptismal shirt, a sheet, and a towel.

But these traditions are optional. Often, different regions and even individual churches have their own traditions, the execution of which is strictly monitored by parishioners and even priests, although they do not have any dogmatic and canonical foundations. Therefore, it is better to learn more about them in the temple in which the baptism will take place.

What are christening gifts?

For christening, they usually give: a cross, a kryzhma (a small piece of white cloth in which a child is wrapped after dipping into a font), an icon (a guardian angel, the Mother of God or the saint whose name the baby bears), a measured icon (an icon of the patron saint, which is written to order on a board, the height of which is equal to the height of the child at the time of baptism), clothes for the baby, pillows, blankets, embroidered linen, a children's Bible or prayer book, an incense, a bag for a curl that the priest cut off during baptism, sweets, a silver spoon (possibly with an engraved name child), books, toys, money.

What should godparents give for baptism (godson, godson's parents, priest)?

This question does not lie in the spiritual realm governed by canonical rules and traditions. But it seems that the gift should be useful and remind of the day of baptism. Useful gifts on the day of baptism could be icons, the Gospel, spiritual literature, prayer books, etc. In general, in church shops now you can find a lot of interesting and soulful things, so acquiring a worthy gift should not be a big difficulty.

Can non-Orthodox Christians or non-Christians become godparents?

It is quite obvious that no, for they will in no way be able to teach their godson the truths of the Orthodox faith. Not being members of the Orthodox Church, they generally cannot take part in church sacraments.

When can a priest refuse to be baptized?

Orthodox Christians believe in God the Trinity - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The founder of the Christian faith was the Son - the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, a person who does not accept the divinity of Christ and does not believe in the Holy Trinity cannot be an Orthodox Christian. Also, a person who denies the truths of the Orthodox faith cannot become an Orthodox Christian. A priest has the right to refuse a person to be baptized if he is going to accept the sacrament as a magical rite or has some kind of pagan belief regarding baptism itself.

Can spouses or those who intend to marry become godparents?

The spiritual relationship established between recipients in the sacrament of baptism is higher than any other union, even marriage. Therefore, spouses cannot become godparents of one child. By doing so, they will question the possibility of the continued existence of their marriage. But alone, they may well be godparents of different children from the same family. Those who intend to marry cannot become godparents. becoming recipients, they will have a spiritual degree of kinship that is higher than the bodily one. They will have to end their relationship and limit themselves to only spiritual kinship.

What if a man and a woman became godparents of one child, and then got married?

If something like this happened due to their ignorance of the church canons, then this is half the trouble. It is worse if, knowing about the impossibility of their marriage, they nevertheless decided to get married, and at the wedding they did not say anything to the priest about their spiritual relationship. In any case, this issue can be resolved only by the supreme ecclesiastical authority in the person of the ruling bishop. For this, it is necessary to apply to the diocesan administration with a corresponding petition addressed to the ruling bishop. The marriage will either be invalidated or the spouses will be called to repentance for sin committed in ignorance. There is also a somewhat different situation, when, through ignorance, the spouses became the recipients.

What if, through ignorance, the spouses became godparents?

The resolution of this issue is also under the jurisdiction of the diocesan bishop. In such a case, it is worth doing the same as in the case of married receivers (godparents), i.e. apply to the diocesan administration with a corresponding petition addressed to the bishop.

Can people living in a civil marriage become godparents?

At first glance, this is a rather difficult question, but from the church point of view, it is resolved unambiguously. Such a family cannot be called a full-fledged one. And in general it is impossible to call a prodigal cohabitation a family. Indeed, in fact, people living in a so-called civil marriage live in fornication. This is a great misfortune in modern society. People baptized in the Orthodox Church, at least aware of themselves as Christians, for some incomprehensible reason refuse to legitimize their union not only before God (which is undoubtedly more important), but also before the state. There are a myriad of excuses on this score.

For God, the desire to "get to know each other better" or "unwillingness to stain the passport with unnecessary seals" cannot be an excuse for fornication. In fact, people living in a "civil" marriage trample on all Christian concepts of marriage and family. Christian marriage presupposes the responsibility of the spouses for each other. During the marriage, they become one, and not two different people who have made a promise from now on to live under the same roof. Marriage can be compared to two legs of one body. If one leg stumbles or breaks, then the other must carry the entire weight of the body on itself. And in a "civil" marriage, people do not even want to take responsibility for stamping their passports.

