How many godmothers can a child have

How many godparents can you have, what do they do and how are they involved in a christening?

GODPARENTS often play a big part in a child's life or, at the very least, turn up with gifts on their birthday.

Here we look at whether at how many a kid can have and what their rights are...

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How many godparents can you have?

Traditionally, Christian children have three godparents in total, though they can have as many as the parent wants.

Girls usually have two godmothers and one godfather while boys have two godfathers and one godmother but there is no hard and fast rules nowadays.

Non-practising Christians can have as many or as few as they like, though it is customary to have at least one godfather and one godmother.

Blood relatives and members of the family can be chosen to be the child's godparent.

Who can be godparents and what do godparents do?

Having godparents is thought to date back to the second century, when baptisms became widespread.

When a child is born parents will often turn to close family members or friends and ask them to be a godparent to their child.

Traditionally, godparents were responsible for ensuring a child's religious education and helping them develop their faith.

But in modern times, the individual is chosen by parents to take a general interest in the kid's wellbeing and development, not necessarily with a religious aspect.

This is not a legal appointment and, should anything happen to the parents, godparents would not automatically become responsible for that child.

While traditionally there was a religious aspect to being a godparent there is not set rule about whether or not the godparents have been christened or not.

This though also depends on the church the baby is being christened into.

Some strict churches may ask that all the godparents have been christened in order to fulfil their role, or others may be happy to perform the service if only one person has. Some may not even bother.

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How are godparents involved in a christening?

Godparents play an important role in christenings, according to Church of England Christenings.

"In the christening service, you will make some big promises to support your godchild throughout their life," the website states.

They often bring the infant to the font to be baptised and in countries such as Latvia, it is the godparents who also choose a name for the child.

Christening gifts are traditionally silver, such as a silver spoon or rattle but here, too, this tradition is fading and all kinds of presents can be given.

Close pals of Meghan and Harry’s ‘likely to be Archie’s godparents’ as bid to keep names secret sparks backlash

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What Their Role Is and Who to Ask

As a new parent or parent-to-be, you’ve likely thought of all the ways you’re planning to support and guide your child through life. But have you considered who else could serve as an advisor and role model for your child? After all, life’s path can get a bit bumpy, and the more positive influences in your kid’s world, the better. That’s where a godparent comes in.

“Godparent” is a term that gets tossed around a lot, but you may find yourself wondering, exactly what is a godparent? Whether you’re religious, spiritual on your own terms or strictly secular, here’s what you need to know about the tradition, the role of godparents and how you can make the custom your own.

In this article:

What is a godparent?

The role of godparents

How to choose godparents

How to ask someone to be a godparent

Celebrating with a godparent ceremony

What Is a Godparent?

Traditionally, a godparent is a sponsor chosen when someone, often a baby, receives the sacrament of Baptism, a rite of admission into Christianity.

“The godparent is a member of the church community who supports the faith of the person being baptized,” says Robert Matava, PhD, dean of Christendom College Graduate School of Theology in Alexandria, Virginia. “Given the responsibilities that faith and incorporation into the Church entail, the godparent should be someone who can help the newly baptized person understand and live out these responsibilities.”

Depending on the type of church you belong to, the precise godparent definition can vary.

“What this looks like depends on the church in which the parents belong,” explains Michael Bos, senior minister at Marble Collegiate Church in New York City. “It can mean hands-on conversations about faith with the child, or even being ready to step in and oversee the children’s spiritual formation should anything happen to the parents.”

Whether the idea of appointing a godparent is part of your religious beliefs or not, you can still have a godparent figure in your kid’s life. This may change the godparent definition a bit, but it’s all centered around a desire to provide your little one with a strong role model in life.

“I like the term ‘guide parent,’” says Greg Epstein, humanist chaplain at Harvard and MIT and author of Good without God. “Many people want somebody who they love and admire who will play a special role in their kid’s life…It’s essentially adding an extra role model for the child.”

How many godparents can a child have?

According to the Catholic Church, a child can have up to two godparents (and in that case, they must be a man and woman), but only one is required. But as Bos points out, each church or organization may have their own unique guidelines. “Traditionally it’s been two, but some churches have three, some only have one and others have no specified number at all,” he says. And of course, if you like the idea of naming non-religious godparents, you can have as many as you’d like.

The Role of Godparents

The role of godparents, traditionally, is to help the christened person understand and live out their faith and religious responsibilities. “This can include things like helping the newly baptized person to understand the beatitudes and the decalogue; guiding them to find, accept and fulfill their personal vocation; and raising their awareness of the Precepts—or laws—of the Church,” Matava says.

But the role of godparents doesn’t necessarily have to revolve around religion. Most godparents take an active role in all aspects of the kid’s life. “For many, this role has expanded to become more of a co-parent,” Bos says. “It can be tough raising children, and it can be tough being a child. A godparent can provide a significant relationship of love and support for a family. ”

How to Choose Godparents

Seeing as you can select your child’s godparents from among family or friends, the pool of potential candidates can be pretty big, and it can be tough to only pick a couple of people to honor with the coveted title. Careful deliberation should go into choosing godparents. Ask yourself: What is a godparent and what does it mean to you?

If you’re a member of the Catholic Church, there are a few guidelines you have to follow, Matava explains. Godparents must be chosen by the parents or guardian and cannot be the child’s mother or father. They should also be at least 16 years old and must be an active member of the church who has received the sacraments of confirmation and communion. Keeping all that in mind, choose “someone who can serve as an authentic example of Christian charity—someone who could demonstrate holiness of life,” Matava advises.

