What should a godmother do before christening. How to Prepare for a Baptism as a Godmother

Baptism is the first and most significant event in a child's life. According to church rites, the sacrament should take place on the 8th and 40th day from the birth of the baby, but in principle, parents can independently choose the time for the ceremony. Great importance has the choice of godparents, since a serious responsibility will lie on their shoulders. It is important to figure out what kind of prayer is read at baptism, since the godparents are direct participants in the ritual. In addition to prayer texts, second parents should have at least a basic understanding of faith and religion.

First, let's talk about responsibilities. godfather and mothers, since they consist not only in the presence at the ceremony and the purchase of gifts, but also in providing assistance throughout the life of the child. It is believed that godparents will be responsible for the sins of their godchild at the judgment of God, so it is important to raise him as a good person who believes in God. Responsibilities godparent the following: pray for the godson, regularly go to church with the child and tell him about God. You also need to teach the child to pray and be baptized. It is important to instill good qualities in him so that he lives by the rules.

Prayer for godparents at baptism

Going to church for baptism, you must put on a cross, refuse to use decorative cosmetics, and as for clothing, a woman must certainly wear a skirt below her knees. Before the start of the ritual, the priest will definitely have a conversation with potential godparents.

Prayer texts are important not only to know by heart, but also to understand their meaning. During the sacrament, they are spoken by the priest, so you can simply whisper the words after him. The first and most important prayer, and not only for godparents, but for all believers, is “Our Father”. It contains an appeal to God to help him cope with existing temptations, give food for life and forgive for sins. The text of the prayer of the godmother and father at baptism is as follows:
In Church Slavonic:

Our Father, who art in heaven!
Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done, as in heaven and on earth.
Give us our daily bread today;
and forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors;
and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

In Russian:

Our Father who art in heaven!
May your name be hallowed;
Let your kingdom come;
may Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven;
Give us our daily bread for this day;
And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors;
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

The next strong and obligatory prayer at baptism is the Creed.
It is advisable, in preparation for the sacrament, to learn the Creed by heart, in extreme cases, it is permissible to read from a sheet. This prayer contains, in the form of brief formulations, the whole Orthodox dogma - that is, what Christians believe, what it means, what it is aimed at or for what purpose they believe in it. Both in the ancient Church and in subsequent times, knowledge of the Creed was a necessary condition in order to come to Baptism. This fundamental Christian prayer should be known to the godparents of babies, adults and children of conscious age who are baptized. The creed is divided into 12 parts - 12 short statements. The first member speaks of God the Father, then through the seventh inclusive - about God the Son, in the eighth - about God the Holy Spirit, in the ninth - about the Church, in the tenth - about Baptism, in the eleventh - about resurrection of the dead, in the twelfth - about eternal life.

There were several brief creeds in the ancient Church, but when false teachings about God the Son and God the Holy Spirit appeared in the 4th century, it became necessary to supplement and clarify this prayer. The modern Creed was compiled by the fathers of the 1st Ecumenical Council held in Nicaea in 325 (the first seven members of the Creed) and the fathers of the 2nd Ecumenical Council held in 381 in Constantinople. (the remaining five members) Therefore, the full name of this prayer is the Nicetsaregrad Creed.

The third prayer at the baptism of a child for the godfather and the godmother is “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice.” She was included in the list of prayer texts at baptism, since the church exalts the Mother of God above all saints and angels. By the way, this prayer is also called the "Angelic Greeting", since it was composed according to the words of the Archangel Gabriel, with which he greeted the Mother of God, telling her that she had given birth to the Savior.

The text of this prayer is as follows:
Virgin Mother of God, rejoice, gracious Mary, the Lord is with you, blessed are you in women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, as if you gave birth to our souls as the Savior.

Translation:
Mother of God Virgin Mary, full of the grace of God, rejoice! The Lord is with you; Blessed are You among women, and blessed is the Fruit born of Thee, because You have given birth to the Savior of our souls.

They repeat this prayer several times, but the Mother of God herself bequeathed to believers to pronounce these lines exactly 150 times.

It is also worth figuring out which saints godparents should pray for their godchildren. It is recommended to turn to the saints as often as possible, which will protect the child from various problems and direct him in the right direction. The time for reading prayers does not matter, and they can be said both in the morning and in the evening. It is recommended to turn in prayer texts to the Savior, as well as to the Mother of God.

Additional prayers that godparents need to know

Prayer to the Lord for children and godchildren

God, our merciful and heavenly Father!

Have mercy on our children (names) and godchildren (names), for whom we humbly pray

You and whom we commit to Your care and protection.

