How many times can you be a married godmother. The rules of the sacrament of baptism: how many times can you be a godmother or godfather for a child

Today, almost every family professing the Orthodox faith seeks to introduce this faith to their newborn baby. Most parents perform the rite of baptism of the baby in the first year of his life.

Baptism is one of the seven sacraments of the Orthodox Church, during which the soul of a child dies for a sinful life and is born again for a spiritual existence in which he can reach the Kingdom of Heaven. Usually, christening becomes the main holiday in the life of a newborn and his family, they prepare for it for a long time, choose a temple, a priest and godparents, or godparents.

Sometimes, during the choice of godparents, parents have a question whether a person can be godfather several times. Perhaps mom and dad want to invite the same people who baptized their oldest child. Or one or both potential godparents have already become spiritual mentors for a baby born in another family.

In this article, we will tell you whether it is possible to be the godfather of several children, and also in what cases it is impossible to become the godparents of a newborn baby.

To begin with, it is worth noting that it is absolutely not necessary to invite both a woman and a man to the role of godparents. For each child, only one godchild of the same sex as the godson himself is enough. Thus, if you have a boy, take care of choosing a godfather, and if you have a girl, a godmother. If you doubt the choice of a second successor, it is better not to invite anyone at all.

Godparents are spiritual guides for the baby. It is they who in the future will have to teach the child the basics of Orthodox life, introduce him to church attendance, give him instructions and follow the righteous life of his godson. Spiritual mentors, together with the parents of the baby, are responsible for him before God, and in case of misfortune with mom and dad, they must take the baby into their family and raise it on a par with their children.

When choosing, pay attention to their lifestyle. People who in the future will become something more than just friends or relatives for your child should lead a righteous and humble life, attend the temple, pray and be pure in their thoughts. No need to invite as godparents, mom and dad, people with whom you are interested in communicating, or those whom you are afraid to offend with your refusal.

First of all, the parents of the baby themselves cannot be godparents, while other relatives can act in this role without any restrictions. This requirement also applies to adoptive parents who have adopted their children. If you invite both the godmother and the godfather, please note that they are not married. Finally, the most important and obvious thing is that people who profess a faith other than Orthodoxy cannot be godparents.

Is it allowed to be the godfather of several children at the same time?

As for whether it is possible to be a godmother or godfather several times, the church does not impose any restrictions on this. You can easily invite your eldest child or other children to the role of godfather, if you are sure that this particular person will become their spiritual mentor and friend and will fully fulfill his duties before God.

Meanwhile, baptizing two children at once, such as twins, may not be entirely convenient for the godparent. Indeed, according to tradition, the godson must hold the godson in his arms throughout the ceremony and take him from the font. Thus, if the baptism of two children will take place at the same time, it is better to choose your own godfather for each baby.

Your relatives or friends are expecting a joyful event - the christening of a child, and you were invited to be godparents? If close people have given you such an honor, it means that they rely on you and express their trust in you in this way.

According to the prevailing signs, it is impossible to refuse in this case. However, some people who have already participated in such a ceremony more than once have questions: how many times can you be a godfather or godmother? We will try to answer them.

First of all, let's talk about the requirements for godparents according to church rules. It is customary for a girl to have a godmother and a boy to have a godfather, although a child may have two godparents. These people must be Orthodox Christians who are well acquainted with church customs.

Preference is usually given to pious, church-going people. According to the church charter, the parents of the child, monks, people who are married to each other, as well as unbelievers and unbaptized, cannot be godparents. If the godfather and godfather already have children, then they should be churched.

Not only a friend of the mother can act as a godmother, but also one of her relatives, for example, the girl’s grandmother or aunt. But the foster mother cannot fulfill this role. The godfather can also be a relative of the godson, but not his adoptive father.

The godparents who are responsible for the child before God must be clean before the Almighty, and there can be no question of sexual relations between them. No wonder the people say: "There should be no love between godfather and godfather." Intimate relationships between the child's parents and godfathers are also considered a sin, which will subsequently negatively affect the baby.

It is believed that during pregnancy a woman cannot be a godmother. Indeed, during this ceremony, she will think about her future baby, which can adversely affect both children. Also, you cannot invite a woman who has had an abortion to be godparents.

How many times can you become a godfather or mother?

To the questions: “How many times is it allowed to be a godfather, how many times can you become a godmother?” You can give one answer: as much as you like. There are no restrictions in the church charter in this regard.