The role of godparents isn’t just an honor—it’s a big responsibility. Once you’ve made a decision, check in with the particular family member or friend to make sure they’re personally up to the call of duty. “Remember that this is for life. You don’t fire godparents or swap them out,” Bos says. “You want to ask someone you know will be a positive presence in your child’s life—and yours.” He adds, “A way to think about this, particularly if you expect the godparent to have an active role in your child’s life, is to ask yourself: ‘Would I be comfortable having this person raise my child if I weren’t able to?’ If the answer is yes, then you’re on the path. In fact, many godparents are also named as the child’s legal guardians in the parent’s will.”

Religion aside, Epstein says each parent should think about why they want to choose someone as a godparent, and what’s unique about that person that can be passed on to their child. “If someone is creative, they can introduce different types of music, art and drama into your child’s life; if they’re into science, they can teach different STEM concepts through play and activities; or if the potential ‘guide parent’ is someone involved in community, encourage them to take your kid to a soup kitchen, get involved with a local charity or even peacefully protest something they believe in,” he says.

How to Ask Someone to Be a Godparent

Once you know who you’re going to ask, the next question is when. If you’re a member of the Catholic Church, the earlier you ask the better. Many parishes require a letter of recommendation from the godparent, as well as other forms of documentation showing they’re active members of the church and understand what’s expected from the role of godparents.

“It’s wonderful when godparents are asked before a child is born. This allows them to provide support from the first day of the child’s birth,” Bos says. “Before asking someone, it’s critical to know your church’s requirements for this, and to explain your and your church’s expectations for the godparent.”

Regardless of whether it holds religious significance for you, asking someone to be a godparent is a big deal. Luckily, there are lots of ways to make the moment memorable. Heartfelt cards and personalized gifts—like picture frames, keychains or jewelry—add a nice touch. You can even DIY simple but sweet sentiments to gift to a godparent. The blogger behind Life in a Nutshell shares a cute way her friends asked her to be a godmother with an adorable poem signed from the baby-to-be.

Celebrating with a Godparent Ceremony

As far as a godparent ceremony is concerned, Catholics welcome baby into the church and celebrate their godparent during the sacrament of Baptism. But if you’re not religious, you can still commemorate the milestone in a handful of other ways.

“A ceremony revolving around the birth of a child goes across every culture the world has ever known,” he says. “There’s no single, one-size-fits-all book telling you how to do it, but there are endless opportunities to make the ceremony your own.”

He suggests a “Welcome to the World” party as a secular alternative, during which the newly appointed godparents can make speeches, similar to wedding vows, revolving around what they hope for in their relationship with baby and all the ways they’ll see it through. Another sweet idea is to have godparents honor their bond with baby by planting a tree with the parents to symbolize their blossoming relationship. They can also bury a few important mementos in a time capsule for baby to discover 10 or 20 years later, reminding the godparents they’re a constant force in baby’s life, or write letters to baby that your child will be able to read when they’re older.

“Godparent” is an ever-evolving and open-ended term. For some it’s vested in sacred and holy traditions, while others see it as something that has nothing to do with religion at all. Whatever your beliefs, there’s always a way to make the tradition your own. If nothing else, it’s an opportunity to provide your child with another adult role model who they know loves them and wants the best for them throughout life.

Published February 2019

Plus, more from The Bump:

Unique Birth Traditions Around the World

How to Turn Little Moments Into Big Celebrations All Year Long

Why You Should Make a Family Mission Statement

Baptism, the sacrament of Baptism: answers to questions

What is Baptism? Why is it called a Sacrament? You will find comprehensive answers to all these questions in this article prepared by the editors of Pravmir.

The Sacrament of Baptism: Answers to Readers' Questions

Today I would like to tell the reader about the sacrament of Baptism and the godparents.

For ease of perception, I will offer the reader an article in the form of questions most frequently asked by people about Baptism and the answers to them. So first question:

What is Baptism? Why is it called the 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, there is a basis for this action in the Holy Scriptures: "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 established by God. The Lord Jesus Christ himself, sending the apostles to preach the gospel, taught them to baptize people: “Go, make disciples of all peoples, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 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.

Now that the reader has become familiar with the Orthodox concept of baptism, it is appropriate to consider one of the most frequently asked questions related to the baptism of children. So:

Baptism of infants: is it possible to baptize infants, because they do not have an independent faith?

Quite right, small children do not have independent, conscious faith. But don't the parents who brought their child to be baptized in the temple of God have it? Will they not instill faith in God in their child from childhood? It is obvious that parents have such a faith, and most likely will instill it in their child. In addition, the child will also have godparents - godparents from the baptismal font, who vouch for him and undertake to raise their godchild in the Orthodox faith. Thus, infants are baptized not according to their own faith, but according to the faith of their parents and godparents who brought the child to baptism.

Old Testament circumcision was a type of New Testament baptism. In the Old Testament, babies were brought to the temple for circumcision on the eighth day. By this, the child's parents showed their and his faith and belonging to God's chosen people. Christians can say the same about baptism in the words of John Chrysostom: "Baptism is the most obvious difference and separation of the faithful from the unbelievers." Moreover, there is a basis for this in the Holy Scriptures: “They were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the sinful body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ; being buried with Him in baptism” (Col. 2:11-12). That is, baptism is a dying and burial for sin and a resurrection for a perfect life with Christ.

These reasons are enough to make the reader realize the importance of infant baptism. After that, the question will be quite natural:

When is it necessary to baptize children?

There are no specific rules in this matter. But usually children are baptized on the 40th day after birth, although this can be done earlier or later. The main thing is not to postpone baptism for a long time unless absolutely necessary. It would be wrong to deprive a child of such a great sacrament for the sake of the circumstances.

The inquisitive reader may have questions about the days of baptism. For example, on the eve of multi-day fasts, the question most often heard is:

Is it possible to baptize children on fasting days?