Put strong faith in them, teach them to revere You and honor them strongly

love You, our Creator and Savior.

Guide them, O God, on the path of truth and goodness, so that they do everything

for the glory of Your name.

Teach them to live piously and virtuously, to be good Christians

and helpful people.
Give them health of mind and body and success in their labors.

Deliver them from the cunning machinations of the devil, from numerous temptations, from bad

passions and from all wicked and disorderly people.

For the sake of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, through the prayers of His Most Pure

Mother and all the saints, bring them to the quiet haven of Your eternal Kingdom, so that they

with all the righteous always gave thanks to you with your only begotten Son and

by your life-giving Spirit. Amen.

Prayer for children and godchildren, Father John (Krestyankin)

Sweetest Jesus! God of my heart!

You gave me children according to the flesh, they are Yours according to your soul.

You have redeemed both my soul and theirs with Your priceless Blood.

For the sake of Your Divine Blood, I implore You, my sweetest Savior,

by Your grace, touch the hearts of my children (names) and my godchildren (names),

protect them with Thy Divine fear, keep them from evil inclinations and

habits, direct them to bright path life, truth and goodness.

Decorate their lives with everything good and saving, arrange their fate as

You yourself want and save their souls with their own fates!

Lord God of our fathers! To my children (names) and godchildren (names)

give me a right heart to keep your commandments,

Thy testimonies and Thy statutes. And do it all! Amen.

Prayers for a person who is baptized

A person who wants to be baptized needs to be prepared for the fact that conditions may arise that are not natural for him at ordinary times: passionate habits and sinful thoughts will intensify, indifference to what is happening will appear, causeless anger, arrogance, conceited thoughts will arise and more. All this is evidence of the increased influence of demonic forces on a person. That is why in the rank of announcement there are three prayers of prohibition against evil spirits: “The content of these prohibitions is as follows: the first - it repels (repels) the devil and all his actions with terrible Divine names and sacraments for him, expelling the devil, commands his demons to flee from a person and not make trouble for him. Similarly, the second prohibition casts out demons with the Divine Name. The third prohibition is at the same time a prayer offered to God, imploring to completely expel the evil spirit from the creation of God and confirm it in the faith ”(St. Cyril of Jerusalem. “Catechetical Teaching”).

Renunciation of Satan

After the prayers of prohibition, the priest turns the person being baptized to the west - a symbol of darkness and dark forces. In the rite following this, the baptized must renounce his former sinful habits, renounce pride and self-affirmation, and, as the Apostle Paul says, put aside the old way of life of the old man, decaying in seductive lusts(Eph. 4; 22).

The person being baptized should stand with arms upraised (lifted up), symbolizing his submission to Christ. According to John Chrysostom, this submission "turns slavery into freedom... returns from a foreign land to their homeland, to Heavenly Jerusalem...".

The priest will ask him questions, and he will have to consciously answer them. Therefore, both the godparents (if they are baptizing a baby) and the godson need to know these questions.

The priest asks:

“Do you deny Satan, and all his works, and all his aggels (demons), and all his ministry, and all his pride?”

And the catechumen or his successor answers, and says: "I deny."

Questions and answers are repeated three times. When an infant is baptized, either the godfather or the godmother gives answers for him, depending on who is being baptized: a boy or a girl.

"Have you renounced Satan?"

And the catechumen or recipient answers(godfather) him:

"Forsaken."

Same the priest says:

"Blow and spit on him."

After this, the baptized stands under the protection of Christ, taking, according to the word of the Apostle Paul, shield of faith.. to be able quench all fiery darts of the evil one(Eph. 6; 16).

Confession of allegiance ("combination") to Christ

After the person being baptized has denied Satan, the priest turns him to the east: “When you deny Satan, breaking off absolutely every union with him, and the ancient agreement with hell, then God’s paradise is opened to you, planted in the east, from where our forefather was expelled for a crime . Meaning this, you turned from the west to the east, the land of the world” (St. Cyril of Jerusalem). At this moment, the hands of the person being baptized are lowered, symbolizing his agreement with Christ and obedience to Him.

Then the person being baptized (or the godfather of the baby) confesses his loyalty to Christ three times.

And the verb(He speaks) him a priest:

“Do you combine (are you combined) with Christ?”

And the catechumen or receiver answers, verb:

"I match."

And then - packs the priest tells him:

“Have you been united with Christ?”

And answers:

"Combine."

And paki verb:

“And do you believe Him?”

And verb:

"I believe Him, as the King and God."