The main thing for you is to remember your direct duties to your godson. After all, you take responsibility for it during the sacrament of baptism before the Lord himself.

You will have to deal with the spiritual upbringing of the child, instruct him in the Christian faith and warn against mistakes. In the future, you will need to constantly pray for your godchildren, tell them about Jesus Christ and the church, and lead them to Holy Communion in the temple.

As already mentioned, spiritual mentors are responsible for the baby before God, and in case of misfortune with the parents, they must take the baby into their family and raise it on a par with their children.

If you are a believer and are ready to take on this mission, then the answer to the question of how many times you can become a godfather or godmother will be unambiguous for you - how many will be asked.

However, taking responsibility for a child whom you will not be able to set on the right path in the future is a heavy guilt. So in this case, only you and no one else can make a decision, although you can seek advice from a priest or close people.

Recall that the child will need at baptism. This is kryzhma - a white towel in which he is wrapped after initiation into the font, and baptismal attire - a shirt to the heels or a dress and an elegant cap or scarf, decorated with embroidery and lace.

These things are given to the baby by the godmother. And the godfather buys a pectoral cross, pays for the baptism procedure in the temple and the cost of food for the festive table on the occasion of the christening.

On the eve of this sacrament, the godparents will need to fast for several days, and then confess and take communion in the church. They will also need to know by heart a few prayers (“The Creed”, etc.), which should be repeated after the priest during the ceremony.

The godmother will hold the child in her arms during this sacrament until immersion in the font. Then the godfather performs all the procedures, and the godmother should only help him during the ceremony if necessary.

Godparents should be well acquainted with the child, because during this ceremony they will need to maintain emotional contact with the baby and be able to calm him down if he bursts into tears.

And after the ceremony in the temple, the godparents should assist the child's parents in preparing the holiday on the occasion of christening.

You should not arrange a magnificent feast with alcoholic drinks on this day, because baptism is a church holiday. It is better to organize a small celebration only for close people. Ritual dishes can be served at the table - baptismal porridge, pies, as well as sweets - so that the life of the child in the future is sweet.

We hope this article, in which you will find answers to questions about how many times you can be a godfather or godmother, was useful for you, and you will be able to make the right decision in this situation.

The baptism of a child is one of the most important and bright events in the life of both the baby and his parents. It is unacceptable to treat this ceremony lightly, since christening is an unusual holiday. On this day, the child acquires not only the named parents, but also a guardian angel who will be with him all his life.

It is not surprising that many seek to baptize their child immediately after birth. But it is impossible to hurry in such a matter, it is necessary to carefully prepare for every moment of the christening, thinking over and realizing all the little things. Many people are interested in the question - is it possible to be godfather to several children. There are discussions about this, but it is better to look for an answer from the ministers of the church themselves.

Young parents most often call their close friends for the role of godparents. But sometimes it happens that potential godparents of mom or dad already have several godchildren. How to be in this situation?

On the one hand, traditions say that it is impossible to refuse to be baptized, since you can invite trouble on yourself. On the other hand, would it be right to agree to take responsibility for one more person?

After all, baptism is not just a church ceremony, after which you can go to a banquet, forgetting about your main duties. To make the right decision, you need to carefully prepare and study the instructions of the spiritual fathers, who give valuable advice.

There is a superstition that one cannot become a godfather twice, since during the second ceremony the cross is removed from the first godson. This is nothing more than human opinion, which should not be relied upon when making a decision.

The clergy assure: nothing can cancel a properly conducted sacrament. Whether or not to agree to become a godfather for the second or third time is a personal matter for everyone. But in this case, you need to remember the responsibility before God, which the recipients take on. To have a godson means to have one more child, who always needs help in everything.

Spiritual parents should participate in the life of the baby not only materially, but also spiritually. Therefore, when choosing godparents, biological parents should be guided by the spiritual education of their friends and acquaintances.

When asked if it is possible to be godfather to several children, the church unequivocally answers yes. Therefore, if you have a desire to have another godson and participate in his spiritual upbringing, feel free to agree. But remember: you agreed to this role - you will have to make efforts to educate the child, and not just invite him to visit and give him presents once a year.

Who should not be called godparents?

The choice of godparents is a responsible task. Often young mom and dad are not familiar with
church laws and invite people to baptize their child who, according to the laws of the church, should not do this.

