How many times can you be a godmother? A similar question is often asked to the priest by parishioners who have been called as godmothers to the sacred sacrament of baptism, and have already baptized the baby before.

Historical information

When, at the beginning of time, Christianity was just emerging and the world was dominated by pagans who were not taught the basics and foundations of the Orthodox faith. They themselves received baptism, baptized their own children, and asked the Orthodox to be mentors and recipients at the great sacrament of baptism. It was the latter who taught them the basics of Christianity and spiritual education - and this is how the tradition began of inviting the godmother and father to christenings.

Today Orthodoxy is spread all over the world, but people often ask the question - how many times can you become a godmother? It is worth understanding that christening is a huge responsibility from a spiritual perspective and a great honor for a person. How ready you are to take it upon yourself and whether you can give your godson knowledge about the foundations of the church and faith, direct him to the path of truth - it depends on you. No one can ever tell a woman how many times she should become a mother - for some it’s hard with one, for others it’s easy with ten. So it is with the issue of christenings.

There is an opinion among people that becoming a godmother for the second and subsequent times means that from the first godson, the mother, as it were, removes the cross and protection herself, that is, gives it to another baby. The church completely rejects such a statement - these are more likely human prejudices than the foundations of church Orthodox teaching. Baptism in the temple is like the birth of a second and subsequent children, which should not be perceived as a rejection of the first. So the godmother is responsible for all her charges.

And still , How many times can you be a godmother? In this case, the church gives its answer - as much as you want, the main thing is that you cope with your responsibilities as a godmother. Every woman should understand that if you have been invited to become a child’s adopter, then this is a sign from above for you, you need to try for this. Here it’s worth understanding for yourself that if you have too many godchildren and the parents themselves can easily find a replacement for you, you can easily and delicately refuse.

However, if you know that after your, even laconic and justified refusal, the child will not be baptized in the bosom of the church, then be sure to agree. God sees all this and will definitely give you the strength and time to properly care for your successor. And naturally, summing up all that has been said, we can summarize only one thing - if you are called to be a godmother, you can become one many times.

Baptism in Orthodoxy is a special sacrament. It is also called spiritual birth. During the ritual, newborns receive a Guardian Angel as the protector of their soul, who will protect them throughout their lives. By church traditions It is recommended to baptize a newborn on the eighth day of his life or on the fortieth. A special role in this ritual is given to godparents. They have a very serious task. They will have to spiritually educate their godson, introduce him to the Church and Orthodox faith. That's why church ministers They recommend approaching the choice of spiritual recipients very seriously.

According to Russian laws Orthodox Church Godparents cannot be:

The godfather and godmother of the newborn must not be married;

Biological parents cannot baptize their child;

People belonging to other religious concessions cannot become spiritual followers of the Orthodox;

A pregnant woman and a woman who is menstruating at the time of baptism;

Mad, immoral and unbelieving people;

Strangers or barely familiar people who agreed to this only because they were persuaded by the parents of the newborn;

Minor children.

In any of the above cases, the clergyman has the right to refuse to perform the sacrament of baptism. Of course, you can lie. But the future of the child will depend on this decision.

Who can be godmother and godfather?

As a rule, both a woman and a man become godparents. But if the child has only one godparent, the church recommends choosing a godparent based on gender. That is, a girl should be baptized by a woman, and a boy by a man. This is not a strict requirement. Situations are allowed when a man becomes a spiritual recipient for a girl, and a woman for a boy. Before performing the sacrament of baptism, the clergyman will talk with the selected candidates. It is important that godparents are truly believers Orthodox people. So that you can completely rely on them in the responsibilities of the spiritual upbringing of the child.

Recipients must come to the sacrament of baptism with body crosses. Godmother must have a covered head, covered shoulders and a dress no lower than the knees. There are no strict requirements for a godfather. But it’s better to avoid T-shirts with shorts. A man should not wear any hats on his head. It is strictly forbidden to come to the baptism ceremony under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

How many times can you be godparents?

To the question of how many times you can be a godmother or father, the church does not give a definite answer. There are no strict restrictions. The godparents decide on their own whether to become a spiritual successor again or not. When making such a decision, you need to remember that the godparent takes on a very serious responsibility. After all, he will have to not only introduce the child to the Orthodox faith, but also take care of him throughout his life.

