Is it possible for a husband and wife to be godparents of one child? Can husband and wife be godparents? Can a husband and wife be godparents of the same child for different children from the same family? Can an ex-husband be a godfather?

Most of those who have undergone it know nothing about its features, since the moment of the sacrament occurred in early childhood. Therefore, questions about how the ceremony will take place and whether a husband and wife can be godparents are asked only when we are invited to become godparents or there is a need to conduct a ceremony for our child. Since baptism is an extremely important sacrament in the Christian tradition, it is worth resolving all controversial issues in advance.

Is it possible to take a husband and wife as godparents?

Traditionally, strict requirements are imposed on godparents, since the subsequent initiation of the child into the Church depends on them. In addition, they should provide all kinds of help outside of spiritual life. Baptism can only be performed once, so it will not be possible to abandon the godfather (mother) or change them later.

This is also true if the recipients have ceased to be Christians (began to lead an unrighteous lifestyle). So the choice of godparents must be carefully considered; these people will need to meet all the requirements (except in very rare cases) of the Orthodox Christian tradition. But most importantly, future recipients should be close to you; such responsibility should in no case be assigned to random people.

Guided by this rule, many are thinking of inviting close relatives or a well-known married couple to become godparents, but is this possible according to church laws? Can a husband and wife be godparents? There is a clear answer to this question: married people cannot become the adoptive parents of one child. Moreover, if the godparents then begin a relationship, the church will not be able to approve their marriage. If, in consultation with a priest, you answered in the affirmative to the question whether it is possible for a husband and wife to be godparents, then you are dealing with a referral, not approved by the official church, simply put, a sect. But you don’t have to look for a couple, just one recipient whose gender will match the gender of the child is enough. This is a strict church requirement, and the invitation to the ceremony of two godparents is, by and large, only, since initially there was only one recipient.

Can a husband and wife be godparents of opposite-sex children of the same couple? There are no prohibitions in this regard, so if you really want your good friends to become the successors of your son and daughter, then you can invite them to this role, but only at different times.

Godparents: who can become a godparent? What do godmothers and godfathers need to know? How many godchildren can you have? The answers are in the article!

Briefly:

The godfather, or godfather, must be Orthodox Christian. A godfather cannot be a Catholic, a Muslim, or a very good atheist, because main responsibility godfather - to help the child grow in the Orthodox faith.
There must be a godfather church man, ready to regularly take his godson to church and monitor his Christian upbringing.
After baptism has been performed, godfather cannot be changed, but if the godfather has changed greatly for the worse, the godson and his family should pray for him.
Pregnant and unmarried women CAN to be godparents of both boys and girls - do not listen to superstitious fears!
Godparents the child's father and mother cannot be, and husband and wife cannot be godparents of the same child. other relatives - grandmothers, aunts and even older brothers and sisters can be godparents.

Many of us were baptized in infancy and no longer remember how it happened. And then one day we are invited to become a godmother or godfather, or perhaps even more joyfully - our own child is born. Then we think once again about what the Sacrament of Baptism is, whether we can become godparents to someone and how we can choose godparents for our child.

Answers from Rev. Maxim Kozlov on questions about the responsibilities of godparents from the “Tatiana’s Day” website.

– I was invited to become godfather. What will I have to do?

– Being a godfather is both an honor and responsibility.

Godmothers and fathers, participating in the Sacrament, take responsibility for the little member of the Church, so they must be Orthodox people. Godparents, of course, should be a person who also has some experience of church life and will help the parents raise the baby in faith, piety and purity.

During the celebration of the Sacrament over the baby, the godfather (of the same gender as the child) will hold him in his arms, pronounce on his behalf the Creed and vows of renunciation of Satan and union with Christ. Read more about the procedure for performing Baptism.

The main thing in which the godfather can and should help and in which he undertakes an obligation is not only to be present at Baptism, but also then to help the one received from the font to grow, strengthen in church life, and in no case limit your Christianity only to the fact of Baptism. According to the teachings of the Church, for the way we took care of fulfilling these duties, we will be held accountable on the day of the last judgment, just as for the upbringing of our own children. Therefore, of course, the responsibility is very, very great.