What then can we say about such irresponsible people, while wanting to be godparents? What good can they teach the child? Could they, having very shaky moral foundations, be able to give a good example to their godson? Not at all. Also, according to church canons, people leading an immoral life (“civil” marriage should be regarded as such) cannot be recipients of the baptismal font. And if these people finally decide to legalize their relationship before God and the state, then they, moreover, will not be able to be godparents with one child. Despite the seeming complexity of the question, there can be only one answer to it - unequivocally: no.

Can a young man (or girl) become a godfather for his bride (groom)?

In this case, they will have to terminate their relationship and limit themselves only to a spiritual connection, tk. in the sacrament of baptism, one of them will become the recipient - the godparent of the other. Can a son marry his own mother? Or a daughter to marry her own father? Obviously not. Of course, the church canons cannot allow this to happen.

Can relatives become godparents?

Grandfathers, grandmothers, uncles and aunts may well become godparents with their little relatives. There are no contradictions to this in the church canons. But they shouldn't be married to each other.

Can a foster father (mother) become a godfather for an adopted child?

According to rule 53 of the VI Ecumenical Council, this is unacceptable.

Can the parents of a child become godparents to the children of their godfathers (godfathers of their children)?

Yes, this is perfectly acceptable. Such an action does not in any way violate the spiritual relationship established between parents and recipients, but only strengthens it. One of the parents, for example, the mother of a child, can become the godmother of the daughter of one of the godfathers. And the father may well be the godfather of the son of another godfather or godfather. Other options are possible, however, spouses cannot become godparents of one child.

Can a priest be a godfather (including the one who performs the sacrament of baptism)?

Yes maybe. In general, this question is very urgent. From time to time, priests have to hear a request to become a godfather from people who are completely unfamiliar to me. Parents bring their child to baptism. For some reason, there was no godfather for the child. They begin to ask to become a godfather for the child, motivating this request by the fact that they heard from someone that in the absence of the godfather, the priest must fulfill this role. We have to refuse and baptize with one godmother. A priest is the same person as everyone else, and he may well refuse strangers to be godfather to their child. After all, he will have to bear responsibility for the upbringing of his godfather. But how can he do this if he sees this child for the first time and is completely unfamiliar with his parents? And, most likely, he will never see again. This is obviously not possible. But a priest (even if he himself performs the sacrament of baptism) or, for example, a deacon (and the one who will concelebrate the sacrament of baptism to the priest) may well become recipients of the children of his friends, acquaintances or parishioners. There are no canonical obstacles to this.

Is it possible to become a godfather "in absentia"?

The very meaning of receptivity presupposes the acceptance by the godfather of his godson from the font itself. By his presence, the godfather agrees to be the recipient of the baptized person and undertakes to educate him in the Orthodox faith. This cannot be done in absentia. In the end, the person whom they are trying to "write in absentia" as godparents may not agree at all to this action and, as a result, the baptized person may be left without a godfather at all.

How many times can a person become a godparent?

In the Orthodox Church, there is no clear canonical definition as to how many times a person can become a godfather during his life. The main thing that a person who agrees to become a godfather must remember is a great responsibility for which he will have to answer before God. The measure of this responsibility determines how many times a person will be able to take upon himself the receptivity. This measure is different for each person and, sooner or later, a person may have to abandon the new receptivity.

Can you refuse to become a godfather? Wouldn't it be a sin?

If a person feels an inner unpreparedness or has fundamental fears that he will not be able to conscientiously fulfill the duties of a godparent, then he may well deny the child's parents (or the baptized one himself, if it is an adult) to become the godfather of their child. There is no sin in this. It will be more honest in relation to the child, his parents and himself than, taking responsibility in the spiritual upbringing of the child, not to fulfill his immediate duties.

Is it possible to become the godfather of the second child in the family if he already had one with the first?

Yes, you can. There are no canonical obstacles to this.

Is it possible for one person to be godfather to several people (for example, twins) during baptism?

There are no canonical prohibitions on this. But technically it can be quite difficult if babies are baptized. The receiver will have to hold and receive both babies from the font at the same time. It will be better if each godson has his own godparents. After all, each of those baptized separately are different people who have the right to their godfather.

At what age can you become a godfather?