Why godparents cannot become husband and wife and how many times can you be a godparent?

Priest Dionisy Svechnikov

What is baptism?

Baptism is one of the seven sacraments of the Orthodox Church, in which the believer, while immersing the body three times in water and invoking the name Holy Trinity- Father and Son and Holy Spirit, dies to a life of sin and is reborn by the Holy Spirit to Eternal Life.
This is a new birth for spiritual life in which a person can achieve the Kingdom of Heaven. And it is called a sacrament because through it, in a way incomprehensible to us, the invisible saving power of God - grace - acts on the person being baptized.
Is it possible to baptize infants, because they do not have conscious faith?
- But don’t the parents who brought their child for baptism in the temple of God have it? Won't they instill in their child faith in God from childhood? In addition, the child will also have godparents - recipients from the baptismal font, who vouch for him and undertake to raise their godchild in the Orthodox faith. Thus, babies are not baptized according to their own faith, but according to the faith of their parents and godparents who brought the child to baptism.
When should children be baptized?
- There are no specific rules in this matter. But usually children are baptized on the 40th day after birth, although this can be done earlier or later. The main thing is not to postpone baptism for a long time unless absolutely necessary. It would be wrong to deprive a child of such a great sacrament for the sake of prevailing circumstances.
How many godparents should a child have?
- Church rules it is prescribed to have for the child a recipient of the same gender as the person being baptized. That is, for a boy it is a man, and for a girl it is a woman. In tradition, both godparents are usually chosen for the child: father and mother. It will also not be a contradiction if, if necessary, the child has a recipient of a different gender than the person being baptized.
What are the requirements for godparents?

The first and main requirement is undoubted Orthodox faith. After all, they will have to teach their godson the basics of the Orthodox faith and give spiritual instructions. Godparents are entrusted with the enormous responsibility of spiritual education of their godchildren, for they, together with their parents, are responsible for it before God.
How can future godparents prepare for baptism?
- There are no special rules for preparing recipients for baptism. At some churches, special conversations are held where all the provisions of the Orthodox faith regarding baptism and succession are explained to a person. A good preparation would be the study of the Holy Scriptures, the basic rules of Christian piety, as well as three days of fasting, confession and communion before the sacrament of baptism.
Usually the godfather takes upon himself the cost (if any) of the baptism itself and the purchase pectoral cross for his godson. The godmother buys a baptismal cross for the girl and also brings things necessary for baptism. Typically, a baptismal set includes a baptismal shirt, a sheet and a towel. But these traditions are not mandatory.
Can spouses or those about to get married become godparents?

The spiritual relationship established between recipients in the sacrament of baptism is higher than any other union, even marriage. Therefore, spouses cannot become godparents of one child. This will cast doubt on the possibility of the continued existence of their marriage. But individually they may well be godparents to different children from the same family. Those planning to get married cannot become godparents, because Having become recipients, they will have a spiritual degree of kinship, which is higher than the physical one. They will have to end their relationship and limit themselves to only spiritual kinship.

Can people living in a civil marriage become recipients?
- According to church canons, people leading an immoral life (a “civil” marriage should be regarded as such) cannot be recipients of the baptismal font. And if these people finally decide to legitimize their relationship before God and the state, then they will certainly not be able to be godparents to one child. Despite the apparent complexity of the question, there can only be one answer to it - unequivocally: no.
Can an adoptive father (mother) become a godfather to an adopted child?
- According to Rule 53 of the VI Ecumenical Council, this is unacceptable.
How many times can a person become a godfather?
- In the Orthodox Church there is no clear canonical definition as to how many times a person can become a godfather during his life. After all, this is a great responsibility for which you will have to answer before God. Its measure determines how many times a person can take on succession. This measure is different for each person and, sooner or later, a person may have to abandon the new adoption.
Is it possible to refuse to become a godfather?
- If a person feels internally unprepared or has fundamental fears that he will not be able to conscientiously fulfill the duties of a godparent, then he may well refuse the child’s parents (or the person being baptized, if this is an adult) to become their child’s godparent. There is no sin in this.
When is there no need for godparents?

