How many godparents can a child have in the catholic church

Choosing Godparents for Baby’s Baptism

Question: Can you please clarify for me, something that is confusing regarding choosing godparents for baby’s baptism in the Catholic Church. Having been born and raised in the Catholic faith and a practicing Catholic, it was always my understanding that as long as one godparent is Catholic, that it was OK to have the other godparent be a non-Catholic person to be the godparent. Can you please reply as to whether I am correct? I would appreciate hearing from you. Thank you.

Answer: Thank you for your question regarding who may be considered as a godparent for a Catholic baptism. A non-Catholic person may not be a godparent at a Catholic baptism. Only a practicing Catholic who meets the qualifications of a confirmed Catholic, age 16 or older, and has received the Sacrament of the Eucharist, may be a godparent or sponsor for baptism.

A non-Catholic baptized Christian can participate in the Rite of Baptism as a “Christian witness,” however a Catholic godparent must also be present.

The godparent name is entered into the parish record book as the “official” godparent or sponsor for baptism. Though it is ideal to select two Catholic godparents, (one female, one male) the Church only requires that there be one godparent.

The role of a godparent is more than being a relative or friend who encourages Christian behavior. The godparent represents the Church, the community of faith, into which the child is being baptized, and will assist the child to grow in that community. For a Catholic baptism, only a Catholic can take on this responsibility.

Below is a Canon Law citation regarding the selection of godparents.

Can. 872 – Insofar as possible, a person to be baptized is to be given a sponsor who assists an adult in Christian initiation or together with the parents presents an infant for baptism. A sponsor also helps the baptized person to lead a Christian life in keeping with baptism and to fulfill faithfully the obligations inherent in it.

Can. 873 – There is to be only one male sponsor or one female sponsor or one of each.

Can. 874 §1 – To be permitted to take on the function of sponsor a person must:

be designated by the one to be baptized, by the parents or the person who takes their place, or in their absence by the pastor or minister and have the aptitude and intention of fulfilling this function;
have completed the 16th year of age, unless the diocesan bishop has established another age, or the pastor or minister has granted an exception for a just cause;
be a Catholic who has been confirmed and has already received the most holy Sacrament of the Eucharist and who leads a life of faith in keeping with the function to be taken on;
not be bound by any canonical penalty legitimately imposed or declared;
not be the father or mother of the one to be baptized.

§2 – A baptized person who belongs to a non-Catholic ecclesial community is not to participate except together with a Catholic sponsor and then only as a witness of the baptism.

Godparents - St. Bartholomew Catholic Church

As you begin to prepare for your child’s baptism, one of your first decisions will be the selection of sponsors (godparents). Prior to inviting a relative or close friend to assume the role of sponsor, it is important for you to understand what our church teaches.

Choosing sponsors can be a sensitive issue, but a greater understanding of the role of a sponsor may help you in this matter. Sponsors play a very important role in your child’s spiritual life and should serve as role models of the faith.

Your child should be able to look to their sponsors as an example of how the church teaches us to live our Catholic faith. They should support you in your work to teach your child our Catholic faith.

Additionally, in their role as sponsor, they represent the larger church community. As you see, being a sponsor is not only an honor, it is a tremendous responsibility.

Our parish provides the following guidelines to help parents choose the best possible sponsors for their children.

What are the requirements for godparents?

Canon 872 and 874 of the code of Canon Law lists these requirements for valid and lawful sponsorship in Baptism. Canon 873 states one sponsor, male or female, is sufficient; but there may be two, one of each sex.

The sponsor's role is to assist the person in Christian initiation. In the case of an infant baptism, the role is, together with the parents, to present the child for baptism and to help it to live a Christian life befitting the baptized.

A Godparent must take a baptism class either at St. Bartholomew or their parish and email the certificate to Director and submit a letter/or complete the Godparent Verification Form of eligibility from his/her pastor attesting that he/she meets the following requirements:

Each sponsor for baptism must meet all of the following:

1. Be at least sixteen (16) years of age.
2. Be a fully initiated Catholic (must have received all three sacraments of initiation, baptism, confirmation and Eucharist).
3. Be a practicing Catholic and a Catholic in good standing who leads a life of faith necessary to fulfill the responsibility of being a sponsor.
4. Be a registered member of a parish in the area where he or she lives.
5. Attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation.
6. Support the parish both financially and through service to the best of their ability.
7. If married, the sponsor must be in a valid marriage. Married according to the laws and regulations of the Catholic Church, which means that they were married by a Catholic priest or obtained an official permission for getting married outside of the Catholic Church.

a. Please note: Those Catholics who are invalidly married, as for example, before a justice of the peace, without proper dispensation before a minister of a Protestant church or before a rabbi, or those Catholics who are divorced and invalidly remarried do not qualify as a sponsor at baptism even though they may fulfill other requirements listed above.

8. If single, may not be cohabiting with someone without the benefit of marriage.
9. May not be the father or the mother of the person to be baptized.

We hope that parents choose godparents who will take an active role in the faith formation of their child.

