How girls are baptized in church. Who to choose as godparents

The baptism of a child is a solemn event after the birth of a baby in the family. It introduces a person to communication with God, to union with the Lord. Not everyone has an idea about this sacrament. Therefore, we will try to tell you more about it.

When can a baby be baptized?

The question that concerns any parents is how early can a child be baptized? “This can be done from the first days of the baby’s birth, especially if there is a threat to his life.

If everything is fine with the baby, they usually wait forty days. Why? This time is given to the mother of the newborn for cleansing. For 40 days the church considers her “unclean.” After the expiration of the term, the mother can be present during the ritual of joining the church. And the baby will become stronger to perform the sacrament of Baptism.

At what age can you be baptized? You can come to the Lord at any age. It is believed that at Baptism a person receives his Guardian Angel, who does not leave him even after death.

Video: What you need to know before baptizing a child

Why is it better to be baptized in infancy?

Many people prefer to baptize later, at one or two years old. But we must remember that the older the child, the more difficult it is for him to withstand the ritual, because it lasts about an hour. An infant sleeps peacefully in the arms of his godfather, but a grown-up child, tired, begins to be capricious. It is also more difficult to immerse it in the font.

What days to baptize

Are there days when Baptism is prohibited? There are no restrictions, but different churches have their own schedule of services. Therefore, it is advisable to check the date of Baptism in your church.

Choosing a godfather

Godparents must be chosen for the person being baptized.

Church rules say that a child needs a successor of the same sex.
A godmother is required for a girl; a godfather is required for a boy.
If the baby has both recipients, as is popular among the people, this is also allowed.
The choice of godparents must be approached seriously; they are entrusted with the spiritual education of the godson in the Orthodox faith.
The person who becomes the child's foster child must be a person of the Orthodox faith, a relative, close acquaintance or family friend.
A husband and wife or a couple planning to get married, people with a sick psyche, sectarians, people who are sinners from the point of view of the church (alcoholics, drug addicts, etc.) cannot baptize the same child.

What is needed for the baptism ceremony

For baptism you need to buy:

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Christening shirt (the godmother buys it).
Pectoral cross with chain (bought by the godfather).
You also need to have a baptismal towel and diaper with you.

How much and why to pay

Before performing the ceremony, you need to pay a donation for baptism. This amount is different in each city. The Lord commanded not to take money for Baptism. But the donation for the ceremony is one of the important parts of the temple’s profit, allowing it to pay the costs of lighting, heating, repairs and maintenance of the temple, and the work of the priest, who, according to custom, has a large family.

If a person does not have money to pay, he cannot be denied the sacrament of Baptism. If you refuse, you must contact the dean (this is the clergyman who oversees order in the parish).

How does the baptism ceremony take place?

Is it possible to take photographs in the church?

Many churches now allow taking photos or videos of the ceremony. But you need to find out this in advance, since some priests are categorically against filming. After all, Baptism is first and foremost a sacrament.

Video: The Sacrament of Baptism. Rules

What to do with baptismal items

The baptismal shirt, diaper and towel are kept in the family of the baptized person. These things cannot be washed, because they contain particles of the holy world. If the baby is sick, they put a baptismal shirt on him and pray for his recovery. The diaper (or kryzhma) has the miraculous property of healing a baby from illnesses. If your child is teething painfully, you can pray and cover him with a diaper or towel.

Celebration of christening

After the baptism ceremony is completed, it is customary to celebrate a joyful event. I would like to remind you that the godfather pays for the baptismal ceremony itself and sets the festive table. At christenings, godparents and guests bring gifts.

What can you give to someone who has been baptized?

Traditionally they give:

Set: silver spoon and mug

silver spoon
silver mug,
toys,
elegant clothes,
photo album,
gold or silver jewelry,
money.

Through the sacrament of Baptism, a person joins God, is born spiritually, and acquires an inextricable connection with the Heavenly Father. Therefore, it is so necessary to baptize your baby as early as possible. If parents have additional problems, there is no need to seek information from strangers. Contact the priest, and he will listen to you carefully and answer your questions.

