According to the faith of parents and godparents, who are obliged, when the godchildren come of age, to teach them the faith. An infant cannot logically comprehend what happens to him in the Sacrament, but his soul, sensitive to impressions, is fully capable of receiving the grace of the Holy Spirit. It is very important to baptize a person in infancy so that from the very first days of his life he grows in the grace of the Holy Spirit. Baptism is a second birth, a birth into a new spiritual life, in the Holy Spirit. However, grace is given to infants as a pledge of their future faith like a seed, but in order for a tree to grow from a seed and bear fruit, the efforts of the recipients, parents and the baptized person himself as he grows are required. Therefore, new parents are given - godparents, whose duties include raising children in the faith and introducing them to a conscious Christian life.
In the ancient Church, one recipient was considered necessary - a man for a baptized male person or a woman for a female person. But, according to a tradition that has taken root in Russia since the 15th century, there are two godparents: a man and a woman, who spiritually supplement each other in the educational influence on the child.
During the Sacrament of Baptism, the recipients usually hold their godchildren in their arms. After the priest plunges the baby into the font three times, the recipient (of the same sex as the baby) must accept it, put it on pectoral cross, dry the child's body with a clean towel and put on a white christening gown. In addition, the recipient must read the Symbol of Faith at the appropriate moment of the rite of the Sacrament and give answers to the priest's questions about the renunciation of Satan and union with Christ.
As the child’s intellectual development is sufficient, the recipient should explain to him the basics of the Orthodox faith, the rules of church life, systematically take him to the church for Communion and take care of his moral condition.
Main Responsibilities of the Receiver:
When choosing godparents for their children, parents should be guided, first of all, not by considerations of their high social or property status, but by the confidence that future godparents, themselves being faithful children Orthodox Church, will be able to fulfill the duties that the institution of acceptance imposes on them.
1. Preacher. By his own example, the godfather must show his godson the image of a church person, not in words, but in deeds, to show what love, kindness, mercy, obedience, responsibility, etc. are, so that the godson grows into a real good Christian.
2. Prayer. Pray for the godson yourself and teach him to pray as he grows, so that he can communicate with God and ask for His help in all life's affairs and circumstances.
3. Doctrine. The godfather is obliged to teach the godson the basics of the Orthodox faith, and if he himself is not sufficiently educated, then it is necessary to receive an initial spiritual education in the parish Sunday school. For what can he teach a godson if he himself is little established in the Orthodox faith and church life?
Who cannot be a godfather (godfather).
According to the norms of the Synodal period of the Russian Church, "the insane, completely ignorant of the faith, as well as criminals, obvious sinners, and all persons in general who have fallen low in public opinion, in their moral behavior, cannot be godparents ... Those who have not been at Confession and Holy Communion 5-10 years, of course, due to negligence, cannot give guidance and edification to those perceived from the font in their lives, which is a duty to the recipients.
The following persons cannot be godparents.
1. Monks and nuns.
2. Parents for their own children.
3. Persons who are married to each other (or the bride and groom) cannot baptize one baby, because with spiritual kinship, married life is unacceptable. At the same time, spouses are allowed to be godparents of different children of the same parents, but at different times.
4. Unbelievers.
5. "Believers in their own way", not in the spirit of the Orthodox Church and unwilling to revise their views on the Orthodox.
6. Unbaptized.
7. Infidels (other, not of the Christian faith), heterodox (Christians of non-Orthodox confession), people of occult and heretical views (sectarians).
8. Minors (under 15 years old)
9. Mentally abnormal (mentally ill, suffering from an unclean spirit) people.
10. Persons who have fallen morally, who came to the temple in alcoholic or drug intoxication.
In extreme cases, based on the circumstances (baptism of seriously ill children, orphanage, boarding school, shelter, etc., Baptism is allowed even without godparents, then the priest himself is considered the godfather. The child, parents, godparents are in spiritual kinship. The successor cannot marry the widowed mother of the godson.
The godfather and mother between themselves and with the parents of the child must have a spiritual and ideological unity. "Where two or three are gathered in My name, there I am in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20)
The father and mother may be present at the Baptism of their own child. But the mother of the baptized may not be allowed to participate in the Sacrament if the cleansing prayer of the 40th day was not read over her.
What to give to the godson?
Traditionally this is:
- pectoral cross- for a baby, the cross is light, and the rope is not long and strong. An adult can be given a medallion with the image of the Savior, the Mother of God or his eponymous saint.
- christening clothes. Now it's a towel and a shirt. Selling a baptismal set. It is used only at the time of baptism and then stored.