Of course you can! But technically it doesn't always work. 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 short. On Saturdays and Sundays, divine services are somewhat shorter in time, and priests can devote more time to the requirements. Therefore, when planning the day of baptism, it is better to find out in advance about the rules observed in the temple where the child will be baptized. Well, if 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.

I have already mentioned that every person, if possible, should have godparents - godparents from the baptismal font. Moreover, they should be in children who are baptized according to the faith of their parents and godparents. The question arises:

How many godparents should a child have?

Church canons prescribe that a child be given the same gender 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.

Having dealt with the number of godparents, the reader will most likely want to know:

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 become guarantors before the Church in the faithfulness 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 of the church calendar, the grace-filled 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 it's also not worth taking 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 person being 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.

Some of the details of baptism include the following question:

Can a woman become a godmother on the days of the monthly cleansing? What to do if it did happen?

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

Perhaps someone reading this article will become a godfather in the near future. Realizing the importance of the decision being made, they will be interested in:

How should future godparents prepare for baptism?

There are no special rules for preparing recipients for baptism. At some churches, special talks 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 there is an opportunity to attend such conversations, then it is necessary to do this, because. this is very helpful for future godparents. If the future godparents are sufficiently churched, they constantly confess and take communion, then attending such conversations will be a completely sufficient measure of preparation for them.

If potential recipients themselves are not yet sufficiently churched, then a good preparation for them will be not only acquiring the necessary knowledge about church life, but also studying the Holy Scriptures, 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 regarding recipients. Usually the godfather takes care of the payment (if any) for the baptism itself and the purchase of a pectoral cross for his godson. The godmother buys a baptismal cross for the girl, and also brings the things necessary for baptism. Typically, a christening kit includes a baptismal shirt, a sheet and a towel.

But these traditions are not binding. Often, different regions and even individual churches have their own traditions, the implementation 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 baptism will take place.

Sometimes one hears a purely technical question related to baptism:

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

This question does not lie in the spiritual realm, regulated 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 you can now find a lot of interesting and soulful things, so acquiring a worthy gift should not be a big difficulty.

A fairly common question asked by unchurched parents is:

Can non-Orthodox Christians or Gentiles become godparents?

It is quite obvious that they are not, because they will not be able to teach their godson the truths of the Orthodox faith. Not being members of the Orthodox Church, they cannot take part in church sacraments at all.

Unfortunately, many parents do not ask about this in advance and without any remorse invite non-Orthodox and non-Orthodox godparents to their children. At baptism, of course, no one talks about this. But then, having learned about the inadmissibility of the deed, the parents run to the temple, asking:0003

What should I do if this happened by mistake? Is baptism valid in this case? Should a child be baptized?

First of all, such situations show the extreme irresponsibility of parents when choosing godparents for their child. Nevertheless, such cases are not uncommon, and they occur among unchurched people who do not live a church life. An unequivocal answer to the question "what to do in this case?" it is impossible to give, because there is nothing of the kind in the church canons. This is not surprising, since canons and rules are written for members of the Orthodox Church, which cannot be said about heterodox and non-believers. Nevertheless, as a fact, baptism took place, and it cannot be called invalid. It is legal and valid, and the baptized one has become a full-fledged Orthodox Christian, because. was baptized by an Orthodox priest in the name of the Holy Trinity. No rebaptism is required; there is no such concept at all in the Orthodox Church. A person is born once physically, he cannot repeat it again. Likewise, only once a person can be born for spiritual life, so there can be only one baptism.

I will allow myself a small digression and tell the reader how once I had to witness one not very pleasant scene. A young married couple brought their newborn son to the temple for baptism. The couple worked in a foreign company and invited one of their colleagues, a foreigner, a Lutheran, to become godfather. True, a girl of the Orthodox faith was supposed to become a godmother. Neither parents nor future godparents were distinguished by special knowledge in the field of Orthodox dogma. The news of the impossibility of having a Lutheran as godfather of their son was received with hostility by the child's parents. They were asked to find another godfather or to baptize the child with one godmother. But this proposal angered the father and mother even more. The stubborn desire to see this particular person as the successor prevailed over the common sense of the parents and the priest had to refuse to baptize the child. So the illiteracy of the parents became an obstacle to the baptism of their child.

Thank God that such situations never happened again in my priestly practice. The curious reader may well assume that there may be some obstacles to receiving the sacrament of baptism. And he will be absolutely right. So:

In what case can a priest refuse a person to be baptized?

Orthodox 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. The priest has the right to refuse to baptize a person if he is going to accept the sacrament as some kind of magical rite or has some pagan belief regarding baptism itself. But this is a separate issue and I will touch on it later.

A very common question about sponsors is:

Can spouses or those who are about to get married become godparents?

Yes, they can. Contrary to popular belief, there is no canonical prohibition for spouses or those about to get married to be godparents to one child. There is only a canonical rule that prohibits the godfather from marrying the child's mother. The spiritual relationship established between them through the sacrament of baptism is higher than any other union, even marriage. But this rule does not affect the possibility of marriage of godparents or the possibility of spouses to become godparents.

Sometimes unchurched parents of children, wanting to find godparents for their children, ask the following question:

Can people living in a civil marriage become godparents?

At first glance, this is a rather complicated issue, but from the church's point of view, it is solved unambiguously. Such a family cannot be called complete. And in general it is impossible to call prodigal cohabitation a family. After all, in fact, people living in the so-called civil marriage live in fornication. This is a big problem in modern society. People baptized in the Orthodox Church, at least conscious of themselves as Christians, for some incomprehensible reasons, refuse to legitimize their union not only before God (which is undoubtedly more important), but also before the state. There are countless answers to be heard. But, unfortunately, these people simply do not want to understand that they are looking for any excuses for themselves.