When a child is born, parents are involved in shaping his destiny. Everything matters here: the name that he will be given, his upbringing and other points. The character of the growing man and his fate will ultimately depend on these factors and circumstances.

How to organize a christening

Godparents should be involved in organizing the holiday. When preparing, the rules are simple. First of all, you need to agree with the priest on the time of the ceremony. Confess and receive communion yourself. can only be Orthodox. A person who has not decided on his religion cannot participate in the Sacrament.

Believers choose a name for a newborn, consulting with the “Saints”. But if they do not do this, Father will definitely recommend a name. The rules suggest giving the newborn the name Saint, on the day on which she was born. However, today very often at christenings the girl is left with the name that her parents have already given her.

Clothes for a girl's christening

Since this is a holiday, it is recommended to choose smart clothes. In the concepts of the Orthodox Church, elegant clothing is not associated with a large amount of jewelry. It is better to choose a white dress, which can be decorated with embroidery or lace. In some families, the outfit for a girl's christening is passed down from generation to generation. Rules and traditions that have been established for centuries suggest that the outfit should be embroidered by the godmother.

Now this is not followed. You can just buy the right outfit. It is only recommended to ensure that the dress is not too flashy: bright colors or rhinestones are not welcome. In addition to elegant decoration, you will also need a new towel. They use it to wipe the child after immersing himself in the font. The dress and towel are no longer used, but are kept as memories. There is a belief that says it saves you from illness. It is placed at the head of the head when the child is sick.

How does the baptism ceremony take place?

The whole family, along with their godparents, goes to church for the ceremony. You need to take care of purchasing a cross in advance. If you buy something for your child outside of the Church, he will need to be sanctified. When the Priest is ready, you will be invited to the temple for the girl’s christening. The rules suggest that her godmother will hold her in her arms. They deviate from this only when a woman has her period.

There are times when you have to contact the Priest about who is holding the girl at the christening. According to tradition, the only requirement for a newborn is the presence of a godmother. If a woman can't go to church and there's no godfather

found, then the child will be held by one of the parents.

Congratulations on your baptism

Usually parents organize a holiday for relatives. It is customary to congratulate the girl with kind words and gifts. This is the day of finding a second family, it should be marked with a certain memory. The choice of a godmother for a girl is very important. It is desirable that this be a married woman who follows the traditions of Christianity. Since her duties will include introducing the child further to all the Sacraments of the Church.

Orthodox believers know about the seven Christian sacraments, one of which is baptism. The teaching says that every Orthodox Christian needs to be baptized in order to save his soul and gain the Kingdom of Heaven after physical death. God's grace descends on those who are baptized, but there are also difficulties - everyone who accepts the ritual becomes a warrior of God's army, and the forces of evil fall upon him. To avoid misfortunes, you need to wear a cross.

The day of baptism is very important for a believer - it is like the day of his second birth. This event must be approached with full responsibility. Let's talk about what the baby needs to perform the sacrament, what to buy and take with him, what godparents should do, how to celebrate this holiday at home.If the godparents (godparents) take on part of the responsibility for organizing the ceremony, this will be correct. Preparations for the holiday are carried out by all its participants, especially the baby’s relatives.

It is believed that wearing a pectoral cross protects a person from the forces of evil, and also strengthens his spirit and directs him to the true path. The appearance or cost of the material of the cross does not matter at all - as long as the cross is Orthodox and not pagan

When is the best time to baptize a baby?

According to custom, the baby is baptized on the 8th or 40th day after birth. There are circumstances that can affect the timing of the baptism of an infant: if the baby is sick, the illness poses a threat to life, you can baptize him earlier. Orthodoxy says that after christening a person has a guardian angel who is always behind his right shoulder. He will protect the baby and can save him. It is believed that the more prayers addressed to an angel, the stronger he will be.