That is why before the christening it is necessary to communicate with the priest and consult on a number of issues.

Who cannot baptize a child?

• • Gentiles. People who profess a different faith simply cannot be responsible for raising a baby according to Orthodox laws.
  • Young couples or spouses. People who are in a church or civil marriage.
  • The parents themselves. Biological mom and dad cannot baptize a son or daughter, since they are already assigned a special meaning in his life.
  • Atheists. The very idea that an unbelieving person can become a godfather is ridiculous and absurd. After all, the primary task of the godfather is the spiritual education of the child, its introduction into the Christian world and familiarization with God's laws.
  • Strangers, strangers. Rarely, but still, there are situations when the baby's parents, due to some circumstances, cannot find potential godparents among their acquaintances. In this case, complete strangers are asked to hold the baby in their arms during the christening. Such a phenomenon is highly undesirable and is not approved by the church, although it does not fall under a direct ban.

Questions before christening

Questions such as how many times you can be a godmother and how many godchildren a godparent can have are absolutely normal for a person who is preparing to take on such responsibility.

It is important to know! What is it for and what is it: the rules of the sacrament

Every sane person who has been offered such a role thinks about what he will have to do after the baptism, what is his participation in the life of the godson in the future and how to behave in church? Excitement before a responsible event is a common phenomenon. There is no need to worry that you will do something wrong, because next to you there will always be a spiritual mentor who will tell you how to behave and in what sequence to perform the required actions.

Frequent questions asked by young parents before christening to a church minister:

• Can a minor be a godfather?
• Is it possible to be the godfather of several children?
• Can a pregnant girl be baptized?
• What is the best age to baptize a baby?
• How many godparents should there be and how many times can one person become a godparent?

It is believed that a person who has not reached the age of majority cannot baptize a baby, since he does not realize all his responsibility in this process. It is definitely possible to baptize several children. But one should agree to this only if a person is sure that he will have enough time and energy to make a significant contribution to the upbringing of each godson.

Most often, young parents spend christening on the eighth day after birth. It is believed that the sooner a guardian angel is assigned to a new person, the better. But such an opportunity is not always available, because the church is not against christening at a later age. In some cases, the rite of baptism is carried out when a teenager is already entering a conscious age.

From the moment of christening, the baby has an invisible protector who will always protect him from all troubles. Often the name of an angel is directly related to the name of a person, since in the church they name a new servant of God in honor of a saint who patronizes a birthday or christening day.

According to church canons, each person can even have one godmother (godmother or father). It is not necessary to invite a couple to the christening. But if the parents have a desire to intermarry with a large number of people, then you can arrange the sacrament of baptism with the involvement of even two or three couples.

Important! Having several godparents is not forbidden by the church, but before the sacrament, everyone who decides to become a godfather should listen to a brief parting word from the priest regarding further participation in the life of the godson.

Useful video: Rules for baptizing a child

Conclusion

Each person can become a godfather an unlimited number of times. The main thing in this matter is to remember that at God's Judgment everyone will have to be responsible for the upbringing of their godchildren in the same way as for the upbringing of their own children.

Faith is a kind of science, the canons of which can only be understood through deep study. Especially many dilemmas arise during the rite of the sacrament of baptism. A lot of controversial issues cause prejudice. One of them: how many times can you be a godmother?

A mixture of statements

More than a thousand years have passed since Christianity spread to our lands. Along with the new religion, traditions and rituals unique to the area arose. Part of the reason for the appearance of extraordinary rites was the previous pagan faith. Time and mentality left no less imprint on Orthodoxy. Church rituals have become overgrown with many prejudices and gossip. Among them is the sacrament of baptism.

Therefore, now modern people know little about the laws of the Almighty, and believers have many questions. In particular, how many times can you be godmother or father?

Religion does not give a definite answer. But the priests say that only the person himself can solve this problem directly. Together with the title of second parents, godfathers take on significant responsibilities, failure to fulfill which is considered a grave sin.

The Mystery of Baptism

Before taking responsibility for a new, someone else's child, a person should find out what exactly is hidden behind this rite, and what role godfathers play in it. Having dealt with this issue, every woman herself will understand how many times it is possible to be a godmother to her.

The main thing to understand is that the ritual provides for the introduction of the child to church life. Along with this, all the sins of his parents and relatives, which were transmitted with blood, are removed from the baby. This ceremony is a new, religious birth of a boy or girl. With the sacrament, the child joins God. Now not only parents are responsible for his fate, but also the Lord, who will protect the baby from evil and trouble.