For God, the desire to “get to know each other better” or “unwillingness to stain the passport with unnecessary stamps” cannot be an excuse for fornication. In fact, people living in a “civil” marriage trample on all Christian concepts about marriage and family. Christian marriage implies the responsibility of spouses for each other. During the marriage, they become one, and not two different people who made a promise to live under the same roof from now on. Marriage can be compared to two legs of one body. If one leg stumbles or breaks, won't the other leg bear the full weight of the body? And in a "civil" marriage, people do not even want to take responsibility for putting a stamp in their passport.

What then can be said about such irresponsible people who at the same time want to be godparents? What good can they teach a child? Can they, having very shaky moral foundations, be able to set a good example for their godson? Not at all. Also, according to church canons, people leading an immoral life (“civil” marriage should be regarded in this way) cannot be recipients from the baptismal font. And if these people finally decide to legitimize their relationship before God and the state, then they, moreover, will not be able to be godparents to one child. Despite the apparent complexity of the question, there can be only one answer to it - unambiguously: no.

The topic of gender relations is always very acute in all areas of human life. It goes without saying that this translates into various issues that are directly related to baptism. Here is one of them:

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

In this case, they will have to terminate their relationship and confine themselves to a spiritual connection, because in the sacrament of baptism, one of them will become the godparent of the other. Can a son marry his own mother? Or a daughter to marry her own father? It is quite obvious that it is not. Of course, church canons cannot allow such a thing to happen.

Much more often than others there are questions about the possible perception of close relatives. So:

Can relatives become godparents?

Grandparents, uncles and aunts may well become godparents to their little relatives. There is no contradiction to this in church canons.

Can an adoptive father (mother) become a godfather to an adopted child?

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

Based on the fact that spiritual kinship is established between godparents and parents, the inquisitive reader may ask the following question:

Can the child's parents become godparents for the children of their godfathers (their godchildren)?

Yes, this is perfectly acceptable. Such an action in no way violates the spiritual kinship established between parents and recipients, but only strengthens it. One of the parents, for example, the mother of the 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. There are other options, but, in any case, the spouses cannot become the recipients of one child.

Sometimes people also ask the following question:

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

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

Continuing the topic of acceptance, one cannot help but recall such a phenomenon as the desire of parents due to some, sometimes completely incomprehensible, reasons to “take a godfather in absentia”.

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

The very meaning of reception 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 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 “record in absentia” as godparents may not agree to this action at all, and, as a result, the person being baptized may be left without a godfather at all.

Sometimes parishioners ask questions about the following:

How many times can a person become a godfather?

In the Orthodox Church there is no clear canonical definition of 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.

Is it possible to refuse to become a godfather? Wouldn't that be a sin?

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

Continuing this theme, here are a few more questions that people usually ask about the number of possible godchildren.

Is it possible to become a godfather to the second child in the family, if the first one already had one?

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

Is it possible for one person during baptism to 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 being baptized. The recipient will have to hold and receive both babies from the font at the same time. It would be better if each godson had his own godparents. After all, each of those baptized individually are different people who have the right to their godfather.

Probably, many will be interested in the following question:

At what age can one become a sponsor?

Underage children cannot become godparents. But, even if a person has not yet reached the age of majority, then his age should be such that he can realize the full burden of the responsibility taken upon himself, and will conscientiously fulfill his duties as a godfather. It seems that this may be the age close to adulthood.

The relationship between the child's parents and godparents also plays an important role in the upbringing of children. It is good when parents and godparents have spiritual unity and direct all their efforts towards the proper spiritual upbringing of their child. But human relationships are not always cloudless, and sometimes one hears this question:

What to do if you have a fight with your godson's parents and for this reason you cannot see him?

The answer suggests itself: reconcile with the godson's parents. For what can a child be taught by people who have a spiritual relationship and at the same time are at enmity with each other? It is worth thinking not about personal ambitions, but about raising a child and, having gained patience and humility, try to establish relations with the godson's parents. The same can be said for the parents of the child.

But a quarrel is not always the reason why a godfather cannot see his godson for a long time.

What to do if, due to objective reasons, you do not see your godson for years?

I think that the objective reasons are the physical separation of the godfather from the godson. This is possible if the parents moved with the child to another city, country. In this case, it remains only to pray for the godson and, if possible, communicate with him using all available means of communication.

Unfortunately, some godparents, having baptized a baby, completely forget about their immediate duties. Sometimes the reason for this is not only the recipient's elementary ignorance of his duties, but his falling into grave sins that make their own spiritual life very difficult. Then the parents of the child involuntarily raise a completely legitimate question:

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

The Orthodox Church does not know the order of refusal of godparents. But parents can find an adult who, not being the actual recipient from the font, would help in the spiritual upbringing of the child. At the same time, one cannot consider him a godfather.

But to have such a helper is better than to deprive the child of communication with a spiritual mentor and friend altogether. After all, a moment may come when the 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 helpful. And a child, as they grow older, can be taught to pray for the godfather. After all, the spiritual connection of a child with a person who took him from the font will not be broken if he takes responsibility for a person who himself has not coped with this responsibility. It happens that children surpass their parents and mentors in prayer and piety.

Prayer for a sinner or a stray will be a manifestation of love for this person. After all, it is not for nothing that the Apostle James says in his epistle to Christians: “Pray for one another that you may be healed; the fervent prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much” (James 5:16). But all these actions must be coordinated with your confessor and receive a blessing on them.

Here's another interesting question people ask from time to time:

When is there no need for godparents?

There is always a need for godparents. Especially for children. But not every adult baptized 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 pronounce the words of renunciation of Satan, combine with Christ and read the Creed. He is fully accountable for 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 godparents. Such a need, of course, can be the complete absence of worthy godparents.