For all Orthodox people baptism is very important event in life, because this is the second birth of a person (spiritual, and the first was physical, when the child was born), the purification of his soul for later life, a kind of pass to the Kingdom of God. The newly enlightened person is forgiven for all his former sins. For this reason, the Sacrament of Baptism is necessary for every person who is looking for the meaning of life and salvation.

God-parents

Who are godparents?

Baptism is a very important sacrament. This is the spiritual birth of a person and the cleansing of his soul from all existing sins. The Church recommends that a child be baptized on the eighth or fortieth day after birth. On the eighth day of his life, Jesus himself was consecrated to his Heavenly Father. On the fortieth day, since it is during this period that a woman’s body after childbirth becomes physiologically clean and she is allowed to go to the temple, because for a small child the presence of a mother is necessary.

Naturally, children, being at this age, cannot realize the whole essence of faith, one should not expect repentance and faith from them, and these two conditions are the main ones for uniting with the Lord God. For this, the child is assigned godparents, who are later responsible for raising their godson (goddaughter) in the Orthodox spirit. It is necessary to choose godparents very responsibly, because it is these people who will be the second mother and second father for the baby.

How to choose godparents?

You need to choose godparents for your child among people close to you or good friends with whom you regularly maintain relationships. These should be people you absolutely trust. Church tradition says that if something happens to the biological parents of the child, the godparents take on this role.

Godparents can only be Orthodox believers who can give an account of their faith. For a child, one godparent is usually enough, for a girl only a godmother is needed, and for a boy - a godfather. But traditionally both are invited to godfathers. You can choose two, three, four, seven godparents, as you please.

Church standards state that godparents cannot be:

• Leah's spouses are the bride and groom, since marital relations between people who are in spiritual relationship are prohibited.
• Parents of your child;
• Minors, because they do not have a clear core of faith.
• Nuns and monks;
• unbaptized people;
• Non-believers (also non-believers);
• People who participate in various cult sects, organizations;
• Immoral people, because their way of life does not deserve to be godparents.
• Crazy people, because they are not able to vouch for the faith of the baby, and in the future they will not be able to teach him faith.

What happens during baptism?

Most often, baptism takes place in the church, although it is permissible to conduct outside it. Typically, the duration of the sacrament lasts from thirty minutes to one hour.

The main participants in the sacrament of Baptism are the child, the godparents and the priest. In ancient times, parents could not participate in the sacrament, but in last years the church started to treat this much more loyally. And at the sacrament of baptism, both the mother and the father of the child are allowed to be present (after reading a special prayer).

During the whole process, the recipients stand next to the priest, one of them has the person being baptized in his arms. Before performing the ceremony, the priest walks around the baptismal room in white robes and reads prayers three times. Then he turns to the godparents and the godson with a request to turn their faces to the west, this symbolizes the abode of Satan. The person being baptized is asked some questions. But since he is still very small and cannot speak, Io's godparents are responsible for him (if the child is an adult and can speak, then he answers on his own). Questions and answers are repeated three times. Then the godparents need to read the Creed. The Creed summarizes the foundations of the Christian faith.

The priest consecrates oil (oil) and water, and the child is anointed with oil as a sign that he has become a full member of the Christian church. The person being baptized is given a name and dipped three times in holy water. The godparents take the baby from the font into the christening diaper (kryzhma). If the baby is baptized in the cold season and for some reason it is impossible to completely undress him (for example, very cold temperature air in the baptismal room), then you should prepare the arms and legs of the child in advance, they should be naked. If the room is warm, then the child is dipped naked. After immersion in water, the priest conducts chrismation. He dips the brush in a bowl of myrrh, the child is anointed with eyes, forehead, ears, nostrils, chest, legs and arms. At each anointing, these words are spoken: “The seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit. Amen". Together with the father, the godparents repeat "Amen".

When the process of chrismation ends, the Gospel and the Apostle are read, and together with these prayers, a small tuft of hair is cut off from the child. As a sign that the baby has become a Christian, a cross is put on his neck. A strand of cut hair remains in the church as a sign of dedication, and symbolizes sacrifice to God. When the rite of baptism ends, the godparents take the baby from the hands of the priest. For this reason, godparents are often called godparents. After they take the child in their arms after the completion of the ceremony, they undertake to raise the baby in the Orthodox spirit for the rest of their lives. The godparents are also responsible for the spiritual upbringing of their godson at the Last Judgment. If it is not possible to see your godson every day, then you should mention them in your prayers.

Responsibilities of Godparents

Alas, not all godparents understand full value their new position. It is very good, of course, to taste your godson and give him gifts for his birthday, Angel Day and other holidays. But this is not the primary responsibility of godparents. They must take very great care of their godson, and this care includes many things.