– What should I give to my godson?

– Of course, you can give your godson a cross and a chain, and it doesn’t matter what they are made of; the main thing is that the cross be of the traditional form accepted in the Orthodox Church.

In the old days, there was a traditional church gift for christening - a silver spoon, which was called a “tooth gift”; it was the first spoon that was used when feeding a child, when he began to eat from a spoon.

– How can I choose godparents for my child?

– Firstly, godparents must be baptized, church-going Orthodox Christians.

The main thing is that the criterion for your choice of godfather or godmother is whether this person will subsequently be able to help you in a good, Christian upbringing received from the font, and not just in practical circumstances. And, of course, an important criterion should be the degree of our acquaintance and simply the friendliness of our relationship. Think about whether the godparents you choose will be the child’s church teachers or not.

– Is it possible for a person to have only one godparent?

- Yes it is possible. It is only important that the godparent be of the same gender as the godson.

– If one of the godparents cannot be present at the Sacrament of Baptism, is it possible to carry out the ceremony without him, but register him as a godparent?

– Until 1917, there was a practice of absentee godparents, but it was applied only to members of the imperial family, when they, as a sign of royal or grand-ducal favor, agreed to be considered the godparents of a particular baby. If we are talking about a similar situation, do so, but if not, then it is perhaps better to proceed from generally accepted practice.

– Who can’t be a godfather?

- Of course, non-Christians - atheists, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, and so on - cannot be godparents, no matter how close friends the child’s parents are and no matter how pleasant people they are to talk to.

An exceptional situation - if there are no close people close to Orthodoxy, and you are confident in the good morals of a non-Orthodox Christian - then the practice of our Church allows one of the godparents to be a representative of another Christian denomination: Catholic or Protestant.

According to the wise tradition of the Russian Orthodox Church, a husband and wife cannot be godparents of the same child. Therefore, it is worth considering if you and the person with whom you want to start a family are invited to become adoptive parents.

– Which relative can be godfather?

– An aunt or uncle, grandmother or grandfather can become the adoptive parents of their little relatives. You just need to remember that a husband and wife cannot be godparents of one child. However, it’s worth thinking about this: our close relatives will still take care of the child and help us raise him. In this case, aren’t we depriving the little person of love and care, because he could have one or two more adult Orthodox friends to whom he could turn throughout his life. This is especially important during the period when the child seeks authority outside the family. At this time, the godfather, without in any way opposing himself to the parents, could become the person whom the teenager trusts, from whom he asks for advice even about what he does not dare to tell his loved ones.

– Is it possible to refuse godparents? Or baptize a child for the purpose of normal upbringing in the faith?

– In any case, a child cannot be re-baptized, because the Sacrament of Baptism is performed once, and no sins of either godparents, or his natural parents, or even the person himself can cancel all those grace-filled gifts that are given to a person in the Sacrament of Baptism.

As for communication with godparents, then, of course, betrayal of faith, that is, falling away into one or another heterodox confession - Catholicism, Protestantism, especially falling into one or another non-Christian religion, atheism, a blatantly ungodly way of life - essentially speaks of that the person failed to fulfill his responsibility as a godfather. The spiritual union concluded in this sense in the Sacrament of Baptism can be considered dissolved by the godmother or godfather, and you can ask another church-going pious person to take a blessing from his confessor to take care of the godfather or godmother for this or that child.

“I was invited to be the girl’s godmother, but everyone tells me that the boy must be baptized first.” Is it so?

– The superstitious idea that a girl should have a boy as her first godson and that a baby girl taken from the font will become an obstacle to her subsequent marriage has no Christian roots and is an absolute fabrication that an Orthodox Christian woman should not be guided by.

– They say that one of the godparents must be married and have children. Is it so?

– On the one hand, the opinion that one of the godparents must be married and have children is a superstition, just like the idea that a girl who received a girl from the font will either not get married herself, or this will affect her fate some kind of imprint.