- icons depicting saints after whom the child was named. There is a tradition to give a measured icon (or a life-size one) about 50 cm tall to the height of a newborn - the icon of the patron saint of a newborn - is written to order for at least a month. The icon of the patron saint is hung by the child's bed so that he is imprinted with it. It is good to give something from books: the Bible or New Testament, you can have the Law of God or the Gospel (gift decoration), a prayer book, books of spiritual content (having a church blessing) or with a biography of a saint, heavenly patron of the baptized.
For an adult, a good gift can be pilgrimage to holy places.
Godparents' prayers for their godchildren:
Lord Jesus Christ, be Thy mercy on my godson (godchild) (my) (names), keep him (her) under Thy shelter, cover from every crafty lust, cast away from him (her) every enemy and adversary, open him (her ) ears and eyes of the heart, grant tenderness and humility to his (her) heart.
Save, Lord, and have mercy on my godson (godchild) (my) (names) and enlighten him (her) with the light of the mind of Your Holy Gospel and guide him (her) on the path of Your commandments and teach him (her), Savior, to do Your will , as you are our God, and we send glory to you, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever. Amen.
Prayer of parents for their children
(Archimandrite John Krestyankin)Sweetest Jesus, God of my heart! You gave me children according to the flesh, they are Yours according to the soul; You redeemed both my and their souls with Your priceless blood: for the sake of Your Divine blood, I beg You, my sweetest Savior, with 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 goodness. 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.
Sunday School Holy Kazan Sisterhood Youth Brotherhood Choirs Social Department Icon ShopRemembrance of Baptism
Before the Sacrament of Baptism to the receivers ( godfather) and parents need to pass an interview. Interviews before baptism in the Brest Holy Resurrection Cathedral are held in 17.00 : in Sunday first and in Thursday- second,
You must come to the second interview only after passing the first one.
The Sacrament of Baptism is performed:
Saturday - 11.00 and 17.00, Sunday - 11.00. You must arrive 20 minutes before the start.
Bring with you to baptism :
1. Birth certificate; 2. Towel; 3. Wearable consecrated crosses on each person present; 4. A simple white undershirt (do not put on a child in advance). 5. Two interview certificates. To a mother who wants to be a godmother, all children must be churched. After baptism, and after 40 days after childbirth, mother with child must come to the temple churching any day of the week from Tuesday on Saturday to 8.00, in Sunday and holidays either to 6.30, either to 8.30. Mothers should come on an empty stomach and be ready for confession and communion. All participants in the Sacrament must wear pectoral cross. Request - REGISTER YOUR CHILDREN IN THE REGISTRY OFFICEeORTHODOX NAMES!
REMINDER
preparing for Holy Baptism
Holy Baptism is the Sacrament in which the spiritual birth of a person takes place for eternal life with God.
It is desirable to perform baptism at the age of a child from 8 to 40 days, but if he is dangerously ill, then he should be baptized as early as possible. Those who were not baptized in childhood should be baptized at a conscious age. For this, faith in the God and Savior of the world, our Lord Jesus Christ, repentance in the former sinful life, familiarity with the basics of Christian doctrine and the desire to become a member of the Church of Christ are necessary.
At baptism, a promise is made to God to live according to His will, according to His commandments, and to avoid all evil, all sin, all communication with evil spirits.
An adult being baptized makes this promise himself, while at the baptism of an infant, this is done on his behalf by the recipients, i.e. godfather and mother. Thus, they take responsibility for the spiritual development of the child, for his upbringing in the Christian faith and for his communion with the Holy Church. Godparents must be Orthodox and pious people who confess regularly, and if they are married, then they are married in the Church. If the godmother has children, then they must all be churched
(the rite of churching must be performed over them). The godparents of one child should not be married to each other.
When preparing for baptism, it is necessary to have an interview with a priest. Adults who are preparing for baptism must appear for an interview themselves, but if a child is being baptized, then parents and godparents come to the interview.
Adults and recipients preparing for baptism must know the prayers as a keepsake: “Our Father”, “King of Heaven”, “It is worthy to eat”, “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice” and meaningfully read the Creed.
Without prior two interviews, baptism does not take place. If the recipients, parents or adults being baptized are ready for the Sacrament of Baptism, confessed and took communion, showed knowledge of prayers, the priest either blesses to be baptized in the near future and issues an appropriate certificate for presentation in the Candle Shop during registration, or gives instructions for their further preparation.