Some people prefer to wait until the little man grows up and becomes stronger. The other side of the coin is that while the child is an infant, he sleeps in the arms of his godmother and calmly endures the sacrament. The older he gets, the more difficult it is for him to serve quietly. At 2 years old, the baby is spinning, wants to run, go outside. This creates difficulties for the priest and godparents, because the action can last more than an hour. Bathing a baby in the font is also easier.

The first thing mom and dad do before the sacrament is choose a spiritual name for the baby. In our country, a tradition has developed of calling a baby in the world by a name other than the one given to him at baptism in the church - this is a custom justified in Orthodoxy, since it is believed that only the mother and father, the priest and the recipients can know the church name.

Then the little man will be more protected from life’s adversities. In the church, you can agree that the baby is named after the saint on whose day the baby’s birth date falls.

Recommendations for preparing for the baptism ceremony of a small child

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How to organize a child's christening? You need to visit the temple where the procedure will take place. In the church shop you can ask any questions you may have. The church minister in the shop will offer you to read a brochure about baptism, which describes all the rules. The date of birth of your baby will be written down, and the desired church name of the baby and the names of his godparents will be asked. For the ceremony, a voluntary payment is made in the form of a donation, which goes to the needs of the temple. How much should I pay? The amount of donation may vary from church to church.
Before the sacrament of baptism, godparents are required to go for an interview with the priest. If the baby’s mother and father come along with them and take part in the conversation, this will only be a plus. The priest will tell you how the baptism of a young child is performed, and what you need to take with you. He will definitely ask during the conversation whether the mother and father and the baby’s adoptive parents are baptized. If not, then the unbaptized should be baptized before the sacrament is performed on the baby. During the conversation, the priest will give recommendations to the baby’s family and set a day and time for the child’s baptism. On this day, you should arrive early in order to have time to get your bearings and prepare. Many parents invite a photographer to their child’s christening and take photos and videos. You need to know that to record videos and take photographs, you must ask permission and blessings from the priest.

The priest will be able to tell you more about the sacrament and instruct the godparents, with whom a preliminary conversation must be held. Parents of the child can also attend.
Who to choose as godparents?
Usually godparents are people of the same sex as the baby: for girls it is a woman, for boys it is a man. You can invite two godparents of different genders. Then the baby will have a spiritual father and mother.
The question of who is worthy to become your baby's godfather is very important. Godparents become the baby's second parents. Think about who treats the little man better, who is ready to bear responsibility for him, give him a spiritual example, and pray for him? Most often, relatives and family friends become recipients.
It is best if the godfather is a deeply religious person who knows and observes church traditions and laws. This person should often visit your home, since he is responsible for the upbringing of the little man, primarily spiritual. He will be next to your baby all his life.
You can choose your mother’s or father’s sister or brother, a close friend or family friend, or the baby’s grandmother or grandfather as your godfather.
The recipients must be baptized themselves - this must be done in advance. Parents need to understand that the issue of choosing godparents must be approached very seriously.
Who can't become a godfather?
The laws of baptism in the Orthodox Church are such that the following cannot become a godparent:
atheists or non-believers;
monks and nuns;
mentally ill people;
children under 15 years of age;
drug addicts and alcoholics;
promiscuous women and men;
spouses or sexually close people;
baby's parents.

Brother and sister cannot be godparents to each other. If you are baptizing twins, you must not do it on the same day. Twins may well have the same godparents.