On the other hand, one can see a certain kind of sobriety in this opinion, if one does not approach it with a superstitious interpretation. Of course, it would be reasonable if people (or at least one of the godparents) who have sufficient life experience, who themselves already have the skill of raising children in faith and piety, and who have something to share with the baby’s physical parents, are chosen as godparents for the baby. And it would be highly desirable to look for such a godfather.

– Can a pregnant woman be a godmother?

– Church statutes do not prevent a pregnant woman from being a godmother. The only thing I urge you to think about is whether you have the strength and determination to share the love for your own child with the love for the adopted baby, whether you will have time to care for him, to advise the baby’s parents, to sometimes pray warmly for him , bring to the temple, somehow be a good older friend. If you are more or less confident in yourself and circumstances allow, then nothing prevents you from becoming a godmother, but in all other cases, it may be better to measure seven times before cutting once.

About godparents

Natalia Sukhinina

“I recently got into a conversation with a woman on the train, or rather, we even got into an argument. She argued that godparents, like father and mother, are obliged to raise their godson. But I don’t agree: a mother is a mother, whoever she allows to interfere in the child’s upbringing. I also once had a godson when I was young, but our paths diverged long ago, I don’t know where he lives now. And she, this woman, says that now I will have to answer for him. Responsible for someone else's child? I can’t believe it..."

(From a letter from a reader)

It so happened, and my life paths veered in a completely different direction from my godparents. Where they are now, how they live, and whether they are alive at all, I don’t know. I couldn’t even remember their names; I was baptized a long time ago, in infancy. I asked my parents, but they themselves don’t remember, they shrugged their shoulders, they said that people lived next door at that time, and they were invited to be godparents.

Where are they now, what are their names, do you remember?

To be honest, for me this circumstance was never a flaw, I grew up and grew up without godparents. No, I was lying, it happened once, I was jealous. A school friend was getting married and received a gossamer-thin gold chain as a wedding gift. The godmother gave it to us, she boasted, who could not even dream of such chains. That's when I became jealous. If I had a godmother, maybe I would...
Now, of course, having lived and thought about it, I am very sorry about my random “father and mother”, who are not even in my mind, that I remember them now in these lines. I remember without reproach, with regret. And, of course, in a dispute between my reader and a fellow traveler on the train, I am completely on the side of the fellow traveler. She's right. We must answer for the godsons and goddaughters who have fled from their parents’ nests, because they are not random people in our lives, but our children, spiritual children, godparents.

Who doesn't know this picture?

Dressed up people stand aside in the temple. The center of attention is a baby in lush lace, they pass him from hand to hand, go out with him, distract him so that he does not cry. They are waiting for the christening. They look at their watches and get nervous.

Godmothers and fathers can be recognized immediately. They are somehow especially focused and important. They are in a hurry to get their wallet to pay for the upcoming christening, give some orders, rustle with bags of baptismal robes and fresh diapers. The little man does not understand anything, gawking at the wall frescoes, at the lights of the chandelier, at the “persons accompanying him,” among which the godfather’s face is one of many. But when the priest invites you, it’s time. They fussed, became agitated, the godparents tried their best to maintain importance, but it didn’t work, because for them, as well as for their godson, today’s entrance into God’s temple is a significant event.
“When was the last time you were in church?” the priest will ask. They will shrug their shoulders in embarrassment. He may not ask, of course. But even if he doesn’t ask, you can still easily determine from the awkwardness and tension that the godparents are not church people, and only the event in which they were invited to participate brought them under the arches of the church. Father will ask questions:

- Do you wear a cross?

- Do you read prayers?

– Are you reading the Gospel?

– Do you honor church holidays?

And the godparents will begin to mutter something incomprehensible and lower their eyes guiltily. The priest will certainly reassure you and remind you of the duty of godfathers and mothers, and of Christian duty in general. The godparents will hastily and willingly nod their heads, humbly accept the conviction of sin, and either from excitement, or from embarrassment, or from the seriousness of the moment, few will remember and let into the heart the main thought of the priest: we are all responsible for our godchildren, and now and forever. And whoever remembers will most likely misunderstand. And from time to time, mindful of his duty, he will begin to contribute what he can to the well-being of his godson.