PRAYERS :
Lord's Prayer
Our Father, Thou 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, just as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
Prayer to the Holy Spirit
King of Heaven, Comforter, Soul of Truth, Who is everywhere and fills everything, Treasury of good things and Giver of life, come and dwell in us and cleanse us from all filth, and save, O Blessed, our souls.
Prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos
It is worthy to eat, as truly bless Thee, the Theotokos, the Blessed and Immaculate and the Mother of our God. The most honorable Cherubim and the most glorious without comparison Seraphim, without corruption of the God of the Word, who gave birth to the present Mother of God, we magnify Thee.
Prayer
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 the Savior of our souls.
Symbol of faith
I believe in the One God the Father, the Almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth, visible to all and invisible. And in the One Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only Begotten, who was born of the Father before all ages. Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, uncreated, consubstantial with the Father, Whom all was. For the sake of us, for the sake of man, and for our salvation, who descended from Heaven, and became incarnate from the Holy Spirit and Mary the Virgin, and became human. He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and she suffered and was buried. And resurrected on the third day according to the Scriptures. And ascended into Heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father. And the packs of the future with glory to judge the living and the dead, His Kingdom will have no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the Life-Giving Lord, Who proceeds from the Father, Who with the Father and the Son bows and glorifies the prophet who spoke. Into the One Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. I confess one baptism for the remission of sins. I look forward to the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the age to come. Amen.
What is baptism? Why is it called a sacrament?
Baptism is one of the seven sacraments of the Orthodox Church, in which the believer, when the body is immersed three times in water with the invocation of the name of the Most Holy Trinity - the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, dies to a sinful life, and is reborn by the Holy Spirit for Eternal Life. Of course, this action has a basis in Holy Scripture: "He who is not born of water and the Spirit cannot enter the kingdom of God" (John 3:5). Christ says in the Gospel: “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; but whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16).
So, baptism is necessary for a person to be saved. Baptism is a new birth for spiritual life, in which a person can reach the Kingdom of Heaven. And it is called a sacrament because through it, in a mysterious, incomprehensible way for us, the invisible saving power of God, grace, acts on the person being baptized. Like other sacraments, baptism is divinely ordained. The Lord Jesus Christ himself, sending the apostles to preach the gospel, taught them to baptize people: “Go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). Having been baptized, a person becomes a member of the Church of Christ and from now on can proceed to the rest of the sacraments of the Church.
How many godparents should a child have?
Church rules prescribe to have a godparent for the child 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 has a godfather of a different sex than the baptized person himself. The main thing is that it should be a truly believing person who would subsequently conscientiously fulfill his duties of raising a child in the Orthodox faith. Thus, a baptized person can have one or, at most, two godparents.
What are the requirements for godparents?
The first and main requirement is the undoubted Orthodox faith of the recipients. Godparents must be church-going people, living the church life. After all, they will have to teach their godson or goddaughter the basics of the Orthodox faith, to give spiritual instructions. If they themselves are ignorant of these matters, what will they be able to teach the child? The godparents have a huge responsibility for the spiritual upbringing of their godchildren, 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 angels, and all his ministry, and all his pride." Thus, the godparents, answering for their godson, make a promise that their godchild will be a Christian.
If the godson is already an adult and pronounces the words of renunciation himself, then the godparents present at the same time become guarantors before the Church in the fidelity of his words. Godparents are obliged to teach their godchildren to resort to the saving Sacraments of the Church, mainly confession and communion, they must give them knowledge about the meaning of worship, the features church calendar, about the grace-giving power of miraculous icons and other shrines. The godparents must accustom those taken 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 kind-hearted grandmother from the church, whom her parents persuaded to “hold” the baby at baptism.
But also, you should not take as godparents just close people or relatives who do not meet the spiritual requirements that were outlined above.
Godparents should not become an object of personal gain for the parents of the baptized. The desire to intermarry 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 upbringing of the child, for which he himself will also answer to God. Unrepentant sinners and people leading an immoral lifestyle cannot become godparents.
How many times can a person become a godfather?
In the Orthodox Church there is no clear canonical definition as to how many times a person can become a godfather during a lifetime. The main thing that a person who agrees to become a recipient should 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 on the reception. For each person, this measure is different and, sooner or later, a person may have to give up a new perception.