If twins are growing up in a family, then they need to be baptized on different days, but another pair of godparents is not needed for this - it is enough to find two reliable and pious people
Memo for godparents
Appearance. The baby's adoptive parents must come to church with their crosses around their necks. If it is a woman, she wears a skirt below the knee and a jacket with sleeves to the temple. A headdress is required for the godmother. The rules for being in church also apply to a man’s clothing: you cannot expose your knees and shoulders, that is, even in hot weather you will have to give up shorts and a T-shirt. A man is in the temple with his head uncovered.
Purchases and payment. People often ask, who should buy a cross for a child’s baptism? Who pays for the procedure? There is a certain procedure for the baptism of a newborn child and preparation for it.
It assumes that the godfather buys a cross for the godson and also pays for the baptism. The godmother buys a cross for her goddaughter. It is best to choose a cross made of ordinary metal or silver. It is not customary to use a golden cross at a ceremony. When choosing a cross, make sure that it cannot injure the baby; let the cross have oval edges.
In addition to the godmother's cross, you need to buy a towel, baptismal shirt and sheet in advance. She buys kryzhma - the material in which the baby is baptized. Caring mothers keep the material for many years, as it helps to cure the child from illness. The sick little man is wrapped in kryzhma, and he begins to get better. It should be stored in a place hidden from prying eyes, since it is believed that through it you can damage the baby.

Preparation. People appointed as spiritual parents are obliged to prepare themselves for the baptism ceremony of a small child. Preparation includes strict fasting, starting a few days before the event, and refusal of entertainment and pleasure. The day before, it’s a good idea to take communion in church, before going to confession. You must take your child's birth certificate with you to church. You can watch the video of the baptism in advance to roughly understand the sequence of events.
Prayer. Recipients are required to learn the “Creed” prayer. This prayer is read by the priest three times during the sacrament of baptism of the child; the godfather may also be asked to read it by heart.

Nuances of christening
A little man can be baptized on any day of the week - on holidays and weekdays, on Lent and on an ordinary day, but most often christenings take place on Saturday.
The foster children are supposed to pick up the child from the parents in advance and go with him to church on the appointed day and time. Their parents follow them. There is a sign that the godfather should chew a clove of garlic and breathe in the baby’s face. In this way, evil forces are driven away from the baby.
Only the closest people are present at the ceremony in the temple - the parents of the boy or girl receiving the sacrament, maybe grandparents. The rest can come to the house of the baptized person after the ceremony and celebrate this event at the festive table.
Baptism of an infant does not always take place in the church itself. Sometimes the priest conducts the ceremony in a specially designated room.
If necessary, parents can arrange a ceremony at home or in the maternity hospital. To do this, you need to come to an agreement with the priest and pay all his expenses for organizing the sacrament.
The priest reads prayers and anoints the newborn. Then he cuts a lock of hair from his head, as if making a sacrifice to God. Then the baby is lowered into the font three times, the priest says: “Here is the cross, my daughter (my son), carry it.” Together with the priest, the godfather says: “Amen.”
The child's parents also come to church, observing Orthodox customs. They dress as is customary in the temple. During the ceremony, the mother can pray for her child. Such prayers will surely be answered.
In the evening, relatives and friends come to the holiday with gifts. Their choice depends on wealth and imagination: toys or clothes, baby care items or an icon of the baby’s patron saint.

Traditionally, baptism takes place on the premises of a church, but in some circumstances parents may request an outdoor ceremony - for example, at home or in the maternity ward
Features of christenings for boys and girls
The christening of a girl and a boy differs little. During the ritual, the godfather carries the male child behind the altar, but the godmother does not carry the female child there. The christening of a newborn girl requires the presence of a headdress, that is, a headscarf is put on her. When a little boy is christened, he is in the temple without a headdress.
If both godparents participate in the ritual, then first the godmother holds the boy, and after bathing in the font, the godfather picks him up and carries him to the altar. The girl is held in her arms only by her godmother. This is the main difference in the ritual for children of the opposite sex.
If the procedure for baptizing a small child is followed, the child’s blood and spiritual parents will prepare for christening, and the child will grow up healthy and cheerful. When he grows up, he will become a highly spiritual person striving for a righteous life.

Clinical and perinatal psychologist, graduated from the Moscow Institute of Perinatal Psychology and Reproductive Psychology and Volgograd State Medical University with a degree in clinical psychology

Baptism of a baby is a special sacrament that requires careful preparation. Some rules should be followed when planning a date and determining godparents for a newborn.