We need to pray every day for the godson. You need to accustom yourself to turn to God once a day, namely before going to bed. It's not difficult at all. You can ask God for help in raising your children, salvation, health, well-being of relatives, godchildren. It is very important that the child, at least from time to time, visits the temple with godparents, they should take him to communion on a church holiday. All godparents give gifts to children, but it would be better if they have a Christian meaning. An excellent gift would be a children's Bible, all the main events of the Holy History are described in it.

Also, godparents can help young mothers who do not always find time to work with a child.

What godparents should look like

At the rite of baptism, the recipients must have consecrated pectoral crosses. Traditionally, in church, a woman should have a headscarf or scarf covered with a head scarf, and a skirt or dress should be below the knee and with closed shoulders. The only exceptions are little girls.

Since baptism takes a long time, it is not recommended to wear high-heeled shoes, because most of the time you will need to stand with the baby in your arms. A godmother should not have lipstick on her lips. As for men, there are no specific requirements for their appearance no (naturally, it is better to refrain from wearing shorts and sweats, because such clothes will not look appropriate in the temple). In church, you need to dress modestly so as not to attract attention to yourself, you need to focus on the ceremony itself.

Preparation for the ceremony

Today, almost everyone baptizes children in churches. Naturally, there are exceptions, for example, if the baby is very sick, then in this case the sacrament can be performed in the hospital or at home. Then you need to provide a separate clean room for the ceremony.

For the baptism of a child, the first thing to do is to choose a temple. Walk around different churches, ask what are the features of the ceremony in each of them. It is also worth considering that baptism is not always carried out directly in the temple. Many churches have a baptistery (baptismal). The baptismal is a separate room, which is located on the territory of the temple, adapted specifically for the rite of baptism. If the temple is large, then the ceremony is usually held solemnly and magnificently. And someone may like the calm secluded atmosphere of a small church. Talk to the novices or the priest, they will be able to tell you about all the details of the baptismal ceremony.

How to choose the day of baptism?

There is no establishment of a baptismal church on the fortieth day after the birth of a child. This is due to the fact that until the fortieth day a woman who has given birth to a child cannot enter the temple, since at that time she has postpartum discharge and infirmities. Before entering the temple, special prayers are read over the woman. But, if you want to baptize a child before forty days or later, then no one can forbid you to do this. Children, at the request of their parents, are often baptized before the fortieth day, especially if something threatens the child's health. In this case, baptism is performed as a protective rite against all evil spirits.

In ancient times, the feast of baptism was equated in importance with the greatest holidays of Christians, for example, Easter. But today, baptism is a family holiday. And now the ceremony is allowed to be carried out on almost any day, except for such great church holidays as the Trinity, Christmas, Easter. Often on such days the churches are overcrowded, so it is recommended to postpone the day of baptism to another date. You can visit most churches without an appointment. The sacrament of baptism usually begins at 10 am, since the service ends at this time. But in this case, there is a high chance that your child will be baptized with someone else, or you will have to wait a bit. It is much more convenient to agree in advance with the priest who will conduct the ceremony on a specific day and time. In this case, your baby will be baptized in splendid isolation and the first. It is very important that the day of baptism did not coincide with the critical day of the godmother, since otherwise she would not be able to attend the church.

Preparing Godparents for the Sacrament

In order for all the rules to be observed, it is necessary to prepare for the ceremony in advance. Godparents must taste the church on the eve of baptism, confess, repent of all sins, and take communion. It is very good if the godparents fast before the day of the ceremony, but this is not a mandatory requirement. On the day of the ceremony, godparents are forbidden to have sex and eat food. At least one of the godfathers should know by heart the “Symbol of Faith”. According to the rules, the godmother reads the "Symbol of Faith" at the baptism of a girl, and the godfather - at the baptism of a boy.

There is such an unspoken rule that all expenses associated with baptism are borne by the godparents. Some churches do not have specific prices, in which case, after the completion of the baptism, the invited and godparents make voluntary donations. The amount of these costs is not discussed anywhere and they are not mandatory. But, as a rule, the custom is observed.

According to church traditions, the godmother of the child buys a “rizka” or kryzhma for baptism. It can be a regular towel or a special cloth that the baby is wrapped in when they are taken out of the font. Also, the godmother gives the baby a baptismal shirt and a bonnet with ribbons and lace, for girls - with pink, and for a boy - with blue. The baptismal shirt is preserved throughout a person's life. After the baptism of the baby, the kryzhma is not washed, as droplets of the oil of the World may remain on it. In the process of the sacrament, the kryzhma is endowed with some miraculous abilities. In the event that the child is sick, they cover him with a blanket or use it as a pillowcase for a pillow for the baby.

