Baptism occurs in infancy and, growing up, people do not remember already, as it happened. But one day we have a child or an invitation to become a receptor. In these cases, the knowledge of why the godparents are needed and how they are chosen can be very useful.
The tradition to appoint godparents goes back to the past. Uneasy times and high mortality of the population, forced to look for people who could take responsibility for the baby in the event of a possible disaster. The main role of the godfather was to lead the life of the future godson - he introduced him to the sacraments, taught piety and faith.
For many, today the role of the godfather is reduced only to the presence at baptism, very few people then help to educate their godson. A true godfather can become an Orthodox friend of the child, a person who is trusted by a teenager who asks advice and can ask for help - that's what the godparents are for.
Requirements for the godparents:
- Perceptors can be assigned to sensible people from the age of majority to old age. However, there is an unspoken custom of choosing godparents who are younger in age than blood fathers and mothers. This circumstance is explained by the fact that when the blood parents do not observe the parental duties, they pass to the spiritual instructors of the child.
- Only the baptized person of the Orthodox faith should be a godfather who wants to assume the responsibility and responsibility for this baby.
- One infant can not have a god and a husband and wife and people who are going to get married. It is considered a great sin if these people subsequently married or had extramarital affairs.
- It is allowed to have one godparent, but he is supposed to be with the godson of one sex.
- The godparents need to know that they do not advise one and the same person to become a godfather to several children, including twins, because the baptismal ceremony implies the adoption of the child from the font, and with two children it is hard to do.
- Parents are forbidden to be godchildren of their own children.
- It is not allowed to baptize a child to women during menstruation.
- It is forbidden for the stepfather to be a godfather.
- Do not designate the godparents as insane and immoral people.
In selecting the godparents, it is better to choose people with whom you have good friendships, whose visits are desired in your home, and also importantly, and whether they will later be able to help you in the Christian upbringing of the offspring and in life circumstances.
Duties of Godparents:
- Teach the basics of the Christian faith of the godson.
- On a personal example, teach the child's human virtues: mercy, love, kindness, etc., to bring up a good Christian in the baby. The godparents have a great responsibility - it depends on them, what kind of a person will become a godson.
- The godfather must pray for his ward, and teach him prayer when he grows up a little.
- During the ceremony of the Sacrament, the godfather (of one sex with a child) holds the baby and utters on his behalf the Creed, vows of renunciation from the devil and union with Christ, therefore the first thing that the godparents should know is the main prayers: "The Virgin of Virgo", "The Symbol" faith, "" Let God arise ... "," Our Father, "periodically read Psalter, the Gospel. Also, the recipients must wear a cross and be able to
to put a cross on yourself.
Many do not know that the godparents are also given gifts. A good presentation will be something on the subject of the sacrament of baptism, some thematic composition or a picture printed out to the size of the picture. It is also customary to give warm clothes: scarves, shawls, sweaters.
Approach with responsibility to the selection of godparents, because you choose people who can influence the future life of your offspring. After all, the child often tells the godfather what his blood parents do not know.