REMINDER FOR GODSPARENTS Dear godparents, before you become godparents, you must realize the full responsibility and importance of the upcoming event - the Sacrament of Baptism. You have a huge responsibility for the spiritual upbringing of your godchild; together with your parents, you are responsible for him before God. To teach your godchildren the fundamentals of the Christian faith God-parents must themselves understand and be able to explain to the child what and in whom they believe. If you feel that you are not sufficiently knowledgeable in these matters, it is time to fill in the gaps in your knowledge about Orthodox Christianity . Today there is every opportunity for this: in church shops there is a lot of religious literature, including children's literature, which tells about God, Faith and the Church. Priests are always ready to discuss with you the issues of spiritual upbringing of children, in many churches training (disclosure) conversations are held with future godparents. A colorful edition of the children's Bible is a wonderful Orthodox gift for a child on Christening. During the Sacrament of Baptism, the Our Father and the Creed are read; the godfathers need to know these prayers by heart and understand their meaning. Before the Sacrament of Baptism, it is advisable to observe a three-day fast, confess and take communion. At Baptism, you should dress appropriately and be sure to put on a pectoral Orthodox cross. A woman must cover her head and wear a skirt below the knee. Mom and godmother cannot use lipstick - kissing a cross and kissing icons with painted lips is unacceptable. A man should not come to the temple in shorts and a T-shirt, despite the summer heat. Dear godparents and young mothers, remember that a woman should refrain from participating in church sacraments during the days of female infirmity. Therefore, do not plan the Baptism of a child for this period, and if, nevertheless, an unexpected thing happened and it is not possible to transfer the Sacrament, be sure to repent at confession with a priest. In addition, there are also prohibitions regarding the age, status and faith of future godparents: only adult believers baptized in Orthodoxy can become godparents. A husband and wife or a couple about to get married cannot become godparents. the spiritual kinship established between the recipients in the Sacrament of Baptism is higher than any other union, even marriage. For the Baptism of a child, you need to have a baptismal shirt, a diaper and a cross on a ribbon. It is better to take care of this in advance - sew or buy a lace baptismal set, choose a beautiful pectoral cross to your liking. Then in the temple you will only need to purchase candles, an icon of the heavenly patron as a gift from the godparents, take the payment or make a donation for the Sacrament. Dear godparents, remember that your role does not end after Baptism. By your own example, you must show the baby human virtues, teach the godson the basics of the Christian religion. You must teach your godchildren to resort to the saving Sacraments of confession and communion, you must give them knowledge about the meaning of worship, the peculiarities of the church calendar, and the blessed power of miraculous icons and other shrines. You must teach your godchildren to attend church services, fast, pray, and observe other provisions of the church charter. But most importantly, you should always pray to the Lord for your godson. Remember that you promised God to bring this baby to him. If you feel that you are not yet internally ready for the role of a godfather, it is better to refuse parents to become a godparent to their baby. At least it will be more honest with the child than taking responsibility for his spiritual upbringing and not fulfilling his promise.
Here comes the long-awaited time when the child, born only in the flesh, is preparing for the birth of Water and the Spirit. And it is our responsibility to ensure that after receiving Baptism, our little man harmoniously grows spiritually and physically. Therefore, whether we choose godparents or we are invited to be godparents, we need to seriously think about it.
Infants are baptized according to the faith of their sponsors (parents and godparents), so that when they grow up, under the influence of the grace that protects them, they themselves learn what is given to them by the mercy of God. The recipients serve as witnesses and guarantors of the faith and vows of the person being baptized. They must be baptized in the Orthodox Church. In the event that there is no exact certainty about the baptism of the future godparent, he himself must be baptized before he becomes the baby's godparent. During the performance of the sacrament, the godparents must have a pectoral cross.
At the baptism of infants, the godparents bring and hold their godchildren in their arms throughout the entire rite. Moreover, if there are two recipients, then before immersion in the font of the baptized, each of the recipients can hold. After three times immersion in the font, the baby is taken into the hands of a godfather of the same sex: the girl is the godmother, and the boy is the godfather, holding a clean veil or towel in his hands. The recipient quickly wipes the child's body so that it does not get cold. The recipient must know the Creed and read it at the appropriate moment, in addition, he gives answers to the priest's questions about renouncing Satan and uniting with Christ.
Godparents not can be:
- representatives of non-Orthodox Christian denominations (Catholics, Protestants), since they act as guarantors of the faith on behalf of their godchildren and, during the sacrament, promise to raise the godson in the Orthodox faith, to make him a member of the Church as the Body of Christ. A heterodox Christian cannot do this;
- persons who are not present at the celebration of the sacrament, since the godparents during the sacrament, on behalf of their godchildren, renounce Satan, confess fidelity to Christ, and make promises to the Lord. This must be done in person. Godparents take on a great responsibility before God for the upbringing of godchildren, they are given great grace during the sacrament, they become the spiritual parents of their godchildren and enter into a close spiritual relationship with each other. The recipients must be present at the celebration of the Sacrament of Baptism. They don't become godparents in absentia.