The church requires at least one godparent who is a practicing, confirmed Catholic age 16 or older. That godparent's name is entered into the parish record book as the "official" godparent or sponsor for baptism.
If you choose more than two godparents, one or two may have their names entered into the book as "official" godparents, and the others can be "honorary" godparents. You don't have to tell them which is which.
If you choose two godparents of the same sex, one can be the "official" godparent for the record book, and the other can be the "honorary" one. (Just as above, you don't have to tell anyone which is which except us.)
Baptized non-Catholic Christians may not be "official" godparents for the record book, but they may be Christian witnesses for your child.
People who are not baptized Christians cannot be sponsors for baptism, since they themselves are not baptized. However, you may certainly invite non-Christian friends or relatives to attend the celebration and to have a special place in your child's life, sharing with your child their own faith traditions.

Godparents by Proxy
If the godparent cannot be present in person, he/she may appoint another person to represent him/her. This is usually done by letter which would contain a statement of acceptance of the responsibilities by the sponsor and the appointment by name of the proxy. Requirements for the proxy are the same as those listed above for a godparent.

Christian Witness
A baptized person who belongs to a non-catholic ecclesial community may be admitted only in company with a catholic sponsor, and then simply as a witness to the baptism. A letter of recommendation from his/her pastor should be obtained.

Oriental (Orthodox)
According to the Directory of Ecumenism, for a just cause, it is permissible that a member of a separated Oriental (Orthodox) Church act as a sponsor, together with a Catholic godparent so long as there is a provision for the Catholic education of the person being baptized, and it is clear that the godparent is a suitable one. A letter of recommendation from his/her pastor should be obtained.

Godparent's Responsibilities
A godparent's responsibilities extend far beyond standing with the family at church. A godparent is expected to be a spiritual guide for the child. Whether the child is a blood relative or the child of a close friend, the expectation is that every effort will be made to get to know your godchild well and help the parents by sharing your faith with the child in every way possible, from the day of the baptismal ceremony to all the days beyond.

Catholic features and traditions of baptism.

Can a Catholic be a godfather? I decided to convert myself to Catholicism when my Catholic friend was not allowed to baptize my child

The institution of acceptance (godparents) arose in the Elin environment. It was fixed in the following way: religious knowledge and experience was passed from teacher to student.
The Church handed the student into the hands of a teacher, who received the rights and duties of a shepherd for a person. Some see the Indo-Aryan Vedic tradition, which was observed by the Elins in teaching philosophy (more precisely, any bookish wisdom), in the prohibition to have a teacher of their biological parents. nine0004 The recipient receives from the church the one who is preparing for baptism. The recipient must convey his religious and spiritual-ascetic experience and knowledge to the perceived. The recipient is the main participant in the announcement. In the classical period, only deacons and deaconesses (or higher in the hierarchical ladder) could be the recipient.
Baptism was performed on the catechumen only when the recipient testified that he taught everything and tested the faith.
If an infant is baptized, then the promise of the beneficiary is to raise the infant for the first confession, when the baptized person himself, consciously, pronounces the vows of baptism for himself. nine0007
added: 19 Dec 2014

Religious experience is primarily about faith. The flesh of faith is the storage of the rules of faith (dogmas).
If a Catholic had the Orthodox faith, he would be called Orthodox.
The fact is that we do not baptize a person into abstract Christianity "with all that is good", but we engraft a branch to the Vine - the Body of Christ - the Church.

If an infant is baptized, then his godfather (godfather) is seen as the builder of the Temple of the Holy Spirit. The Bible also describes an episode when the Jews refused the Samaritans to allow them to build the Temple in Jerusalem. The Samaritans differed from the Jews in "certain details of the worship of God." About how we differ from Catholics and Protestants. nine0007
added: 19 Dec 2014

If the recipient is accepted consciously, for the cause, then this can only be a person whose experience and knowledge you can trust.
Signs that your candidate for successor is unsuitable: he does not believe in Christ, that it is necessary to take communion, study the Scriptures, and not leave the prayer meeting. He can demonstrate his worldview with deeds. Moreover, he is no good at all if he does not listen to the Church in her rules of faith. For example, in the doctrine of the Trinity or the Church (that is, in what we have the greatest contradictions with the Catholics, which is reflected in the Creed and in the catechism - ours and theirs). nine0003 A sign that a Catholic accepts the teachings of the Church is the Rite of Churching a Catholic, where he firmly renounces all the errors of Rome.

If you want to invite a friend as a decorative character in your family circle, then you can choose anyone who can read the Creed without error, and hold your child with a firm hand for 15 minutes.
I hope that you, accordingly, will not trust a blind man to lead your child, not yet sighted, to his pit, and will educate your child in the Orthodox faith yourself. Cross out the Vedic traditions of brahmacharya (it seems so)! nine0007
From the time the godparents became wedding generals at the Wedding Feast of the Lamb, from then on you can invite anyone you want as a godparent. We have both Muslims and atheists as godparents. So a quiet, kind Catholic in our glorious time is already a blessing (for example, St. Luke Voyno-Yasenetsky was brought to God by his kind, soft Pole Catholic - his father Felix, his mother was too liberal in religious matters).

added: 19 Dec 2014

If you still wish to be chosen as a Catholic godfather, look for a very well-read and dialectically agile priest. For example, I got acquainted with Church law from the textbook of the Odessa Seminary, where it is written in black and white "NO" (and the rationale is indicated). The highly respected book of Tsipin tells me, a rigorist, that it is also impossible. But it is further pointed out that in some respected by many literature with an unknown author, it is said that sometimes it is possible. That is, first a clear prohibition was uttered, and then, as a scientific discourse, a different opinion was provided, with a strong doubt about its quality. nine0003 I see a similar technique as follows: open a textbook on Therapy, and read: a person eats through his mouth. But if you really need it, then you can ... I can list a dozen methods for introducing a food or nutritional mixture not through the mouth. So be smart.

added: 19 Dec 2014

And the choice "for love" is generally strange. Usually they are invited by correspondence: a cook who cooks well, a car mechanic to repair a car, a doctor to heal, a believer to be baptized in the church in which they are baptized (the Church is the Body of Christ, therefore they believe in it, and they baptize it). nine0003 It will hardly be right if you choose a doctor not by qualification, but by friendship with him: a urologist in the treatment of eye diseases. And in the case of a Catholic, you will invite a chess player to teach boxing.