The godless time has left its mark on the destinies of many people. The result of this was that some people, after long years of unbelief, finally gained faith in God, but when they came to the temple, they did not know whether they had been baptized in childhood by believing relatives. A logical question arises:

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

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, a person is baptized, pronouncing the formula: “If not baptized, the servant (slave) of God is baptized ...”.

Something I'm all about children and about children. Among the readers, perhaps, there are also such people who have not yet been honored with the saving sacrament of baptism, but with all their hearts strive for it. So:

What does a person who is preparing to become an Orthodox Christian need to know? How can he prepare for the sacrament of baptism?

A person's knowledge of faith begins with reading the Holy Scriptures. Therefore, a person who wants to be baptized, first of all, needs to read the Gospel. After reading the Gospel, a person may have a number of questions that require a competent answer. Such answers can be obtained at the so-called catechumens, which are held in many temples. At such conversations, the fundamentals of the Orthodox faith are explained to those who wish to be baptized. If there are no such conversations at the temple in which the person is going to be baptized, then you can ask all the questions of interest to the priest in the temple. It will also be useful to read some books that explain Christian dogmas, such as the Law of God. It will be good if, before accepting the sacrament of baptism, a person memorizes the Creed, which briefly outlines the Orthodox dogma about God and the Church. This prayer will be read at baptism, and it would be great if the person being baptized himself confessed his faith. Direct preparation begins a few days before baptism. These days are special, so you should not scatter your attention on other, even very important, problems. It is worth devoting this time to spiritual and moral reflections, avoiding fuss, empty talk, participation in various entertainments. It must be remembered that baptism, like the other sacraments, is great and holy. It must be approached with the greatest awe and reverence. It is advisable to observe a fast for 2-3 days, living in marriage on the eve of the night to refrain from marital relations. You need to be extremely clean and tidy for baptism. You can wear new fancy clothes. Women should not wear make-up, as they always do when visiting a temple.

There are many superstitions associated with the sacrament of baptism, which I would also like to touch upon in this article. One of the most common superstitions is:

Can a girl be the first to baptize a girl? They say that if a girl is baptized first, and not a boy, then the godmother will give her her happiness ...

This statement is also a superstition that has no basis either in Holy Scripture or in church canons and traditions. And happiness, if it is deserved before God, will not go anywhere from a person.

Another strange thought that I heard more than once:

Is it possible for a pregnant woman to become a godmother? Would this affect her own child or godson in some way?

Of course you can. Such a delusion has nothing to do with church canons and traditions and is also superstition. Participation in church sacraments can only be to the benefit of the expectant mother. I also had to baptize pregnant women. Babies were born strong and healthy.

A lot of superstitions are connected with the so-called crossing. Moreover, the reasons for such a crazy action are sometimes indicated very bizarre and even funny. But most of these justifications are pagan and occult in origin. Here, for example, is one of the most common superstitions of occult origin: . conjure precisely in the name?

To be honest, hearing such statements makes me want to laugh heartily. But, unfortunately, it's not funny. What kind of pagan denseness does an Orthodox person need to reach in order to decide that baptism is a kind of magical ritual, a kind of antidote for corruption. An antidote for some vague substance that no one even knows the definition of. What is this ghostly corruption? It is unlikely that anyone who is so afraid of her will be able to clearly answer this question. This is not surprising. Instead of looking for God in life and fulfilling His commandments, the "church" people with enviable zeal are looking for the mother of all evils in everything - damage. And where does it come from?

Let me digress a little. A man is walking down the street, stumbled. All jinxed! We urgently need to run to the temple to put a candle so that everything is fine and the evil eye passes. While walking to the temple, he stumbled again. Looks like they not only jinxed it, but also caused damage! Ooh, wicked! Well, nothing, now I will come to the temple, I will pray, I will buy candles, I will stick all the candlesticks, I will fight the corruption with all my might. The man ran to the temple, on the porch he again stumbled and fell. Everyone - lie down and die! Damage to death, a family curse, well, and there is some kind of disgusting thing there, I forgot the name, but also something very terrible. Cocktail "three in one"! Against this, candles and prayer will not help, this is a serious matter, an ancient voodoo spell! There is only one way out - to be baptized again, and only with a new name, so that when these same voodoo slanders on the old name are whispered and needles are stuck into dolls, all their spells fly by. They will not know the new name. And all witchcraft is done in the name, didn’t you know? What fun it will be when they whisper and conjure intensely there, and everything will fly by! Bang, bang and - by! Oh, it's good when there is baptism - a cure for all diseases!

This is how superstitions associated with rebaptism appear. But much more often, the sources of these superstitions are the figures of the occult sciences, i.e. fortunetellers, psychics, healers and other "gifted by God" personalities. These tireless "generators" of newfangled occult terminology use all sorts of tricks to seduce a person. Birth curses, and crowns of celibacy, and karmic knots of fate, translations, love spells with lapels and other occult nonsense are used. And all that needs to be done to get rid of all this is to cross yourself. And there was no damage. And laughter and sin! But many peck at these near-church tricks of "mothers Glafir" and "fathers Tikhonov", and run to the temple for re-baptism. It’s good if they tell them where they have such an ardent desire to cross themselves, and they will be denied this blasphemy, having previously explained what trips to the occultists are fraught with. And some do not even say that they have already been baptized and are baptized again. There are also those who are baptized several times, because. previous baptisms "didn't help". And they won't help! Greater blasphemy over the sacrament is difficult to imagine. After all, the Lord knows the heart of a person, knows about all his thoughts.

It is worth saying a few words about the name, which is so advised to change by “good people”. A person is given a name on the eighth day from birth, but since many do not know about this, basically a prayer for naming is read by a priest immediately before baptism. Surely everyone knows that the name is given to a person in honor of one of the saints. And it is this saint who is our patron and intercessor for us before God. And, of course, it seems that every Christian should call on his saint as often as possible and ask for his prayers before the throne of the Almighty. But what actually happens? Not only does a person neglect his name, but he also neglects his saint, in whose honor he is named. And instead of calling for help from his heavenly patron, his saint, at the moment of trouble or danger, he visits fortune-tellers and psychics. The “reward” for this will be appropriate.