From the day of the ceremony, mom and dad must raise their child in the Orthodox faith. Godfathers help them in this task. If you are a believer and are ready to take on this responsibility, then the answer to the question of how many times you can be a godmother is unequivocal - as soon as they ask.

Mission of parents

It is an honor to be godfathers. Such a title means that of all the acquaintances, the newly-made parents consider you worthy of their child. They trust the fate of their child. For this, you must justify their hopes.

As a true Orthodox person, the godmother will introduce her new child to God. This includes going to the temple, studying prayers, and living according to the laws of the Lord. People who believe that the main task of godfathers is to be friends with the parents of an adopted child are deeply mistaken. You can't buy a birthday present. How many times can you become a godmother to a woman who does not care about the Orthodox upbringing of her children? The correct answer is never.

A person who is not able to pay due attention to the godson should not take on additional duties. Being a mom is a difficult mission. If the parents could not or did not want to involve the child in the church, their child grew up as an unkind person, then this sin will also be on your soul.

Refusal is not a crime

A person who understands responsibility can safely refuse such duties. The reason for disagreement should be explained in detail to the parents. If you are not able to bring such information to the consciousness of your acquaintances on your own, then the priest will help. The priest will explain in detail how many times you can become a godmother and why. Refusing to be a godfather is not a sin. But taking a child at the sacrament, whom you will not be able to guide on the right path in the future, is a heavy guilt.

It should be noted that, apart from this, there are no other serious reasons for refusing to baptize an infant. The only exceptions are people who were brought up in a different faith. After all, the main task of a mother or father is to help the child become a true Orthodox Christian.

Inquiry Office

In any situation where it is difficult to find a solution on your own, you should ask the priest for advice. This applies not only to the material side of the ceremony, but also to how many times you can be a godmother, is it possible to marry a godfather ...

A person who is poorly versed in Holy Scripture, and instead believes in gossip and prejudice, cannot soberly and correctly assess the situation. In addition, a person who does not understand the laws of the church should not independently draw conclusions based on the opinion of a neighbor or work colleague. These people can also confuse speculation with the truth.

The priest, on the contrary, will be able to answer the questions of interest in an accessible and correct way. His task is not just to briefly mint, but to explain to the person why in this situation it is worth doing in this way.

Before answering you how many times you can be a godmother, the priest will definitely ask if you are a believer, ask about your relationship with children for whom you have already become a church mother.

Religion and people

The main disputes arise because of gossip. So, for example, you can often hear that a woman should be the first to baptize a boy. For this dilemma, the church gives a clear definition: it does not matter who you stand behind. Gender doesn't matter at all. But there is another concept, deeper and little known.

The main responsibility for the child is borne by only one person who is in the first pair (moreover, of the same sex as the child). That is, the godfather will report in the next world for the boy, and the woman for the girl. If you don’t have “real” godchildren yet, then the answer to the question of how many times you can be a godmother comes up by itself - how life will turn out. The tradition to match one gender with the other, the opposite, is not church, but folk. Moreover, one person can baptize a child.

Priests and nuns

If you have abandoned the title of kuma, and there is no one else to take with your acquaintances, then sad parents should be explained that they can baptize a child without strangers. Of course, the church does not recommend such an action, because in case of accidents, when the child is left an orphan, it falls under the guardianship of godparents.

Persons who took part in the sacrament should take the child into their own family and bring them up as if they were their own. Such information is another reason to think about how many times you can be a godmother, and whether you are ready for such a step.

The priest who will conduct the ritual can also become the father of the baby. He, like no one else, will introduce the child to the church. With his help, the child will grow up with faith.

Another myth that often circulates among the people is that a pregnant woman does not have the right to be a mother to someone else's child. In fact, anyone can become a godfather. The main criterion is awareness of responsibility.

How many times can you be godmother to an unmarried girl? As you wish. Even nuns become mothers to babies they know. They will also take great care of the spirituality of the children.

Parenting Details

Contrary to speculation, it should be noted that godfathers can take a church marriage without barriers. After all, they are not blood relatives. But in the future they should not be in the same pair.

How many times can you be a godmother in one family? As you wish. But if they ask, then you perform your duties perfectly.