The godfather gives the child a baptismal cross and a chain. Many people think that it is best to choose a silver cross, some believe that a gold cross is best, and someone has an opinion that it is best for small children to buy a cross on a string or on a ribbon, and not on a chain. This is individual.

What prayers do you need to know?

Every conscientious Christian should know the basic prayers: "Symbol of Faith", "Our Father", "Virgin Mother of God". In the process of baptism, the godparents say the “Symbol of Faith” prayer for the child. Each of these prayers is in a short prayer book, it can, if desired, be purchased at the church shop.

What do you need to take with you to church for the baptism of the baby?

Baptism symbolizes the birth of a person in a sinless new life. Godparents, accepting a child from the holy font, accept a completely pure being, which does not have a single sin. Such purity is symbolized by clothes - kryzhma, it, together with a cross, is an essential attribute. Kryzhma is usually bought by the godmother of the child, and the cross is bought by the godfather.

For a small child, a white lace diaper, a baptismal shirt, or a new towel that has not yet been washed can serve as a cover.

Christ.

After the baby is immersed in the baptismal font, the godfather takes him from the hands of the priest. From here Slavic name – recipient. Thus, for the rest of his life, he takes upon himself the obligation to educate the child in the Orthodox spirit, and the answer for this upbringing will be given at the Last Judgment.

At the Baptism of infants, the recipients pronounce (profess) instead of them the Symbol of Faith, pronounce vows and have care for teaching the faith and morality of those they have accepted ( ; , ).

The custom of having a sponsor at Baptism goes back to ancient Apostolic Tradition.

The presence of two recipients is a Russian tradition. According to the rules of the Church, one godfather is enough: a godfather for a boy and a godmother for a girl. In practice, gender mismatch is allowed.

In the Sacrament of Baptism, the godparents promise God to bring the baby to Him. It's important to remember this.

Who can be godfather

- The godfather (grandparent) must be Orthodox Christian. The godfather cannot be from the Church (who does not regularly take communion), a representative of another religion or an atheist. The recipient is required not only to know and read it at Baptism, but also the spiritual upbringing of the godson in the future, daily prayer for him.

- The godfather must be a churched person, ready to regularly take the godson to the temple and educate him in the Christian faith.

- After the Sacrament of Baptism is performed, the godfather cannot be changed, even if he is missing or has fallen away from the faith.

- Pregnant and unmarried women can be godparents to both boys and girls.

- The father and mother of the child cannot be godparents, and the husband and wife cannot be godparents for one child, other relatives - grandmothers, aunts and even older brothers and sisters can be godparents.

A person should only have one godparent. According to, only one godparent is considered necessary - a man for a male person being baptized or a woman for a female person. The presence of a second godfather is an unwritten, albeit ancient, custom of the Church.

– Monks and nuns are not allowed to receive reception.

- The rite of the Sacrament of Baptism assumes the full-time presence of the recipients during its commission. In extreme cases, Baptism of infants is allowed even without godparents, then the priest himself is considered a godfather.

- Marriages between the baptized and the recipient are forbidden: the recipient cannot marry his spiritual daughter, and the godfather cannot marry the widowed mother of his spiritual daughter ().

It is reckless to invite a non-church person as a godfather: what can one teach who does not know the subject himself? It's like choosing a guide on a dangerous journey, where the price of the issue is life (in our case, Eternal), a rogue who does not know the route.
It is just as unreasonable for a church person to take vows before God to raise a baby in the Christian faith, whose parents are not only outside the Church, but are not going to become churched, to instill their child in Christ the Savior.
If you are invited to be a godparent by parents who are not only not opposed to baptizing a child, but are themselves ready to become members of the church community, then it is reasonable, before taking your own vows, to take a vow from your parents to fulfill the Commandments, to pray daily for your children, come with them to the temple, try to take communion with them weekly. Ideally, it would be good to advise parents to go to Sunday school or catechism classes: after a couple of classes it will be clear whether they are serious about spiritual life, or consider Baptism as a magical rite.

According to an ancient church rule, during the baptism of infants, only one godfather was considered necessary - a man for a male person being baptized or a woman for a female person (Great Book of Books, ch. 5, “see”). The rule of “being at Baptism to one godfather” belonged to the first centuries of Christianity and was strictly observed in the Eastern and Western Churches until the 9th century. In our time, the custom has become widespread at Baptism to be two godparents: the godfather and the godmother.