There is another superstition directly related to the very sacrament of baptism. Almost immediately after baptism, the rite of hair cutting follows. At the same time, the recipient is given a piece of wax, in which it is supposed to roll the cut hair. This wax receiver must throw into the water. This is where the fun begins. I don't know where the question comes from:

Is it true that if wax with cut hair sinks at baptism, then the life of the baptized person will be short?

No, this is a superstition. According to the laws of physics, wax cannot sink in water at all. But if you throw it from a height with sufficient force, then at the first moment it will really go under water. Fortunately, if the superstitious godfather does not see this moment and "fortune telling on baptismal wax" will give a positive result. But, as soon as the godfather notices the moment the wax is immersed in water, lamentations immediately begin, and the newly-made Christian is almost buried alive. After that, it is sometimes difficult to get out of a state of terrible depression the parents of a child who are told about the “sign of God” seen at baptism. Of course, this superstition has no basis in church canons and traditions.

Summing up, I would like to note that baptism is a great sacrament, and the approach to it should be reverent and deliberate. It is sad to see people who have received the sacrament of baptism and continue to live their former sinful lives. Having been baptized, a person must remember that now he is an Orthodox Christian, a warrior of Christ, a member of the Church. It owes a lot. First of all, to love. Love for God and neighbor. So let each of us, regardless of when he was baptized, fulfill these commandments. Then we can hope that the Lord will lead us into the Kingdom of Heaven. That Kingdom, the path to which the sacrament of Baptism opens for us.

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How long can you be a godmother. How many godparents should a child have? What to do if you don’t know whether you are baptized or not, and there is no one to know from

They say that if you baptize a second child, then the cross is removed from the first - these are all rumors, let's talk all the same about how many times you can be a godmother.

You can become a godmother several times, more precisely, as many as much as your heart desires. The main thing at remember this about your duties to the godson that you take on during sacraments of baptism. Being a Spiritual Mom and Having Two or Three Godchildren (goddaughters), it is necessary to take an active part in their spiritual development, pray for them and keep in touch with them.

Rumors that the first child, becoming a foster child for the second time is no longer considered a godson, the church refutes as follows. First, the sacrament of baptism has already been performed and is valid. Such a concept as the rebaptism of a child, in The Orthodox Church does not exist, it is the same as physically be born a second time. Secondly, if a woman gave birth to a second child, then it turns out that the first one must be taken away from her, otherwise how to understand the words “with the first child the cross is removed.
Curious about the answer to the question "How many times can you be godmother?”, answer yourself at the same time, do you know your responsibilities. If not, please read them carefully. Otherwise, why baptize a second or third time?

Responsibilities of godparents

Taking the child from the hands of the priest, the godparents parents for life take responsibility for his Orthodox upbringing. Precisely for that, in due time, at the Last Judgment, they will have to bear the answer.

When the godson reaches conscious age, the godmother, like father, are obliged to teach him the basics of the Orthodox faith. The child must be familiar with the Holy Scriptures, know the commandments and basic prayers, attend church services.

In turn, his godparents must pray for the rest of their lives on earth, for his godson. In addition to teach him faith and piety, join in the sacraments of the Church.
I hope all of the above answers the question, how many times can you be godmother. The main thing then is not to forget why you decided to become a godmother mother once again. Remember the faith of your godchildren, this is your faith. Being present at the sacrament of baptism, the recipients must offer God your love, your heart and your faith for the godson. And if a child grew up, and he does not have such qualities, which means that initially they did not have his godparents. This is because the relationship between godparents and their spiritual children, more eternal and enduring than with fleshly parents.

The custom of having godparents belongs to the ancient Apostolic Tradition. Future sponsors must be Orthodox believers people who can give an account of their beliefs. At the moment baptism of a child, the recipients must know the Creed, since it will be required to be read at the sacrament. In addition, they must be ready to give clear answers to the priest's questions, including abdicate from Satan and spiritually united with Christ.

Faith is a kind of science, the canons of which can be understood through its deep study. During the rite of the sacrament of baptism, especially many dilemmas arose. Human prejudice raises many controversial issues. One of these questions is: how many godchildren can one person have.

A bit of history

When Christianity was just beginning to emerge, there were many pagans who were not taught the basics of the faith. They decided to baptize their heirs and baptize themselves. They asked Christians to become godparents at baptism. The recipients told their parents the basics of the Christian faith and taught this to their children. Each godfather understood his duties.

Today, the rite of baptism has become a tribute to tradition, and not just the sacrament of the initiation of the church.

Mix of statements

Christianity spread in our lands over a thousand years ago. Along with the advent of a new religion, unique rituals and traditions appeared. The previous pagan faith was part of the reason for the extraordinary rites. And the mentality and time left a big imprint on Orthodoxy. Church rituals overgrown with many gossip and prejudice . The sacrament of baptism is no exception.

Modern people today know little about the laws of the Almighty. A believer has a lot of questions on this or that occasion. One of these questions for most people is: how many godchildren can one person have and is it possible to baptize several children.

Religion does not give a clear answer to these questions . But the priests say that only the person himself can solve this problem. When a child is baptized, a person becomes his second parent (second mother or second father), which means that he has a number of obligations to the child. Failure to do so is considered a grave sin.

The mystery of baptism

Before taking responsibility for someone else's child and having a number of obligations to him, a person must find out what is hidden behind this rite and what role godparents play in it. And only after a person deals with this issue, he himself will understand how many godchildren he can have.