The first deposit immediately after baptism: an envelope with a crisp, solid bill - enough for a tooth. Then, for birthdays, as the child grows older, a luxurious set of children's trousseau, an expensive toy, a fashionable backpack, a bicycle, a branded suit, and so on up to a gold chain, to the envy of the poor, for a wedding.

We know very little. And it’s not just a problem, but something that we don’t really want to know. After all, if they wanted to, then before going to the temple as a godfather, they would have looked there the day before and asked the priest what this step “threatens” us, how best to prepare for it.
Godfather is a godfather in Slavic. Why? After immersion in the font, the priest transfers the baby from his own hands to the hands of the godfather. And he accepts, takes it into his own hands. The meaning of this action is very deep. By acceptance, the godfather takes upon himself the honorable, and most importantly, responsible mission of leading the godson along the path of ascension to the Heavenly inheritance. That's where! After all, baptism is the spiritual birth of a person. Remember in the Gospel of John: “Whoever is not born of water and the Spirit cannot enter the kingdom of God.”

The Church calls its recipients with serious words – “guardians of faith and piety”. But in order to store, you need to know. Therefore, only a believing Orthodox person can be a godfather, and not the one who went to church for the first time with the baby being baptized. Godparents must know at least the basic prayers “Our Father”, “Virgin Mother of God”, “May God rise again...”, they must know the “Creed”, read the Gospel, the Psalter. And, of course, wear a cross, be able to be baptized.
One priest told me: they came to baptize a child, but the godfather did not have a cross. Father to him: put on the cross, but he can’t, he’s unbaptized. Just a joke, but the absolute truth.

Faith and repentance are the two main conditions for union with God. But faith and repentance cannot be demanded from a baby in lace, so the godparents are called upon, having faith and repentance, to pass them on and teach them to their successors. That is why they pronounce, instead of babies, the words of the “Creed” and the words of renunciation of Satan.

– Do you deny Satan and all his works? - asks the priest.

“I deny,” the receiver answers instead of the baby.

The priest is wearing a light festive robe as a sign of the beginning of a new life, and therefore of spiritual purity. He walks around the font, censes it, everyone standing nearby with lit candles. Candles are burning in the hands of the recipients. Very soon, the priest will lower the baby into the font three times and, wet, wrinkled, not at all understanding where he is and why, the servant of God, will hand him over to the hands of his godparents. And he will be dressed in white robes. At this time, a very beautiful troparion is sung: “Give me a robe of light, dress in light, like a robe...” Accept your child, successors. From now on, your life will be filled with special meaning, you have taken upon yourself the feat of spiritual parenthood, and for how you carry it, you will now have to answer before God.

At the First Ecumenical Council, a rule was adopted according to which women become successors for girls, men for boys. Simply put, a girl needs only a godmother, a boy only a godfather. But life, as often happens, made its own adjustments here too. According to ancient Russian tradition, both are invited. Of course, you can’t spoil the porridge with oil. But even here you need to know very specific rules. For example, a husband and wife cannot be godparents to one child, just as a child’s parents cannot be his godparents at the same time. Godparents cannot marry their godchildren.

... The baby's baptism is behind us. Ahead of him big life, in which we are given a place equal to the father and mother who gave birth to him. Our work lies ahead, our constant desire to prepare our godson to ascend to spiritual heights. Where to begin? Yes, from the very beginning. At first, especially if the child is the first, parents are knocked off their feet by the worries that have fallen on them. They, as they say, don’t care about anything. Now is the time to give them a helping hand.

