Christening a child is a very serious sacrament. And you need to approach him with all responsibility. You can’t take and choose whom in godmothers. If only they were.
And what if there is no suitable candidate in the environment? Friends do not want or do not fit, but there are no particularly close relatives. Can a grandmother be a godmother to her grandson or granddaughter? We will talk about this in the article.
How are godparents chosen?
Let's start our conversation with the answer to this question. What should godparents be like? And is it necessary that they both be?
The godparents are the recipients of the child before God. And if the blood parents have the task to feed, dress, learn, then the godparents are obliged to educate their spiritual child in the Christian faith, to lay moral foundations in it. And they bear almost more serious responsibility for the child than their parents. Why? Because they are responsible for his soul.
What should be godparents? Believers in the first place. Not at heart, as is customary now, but for real. People who are going to become the recipients of the child should regularly attend the temple, proceed to the Sacraments of Christ and be strong people in the faith. Are there many of these in our environment? Hardly. If only the grandmother of the baby.
By the way, can grandmother be a godmother? The answer to this question will be a bit later. Now let's talk about whether the child needs godmothers mom and dad together.
In general, the girl should have a godmother, the boy should have a father. That is, the godfather and the godson must be same-sex. But if it is possible to baptize a child with two godparents, this is not prohibited.
Who should not become godparents?
Could there be a godmother at the granddaughter? If the grandmother is an Orthodox, baptized person, then easily. Grandparents are not forbidden to become godparents of their grandchildren.
And who should not baptize a child? Gentiles, apostates, people in prodigal cohabitation. It should not be godparents in a child's husband and wife, adoptive parents of stepdaughters or stepsons.
How to prepare for the sacrament?
Can a grandmother be a godson? Yes maybe. How to prepare for the sacrament of baptism? It is not about buying a baptismal shirt, cross, and candles. This refers to spiritual preparation.
At least three consecutive Sundays, future godparents must attend services. A conversation is being held with them. The priest talks to find out if the alleged godparents can become one. They attend godparents and lectures on faith and baptism. Such are read in almost every temple.
The preparation is quite lengthy and serious. It is better to think it over in advance than then, in the hustle and bustle of haste, to begin implementation.
What happens on christening?
Can a grandmother be a godmother? As we found out, maybe. If she is an Orthodox Christian and has undergone preliminary training, she received a blessing from the priest in this regard.
What is the essence of baptism? In gaining the Holy Spirit. When a baby is born, it already has a bodily membrane. Spirit is inherited through baptism.
The receiver makes a promise to God to live according to His commandments. He, instead of a child, renounces Satan. After reading the necessary prayers, the priest dips the baby three times in the font and hands it to the receiver. Keep in mind that baptism lasts long enough. And after it comes the sacrament. Therefore, it is undesirable to feed the baby before this. But this issue is best discussed with the priest.
What should a grandmother remember?
Can a grandmother be a godmother, we now know. It can imagine. How can she prepare for such a crucial moment:
Firstly, there should be no makeup on the face. We go to the temple to God, and not to the podium. Someone will laugh: they say, what kind of cosmetics, when it comes to grandmother? Not all grandmothers are age related. Some of them at the age of 40 become, what now is for them not to take care of themselves?
Secondly, we dress decently in the church. This means that the future godmother should be wearing a dress or skirt below the knees. If this dress, then it is closed. If the choice fell on a skirt and jacket, then the latter should be completely closed. A headscarf or hat is put on the head. The presence of a woman with her head uncovered in the temple is unacceptable.
Thirdly, take care of comfortable shoes. Have to stand for a long time, legs get tired.
The godmother should not have women's days.
You cannot be late for christening. This is disrespect for the priest.
Many are interested in the question of how much it costs to christen a child. The size of the donation should be clarified behind the candle box of the temple, in which it is planned to baptize the baby.
Do I need to thank the priest for the perfect sacrament? Everything is individual here, depending on the capabilities of the infant's family and godparents.
Baptismal goods are bought by the godparents. They pay for baptism. On the conscience of parents - a festive table.
Baptismal name
Another issue that worries parents. If a child is given a name that is not indicated in the holy calendar, will the priest change his name at the baptism of the baby?
No, it will not change. On this issue, do not worry. Just give a second name - a baptismal, in honor of a saint. So, if the girl was called Olesya, then in baptism she can become Olga or Alexandra. This is for example.
Summarize
We answered the question of whether grandmother can be godmother. What reply? Yes maybe. But under several conditions:
- Grandmother is an Orthodox Christian.
- She is churches, attends church and participates in church ordinances.
- Gentiles, people living in fornication, and apostates should not become godparents.
Well, we sorted this issue out. Now we highlight the main aspects of the article:
Baptism is a very serious sacrament. The child’s receiver is responsible for the soul of his ward, his instruction in the Orthodox faith and the growth in the soul of a spiritual child of good fruits.
If the godparents are not sure that they can do all this, it is better to abandon this obligation. That is, do not baptize the baby. Explain to parents their position gently, without conflict.
The ordinance of baptism requires proper preparation. Which one? This is described above.
The godmother should look at the calendar in advance so as not to get into an awkward situation. A bleeding woman cannot participate in the sacrament of baptism.
Conclusion
Now the reader knows if grandmother can be godmother to her grandson or granddaughter, how to prepare for the sacrament and what you need to know about him.