Long before the child plans to be born, parents begin to think about the fact that he will need to be baptized. Since ancient times, it was believed that only by baptizing a baby does he acquire his name and join the people of God, becoming closer to the Lord himself. The baptism ceremony frees the little person from sins, because all children are born in sin.

In any case, this is a matter that requires compliance with many rules.
Why are children baptized?
By undergoing the rite of baptism, the child rises to a higher spiritual level, he joins the church and acquires a name before the Lord.

Baptism is a special solemn sacrament. During the christening of a small child, a real miracle occurs. The Church insists that at this moment the real gate to Heaven opens. Baptism washes away a person's sins, making him clean before the Lord.

If you think about it, this is a way to warn your baby in the future from evil, problems and misfortunes.

The Church insists that religion is not chosen “like clothing,” so parents must take care of the baptismal ceremony in advance, choose godparents, and engage in the spiritual education of the child “from the cradle.”

Baptized people are recognized by the church and you can light candles and read prayers for them. This is another reason for the timely baptism of a child in the church.

Church calendar: when to baptize a newborn?

The most optimal time for baptism is considered to be the days when a woman’s postpartum bleeding ends, that is, after forty days.

After this period has expired, you need to carefully prepare for the ceremony and calculate the date.

Many choose certain days on which the Holy Apostles are honored and give the baby their names.

when to baptize a newborn?
Since ancient times, it was believed that baptism can be performed as early as the eighth day of birth, provided that the umbilical wound has completely healed.

There are also situations when parents do not wait for forty days to baptize. The reason for this is not the baby’s good health, his possibility of dying from illness, or a difficult and traumatic birth. In situations where it is impossible to visit church, a clergyman is invited to the hospital and conducts the ceremony. As a last resort, the mother herself reads the prayer and sprinkles the child with holy water.

After hospital baptism, you should definitely be re-baptized in church.

According to the rules, the sacrament is performed on the fortieth day after the birth of the baby, and this is not accidental.

This is the time that should bring order to the mother of the child and the newborn itself.

It is believed that it is not worth postponing the date of baptism for a long time, and if one of your relatives is sick or could not come, the church does not accept this.

If fasting occurs on the date of baptism, that is, on the fortieth day, this does not become an obstacle and there are no prohibitions on church holidays.

The only exceptions may be major church holidays; in such cases, the church may not hold baptism due to the clergy being very busy.

Preparing for a child's baptism - choosing godparents, rules and responsibilities of godparents

The christening of a child has always been considered a special holiday in the life of every family. This is a cleansing of the soul and body at the same time. Due to the child’s inability to bow before God, his godparents perform this duty for him. It is for this reason that godparents should be chosen carefully, because they will become the child’s spiritual parents until the end of his days.

Godparents for a child must be Orthodox people and must not have any intimate relationships with each other.

preparing for a child's baptism
According to the rules, the baptism of a baby should be carried out only within the walls of the church. During baptism, both parents read the “Creed” prayer, which serves as their proof of the Orthodox faith and compliance with the duties of godparents. In their prayer, both parents completely renounce Satan and promise to take full part in the spiritual Christian education of their child.

We must remember that Christianity is a voluntary and conscious choice. So it is with the choice of godparents, they should not give up their fate and fully devote their strength to this entire process.

According to tradition, it is believed that if a girl is baptized, she must have a godmother, and a boy must have a godfather. You can ask the priest himself to play the role of godfather.

Godparents should read a prayer for their godchild every holiday and before bed. It is customary to ask God for forgiveness and blessings every time, to wish health to the child and to give thanks for every day of life.

It is also the duty of the godparents to introduce the child to the Bible and give him communion.

Godparents should take on the burden of “motherhood” and make the mother’s work easier by giving her rest.

God-parents
Ideally, before baptism, both parents should come to church for confession to ask God for forgiveness for all sins committed and to receive communion. Before baptism, godparents need to spend the day in peace, prayer and refuse any intimate relationships with their spouses. You should also limit yourself in food.