Carry the baby to Communion, make sure that icons hang over his cradle, give notes for him in church, order prayer services, constantly, like your own natural children, remember them in home prayers. Of course, there is no need to do this edifyingly, they say, you are mired in vanity, but I am all spiritual - I think about high things, I strive for high things, I take care of your child so that you can do without me... In general, the spiritual education of a child is only possible in case if the godfather is his own person in the house, welcome, tactful. Of course, you don’t need to shift all your worries onto yourself. The responsibilities of spiritual education are not removed from parents, but to help, support, replace somewhere, if necessary, this is mandatory, without this you cannot justify yourself before the Lord.

This is truly a difficult cross to bear. And, probably, you need to think carefully before placing it on yourself. Will I be able to? Do I have enough health, patience, and spiritual experience to become a recipient of a person entering life? And parents should take a good look at relatives and friends - candidates for the honorary post. Which of them will be able to become a truly kind assistant in education, who will be able to bestow your child with true Christian gifts - prayer, the ability to forgive, the ability to love God. And plush bunnies the size of elephants may be nice, but they are not at all necessary.

If there is trouble in the house, there are different criteria. How many unfortunate, restless children suffer from drunken fathers and unlucky mothers. And how many simply unfriendly, embittered people live under one roof and make children suffer cruelly. Such stories are as old as time and banal. But if a person who stood with a lit candle in front of the Epiphany font fits into this plot, if he, this person, rushes, as if into an embrasure, towards his godson, he can move mountains. Possible good is also good. We are not able to discourage a foolish man from drinking half a liter, to reason with a lost daughter, or to sing “put up, put up, put up” to two frowning halves. But we have the power to take a boy who is tired of affection to our dacha for a day, enroll him in Sunday school and take the trouble to take him there and pray. The feat of prayer is at the forefront of the godparents of all times and peoples.

The priests well understand the severity of the feat of their successors and do not give their blessing to recruit a lot of children for their children, good and different.

But I know a man who has more than fifty godchildren. These boys and girls are right from there, from childhood loneliness, childhood sadness. From a big childhood misfortune.

This man’s name is Alexander Gennadievich Petrynin, he lives in Khabarovsk, directs the Children’s Rehabilitation Center, or more simply, an orphanage. As a director, he does a lot, gets funds for classroom equipment, selects personnel from conscientious, unselfish people, rescues his charges from the police, collects them in basements.

Like a godfather, he takes them to church, talks about God, prepares them for Communion, and prays. He prays a lot, a lot. In Optina Pustyn, in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, in the Diveyevo Monastery, in dozens of churches throughout Russia, long notes written by him about the health of numerous godchildren are read. He gets very tired, this man, sometimes he almost falls from fatigue. But he has no other choice, he is a godfather, and his godchildren are a special people. His heart is a rare heart, and the priest, understanding this, blesses him for such asceticism. A teacher from God, those who know him in action say about him. Godfather from God - can you say so? No, probably all godparents are from God, but he knows how to suffer like a godfather, knows how to love like a godfather, and knows how to save. Like a godfather.

For us, whose godchildren, like the children of Lieutenant Schmidt, are scattered throughout cities and towns, his service to children is an example of true Christian service. I think that many of us will not reach its heights, but if we are to make life from anyone, then it will be from those who understand their title of “successor” as a serious and not an accidental matter in life.
You can, of course, say: I am a weak person, a busy person, not much of a church member, and the best thing I can do in order not to sin is to refuse the offer to be a godfather altogether. It’s more honest and simpler, right? Easier - yes. But more honestly...
Few of us, especially when the time has imperceptibly approached to stop and look back, can say to ourselves - I am a good father, a good mother, I do not owe anything to my own child. We owe everyone, and the godless time in which our requests, our projects, our passions grew, is the result of our debts to each other. We won't give them back anymore. The children have grown up and are doing without our truths and our discoveries of America. The parents have grown old. But conscience, the voice of God, itches and itches.