Only Orthodox godparents or godparents have ecclesiastical significance. Their names are commemorated in prayers and are included in the baptismal certificates. Receiver " represents the face of the person being baptized and for him vows to God, creates, the Symbol confesses and is obliged to instruct the adopted son in the faith and law of God, which neither the ignorant in faith nor the infidel can do» (Book on the offices of parish presbyters, 80).
In accordance with the practice of the ancient Church, just as non-Christians are never allowed to receive children, so it is indecent for the Orthodox to be the recipient of children from non-Christian parents, with the exception of those cases when children are baptized in Orthodox faith. The canons of the Church do not provide for such a case as participation in baptism as a recipient of a person.

The insane, completely ignorant of the faith, as well as criminals, obvious sinners and those who came to the temple in a state of intoxication cannot be godparents. For example, those who, due to negligence, have not been at confession and Holy Communion for a long time, cannot give guidance and edification in life to their godchildren. Minors (under 14 years of age) cannot be godparents, since they are still incapable of teaching and unsteady in understanding the faith and the power of the Sacrament (except in cases where it is absolutely impossible to have an adult godparent).

Ancient Russian did not know such a rule that would eliminate the monks from receiving. It is known that the godfathers of our Russian grand-ducal and royal children were mostly monks. It was only later that the monks were forbidden to receive, because it involves the monk in communication with the world (Nomocanon at the Big Trebnik). Parents cannot be godparents from the Baptismal font of their own children. It is inconvenient for a woman who is in the usual cleansing to be a recipient. In such cases, Baptism can be postponed or another hostess can be invited.

Church rules do not forbid a brother and sister, as well as a father with a daughter or a mother with a son, to be godparents of the same baby. At present, priests do not allow a husband and wife to receive the same baby together. To prevent violations existing rules As regards sponsors, the priest usually finds out from the parents in advance who they want to have sponsors for their children.

Prayers for godchildren

Prayer for children and for godchildren, father

Sweetest Jesus! God of my heart! You gave me children according to the flesh, they are Yours according to your soul. You have redeemed both my soul and theirs with Your priceless Blood. For the sake of Your Divine Blood, I beg You, my sweetest Savior, by Your grace touch the hearts of my children (names) and my godchildren (names), protect them with Your Divine fear, keep them from bad inclinations and habits, direct them to the bright path of life, truth and of good. Decorate their lives with everything good and saving, arrange their fate as you yourself want and save their souls with their own destinies! Lord God of our fathers! Give my children (names) and godchildren (names) a right heart to keep Your commandments, Your revelations and Your statutes. And do it all! Amen.

On the upbringing of children by good Christians: Prayer of parents to the Lord God

God, our merciful and heavenly Father!
Have mercy on our children (names) and godchildren (names), for whom we humbly pray to You and whom we commit to Your care and protection.
Give them strong faith, teach them to revere You, and make them worthy to love You, our Creator and Savior.
Guide them, O God, on the path of truth and goodness, so that they do everything for the glory of Your name.
Teach them to live piously and virtuously, to be good Christians and useful people.
Give them health of mind and body and success in their labors.
Deliver them from the cunning machinations of the devil, from numerous temptations, from bad passions and from all kinds of wicked and disorderly people.
For the sake of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, through the prayers of His Most Pure Mother and all the saints, bring them to the quiet harbor of Your eternal Kingdom, so that they, with all the righteous, always thank You with Your only begotten Son and Your life-giving Spirit.
Amen.

Prayer to the Lord God, compiled by the reverend

Lord, You are One in all weight, You can do everything and want to be saved by everyone and come to the understanding of Truth. Enlighten my children (names) with the knowledge of Thy truth and Thy Holy will, strengthen them to walk according to Thy commandments and have mercy on me a sinner.
Amen.
Merciful Lord, Jesus Christ, I entrust to You my children whom You have given me, fulfill my prayer.
I ask You, Lord, save them in ways that You Yourself know. Save them from vices, evil, pride, and let nothing that is contrary to You touch their souls. But grant them faith, love and hope for salvation, and may their life path be holy and blameless before God.
Bless them, Lord, that they strive every minute of their lives to fulfill Your Holy will, so that You, Lord, may always be with them by Your Holy Spirit.
Lord, teach them to pray to You, so that prayer would be their support, joy in sorrows and consolation of their lives, and so that we, their parents, would be saved by their prayer.
May your angels always keep them.
May my children be sensitive to the grief of their neighbors, and may they fulfill Your commandment of love. And if they sin, then vouchsafe them, Lord, to bring repentance to You, and You, in Your inexpressible mercy, forgive them.
When their earthly life ends, then take them to Your Heavenly Abodes, where let them bring with them other servants of Your chosen ones.
Through the prayers of Your Most Pure Mother Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary and Your saints (all holy families are listed), Lord, have mercy on us, for you are glorified with Your Beginningless Son and with Your Most Holy and Good and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and forever and ever.
Amen.