There is always a need for godparents. Especially for children. But not every adult baptized can boast of a good knowledge of the Holy Scriptures and church canons. If necessary, an adult can be baptized without godparents, because he has conscious faith in God and is quite capable of independently pronouncing the words of renunciation of Satan, uniting with Christ and reading the Creed. He is fully aware of his actions. The same cannot be said for babies and small children. Their godparents do all this for them. But, in case of extreme need, you can baptize a child without godparents. Such a need, undoubtedly, can be the complete absence of worthy godparents.

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

According to Rule 84 of the VI Ecumenical Council, such people must be baptized if there are no witnesses who could confirm or refute the fact of their baptism. In this case, a person is baptized, pronouncing the formula: “If he is not baptized, the servant of God is baptized...”.

Can a pregnant woman become a godmother?
- Of course you can. Such a misconception has nothing to do with church canons and traditions and is also superstition. Participation in church sacraments can only be for the benefit of the expectant mother. I also had to baptize pregnant women. The babies were born strong and healthy.

Is it true that if at baptism the wax with cut hair sinks, then the life of the person being baptized will be short?
- No, it's a superstition. According to the laws of physics, wax cannot sink in water at all. But if you throw it from a height with sufficient force, then at the first moment it will actually go under water. It is good if the superstitious receiver does not see this moment and “fortune telling with baptismal wax” will give a positive result. But, as soon as the godfather notices the moment the wax is immersed in water, lamentations immediately begin, and the newly-made Christian is almost buried alive. After this, it is sometimes difficult to bring the child’s parents, who are told about the “sign of God” seen at baptism, out of their state of terrible depression. Of course, this superstition has no basis in church canons and traditions.
Based on materials from the site pravmir.ru

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. Mass controversial issues cause prejudice. One of them: how many times can you be a godmother?

Mixture of statements

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

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

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

Mystery of Baptism

Before taking responsibility for a new, alien child, a person should find out what exactly is hidden behind this ritual, and what role godmothers play in it. Having dealt with this issue, every woman herself will understand how many times she can be a godmother.

The main thing to understand is that the ritual involves introducing the child to church life. At the same time, all the sins of his parents and relatives that were transmitted by blood are removed from the baby. This ceremony is the new, religious birth of a boy or girl. With the sacrament, the child joins God. Now not only the parents are responsible for his fate, but also the Lord, who will protect the baby from evil and misfortune.

From the day of the ceremony, mom and dad must raise their child in the Orthodox faith. Their 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 you ask.

Parents' mission

It is an honor to be godfathers. This title means that, of all the people they know, you are the one the new parents consider worthy of their child. They trust the fate of their child. For this you must live up to their expectations.

Like true Orthodox man, godmother will introduce his new child to God. This involves going to 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 pay off a birthday gift. How many times can a woman who does not care about the Orthodox upbringing of her children become a godmother? The correct answer is never.

A person who is unable to pay proper attention to his godson should not take on additional responsibilities. Being a mother is a difficult mission. If the natural parents could not or did not want to involve the child in the church, their child grew up unkind person, then this sin will be on your soul.

Refusal is not a crime

A person who understands responsibility can safely refuse such responsibilities. The reason for disagreement should be explained in detail to the parents. If you are not able to convey such information to the consciousness of your friends on your own, then a priest will help. Father will explain in detail how many times you can become a godmother and why. Refusing to be a godfather is not a sin. But take during the sacrament a child whom you will not be able to instruct in the future. Right way, - heavy guilt.

It should be noted that, in addition to this, other serious reasons refuse to baptize a baby no. The only exceptions are people who were raised 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, it is worth asking a priest for advice. This concerns not only the material side of the ceremony, but also how many times you can be a godmother, whether you can marry your godfather...

A person who is poorly oriented Holy Scripture, and in return believes in gossip and prejudices, 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 and truth.

Father, on the contrary, will be able to answer questions of interest in an accessible and correct manner. His task is not just to mint it briefly, 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 whether you are a believer and ask about your relationship with children for whom you have already become a church mother.

Religion and people

The main disputes arise from gossip. For example, you can often hear that a woman should baptize a boy first. Regarding this dilemma, the church gives a clear definition: it doesn’t matter who you follow. Gender doesn't matter at all. But there is another concept, deeper and little known.