I have many non-Orthodox friends: Muslims, Catholics, sectarians. Jews. I love them and am friends with them not for the sake of common faith. Therefore, I will not be offended if they do not call me as a "grandparent" to a mosque, synagogue, church. I will even definitely come to a home holiday "on occasion", but I will not be able to become a teacher of a young Catholic in his catechism. Or I'll have to be hypocritical, teaching things I don't believe in. nine0007
And the commemoration of Catholics in the church is a sphere of tradition, not a sign of belonging to the Church. For example, at every liturgy I commemorate "authorities and armies", being sure that part of our authorities and armies are sectarians, Muslims, atheists, Uniates, Satanists. And such a collision did not appear today, but under the apostles.

Good afternoon, Father Alexander!
I have a very difficult situation, it has been tormenting me for some time now, I won't be able to write briefly, so I apologize in advance for wasting your time. nine0003 I was baptized in Orthodoxy as a child, since then I have not been in the Orthodox Church - it happened that way. Neither my godparents nor my family instilled Love for God in me, for they themselves were far from it. Moreover, in my youth and adolescence, I did a lot of bad things and considered myself an atheist. When I studied at the university, I met a guy from a large religious family. Slowly, he began to tell me about God, about religion, about the Church, and then, somehow sensing my interest and desire for this, he took me to the Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (in Moscow, I am from there), and there I I came to God and to faith myself, I went there for a very long time, although we parted with the guy a long time ago. Years passed, and God brought me together with my husband - he is a Latvian, and I moved to live with him in Latvia, although my relatives, as you understand, were very upset by my decision, and this is one of the reasons for our misunderstandings - they always think that I am here temporarily, although I have been living here for six years. We formalized the marriage, but he is not baptized (although better than many of those who beat their chests that he is a believer), he is even afraid to go into the temple, so as not to defile the feelings of the parishioners and servants of God. So far I have not been able to persuade him to get married, which means that I cannot convert to Catholicism, which is close to me in spirit and whose church I go to, but I really want to do this and cannot consider myself Orthodox - that would be dishonest, but I consider myself a Christian and want the reunification of the Churches. nine0003 Recently, my sister asked me to be her daughter's godmother, and I gladly agreed! I asked her to find out all the details in my homeland, since I can only come to Russia for a short time for the baptism itself, and if I need to go through the teachings, like the Catholics, then I would go through it here, at home. She said that she did not want to bother me, and found a temple where no teaching is required (I will not bore you with my thoughts on this), I replied that I would go to the temple anyway and ask the priest all the questions that interest me, so as for me this is a responsible step. Before going to the priest, I decided to read in more detail how this ceremony is held by the Orthodox, and the first thing I discovered was that the godmother must be Orthodox. Father Alexander, but it’s completely different for Catholics, Protestants - even an Orthodox can baptize a Lutheran, so it is in my husband’s family, and it’s everywhere here - Latvia is multi-confessional, I couldn’t imagine this at all. I shared my doubts with my sister, who accused me of ruining the name day (told me that I was changing God), since the money had already been paid, the photographer had been ordered, the cross had been bought, etc. I was very offended, because I do not feel guilty for the fact that I myself decided to take a more responsible approach to this and made it all worse. We quarreled very strongly and now I don’t know what to do next, how to communicate with people close to you who hurt you (this is not the first time). Tell me the direction where to "look", father Alexander. nine0003 Have a nice day!
Best regards, Ekaterina.

Ekaterina
Kekava
Latvia
Other

Thank you. I understood everything. Or does it depend on income?

Discussion

Zmeik, I am a Catholic, the godmother of an Orthodox child. And the funny thing is that my child’s godparents will most likely be Orthodox... And they will certainly not be baptized in the Orthodox faith...

As my godson's father explained, it is important that the boy's godfather be Orthodox...

Dear little snake, the meaning of godfather or godfather is a person who, along with parents, will be responsible for the child's soul. Those. the function of the godfather in instructing the child in the faith in which he is baptized and, of course, prayer for the child. A good godfather can be a support for a child in life.