Does it really teach about the inadmissibility of marriage between godparents according to the 211th article of the Nomocanon?

Obstacles to marriage and reception at baptism. Grigorovsky S.P. Publishing Council of the Russian Orthodox Church. 2007. With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II. pp. 49-51. Quote from there:

« At present, Article 211 of the Nomocanon [where it is pointed out that marriage between successors is inadmissible] has no practical value and should be considered canceled ... Since at baptism it is enough to have one godparent or one godparent, depending on the gender of the person being baptized, there is no reason to consider the godparents to be in any spiritual relationship and therefore forbid them to marry among themselves».

Prof. Pavlov, in his course on Church Law, comments on the problem of the spiritual kinship of the beneficiary and the gossip of one child and marriage between them:

“... several rules of apocryphal origin and strange content (for example, rule 211, which forbids a husband and wife to be godparents of the same baby, under pain of being separated from marital cohabitation). The Holy Synod, already in the first years of its existence, began to treat such rules with great doubt and often made decisions that were directly opposite to them, especially in matters of marriage.

In December 2017 at the Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church A document was adopted stating: Marriages between godparents can be performed with the blessing of the diocesan bishop (subject to the decree of the Holy Synod of December 31, 1837)".

Can pregnant and unmarried women become godparents?

Pregnant and unmarried women can be godparents for both boys and girls; there are no canonical prohibitions on this. All prohibitions refer exclusively to dense popular superstitions and have no force for Christians.

At what age is a godfather not needed?

Persons over 14 years of age.

How to baptize a child if one or more family members are against it?

“You should try to bring such people to a meeting with the priest. The main thing here is to understand what is inside a person, why he refuses to baptize his child. If people are atheists, it can be difficult to convince them and make them give up their views. But it is still possible to convince of the need for a calm and loyal attitude to the fact of the baptism of a child.

Agreeing to become a godmother, a woman must understand that she will have to take responsibility for raising her godson / goddaughter in the spirit of Orthodoxy, setting an example of a pious life. Therefore, the proposal should be taken seriously, assessing the possibility of implementing the assigned mission.

How to prepare your future godmother for the rite of baptism

Fasting, confession and communion

During the preparation period, the recipients need to attend a church service, confess (repent of their sins) and take communion. Three days before the sacrament of baptism, observe a fast: do not eat food of animal origin, refrain from marital relations, foul language and entertainment events. On the day of baptism, you must come to church on an empty stomach. Such training will godmother participate in the first communion of the godson / goddaughter and take communion with him / her.

What prayers do you need to know

Mandatory for the godmother, like any believing Christian, is the knowledge and understanding of prayer, which is a summary of the main tenets of the Orthodox dogma. Saying this prayer, instead of the baptized, the godparents recognize faith in the Lord God, the creator of heaven and earth, his son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.

It is also necessary to learn the prayers “Our Father”, “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice”, “King of Heaven”.

How to dress properly

The appearance of the godmother in the temple should be modest and neat. But gloomy clothes should not be chosen, since baptism is a bright holiday. The best solution would be pastel colors: milky, beige, lavender. In addition, light-colored clothes look more solemn in photographs.

A woman in the temple should be with her head covered. Pick up a beautiful, shawl or stole. At the christening of a girl, it would be appropriate for the godmother to pick up a headdress that harmoniously combines with the goddaughter's bonnet or scarf. A dress or skirt must be chosen below the knee length. Tight-fitting and models with deep cutouts are not allowed - the godmother needs to bow and accept the child from the priest after churching, kneeling (more often this is done by the mother, but sometimes the godmother) Arms, shoulders and décolleté should be covered. It is better to give preference to dresses and blouses with a collar and sleeves no higher than the elbow. Shoes should be closed, with low heels. This will avoid fatigue in the legs after the ceremony. The girl is taken from the font and then held in her arms by the godmother. The use of bright decorative cosmetics is not welcome.

Is it possible to be a godmother on critical days

It is necessary to coordinate the date of baptism with the parents of the child so that it does not coincide with the days of her monthly cleansing, since during this period a woman is not allowed to participate in church sacraments. If menstruation came unexpectedly, then you can’t hide this fact, it’s better to ask the baby’s parents to reschedule the baptism.

In the case when it is impossible to shift the date, it is necessary to talk with the priest and discuss the possibility of participating in the baptism.