Conscience requires an outburst, and not in words, but in deeds. Couldn't bearing the responsibilities of the cross be such a thing?
It’s a pity that there are few examples of the feat of the cross among us. The word "godfather" has almost disappeared from our vocabulary. And the recent wedding of my childhood friend’s daughter was a big and unexpected gift for me. Or rather, not even a wedding, which in itself is a great joy, but a feast, the wedding itself. And that's why. We sat down, poured the wine, and waited for the toast. Everyone is somehow embarrassed, the bride’s parents let the groom’s parents go ahead with the speeches, and they do the opposite. And then a tall and handsome man stood up. He stood up somehow very businesslike. He raised his glass:

– I want to say, as the godfather of the bride...

Everyone became quiet. Everyone listened to the words about how the young people should live long, in harmony, with many children, and most importantly, with the Lord.
“Thank you, godfather,” said the charming Yulka, and from under her luxurious foaming veil she gave her godfather a grateful look.

Thank you godfather, I thought too. Thank you for carrying love for your spiritual daughter from the baptismal candle to the wedding candle. Thank you for reminding us all of what we had completely forgotten about. But we have time to remember. How much - the Lord knows. Therefore, we must hurry.

When a long-awaited baby is born, the parents’ task is to carefully introduce him into the world, protect him from misfortunes, and put him on the righteous path. Orthodox parents share this enormous responsibility with their heavenly patron and godparents. After the baptismal ceremony, the life and fate of the child are entrusted to the aspirations of the Lord and the instructions of the godparents.

How to choose godparents

Baptism is a church sacrament, at the moment of which the future fate of a person’s soul is determined. When a child is baptized, godparents are identified. How to choose godparents for your beloved child, who to entrust such responsibility to, can a husband and wife be godparents?

To be fair, it is worth noting that there is some disagreement within the church on this issue. There is an opinion that in our time a married couple can become godparents, and this is being discussed. But these doubts are theoretical, and Everyday life churches are practically not reflected. In the interests of the further well-being of godparents and godchildren, it is better to follow the approved order of things when choosing.

The role of godparents in the life of a godson

According to church rules, adult Orthodox parishioners can be recipients of baptism. After all, godfathers and mothers should become spiritual mentors to the child for life. For example, will the husband and wife you know be able to be worthy godparents for your child? After all, their role only begins after baptism: they must introduce the godson to the church, introduce him to Christian virtue, and teach the basics of religion. These must be responsible, sincerely believing people, because it is their prayers for their godson throughout his life that are paramount to the Lord. Choosing godparents for a child is a responsible step. The main thing is the ability of these people to be responsible for their godson before God, take care of his spiritual development and guide him on the righteous path. The Church believes that a godfather must take upon himself all the sins of a godson under 16 years of age.

Who should not be chosen as a godparent?

When choosing godparents, the child's family is puzzled by the problem: can a husband and wife be godparents? For example, a familiar married couple, close to the godson’s family in spirit and in church, is ideally suited to the role of mentors. Their family is a model of harmony, their relationships are imbued with love and mutual understanding. But is it possible for this husband and wife to be godparents?

Can a husband and wife be godparents for one child? No, according to church laws this is unacceptable. For the spiritual connection that arises between the recipients at baptism gives rise to a close spiritual union, which is higher than any other, including love and marriage. It is unacceptable for spouses to become godparents; this would jeopardize the continued existence of their marriage.

If the husband and wife are in a civil marriage

The church clearly decides in the negative whether a husband and wife in a civil marriage can be godparents. According to church rules, neither a husband and wife, nor a couple on the threshold of marriage can become godparents. While preaching to Orthodox people the need to enter into a church marriage, the church at the same time considers a civil marriage, that is, registered in the registry office, to be legal. Therefore, the doubt whether a husband and wife who have approved their union by registration in the registry office can be godparents is resolved by a negative answer.

Engaged couples cannot become godparents because they are on the verge of marriage, as well as couples living together outside of marriage, since these unions are considered sinful.

Who can become a godfather

Can a husband and wife be godparents to different children? Yes, this is a completely acceptable option. The husband, for example, will become the godfather of the son of loved ones, and the wife will become the godfather of her daughter. Grandparents, aunts and uncles, older sisters and brothers can also become godparents. The main thing is that he is a worthy Orthodox Christian, ready to help the child grow in the Orthodox faith. Choosing a godfather is a truly responsible decision, because it is made for life. The godfather cannot be changed in the future. If the godfather stumbles on life path, will go astray from the righteous direction, the godson should take care of him with prayers.