This discovery clarifies who the proto-Christians were who baptized or, as they say more and more often now, certified Jesus Christ. nine0007

Now it is proved that the proto-Christians - Essenes were also engaged in social sciences, sociology, and issues of social organization.
So, two versions of the Charter of the future society were discovered: the kingdom of high morality ("Kingdom of Heaven").
Questions of economics, finance and politics, apparently, were also not alien to the "first academics". The so-called "Copper Scroll" was also found and cut, which contained extremely secret information about secret burials in the cities of the Mediterranean about 180 tons of gold and silver, obviously prepared for social reforms, which Jesus Christ speaks about in his famous .and almost no one correctly read the Sermon on the Mount, where he first of all mentions the Beggars, who are strong in their intellect (spirit). Well, that's another conversation. nine0007

Such an answer to the question about the age of baptism would, in my opinion, be the most constructive: if a child is baptized after the beginning of reading, then this will give Orthodoxy a new impetus to its origins - to enlightenment and intellect, as the basis of true spirituality. Of course, a more comprehensive set of recommendations and baptismal supplies is needed. On this basis, in 1996 - 1999, a development and upbringing program was developed: "Gifted and talented children for every family." - [link-1]
the rite of baptism, which will inevitably replace the old one - depending on what kind of future the parent wants to give the child? The most important thing is to give the child giftedness through baptism after the child begins to read, before walking ...
But I think that it is necessary to baptize when the child receives his first higher education - in the new system this happens at the age of 11 - 12 years - then it will be a truly conscious choice.

And if you have a desire to go to the Temple - go by all means. tomsik Oh, and if you can not back to the altar, then how to get out??? go_romanovs Normal and calm. You can not stand with your mouth open, with your back to the altar during the service. Inanna Do not complicate, your desire is saving... come in, wait, listen to the liturgy. No one will force you to make the sign of the cross. Candles can be put, they are sold at the porch, in a small shop. You can also order prayers there. We have Holy Water in the Temple, in the baptismal. Our father does not leave for another 2 hours after the service, everyone goes to him for advice, many strangers, he does not refuse anyone. Do not be afraid. Of course, you need to be in a headdress, preferably in a skirt. And remarks, if they suddenly do, do not take it as a slap in the face, but as an ur...

Baptism of a child

At the entrance to the temple there is a vessel with consecrated water, or a sprinkler, into which the fingers of the right hand are dipped and then baptized. Immediately upon entering the temple, kneeling (the right knee) is performed in front of the tabernacle. And subsequently, passing by the tabernacle, they kneel, or at least bow their heads. Catholics are baptized in a different order from the Orthodox - first the left shoulder, then the right. There are no special moments outside the liturgy when it is required to make the sign of the cross. In the temple there are rows of prayer benches, and below - low benches (they kneel on them during worship). Confession in a Catholic church is made in special confessionals - small booths for the priest and the confessor. If in the confessional...

No conveyor. In general, in the prayer house of the Evangelists, the atmosphere is pacifying, a bright, spacious room without icons, beautiful chants, prayers in a simple accessible language, children do not behave forcedly during the service - they walk around the hall, sit down, sing, and no one hisses at them, does not “put pressure ". I am not ready for my baptism. There is a temptation to baptize an adopted son, becoming his godmother (they say "the prayer of the godmother will absolve all sins, raise from the bottom of the sea"), for example, in a Catholic church (at the beginning of construction, in the midst of indignant public debate, Dimochka once said that he would go there, but did not have time). I don’t understand the division into religions at all - Orthodox, Catholics, Protestants, Baptists, Witnesses, ... - everyone believes in ONE God and His son Jesus, and divisions - just accept ...
...I'm not ready for my baptism. There is a temptation to baptize an adopted son, becoming his godmother (they say "the prayer of the godmother will absolve all sins, raise from the bottom of the sea"), for example, in a Catholic church (at the beginning of construction, in the midst of indignant public debate, Dimochka once said that he would go there, but did not have time). I don’t understand the division into religions at all - Orthodox, Catholics, Protestants, Baptists, witnesses, . .. - everyone believes in ONE God and His son Jesus, and divisions are just a primitive struggle for parishioners and their money, for power and influence ("in the house My father has many mansions"). Why argue in which church to baptize a child? And why baptize a baby? 2/3 will answer - so that like everyone else, or relatives insist, or so that they shout less, or the grandmother of an unbaptized person will not take treatment if anything ...

Discussion

I completely agree with you, Natalia, and admire your deed. So be it! Although it is very difficult, and most of us completely go into the depths of our grief, but in fact there is only one way to get out of it - to try to help the other person. Not being religious, I am sure that this is exactly what God wants from us - so that we never give up, do not become embittered and return to happiness through love, and not through leaving the world for a monastery, etc. Otherwise, why did he give us this world ? nine0003 And I still can't come to the church. I do not understand many things:
According to Christians, some people atone for the sins of other people with their suffering (starting with Jesus). Once, in a children's hospital, I read an article by a priest on a stand about the meaning of serious illnesses in children. So, maybe they do not need to be treated? Some kind of pagan attitude - to make a sacrifice, and everything will be decided (and the sacrifice is not a lamb, but a child!). One can gain wisdom and understanding oneself through suffering. How can someone else do this for you? nine0003 After reading the Gospel, I asked myself one more question: why does the Christian church even exist? Jesus commanded:
- do not build temples on earth, but only in the human soul;
- do not fast, do not pray, but rather go and make peace with your neighbor;
- and if there is a desire to pray, enter quietly into your house and pray there so that no one sees you.
Isn't it?
That's why I would like everyone, like Natalya, to go to God (= to understanding life and their place in it) through love for people, for children, for their child, and not on the advice of priests. Even if they are good people, pure in soul, etc. - Well, who can wisely manage your life, your thoughts, your feelings for you? And if the priest is a bad person or simply indifferent? There are a lot of them. nine0003

21.07.2006 12:08:03, Marina

"Don't let the patient consider the affairs of life as material for obedience to the Enemy. If you have made the world an end and faith a means, a person is already almost in your hands and it makes absolutely no difference what goal he pursues. If only meetings, pamphlets,
political campaigns, movements and deeds mean more to him than prayer,
sacraments and mercy - he is ours.
This is a quote from K.S. Lewis (C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters). At one time, this book pushed me to finally get baptized, and I highly recommend reading it to anyone who sincerely wants to find answers, and not just "hang out". (If anyone does not understand, these are the advice of an old sophisticated demon to a young and beginner). nine0003 As for the last statement - "if you believe in Christ and go to Christ, then only not through Orthodoxy" - I very often hear this. Indeed, in a modern satanic society, it is permissible to be anyone - a Catholic, a Sandeist, a fire worshiper, or even a pagan - but not Orthodox! Well, for me this is another proof that Orthodox Christianity is the true faith.