Before baptism, the godmother must prepare all the necessary clothes for baptism:

kryzhma - a special diaper

shirt

hat (for girls)

The godfather traditionally receives a cross. The cross should be silver, as this metal is considered pure and is capable of attracting positive energy. Gold is not welcomed by the church, because it is not a metal from God.

The clothes in which the baby is baptized and the kryzhma should not be washed after baptism. In those moments when the child is sick, he should be covered with kryzhma. It is believed that she is able to heal the baby and give him relief. The mother must keep all the clothes and give them to her child for safekeeping as an adult.

How to dress for a christening in church: dress code rules

The church requires compliance with a special “dress code”. Men are advised not to wear clothes that are too bright or provocative. It is best to wear a long sleeve shirt and trousers. It will be solemn and correct. It is better not to wear short sleeves; some clergy react negatively to modern T-shirts. Another important point for men is that all tattoos on the body should be completely hidden. They may have a negative connotation and therefore be unacceptable in the church.

Women must adhere to a more serious dress code:

A woman's head must be covered with a scarf and, in no case, with any headdress.

A woman should not wear trousers; she should definitely wear a skirt or dress that will cover her legs at least to the knees.

Women's shoulders should also be covered, and the neckline should not expose everyone's chest.

Every detail of a godmother’s clothing should not cause outrage or condemnation. A woman should make sure that her wardrobe is not provocative: no heels, bright patterns, skulls, chains and spikes. Church is a noble place.

Every godfather must have a cross on his chest.

What are the rules for baptism?

The Orthodox Church states that during the baptismal ceremony, under no circumstances should non-Orthodox people and people of other religions be present. Therefore, before the christening, carefully check with all your loved ones for details.

The church is a pure, noble place. You should go to church with a pure soul and heart. Therefore, if you have conflicts in your family, you should definitely correct them and establish communication.

After the baptism ceremony, parents must set the table for their godparents to celebrate the event. It is customary to give gifts to a child in order to leave as many memories as possible of this bright day.

Baptism can be carried out individually, or you can combine several together. The ritual does not lose its power and acquires equal meaning for everyone.

Hair cut during baptism should be kept by the godfather.

rules for baptism in church
Is it possible to baptize a child under a different name?

Modern fashion dictates its conditions, and more and more often parents give their children unusual names: Viola, Alyana, Milana, and so on. What to do in cases where the church does not recognize the name? In such a situation, the priest offers the child another Orthodox name: either one similar to what the child has, or a name dedicated to the Holy Apostle.

In such situations, the child has two names, but only what the church has given him gains power. In prayers and petitions to God, the child’s church name should be mentioned.

Is it possible to baptize a child if the mother is unbaptized?

The Church says that unbaptized people have no right to be within its walls. That is why it is forbidden for unbaptized parents to be present during baptism. This whole situation is fundamentally wrong and before baptizing her child, the mother must undergo baptism herself. Only then do her prayers gain strength and meaning.

Some churches also do not consider it correct for a mother to be near her child during baptism, even if she is baptized. After all, all responsibilities fall on the godmother - and here she is the main one. All this can be understood from the point of view that a child cannot have two mothers at the same time. In such cases, the mother is outside the temple. Some churches allow mothers who do not have bleeding to be present in the temple and observe the ceremony from afar.

baptism ceremony
Is it possible for a pregnant woman to be a godmother and baptize her child?

The Church categorically prohibits the presence within its walls of “unclean” women, that is, those who are currently experiencing postpartum discharge or menstruation. But treat pregnant women who decide to come to the temple loyally and even favorably. Therefore, a pregnant woman may well be a godmother.

However, you should think about the fact that the ritual is quite complex and requires endurance. Sometimes you have to stand for a long time in a stuffy room and hold a child in your arms. Whether a pregnant woman can withstand this process, and whether she is capable of it, is another question.

Is it possible to baptize a child without godparents?