Baptismal rules

Before the ceremony, future godparents undergo training in the church and become familiar with the basic rules:

Before the sacrament of baptism, they observe a three-day fast, confess and receive communion;

Be sure to wear an Orthodox cross;

Dress appropriately for the ceremony; women wear a skirt below the knees and be sure to cover their heads; do not use lipstick;

Godparents must know and understand the meaning of “Our Father” and “Creed”, as these prayers are said during the ceremony.

Controversial cases

In exceptional cases, situations arise when parents have no other choice for godparents other than a single married couple. Doubts whether a husband and wife can be godparents for a child are more than relevant in this case. We must remember that, according to church rules, it is quite enough to assign only one godfather to the child, but of the same sex, that is, we choose a godfather for a boy, and a godmother for a girl.

In each case, when parents have individual questions or doubts about whether a husband and wife can be godparents, they should be discussed with the priest during preparation for baptism. Rarely, but still there are cases when the question of whether a husband and wife can be godparents is decided positively by the church by special permission and due to exceptional circumstances.

Who can become a baby's godfather? Can a husband and wife be godparents to a child? Is it possible to adopt close relatives as adoptive parents—sisters and brothers, aunts and uncles, grandparents? Is it true that a pregnant or unmarried woman cannot have her children baptized? In our article you will find answers to these questions.

An adult does not need receivers

If a person is baptized at a conscious age, then no questions arise with the choice of recipients. An adult is responsible for his own decisions. He probably consciously came to faith and wanted to join the Church. Most often, a person wishing to be baptized before receiving the Sacrament undergoes a course of public conversations, during which he is told about the fundamentals of the Orthodox faith.

He himself knows the main dogmas of the Church - the Creed - and can declare his renunciation of Satan and his desire to join Christ.

Who can become godfather to a baby?

Baptism in infancy occurs according to the faith of the parents and the child's adoptive parents.

Godfather - baptized, believer, churched

The godfather or mother can be a believer, baptized in Orthodoxy, a churchgoer.

It is not needed to hold a child in church. The godfather vouches before God for the spiritual education of this person; on behalf of the baby, the godfather declares his devotion to Christ and renunciation of Satan. Agree, this is a very serious statement. And it presupposes the fulfillment of assigned duties: communion of a baby, spiritual conversations in a relaxed manner, one’s own example of a life of virtue.

Even a baptized but unchurched person is unlikely to be able to cope with such functions.

Who can't become a godfather?

An atheist, a non-believer, or someone excommunicated from the Church cannot be a godfather: if he is outside the Church, then how can he help others enter it? How can one teach faith to another if one does not believe in God?

Can a pregnant woman baptize her child?

There is a superstition that an unmarried or pregnant woman cannot be a successor. There are no such restrictions in the Church. You never know what the grandmother in the temple can tell you?! Sometimes you even have to listen to unmarried girl You must first become the boy's godmother. If she does this, her guys will love her. Well, if you baptize a girl first, then what? How long to sit in girls? This is another ridiculous superstition.

In fact, in the Trebnik - the liturgical book according to which priests serve services - it is indicated that only one godfather is needed for the person being baptized, while for a girl it is a woman, and for a boy it is a man. It was only later that the tradition of taking a pair of receivers appeared. If you take only one godfather, then there is nothing prohibited about it. Unfortunately, the women in the church do not always know the history of the Church well and often fall into the trap of superstitions.

In our time, monks and nuns also cannot become godparents. Previously, there was no such ban either. But what is the reason for this practice? This is done so as not to distract the monk from monastic life, not to tempt him with worldly things (family, children, family celebrations and celebrations).

Also, natural parents do not become godparents to their child. They already have a huge responsibility for the diverse upbringing of their son or daughter.