26.02.2005 18:35:38

Well, what is it!! It's time for the child to be baptized ... Throughout the pregnancy, I was sure that my girlfriend would have a godmother (we have been family friends for a long time). But for some reason she didn’t tell her about it, she took it for granted ... - I understand it’s my own fault: ((Here she was told, and she refused! They say she doesn’t go to church, she doesn’t follow the laws, she doesn’t know how and what , and it’s scary for her ... And what to do? I can’t think of anyone else: ((I wanted to be a godfather with a loved one, with whom I often see, communicate . .. Is it possible ...

Question to all those who know: We are going to baptize our son, we have a godmother, but there are problems with the godfather... We don't have such a person except...grandfather (ie my father). Tell me, according to Orthodox Christian laws, can a child's grandfather become his godfather? Or can you get by with one godmother? For example, among Catholics, even two grandmothers of a child can be godmothers to him (I personally know such an example).

Talk

I wanted to baptize my son after 40 days, as soon as possible. Purely for my own comfort, because I believe. The husband initially agreed, and then protested, like, let him grow up and decide for himself which faith he wants to belong to. In principle, he may be right. But you can change your faith at any age. In short, I will give a free baptismal set for a boy, new, up to 3 months. Shipping at your expense

In the Catholic Church, a special church service is dedicated to the sacrament of Baptism - the Liturgy of the Baptism of Children. Baptized most often on Sunday. The difference between the Catholic rite is that both the parents of the child and his godparents must be present at the baptism. Small children are baptized according to the faith of their parents. Churching of the family and understanding of the Catholic dogma plays an important role. The service begins with the rite of acceptance of the child into the church community. The rite of acceptance is a dialogue between the priest and the parents, in which the parents testify to their faith and understanding of the meaning of the church and the sacraments. nine0007

The priest asks: “What name did you choose for your child?” The parents name. Priest: "What are you asking the Church of God for (name)?" Parents answer: "Baptism." The priest can start the dialogue in a different way, parents are not required to respond according to the generally accepted formula. In this case, they say what they think. To the second question, they can answer: "God's grace", "Eternal life" or "Acceptance into the bosom of the Church of Christ. " The priest continues, turning to the parents: Dear parents, asking for the adoption of a child into the bosom of the Church, you take on the responsibility of raising him in the faith of Christ, you must teach him to love God and neighbors, to keep the commandments. Are you aware of your responsibilities? Parents answer: We understand. After that, the performer of the sacrament addresses the recipients: Dear recipients, are you ready to help parents in the Christian upbringing of this child? The receivers answer: ready. The priest says that the community of such and such a temple gladly accepts (the name of the child) and overshadows him with the sign of the cross. It is noteworthy that the parents and godparents, following the priest, make the mark of the cross on the forehead of the child. The child becomes a member of the church community and the second part of the baptismal service begins - the Liturgy of the word. The priest reads passages from the New Testament and delivers a short sermon in which he speaks in more detail about the duties of parents and godparents in raising children. Then the priest calls all those present to a common prayer. The primate reads the texts of prayers, and all those praying at the invocations answer “Hear us, Lord!” The Liturgy of the Word ends with prayers to all the saints. nine0007

The third part - the Liturgy of the Sacrament - begins with the procession of all the worshipers, led by the primate, to the font. The priest performs the rite of consecrating the water, reads thanksgiving prayers, and then the rite of renunciation of the forces of evil takes place. The priest's questions are answered by both parents and godparents. The priest asks: "Do you renounce sin in order to live in the freedom of the children of God?" Parents and recipients answer together: "We renounce." After renouncing the temptations and forces of evil, questions about the profession of faith follow, which are also answered by parents and godparents. nine0007

The whole family and beneficiaries come to the font and the priest once again asks the ritual question: “Do you want (child’s name) to be baptized in the Christian faith that we just professed together?” Parents answer: "We wish. " The priest plunges the child into the font three times. The baptismal formula in Catholicism sounds like this: "I baptize you in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit." After that, the godparents take the child from the font. If baptism is performed by pouring water on the head of a child, both parents and godparents can hold it. nine0007

The Sacrament ends with the child wearing a white robe, which the godparents must prepare in advance. White clothes can be replaced with a separate element - a white scarf, cape. The priest lights a baptismal candle from Easter and hands it to the parents with the words: "Receive the light of Christ." Then the whole procession goes to the altar, in front they carry the child's baptismal candle. Everyone sings prayers. In conclusion, the priest delivers a parting sermon and blesses the parents of the child, as well as the godson himself. nine0007

Sacrament of Chrismation in the Catholic Church

The Catholic teaching says: “The faithful… through the sacrament of chrismation are more perfectly united with the Church, are endowed with the special power of the Holy Spirit, and thus, as true servants of Christ, take on a stronger obligation to spread and defend the faith in word and deed. ”

Confirmation or confirmation takes place in the Latin church when the child reaches 13 or 14 years of age. Confirmation ("confirmatio") in translation from Latin means "approval". In Catholic teaching, this has the meaning of a conscious affirmation in faith. nine0007

The sacrament is performed by the bishop. The priest can perform it only in an emergency, on behalf of the bishop. Since confirmation involves the conscious profession of faith, a person can participate in it after reaching a conscious age.