Some life situations force parents to make difficult decisions regarding the choice of godparents. It often happens that there are simply no suitable people. In such cases, the church itself should come to the rescue and offer its services. The fact is that any priest can become a child’s godparent.

The rules of baptism state that the child must have at least one godparent who will pray for him.

Still, it is advisable to prepare in advance to find suitable people for baptism. Age and social status should never matter; only the desire to share the fate of a parent and the Orthodox faith should move people.

Are children baptized during Lent and Easter?

As mentioned earlier, fasting and church holidays do not become an obstacle to the ritual. The only exception is the situation when the clergyman performing the ceremony is too busy on the occasion of Easter or any other date. You should always check with the priest in advance about his capabilities and plans and only then prepare for the event.
It is best to choose the day before Easter.

baptism on Easter
Is it possible to baptize a child during a leap year?

Church rules have nothing against leap years for baptisms. Christening is a rite that brings the child’s soul closer to God, and therefore, some everyday conventions should not matter. In no case should you postpone baptism on the occasion of a leap year; the child should be introduced to the Lord as early as possible.

On what day of the week are children baptized?

As a rule, baptism can be carried out on any day of the week - you just need to agree with the priest. Most often, churches gather children during the first half of the week to baptize them in the second half, but they are always ready to make exceptions and hold a private ceremony.

Baptisms are most often held on Saturday, since Sundays are overloaded with church services.

baptism in church

The rite of baptism, as a rule, is a long process that requires careful preparation and full dedication. First, the ceremony takes place in a separate room, where the godparents read prayers, and the child is anointed with myrrh and dipped in holy water. Typically, this action lasts from forty minutes to an hour. The most important thing happens in this room - the child is given a name and a cross is put on him.

How is the baptism of a child performed?

After the ceremony, carried out in a separate room, the child is allowed to enter the temple and is solemnly brought into the church. The priest brings the baby to important icons and reads prayers. The priest carries the boy children through the altar; girls are not allowed to be there. Mothers are present in the temple and read maternal prayers. This takes another forty minutes of time.

Baptism of a child: rules for godparents in the church

During baptism, godparents should listen carefully to the priest. He will read those prayers that should be mandatory when a child acquires the Orthodox faith. They are read in the old language, so it is possible that some words are repeated exactly. You shouldn't get lost here. You need to not panic and try to complete the task as best as possible.

During prayer, it is customary, at the request of the priest, to spit at the wall three times and blow. Here you should not overdo it and do everything symbolically. Each godparent should help each other if the child does not behave calmly. Baptism is a holiday that should not be overshadowed by a bad state of mind. According to the rules, if a girl is baptized, she is held by her godfather, and if a boy is baptized, by her godmother.

rules for godparents
Who cannot be a child's godfather?

There are several rules that should be followed when choosing godparents:

godparents should not be in an intimate relationship with each other

godmother should not have her period during baptism

godparents cannot be people of other faiths

The parents themselves cannot be godparents

That's all the requirements. You can be baptized several times in your life and rebaptizing the children of your loved ones (that is, I will be the godfather of the child of the parents who are the godparents of my child) is also not prohibited.

Who should buy a cross for a child’s baptism and which one?

As mentioned earlier, the godfather must buy a cross for a newborn - this is his direct responsibility. The cross must be consecrated, so prefer to purchase this attribute directly in the church. If you have already purchased this item in a jewelry store, try to dedicate it to the church in advance.

The cross should be the most ordinary one, without unnecessary symbols and meanings. It must have a crucifix and the inscription “Save and Preserve.”

God-parents
Rules for baptizing a girl in the Orthodox Church

The baptism of a newborn does not differ much depending on its gender and still requires some nuances:

A girl's clothing must have a cap - a headdress that will cover her head, as for any woman.

It is best to give preference to a long shirt and not dress the girl in a suit.

When removing the cap, the girl's head should be covered with kryzhma.

The girl is not carried through the altar in the temple.