• In most cases, priests are allowed to be present in the church and simply observe the ceremony, while the godmother is indicated on the baptismal certificate.
• In some churches, the godmother is admitted to the ceremony with the proviso that she cannot accept the child from the font, hold him in her arms and kiss the icons. It is allowed to pronounce traditional vows, to pray.

What are the duties of the godmother during the sacrament

At the christening of a girl

The duties of the godmother at the baptism of a girl are more, since it is she who is considered the main recipient. She will have to take the goddaughter from the font and hold her in her arms until the end of the sacrament.

The godmother will also need to undress the child for dipping in the font and then dress in a baptismal shirt. Some churches have changing tables, but with a general baptism of several children, everything will have to be done on weight. In this case, it is good to have experience of communicating with young children, to be able to calm a crying baby.

At the baptism of a boy

The godfather takes the boy from the font and holds him in his arms throughout the ceremony. The father may ask the godmother to read the “Symbol of Faith” prayer.

Responsibilities of a godmother after baptism

The very first thing that a godmother needs to do after baptism is to constantly pray for her godchild / goddaughter at church services, submit health notes, mention in morning and evening prayers said at home. An already grown up baby needs to be taught by example piety, mercy, kindness, together with his parents, begin to accustom him to regular visits to the temple, reading Orthodox literature, to acquaint him with church calendar. It is also a duty to teach the child how to pray, fast, resort to saving sacraments - confession and communion. The godmother must remember the date of the christening and every year congratulate the godchild / goddaughter on Angel Day, take the child to the temple on this day, light candles for health. Gifts for this holiday are best prepared with a spiritual meaning.

Not only in childhood, but also in adulthood, the godmother should take part in the fate of the godson / goddaughter, instructing on the true path, helping with a kind word, advice, supporting in various life situations.

Photos provided

Baptism is the first and most significant event in a child's life. According to church rites, the sacrament should take place on the 8th and 40th day from the birth of the baby, but in principle, parents can independently choose the time for the ceremony. The choice of godparents is of great importance, since a serious responsibility will lie on their shoulders. It is important to figure out what prayer is read at baptism, since they are direct participants in the ritual. In addition to prayer texts, second parents should have at least a basic understanding of faith and religion.

To begin with, it is worth talking about the duties of the godfather and mother, since they consist not only in attending the ceremony and buying gifts, but also in providing assistance throughout the life of the child. It is believed that godparents will be responsible for the sins of their godchild at the judgment of God, so it is important to raise him as a good person who believes in God. The duties of a godparent are as follows: pray for the godson, regularly go to church with the child and tell him about God. You also need to teach the child to pray and be baptized. It is important to instill good qualities in him so that he lives by the rules.

Prayer for godparents at baptism

Going to church for baptism, you must put on a cross, refuse to use decorative cosmetics, and as for clothing, a woman must certainly wear a skirt below her knees. Before the start of the ritual, the priest will definitely have a conversation with potential godparents.

Prayer texts are important not only to know by heart, but also to understand their meaning. During the sacrament, they are spoken by the priest, so you can simply whisper the words after him. The first and most important, and not only for godparents, but for all believers - "Our Father". It contains an appeal to God to help him cope with existing temptations, give food for life and forgive for sins. The text of the prayer of the godmother and father at baptism is as follows:

The next strong and obligatory prayer at baptism is the Creed. It contains 12 brief formulations of all Orthodox creeds. Saying a prayer, a person claims that he believes in God, who created heaven and earth, in his Son Jesus, who descended to earth for the salvation of people and endured torment, and then resurrected. The prayer also mentions the Holy Spirit, which believers worship, as well as faith in baptism and eternal life. Godparents, adults, as well as children of a conscious age should certainly know this important prayer. The “Symbol of Faith” prayer, which the godparents read at baptism, sounds like this:

The third prayer at the baptism of a child for the godfather and the godmother is “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice.” She was included in the list of prayer texts at baptism, since the church exalts the Mother of God above all saints and angels. By the way, this prayer is also called the "Angelic Greeting", since it was composed according to the words of the Archangel Gabriel, with which he greeted the Mother of God, telling her that she had given birth to the Savior. The text of this prayer is as follows:

They repeat this prayer several times, but the Mother of God herself bequeathed to believers to pronounce these lines exactly 150 times.

It is also worth figuring out which saints godparents should pray for their godchildren. It is recommended to turn to the saints as often as possible, which will protect the child from various problems and direct him in the right direction. The time for reading prayers does not matter, and they can be said both in the morning and in the evening. It is recommended to turn in prayer texts to the Savior, as well as to the Mother of God. It is best to do this in front of the icon of the Savior Jesus Christ and the Mother of God of Vladimir.