The Sacrament of Chrismation includes the reading of the Holy Scriptures (Liturgy of the Word), confession by the candidates of the desire to receive the Holy Spirit, and renewal of baptismal vows.

The Liturgy of the Sacrament is celebrated by the laying on of hands on the candidates and the recitation of special prayers. Then the bishop imposes on each forehead the sign of the cross - he anoints with holy myrrh and says: "Receive the sign of the gift of the Holy Spirit. " The anointed one answers: "Amen." nine0007

The rite of confirmation is often performed before Holy Mass, at which all those who have been confirmed are given the sacrament of the Holy Mysteries. Outside the mass, the sacrament of chrismation ends with the blessing of the bishop.

Even non-believers often bring newborns to the temple: it's a tradition or a grandmother asked. Is this correct and how parents should prepare for the sacrament of baptism, "Komsomolskaya Pravda" asked the cleric of the Gomel Orthodox Church of the Holy Righteous John of Kormyansk priest Vladimir Drobyshevsky and the dean of the Gomel Roman Catholic deanery, priest Slavomir Laskovsky. nine0007

It is better to baptize a child at one and a half months

Orthodox believe that it is best to baptize a newborn on the 40th day after birth. But the sacrament can be performed on another day.

I would like to advise parents not to delay the baptism of a child until two or even five years old. An already grown child in an unfamiliar place begins to get nervous, act up and cry, which does not please him or his godparents, who are trying in vain to calm him down, says Father Vladimir. nine0007

Parents who delay baptism until the child's conscious age can be called weak believers. It means that they do not know what gift the Lord gives to their child. with the sacrament of baptism. Instead of baptizing a child, parents close the doors for grace in his life, - Father Slavomir believes.

Orthodox people baptize on any day, but they do not recommend combining the sacrament with major holidays, because priests are already very busy these days. Catholics do not celebrate the sacrament on Fridays during the Great Lent and Advent , and on the main holidays, on the contrary, it is recommended to schedule baptism:

Or on Sunday, when the entire parish community gathers in the church, because this event is not only in the life of a child, the joy is not only of his family, but of the whole community, because one more person is added to it, - stressed the Catholic priest.

Is it necessary to hide the name under which the child was baptized?

Both Catholics and Orthodox advise parents not to create confusion in the name of the child and name him at birth the same as at future baptism. Any Christian name is suitable for baptism in the church (but if the girl is called, for example, Isaura, then the priest will offer to add a second, more familiar name), and the church will require that it be in the calendar - a list of names of Orthodox saints. nine0007

And it's not true that the name given at baptism should be hidden - on the contrary, one should be proud of it!

Can a priest refuse to baptize a child?

Orthodox: if the parents are not involved in the life of the church, this cannot be an obstacle to the baptism of their child. And if the parents belong to another confession or sect, the priest will try to find out the reasons that prompted them to baptize their child, since it is important not just to perform the sacrament, but to further educate the child in the spirit of Orthodoxy. Baptism may not take place if the godfather is drunk. nine0007

Catholics: unbaptized and adherents of other religions will not be able to baptize a child in the church. Baptism of children takes place in the faith of their parents, and if both of them do not lead a Christian lifestyle, do not keep the commandments and do not want to change anything, the priest may refuse to perform the sacrament. If at least one of the parents is a practicing Catholic, the sacrament will take place.

Parents should understand what they will ask at the time of the baptism of a baby: faith and eternal life, and not health, happiness, well-being, reminded the Catholic priest. nine0007

If the parents belong to the Orthodox Church, the priest will send them to the priest. And if the parents are unbaptized, but want to restore their relationship with God, then the priest will first prepare them for the sacrament, and then baptize the child.

The baptism of an adult is not inferior in importance to the baptism of a child, but for Catholics, the preparation for the sacrament in this case will be deeper and may last more than a year.

If a priest demands a lot, appoints long preparations - this is a good priest. If, on the contrary, he does not require anything, it means that he does not take the sacrament seriously. And it is fundamental, the Church from the very beginning prepared for baptism very seriously, - explains the priest. nine0007

Will a single mother's child be baptized?

In both denominations, a mother's request to be christened for a child born out of wedlock, even if the father is of a different faith or not a believer, can be granted. But you need to be prepared for the fact that the priest wants to find out all the questions that interest him. He will try to get assurances that the child will be brought up in the faith and that godparents will not be hindered from fulfilling their duties.

It will not be an obstacle even if the parents are not married in the church. True, the priest will also consider such cases individually and try to find out for what reason the couple doesn't want to get married. nine0007

Can mother be present at baptism?

The church only welcomes the presence of the mother at the baptism of her child, but in many Orthodox parishes, the mother will be asked not to come to the sacrament. This is done for the sake of the subsequent churching of the child, during which special prayers are read for the mother, only after that she is allowed to participate in the sacraments.