- spouses (or the bride and groom) cannot be godparents of one child, but can be godparents of different children of the same parents. This is due to the fact that during the sacrament of Baptism, the recipients enter into a spiritual relationship, which no longer allows them to lead a married life;
- the parents of a child according to the flesh (including those who adopted him) cannot be godparents for the same reason as spouses (or the bride and groom);
- mentally ill and incompetent;
- persons under the age of 18, since godparents must be fully aware of the responsibility that lies with them;
- a woman who has given birth to a child cannot be a godmother until the priest reads prayers of purification over her, which are usually read before the Sacrament of the Baptism of her own child, so that she can be present at baptism;
- monks and nuns.
Being a godfather is both an honor and a responsibility. The godmother and father, participating in the Sacrament, take responsibility for the little member of the Church. According to the teachings of the Church, the way we have taken care of the fulfillment of these duties of ours will be the same question on the day of the last judgment, as well as the upbringing of our own children.
There may be only one godfather. An important criterion for choosing godparents should be the degree of acquaintance and just a good relationship. From close relatives, godparents can be an aunt or uncle, grandmother or grandfather. godfather and godmother cannot subsequently marry each other, since they are already connected by spiritual kinship. At the same time, you need to think about the fact that it might make sense for non-relatives to become godparents, who will already help in raising the child. For example, in adolescence, a teenager may need advice that he will seek outside the family, and it would be good if godparents would be authority and support for him during this period.
Adult christening recipients are not required.
The recipients take responsibility before God for the correct Christian upbringing of their godchildren, and in special cases, if necessary, they must replace their parents.
Saint John Chrysostom says: If you wish, let us turn the word also to your godparents, so that they can also see what reward they will receive if they show great zeal for you, and, on the contrary, what condemnation will follow them if they fall into carelessness. Think, beloved, of those who have accepted the surety of money, that they are in greater danger than the debtor who has taken the money. For if the debtor appears prudent, then the surety will lighten the burden; if he becomes unreasonable, then he will be in great danger. Therefore, a certain wise man instructs, saying: “If you guarantee, take care, as one who is obliged to pay” ”(Sir 8:16) . If those who have taken the guarantee of money consider themselves responsible, then how much more should those who are involved in the spiritual, those who have taken the guarantee of virtue, show great concern, convincing, advising, correcting, showing fatherly love. And let them not think that what is happening does not matter to them, but let them know for sure that they too will become partners in glory if by their instructions they lead those who are being taught to the path of virtue; but if they fall into idleness, there will be much condemnation for them. For this is why it is customary to call them spiritual fathers, so that they learn by their own deeds what kind of love they should show in spiritual instruction. And if it is commendable to bring to zeal for virtue those who are by no means relatives, then how much more should we fulfill the prescribed in relation to the one whom we accept as a spiritual child. Now you, the recipients, have also learned that you are in considerable danger if you fall into carelessness. b"
(St. John Chrysostom. Announcements).
The main responsibilities of receivers are:
- always pray for the godson, until his death;
- take care of the frequent and regular communion of his Holy Mysteries of Christ;
- teach him the basics of the Orthodox faith;
- introduce worship services;
- when a child reaches the age of seven, teach him to consciously confess his sins, pray, observe fasts, etc.
The responsibility of godparents is greatly enhanced if they become the godparents of a child from an unchurched family. Moreover, the work of educating the godson will also serve the church education of his parents, will contribute to the churching of all family members. Godparents should remember that to some extent they are responsible for the sins committed by their godchildren, so they should take their duties very seriously.
It is assumed that godparents are Orthodox Christians not only because they were baptized in the Orthodox Church, but because of their way of life: they regularly attend services, go to confession, partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, and are familiar with church teaching. If this is not the case at the time of the sacrament of Baptism, then after it they should make every effort to study the Orthodox faith and enter church life. Otherwise, it will be impossible for them to fulfill their duties: you cannot teach anyone what you yourself do not know. Before the Sacrament of Baptism, the recipients usually confess and partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ in order to unite with the Lord, purify their souls and receive divine help from Him for the cause of spiritual education.
Those wishing to be baptized must have with them:
1. Birth certificate or passport (for adults).
2. Pectoral cross. A consecrated pectoral cross can be purchased at the temple behind a candle box. If the cross is purchased in a store, the priest must be informed about this so that he pre-consecrates it.
3. Christening set:
For babies - christening gown, white diaper or towel.
For older children and adults - christening white shirt. sheet, large towel, slippers.
The Baptismal Certificate is issued behind the candle box.