Minor children cannot become godparents. But, even if a person has not yet reached the age of majority, then his age should be that when he will be able to realize the full weight of the responsibility he has assumed and will conscientiously fulfill his duties as godfather. It seems that this may be the age close to the age of majority.

What if, for objective reasons, you have not seen your godson for years?

Objective reasons are the physical distance between the godfather and the godson. This is possible if the parents moved with the child to another city or country. In this case, it remains only to pray for the godson and, if possible, communicate with him using all available means of communication.

Is it possible to refuse godparents who do not fulfill their duties, have fallen into grave sins or lead an immoral lifestyle?

The Orthodox Church does not know the rite of rejection of the godparents. But parents can find an adult who, not being the actual recipient of the font, would help in the spiritual upbringing of the child. At the same time, one cannot consider him a godfather. But having such a helper is better than depriving the child of communication with a spiritual mentor and friend altogether. After all, a moment may come when a child begins to seek spiritual authority not only in the family, but also outside it. And at this moment such an assistant would be very useful. And the child, as he grows up, can be taught to pray for the godfather. After all, the child's spiritual connection with the person who received him from the font will not be severed if he takes responsibility for the person who himself has not coped with this responsibility.

Can you baptize without godparents?

There is always a need for godparents. Especially for children. But not every adult baptized person can boast of a good knowledge of the Holy Scriptures and church canons. If necessary, an adult can be baptized without godparents, because he has a conscious faith in God and can quite independently utter the words of renunciation of Satan, combine with Christ and read the Creed. He is fully aware of his actions. The same cannot be said for babies and young children. The godparents do it all for them. But, in case of extreme need, you can baptize a child without recipients. Such a need, undoubtedly, can be the complete absence of worthy godparents.

Is it necessary to baptize a person who does not know for sure whether he was baptized as a child?

According to Canon 84 of the VI Ecumenical Council, such people must be baptized if there are no witnesses who could confirm or deny the fact of their baptism. In this case, the person is baptized, pronouncing the formula: "If he is not baptized, the servant (servant) of God is baptized ...".

Can a pregnant woman become a godmother?

Sure. The misconceptions on this score have nothing to do with church canons and traditions and are superstition. Participation in church ordinances can only be for the benefit of the expectant mother.

What is needed for baptism?

Before baptism (your own or your child's), you need to learn about the basics of faith in order to responsibly approach the entry into a new life. Those who wish to be baptized and godparents must know by heart the Symbol of Faith and the prayers "Our Father" and "Theotokos, Virgin, rejoice." For adults who wish to be baptized, as well as for the parents and godparents of the infant, catechumens are held in churches with the priest. You must attend at least two such talks at the selected temple. At the end of the second conversation or just before the sacrament of Baptism, the priest confesses those who are being baptized. Parents and supporters of children under 7 years of age are also encouraged to confess and receive communion.

What to take with you to your baptism?

For baptism, you need to take with you: documents (passport for an adult or a birth certificate for an infant); a clean towel large enough to wipe dry after immersion in water (a diaper can be used for a baby); a new long white baptismal shirt (women can wear a white dress); consecrated Orthodox pectoral cross; several candles; slippers (during the anointing with oil, a person remains barefoot and without socks, slippers will be needed before and after this moment); women need a headdress (scarf or hat).

How is the baptismal ceremony?

If an adult starts baptism, then before the beginning of the sacrament, he passes an interview with a priest, during which he brings repentance for his sins. This is not confession in the exact sense of the word, not a sacrament, but part of the preparation for the sacrament of baptism. A person must remember his most serious sins and renounce them.

Before the sacrament of Baptism, the rite of censure is performed, during which prayers of the prohibition of unclean spirits are pronounced and the person renounces Satan three times (the godfather pronounces the words of renunciation for the infant). Then the priest asks three times: "Are you in harmony with Christ?" - and the person replies: "I combine." Then the person who is about to get baptized reads the Creed (the godfather or godmother reads for the baby).

After this, the actual baptism begins. During this sacrament, a person immerses himself in consecrated water three times and then puts on a white shirt (a symbol of new life in light and with Christ) and puts on a pectoral cross. The pectoral cross must be worn throughout life, without taking off, and the baptismal shirt must be preserved. Immediately after baptism, the newly baptized chrismation is performed, and then - his first communion.

How long is the baptismal ceremony?

Usually, the entire rite of Baptism lasts about an hour, but it can be longer if there are many who want to be baptized.