Who to choose as godparents?

Orthodox: only people baptized in Orthodoxy can become Orthodox. The duties of godparents include the task of raising a child in such a way that he would become a part of Christ. nine0007

Catholic: one of the godparents is allowed to be Orthodox, but the other must be Catholic. Godparents must be believers and lead a Christian lifestyle, in order to later help parents in raising their child in the faith.

Can godparents get married later?

In Orthodoxy, godparents do not want to marry each other. They do not have to be spouses, bride and groom. Catholics, on the contrary, believe that if godparents are or will become one family in the future, this can only help them to better participate in the upbringing of the godson. By the way, an unmarried girl can also become a godmother. nine0007

If you are offered to be a godfather, can you refuse?

A priest sees nothing wrong if a person refuses a request to become a godfather:

Perhaps he understands that for some reason he will not be able to properly participate in raising a child or has one or two godchildren, therefore, a third person will no longer have enough strength to participate in the spiritual life.

Batiushka sees no reason to refuse: praying for your godson is available to everyone. But you can also refuse to become a godfather. nine0007

By the way, the fact that all the sins of the godson committed before the age of 18 fall on the godfather is not true. Everyone is personally responsible for their own sins.

Should the baptismal garment be kept for life?

Both in the church and in the church people are baptized in two ways: pouring water over them and lowering them into the font. In the latter case, parents need to prepare a towel and a change of clothes. You can bring a child in any clothes, of course, clean and smart, but not necessarily new. In the church you can buy special white clothes for baptism. It is not at all important for both Catholics and Orthodox to keep it: you can wear this clothes or set it aside for the baptism of the next child. But the candle in both denominations is advised to cherish until the end of life. nine0007

How to celebrate christening?

Priests of both confessions recommend that baptisms be held with joy and in a festive way, invite relatives and friends, but in no case arrange a feast with booze! And putting a child on a fur coat with fur up, you don’t need to follow other superstitions at all:

I often notice red threads around the wrists during baptism on children. Grandmothers nod - this is from the evil eye. At best, they do stupid things, at worst - a magical attitude towards faith. We must decide: either believe in the red thread, or in Christ, advises Father Vladimir. - With our amulets, evil eyes, we offend the Lord with our unbelief. nine0007

Which cross should I choose?

People say that it is better to make a silver cross for the sacrament, because "gold is a dirty metal associated with sin." Catholics and Orthodox argue that these are inventions and you need to buy a cross only according to your means. Father reminds:

The main thing is that the image of the crucifixion be canonical. Often there are crosses that you don’t even want to consecrate. The most common mistakes: the image on the crucifix does not have the inscription "Ic Xc", there is no halo. nine0007

Is it bad if a child doesn't cry after baptism?

A baby can and should be fed before the start of the Divine Service, so as not to be distracted later and not make him cry. If this was not possible, the priest will always provide an opportunity to feed the baby.

Sometimes babies do not cry even after dipping into water. But contrary to popular belief, there is nothing wrong with that.

This is neither bad nor good, just a calm child. At the time of my baptism, I just sobbed, and now I became a priest! - priest Slavomir jokes. nine0007

How much does it cost to get baptized?

In some Orthodox parishes there is no clear amount of payment, and people donate at their own discretion and to the extent possible. But more often they ask for a certain amount for baptism. If she is too big for you - do not be shy, talk to the priest, he is unlikely to refuse.

Catholics do not have fixed rates. Everyone understands that the church needs to be maintained, heated, and puts in the basket for voluntary donations as much as they see fit. nine0007

Next Friday, February 11, read in Komsomolskaya Pravda the advice of priests and psychologists on how to talk to a child about God, what prayers even a first grader can learn, and what children can be taught in Sunday schools at churches.

Fried cheesecakes with herbs, cheese and garlic

How the British Baptize Children: 10 Innovations

October 23, 2013

in events. nine0007

Prince George's christening took place on Wednesday, 31 years after his father, Prince William, was christened in 1982. Much has changed since then...

Baptisms have become less frequent

George's christening is now the exception rather than the rule. And not only because he is a prince.

Although not all children were baptized 30 years ago, every third child in Britain was baptized in the Anglican Church. By 2011, every tenth baby was baptized in the Anglican Church. And the total number of christenings, and people of all ages, decreased from 266 thousand to 1980 to 140 thousand in 2011

Catholics have a similar picture. Although the main blow came in 1964-1977, when the number of christenings was halved. Over the past 30 years, this trend has somewhat slowed down, and lately 60,000 children are baptized a year on average.

But there are more godparents

Although baptism has become less frequent, there are more godparents in children. Prince George has seven godparents. The son of the famous model Liz Harley, for example, has six of them. nine0007 Photo caption,

One of model Liz Harley's godsons, Sir Elton John

And it's not just celebrities.

"There's been a noticeable change in practice," says Archdeacon Tim Stratford of Leicester. Although the doctrine in this matter has not changed. Formally, both the Anglican and the Catholic Church limit only the minimum number of godparents: in the Anglican Church, the godson must have at least three godparents, in the Catholic - one.

"It used to be difficult to find godparents in principle, but now priests are often faced with the fact that parents choose too many godparents for their children," says Stratford. nine0007

"In church books, we usually have only four lines to write down the names of all the godparents, and some choose seven or eight," - said the clergyman.