Other relatives can easily become adopters, be it grandparents, aunts and uncles, or even older brothers and sisters.

Can a husband and wife be godparents to a child?

Nowadays, there is no clear opinion as to whether a husband and wife can baptize the same baby.

Supporters of the “no” option believe that godparents are spiritually close people, and husband and wife are also physically close. You can find more than one story about how a priest forbade spouses to be children's foster children. But do such prohibitions exist at the canonical level?

But what if a guy and a girl first christened one baby, and then fell in love with each other and wanted to get married? Suffer and blame everything on the godson’s natural parents for such a “set-up”?

Instead of suffering, it’s better to turn to Sergei Grigorovsky’s book “Obstacles to Wedding and Reception at Baptism,” published with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Alexia II. It focuses on marriage between godparents:

At present, Article 211 of the Nomocanon [which states the inadmissibility of marriage between recipients] has no practical significance and should be considered abolished... Since during baptism it is enough to have one recipient or one recipient, depending on the gender of the person being baptized, there is no reason to consider the recipients to be in any spiritual relationship and therefore prohibit them from marrying each other.

You can also find older sources that answer positively the question “Can a husband and wife be godparents to a child?”

The receiver and the successor (godfather and godfather) are not related to themselves; Since at Holy Baptism there is one person, necessary and valid: male for those baptized of the male sex, and female for those baptized of the female sex.

In the decree of December 31, 1837, the Holy Synod again appeals to the ancient decrees about one foster child for an infant:

As for the second recipient, he does not create a spiritual relationship either with the baptized person or with the first recipient, therefore, from a theological point of view, marriage between the recipients (godparents) of one baptized baby is considered possible.

For those who still continued to doubt whether a husband and wife could be godparents to a child, another synodal decree appeared, dated April 19, 1873:

The godparent and godmother (godfather and mother of the same baby) can marry only after the permission of the diocesan bishop.

It must be said that a ban on marriage between godparents previously existed in the Russian Church, but in others Orthodox churches this practice was unknown.

The only prohibition that has come down to us since the time of the Ecumenical Councils is Rule 53 of the Sixth (Constantinople) Council . It speaks of the impossibility of marriages between a child’s godfather/godmother and his widowed mother/widowed father.

A marriage between a godson and his godson is also considered impossible. But this question cannot even arise if the baby has one godfather of the same gender.

We invite you to see how Archpriest Dmitry Smirnov answers the question of whether a husband and wife can be godparents to a child:

Take it for yourself and tell your friends!

Why can't husband and wife be godparents?

Our church has a negative attitude towards this situation and prohibits a married couple from becoming the adoptive parents of one child. In this case, a couple can baptize different children from the same family.

A husband and wife cannot be godparents to the same child.

The Orthodox Church explains this prohibition by the fact that there is already a spiritual connection between husband and wife. During baptism, the bond between husband and wife can weaken, since the bond that is formed with the child during this process is the strongest.

At the same time, it is possible that the priest will turn a blind eye to this if the couple has not been married or is not yet married. But it is not advisable to do this. If you are a believer, then know that your connection with your husband at the wedding will be weak.

This is also explained by the fact that the husband and wife are already one, so neither of them can form one with the child.

Who can be godfather

Godparents can be:

Relatives of children: grandparents, sisters, brothers and so on.
People whose children you are a successor to.
Godparents of your first child. If you have already baptized the first child, then when baptizing the second, you can ask the same people to become the second’s successors.
Priest. If you don’t have really close people to whom you could entrust this, then a priest can do it.
There are superstitions that believe that a pregnant or unmarried woman without children will bring bad luck to her newborn. Don’t believe it, such girls can become godparents.

Take the choice of a spiritual mentor for your son or daughter responsibly, since it will no longer be possible to change your choice.

Baptism is an important process. Remember also that if the parents are divorced, then the stepfather cannot become a stepfather. This is an important choice, so choose people who truly care about your son or daughter. Godparents should be mentors to children and help them develop spiritually. Therefore, take this seriously.