The main responsibility for the child lies with only one person, who is in the first pair (and of the same sex as the child). That is, the godfather will account for the boy in the next world, and the woman - for the girl. If you don’t yet have “real” godchildren, then the answer to the question of how many times you can be a godmother emerges on its own - how life will turn out. The tradition of matching one sex with another, the opposite, is not church, but folk. Moreover, one person can baptize a child.

Priests and nuns

If you have refused the title of godfather, and your friends have no one else to take, then the sad parents should explain that they can baptize their child without strangers. Of course, the church does not recommend such an action, because in case of accidents, when the child remains an orphan, he falls under the care of his godparents.

The persons who took part in the sacrament must take the child into their family and raise it as if it were their own. Such information is another reason to think about how many times you can be a godmother, and whether you are ready to take such a step.

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

Another myth that is often circulated among people is that a pregnant woman has no right to be the mother of someone else’s child. In fact, anyone can become a godfather. Main criterion- awareness of responsibility.

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

Parenting details

Contrary to speculation, it should be noted that godfathers can take church marriage without barriers. After all, they are not blood relatives. But in the future they shouldn’t 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 faithful friend, advisor, and teacher to the child. If a child is sick, you need to pray for his health and involve your whole family in the ritual. It is worth asking the Lord for the house of an adopted son or daughter. It is necessary to attend services with the child and receive communion, tell him about the existence of saints and help him live with faith in his heart, and subsequently take care of his children.

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

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 not permissible to treat this ritual lightly, since christening is an unusual holiday. On this day, the child finds not only 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 you can’t rush in such a matter; you need to carefully prepare for every moment of the christening, thinking about and being aware of all the little things. Many people are interested in the question of whether it is possible to be a godfather to several children. There are discussions about this, but it is better to look for the answer from the church ministers themselves.

Young parents most often call their close friends to play the role of adoptive parents. But sometimes it happens that potential godparents already have several godchildren. What to do in this situation?

On the one hand, traditions say that one cannot refuse to baptize, as one may invite disaster upon oneself. On the other hand, would it be right to agree to take responsibility for another person?

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

There is a superstition that you cannot become a godfather twice, since the second ceremony removes the cross 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 correctly performed 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, one must remember the responsibility before God that the recipients take upon themselves. Having a godson means having another child who always needs help in everything.

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

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

Who should not be called godparents?

Choosing godparents is a responsible task. Often young mother and father 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 take full responsibility for raising a child according to Orthodox laws.
  • Young couples or spouses. People in a church or civil marriage.
  • The parents themselves. Biological mother and father cannot baptize their son or daughter, since they already have a special significance in his life.
  • Atheists. The very idea that an unbeliever can become a godfather is ridiculous and ridiculous. After all, the primary task of the godfather is the spiritual education of the child, his introduction into the Christian world and familiarization with God’s laws.
  • Strangers, strangers. Rarely, but situations still occur when the baby’s parents, due to some circumstances, cannot find potential godparents among their friends. In this case, they ask you to hold the baby in your arms during the christening completely strangers. This phenomenon is extremely undesirable and is not approved by the church, although it is not directly prohibited.

Questions before christening

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

It is important to know! Why is it needed and what is it: rules of the sacrament

Every sane person who has been offered such a role thinks about what he will have to do after the christening, what is his participation in the life of his godson in the future and how to behave in church? Excitement before an important event is a common phenomenon. You don’t have to worry about doing something wrong, because there will always be a spiritual mentor next to you who will tell you how to behave and in what sequence to perform the required actions.

Frequent questions that young parents ask the church minister before christening:

• Is it possible to be godfather a minor?
• Is it possible to be a godfather to several children?
• Can a pregnant girl be baptized?
• At what age is it best 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 his full 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 has enough time and energy to make a significant contribution to the upbringing of each godson.

Most often, young parents hold christenings 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 baptisms at a later age. In some cases, the baptism ceremony is carried out when the teenager has already reached adulthood.

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 a new servant of God is named in honor of the saint who patronizes the birthday or christening day.

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

Important! Having several godparents is not prohibited by the church, but before the sacrament, everyone who decides to become a godfather must listen to a short 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 God's Court everyone will have to be responsible for the upbringing of their godchildren in the same way as for the upbringing of their own children.