And the godparents are not necessarily believers

It is assumed that the godfather becomes the child's mentor in matters of faith. And in this sense, the rules do not change.

"Strictly speaking, only believing Catholics, or Christians of other denominations, who will be called "witnesses" ["grandparents" in the Orthodox tradition] should be godfathers", says Father Paul Keane, a Catholic priest from Essex. nine0007 Image caption,

It's not just the godparents who take care of the baby

The Church of England doesn't make that distinction, Stratford explains.

"The only requirement for godparents is that they themselves must be baptized. Strictly speaking, a Muslim or Hindu cannot be a godparent, nor can an atheist who has not been baptized be a godparent. "

But the priest admits that in practice the role of the godfather is much broader than religious education.

"Suppose a child has enough godparents. In this case, nothing prevents a person from becoming an "honorary godfather", while not formally being a godfather. And this happens quite often in the Church, "explains the clergyman. Soon the Anglican Church will even issue a special recommendation, which will say that such people should be called "a friend who provides support."

"The Church is trying to respond to changes in society," says Stratford.

More and more naming ceremonies

Although society has become less religious, it is in no hurry to forget about all church traditions.

Even 15 years ago, there were practically no so-called naming ceremonies, but today, according to the British Humanist Association, hundreds of such ceremonies are held annually.

"There will likely be more naming ceremonies in the coming years," says Sarah Barrett, editor of the BabyCentre website. nine0007

So even if the parents are atheists, they do not completely abandon religious concepts. "It's much easier to explain who a godfather is than what a 'supporting mentor' is," Barrett notes. In 1992, 80% of children were baptized in the Church of England under the age of one year, by 2012 this figure had fallen to 60%.0007 Image caption,

Former Spice Girl member Gerry Halliwell baptized her daughter when she was 11 months old

both children at the same time," says Barrett.

Something like "two for the price of one". But the cost is not the point here. "Parents would like their child to remember the ceremony," the expert explains. nine0007

"Fictitious" baptisms

The desire to send the child to a good and free school, and often this means a religious school, has led to the emergence of so-called "fictitious" christenings.

"In order to send my son to a nearby public school, I had to pretend to be an Anglican," says atheist Andrew Penman, author of School Shock: Finding a Good Public School.

image caption,

The Queen's grandson and his wife chose two Psalms 9 for their christening0007

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"I didn't do this out of protest or to undermine anyone's faith. It was a necessary measure, because the only way I could be sure that my son would go to public school," says Penman, confessing that he felt extremely uncomfortable during the rite of baptism. nine0007

Penman believes that many parents do this, pointing out that the number of parish parents drops sharply after their children are admitted (or not) to schools.

But, according to Jane, who does not want to give her real name, talking about a "fictitious baptism" is too categorical. She herself is an atheist, her husband is Jewish, but Jane claims that she always wanted their children to receive a religious upbringing.

"I'd be lying if I said that I didn't think about schools. But the whole 'fictitious' side of the issue is connected with the fact that the time factor puts pressure on parents," she says. nine0007

Jane had her second child baptized almost immediately after she read in the local paper that Catholic schools would introduce stricter criteria for applicants.

"It said that it would be good to baptize a child in the first four months of his life," Jane confessed.

It is difficult to say how widespread this phenomenon is throughout the country. This is most likely to be encountered in London, where it is difficult to get into free Christian schools due to the large number of applicants. nine0007

Baptismal shirts go out of style

George was baptized wearing the same shirt as his father. In exactly the same attire, all future monarchs were baptized, starting with Edward VII (great-grandfather of Queen Elizabeth II). But baptismal shirts are being worn less and less on children.

Image caption,

Sweden's Princess Estelle wore a traditional christening shirt

"While preparing for the baptism, we were told that it was not necessary to wear the traditional shirt anymore," says Becky Bevis, mother of a one-year-old baby. "He was wearing a white shirt and cotton trousers," she recalls. nine0007

Four children were baptized that day, and none of them, according to Becky, were wearing a christening gown.

"The church simply asks that the child be wrapped in something white as a symbol of new life in Christ after he is baptized," the young woman explains.

Baptismal gowns, she says, are worn by babies in those families when "there is a certain tradition, as, for example, in the royal family. Basically, mothers simply dress their children in cute suits or lace knickers. " nine0007

But gifts are given (although not always made of silver)

Christening is a whole economy. All famous designers, including such giants as Vera Wang and Tiffany's, turned around here in earnest. At John Lewis, sales of christening gifts increased by 8% last year alone.

Image caption,

Silver spoons remain the most common christening gift.

Although it is still customary to give silver items as a gift, not everyone adheres to it. nine0007

"No one gave us anything silver," says Becky Bevis about her son's christening. As a child, she herself received a silver spoon as a gift.

"Today it's common to plant trees at christenings, or give something that will stay with the child for years to come," she explains.

And even those who choose silver are sometimes cunning. Only 55% of all gifts sold at John Lewis were silver plated. 40% of the gifts were pewter and 5% stainless steel. nine0007

Water is heated

Baptismal children sometimes cry. But today, at least, not because they are doused with ice water.

Image caption,

In some Orthodox churches, like in Georgia, children are bathed in fonts to understand that there was no electricity in the rural churches. And where, in this case, to heat the water? This has been done relatively recently." nine0007

Even today, not all rural churches in Britain have electricity, but, according to Stratford, more and more churches have small annexes, and there you can always turn on the kettle.