The main task of godparents is to be a true friend, adviser, teacher to the child. If a child is sick, you need to pray for his health and involve your entire family in the ceremony. It is also worth asking the Lord for the house of an adopted son or daughter. It is necessary to attend services with the baby and take communion, tell him about the life of the saints and help him live with faith in his heart, and subsequently take care of his children.

Each of the godchildren needs to pay attention not only to the holidays. An individual child requires certain words, his own approach. If you can help your son or daughter, then God will surely thank you. He will send happiness and good luck.

If you were invited to become a godfather or mother, then, in addition to the rules for accepting the sacrament of Baptism by your future wards, you need to know how many times you can be godfather, what are the duties of godparents and how to pray for children and godchildren.

Following the rules of Christianity, becoming a good godparent means raising your godchild to be a worthy Christian.

Responsibilities of Godparents

Duties to the baby appear as soon as you decide to baptize him, and you must follow them:

1. A godparent is a person who must guide his ward to faith. He talks about the Christian faith and the importance of going to church, makes sure that children are brought to Communion, teaches how to pray and live according to the will of God.
2. By example, godparents should show how to behave correctly. It is the godfather who must teach the godson the rules of kindness and love. He must be as merciful as possible so that the child takes an example from him, because the main duty is to educate a believing Christian.
3. He must teach the child the basic rules of Christianity. If you yourself do not know enough the rules prescribed by Christianity, then you can always contact the church and sign up for special classes. In general, you need to study and learn new things all your life, therefore you should read a variety of Orthodox literature, and most importantly attend services, at least 2 times a year, confess and take communion.

It is important: remember, as soon as you took the baby and went to the temple of God to participate in the sacrament of Baptism, you made a promise to God that throughout your life you would try to bring the ward to the temple, pray for him and teach all the rules of Christianity.

Who can be godfather

When choosing candidates, unfortunately, few people follow the rules of the Orthodox Church. Godparents can be a best friend or girlfriend, close relatives, even grandparents.

But it is important to understand that the person who will lead your child to faith must meet the following requirements:

1. First of all, he himself must be a believing Christian. You cannot baptize a child if you do not profess Christianity. A worthy choice is a person who regularly attends church, prays and takes communion.
2. It can be one who is ready to direct the upbringing of children in a Christian direction, lead them to the service, teach them to pray, help them come to confession for the first time, instill love for God, the Most Holy Theotokos and Holy Ascetics, teach them to turn to them in various life circumstances.
3. After the sacrament of Baptism, it is impossible to refuse or change the godfather. A person still remains a godfather, even if during his life he refused to attend the temple or the Christian Orthodox faith, and cannot engage in the Christian upbringing of a child.
4. An unmarried, married or pregnant woman can become a godmother, but a husband and wife cannot simultaneously be godparents of the same child.
5. According to the rules prescribed in the Ribbon, one person must be a godfather. Accordingly, girls have a woman, boys have a man. But the presence of a second godfather is just an ancient custom of the church.
6. You cannot become a godparent if a person has the rank of a monk or nun.
7. If it is not possible to attend the sacrament of Baptism, then it is allowed to enter the name of the parent / parent in absentia. Responsibilities of recipients, both full-time and part-time, are absolutely equivalent.
8. If there is no one to become the godparent of your child, go to the temple, they often baptize without godparents, then the priest who conducted the sacrament is considered the godfather.

Is it possible to be the godfather of several children

There are no restrictions on the number of godchildren. One person can become a godfather twice, thrice, and so on - there are no obstacles to this.

You can refuse when there is doubt not to cope with the responsibility assigned to him.

If you are already a godparent, but friends are asking you to be honored again, you need to think carefully. Becoming a godfather is a big responsibility.

And if you live in the same city with one godson, make friends with families, even go to the same church, you know that his parents are believing Christians, so far your only task is to pray regularly for his entire family.

Well, if, after a while, when a grown-up child needs help, advice, he will come to you, and you, together with his parents, will be able to resolve a difficult issue.

And if another godson lives far away from you, perhaps his family moved, or you, due to various circumstances, stopped communicating with his parents, this does not relieve you of responsibility. It is you who will have to answer for his Christian illiteracy before God.

Prayers for children and godchildren

Conclusion

Being a godfather is a big responsibility that everyone who agrees bears before the baby and Almighty God. Therefore, if you are not ready to help your child follow the Christian faith and cannot teach him faith, mercy, then it is better to refuse the offer to become a successor.