The main thing that every person needs to understand is that the ritual involves the introduction of a child into church life . At the same time, all the sins of relatives and friends that were transmitted to him with blood are removed from the baby. The christening ceremony is the new religious birth of the baby. During the sacrament, the child begins to commune with God. Now the responsibility for his fate lies not only with his parents, but also with God, who will protect him from trouble and evil.

After the ritual, parents must raise their child in the Orthodox faith. In this task they are assisted by their godparents. If you are ready to take on this responsibility and are a believer, then you can safely baptize as many children as you are asked to.

The mission of godparents

It is considered an honor to be a godparent. The title "godfather" or "godfather" means that out of all their newly-made parents they chose you and believe that you will cope with the role of a second parent for their child. They trust you with the fate of their baby . You must justify their hope and faith for this and not let them down.

The godfather, like a true Orthodox person, will introduce his new child, the godson, to God. This includes the following:

1. Life according to the laws of the Lord.
2. The study of prayers.
3. Hiking to the temple.

Those people who consider the main task of godfathers to be friends with the real parents of their godson are deeply mistaken. You can not buy off the godson and a gift for a particular holiday. To that person who will not take care of an Orthodox upbringing your godson, you can't be a godfather.

A person who cannot pay due attention to his godson should not take on additional duties. Being a parent is a difficult mission. And if the parents did not want or could not involve their child in the church, then their baby will grow up as an unkind person. This sin will also be yours.

Refusal is not a misdemeanor

A person who understands full responsibility can safely refuse such duties. But the reason for the refusal to parents should be explained in detail. If you yourself cannot bring this fact to the consciousness of your own parents, then a priest will come to your aid . He will explain in detail when, how many times and why you can be a godparent, and when not. Is rejection a sin? The answer is unequivocal - no. But the heavy guilt is to take responsibility for instructing the child on the right path and not cope with this task.

There are simply no other serious reasons for refusal, which are provided by the church. The exception is a person of a different faith. After all, the main task of a church parent is to help the child become a true Orthodox Christian.

Help Desk

If it is difficult to find a solution on your own, you can turn to a priest for help. This applies to both the material side of the ritual, and the spiritual.

A person who is poorly oriented in the Holy Scriptures, but believes in prejudice and gossip , correctly and soberly cannot assess the situation. In addition, a person who does not understand the laws of the church does not need to draw conclusions on his own, based on the opinion of some acquaintances. After all, these people can also confuse truth and speculation.

But the priest will be able to answer all the questions that interest you correctly and in an accessible way. His sacred duty is to explain to a person in an accessible way why it is worth doing just that in a given situation. Before answering whether you can be a godparent for several children, the priest will definitely ask about your relationship with your previous godchildren, whether you are a believer.

Religion and people

All major disputes arise from gossip. Very often you can hear that the first godson of a woman should be a boy. But the church claims that it does not matter what gender your godson will be. But there is a little-known truthful concept: only one godfather bears the main responsibility for the child parent (of the same sex as the baby). In other words, the godmother will report for the girl in the next world, and the godfather for the boy. The tradition of matching the opposite sex is folk, not church. One person can baptize a baby.

Nuns and priests

If you have not decided to take responsibility for the baby, and there is no one else to take on this role, then explain to the parents that the child can be christened without other people . Naturally, the church does not recommend doing this because if something happens to the parents and the baby becomes an orphan, then he falls under the guardianship of the godparents.

Godfathers must take the child into their family and raise it as their own. This fact makes you wonder once again whether you can be a godparent for several children.

Details of upbringing

Godfathers can take church marriage without any barriers. After all, they are not blood relatives. But in the future, they should not baptize one baby.

Another question of interest to many is whether it is possible to baptize several children in one family to one person. The answer is simple - it's up to you. Rely on if you can handle this mission . But if you are asked for this task again, then you are a good godfather for their previous children.

The main tasks of godparents are:

1. To be a child's teacher in life.
2. Advisor in all matters and undertakings.
3. Faithful and devoted friend.

If the godson falls ill, then it is necessary to pray for his health and involve his whole family in this ritual. It is worth asking the Lord for the house of an adopted daughter or son. Together with the baby, you should take communion and attend services in the church. It is necessary to help him live with faith in the church , talk about the life of the saints, take care of his heirs in the future.

Each godchild should be given attention not only on holidays.

A separate baby requires certain words, his own special approach. If you can help your godchildren in a difficult situation and in life in general, then the Lord will surely thank you. He will send you good luck and happiness.

My husband's work colleague, whom we invited to be a godfather, already had 9 godchildren at that time. He refused for the reasons that he could not be a good godfather with so many godchildren. Although, in principle, if he agreed, it is unlikely that his father in the church would dissuade him.

They say that when a child is asked to be baptized, one should not refuse. I already have four godchildren, two daughters and two sons. The Church does not set limits on the number of godchildren, but it certainly warns that you become responsible for him before God, and must help him become a proper Christian. I believe that you should become the godfather of so many children in order to be able to pay attention to all of them at least on their birthday and New Year. And sometimes it happens that godchildren are recruited, but they don’t know what to do with them. I can say from my own experience four already a lot, it's hard to be in time everywhere.

Baptism of the 4th godson.

One person can have at least a million godchildren, if only he understands that this is not nonsense, but responsibility before God for the souls of his godchildren. If he is ready, then at least a million, as I wrote above. And he must be ready to pray daily for his godchildren, this is the most important thing. Perhaps important is the participation in the spiritual life of their children. That is, the godfather should contribute to the spiritual development of the godchildren. He should direct them, for example, to ensure that the godchildren live in God's way, not violating the commandments, and where the manger violated God's law, then repent. In order to have many godchildren, and this is allowed, one must be a humble, spiritually developed person with enormous spiritual and moral strength.