Rules for the baptism of a boy in the Orthodox Church

A headdress for boys does not have such a strong meaning as for girls and therefore it is not necessary to keep it on the head.

The priest brings the boy not only to the icons, but also carries him through the altar, reserving this sacrament only for the male sex.

The priest reads the prayers, starting with men's names.

What do you give for a child's baptism?

Christening is an important date, and therefore on this day it is customary to give many pleasant and useful gifts. Most often, these are clothes for the child, toys or sums of money, with which parents themselves decide what to buy.
It is important not to come to the holiday empty-handed. It will be most pleasant to receive important things, for example, walkers or educational games.

It is not uncommon for one of the godparents to give the child a silver spoon. Most often this is the godmother.

How much does it cost to be baptized in a church?

The cost of baptism depends only on the church and your generosity. Churches rarely assign a specific amount and most often simply ask for a voluntary contribution to the development of the church. However, depending on the size and importance of the temple, the amount can vary from $10 to $80. This amount includes the ceremony, sometimes paraphernalia, a certificate and an ordered service in honor of the baby.

The godfather must pay for the baptismal ceremony - this is his main responsibility and a baptismal gift for his child.

Video: “The Sacrament of Baptism. Rules"

The organizational aspects of most holidays, loved and celebrated by people, can be entrusted to professionals who will take on this with joy. But not the Baptism of a child. This is a holiday when parents must take full part in the preparation, or rather, do everything themselves. Baptism is one of the seven sacraments of the Orthodox Church; it is the first and very important rite in the life of a new person. Communion with the Lord, with the church, with religion.

Preparing for a significant event is always associated with many questions, worries and troubles. Let's try to figure out what is needed for a child's christening so that everything goes calmly and solemnly, how to properly celebrate christening at home, and who to invite to the child's christening.

What day is christening held?

In Orthodoxy there are no specific dates for the christening of a girl. The rules and signs in this regard are approximately the following:

How do christenings take place?

The rite of baptism carries a special power. Through triple washing with water in the name of the Holy Trinity, the child is given a spiritual beginning for eternal life. A person is born in sin, but during Baptism he becomes one step closer to God and is denied to Satan.

Most often, it is in the church that the christening of a girl is held. The rules and signs are almost the same for a boy.

Questions often arise about who buys a cross for a child’s christening, and what kind of cross to buy for a christening. Now it’s different in every family. Previously, it was considered correct that the godfather bought the cross, regardless of the gender of the child, and the godmother bought the kryzhma. Previously, even the godfather set the table. But now this rarely happens. The Church does not set specific requirements. Parents, godparents, grandparents can buy a cross for a baby, the main thing is that it is consecrated in the church. There are no categorical statements about the material from which the cross is made. Gold, silver, copper, aluminum, any. It is important here to preserve it throughout a person’s life, and to correctly explain to the child what a cross is and why it is so important to be baptized.

How to celebrate a christening at home

After the Sacrament, young parents usually invite guests to their house to celebrate the joyful event. The names of godparents, close relatives and friends. To do this, they set a rich table and decorate the house where the child lives. At the christening of a girl, the rules and signs of the festive dinner are as follows:

The room should be decorated in white and gold tones (gold - warmth and light, white - renewal, beginning).

The tablecloth is only white, and if possible, the dishes are white and gold.

There should be no wine; Cahors or white table wine is allowed.

The festive dinner should include porridge, dough products, vegetables and fruits, herbs, and baked poultry.

Usually such a dinner takes place modestly, without loud music and dancing.

Guests are treated to food, give gifts to the hero of the occasion, parents give gifts to godfathers, and read prayers for the child.

Of course, if parents want to throw a big feast, then they can order a cafe or restaurant, invite many guests and make a noisy celebration, but we must take into account that a small child will not take part in such a banquet, and this will greatly tire the baby. The best thing, of course, is to have lunch at home, take a few family photographs for an album as a keepsake, write wishes for the child for the future, and feel the harmony of family and God.