I remember hearing a story about a teacher in an orphanage. She baptized her pupils at her own expense and became their godmother to all of them. She had about six hundred of them. Again, our Russian tsars. After all, they became godparents a huge number of times.

So the quantity is not limited. It all depends on the desire and ability of a particular person.

A godson or goddaughter is a godchild. Or in other words, children in Christ. If you suddenly become a godparent to any child, then you assume all the obligations of the parents of relatives. You, in the event of the death (God forbid) of your natural parents or their incapacity, will be obliged before God and People to take on all the responsibilities for the upbringing, education and withdrawal of children to people, which are called your own children. Therefore, think a hundred thousand times whether you are able to provide your own children with a life no worse than your own. If you can’t, then don’t take sin on your soul, don’t become a godparent once again. Better stay on the sidelines. Honestly, this will be more correct than if you cannot fulfill the duties of a God parent.

There can be as many godchildren as you like, there are no restrictions on the number. But if you really look at things, then a person must correctly assess how many children he can be responsible for. It is wrong only nominally to be considered a godparent, but not to participate in the spiritual care of godchildren.

One person can have several godparents, but their number must be within reason. After all, the godfather must pay attention to his godchildren, and if he has too many of them, he simply will not have time to see everyone.

Number of godchildren per person is not restricted by any rules. However, you need to understand that the godson, in fact, is a spiritual son or daughter, for whom the godfather is responsible before God a parent whom he must instruct and educate throughout his life. How many children can you raise if you take it seriously? Of course, not very much, especially when you consider that the average person has few spiritual powers. Therefore, is better not to chase the number of godchildren , but it is better to pay more attention to those who are. And sometimes it’s better to refuse to baptize another child if you know that you won’t be able to really engage in his upbringing.

The Orthodox Church does not set the canons for the number of times a person can become a godfather. But the point is that the godfather is not a formal person who was present at the christening. The godfather bears all the responsibility of education, as well as parents. I read somewhere that in the event of the death of the parents, the godfather takes full responsibility for the child. So future godparents need to measure their capabilities, since the responsibility is very great.

There are no restrictions on being the godfather of several children. The Church does not set restrictions in this regard, the main thing is that a person be an Orthodox believer and help parents raise their godchildren in the same faith.

I don’t remember exactly, but it seems that one person can have no more than five godchildren, but it’s better to clarify this issue in the church with Batiushka.

They say that if you baptize a second child, then the cross is removed from the first - these are all rumors, let's talk about how many times you can be a godmother.

You can become a godmother several times, more precisely, as many times as your heart desires. The main thing at the same time is to remember your duties to the godson, which you take on during the sacrament of baptism. Being a spiritual mother and having two or three godchildren (goddaughters), it is necessary to take an active part in their spiritual development, pray for them and not stop communicating with them.

The church refutes the rumors that the first child, becoming a godchild for the second time, is no longer considered a godson, as follows. First, the sacrament of baptism has already been performed and is valid. There is no such thing as the rebaptism of a child in the Orthodox Church, it is the same as being physically born a second time. Secondly, if a woman gave birth to a second child, then it turns out that the first one must be taken away from her, otherwise how to understand the words "the cross is removed from the first child."
Being interested in the answer to the question “How many times can you be a godmother?”, answer yourself at the same time, do you know your duties well. If not, please read them carefully. Otherwise, why baptize a second or third time?

Responsibilities of godparents

When accepting a child from the hands of a priest, godparents, for life, take responsibility for his Orthodox upbringing. It is for this, in due time, at the Last Judgment, they will have to bear the answer.

When a godchild reaches a conscious age, the godmother, like the father, is obliged to teach him the basics of the Orthodox faith. The child must be familiar with the Holy Scriptures, know the commandments and basic prayers, attend church services.

In turn, his godparents must pray, until the end of their life on earth, for their godson. In addition, teach him faith and piety, introduce him to church sacraments.
I hope all of the above answers the question of how many times one can be a godmother. The main thing then is not to forget why you decided to become a godmother for the umpteenth time. Remember the faith of your godchildren, this is your faith. Being present at the sacrament of baptism, the recipients must offer God their love, their heart and their faith for the godson. And if the child grew up, and he does not have such qualities, it means that his godparents did not have them initially either. This is explained by the fact that the relationship between godparents and their spiritual children is more eternal and stronger than with parents in the flesh.

The custom of having godparents belongs to ancient Apostolic Tradition. Future godparents should be Orthodox believers, those who can give an account of their beliefs. At the time of the child's baptism, the recipients must know the Creed, as it will be necessary to read it at the sacrament. In addition, they must be prepared to give clear answers to the priest's questions, including renouncing Satan and spiritually uniting with Christ.

Which forever makes a person a Christian. Even if he ever changes his faith, the grace of baptism still remains with him all his life. Already since ancient times, there has been a tradition to conduct this sacrament with the participation of sponsors who are responsible for the churching and righteousness of the entire future life of the convert.

In this regard, the Orthodox have a question: how many times can a child be baptized by one person?

Baptism of a child in a church

The Church does not set any restrictions here. The only thing that can stop a person from agreeing to become a godfather is the fear of responsibility. After all, if the recipient did not make enough efforts to teach his spiritual son or daughter the Christian faith and direct him to the path of salvation, he will have to answer to God.

Read about the Sacrament of Baptism:

Many superstitions have been invented among the people connected with baptism. It seems that if a woman takes a second godchild, then her spiritual motherhood will be “removed” from the first.

This nonsense is not worth listening to. Taking on several spiritual children is the same as giving birth to several children. It is hard and responsible, but a mother will remain a mother for everyone.

A person can have one or two godfathers and mothers . If there is only one recipient, then it is customary to choose a person of the same sex as the godson for this role. But this is just a tradition, if for some reason it is impossible to do so, there is no sin in breaking it.

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