What should a godmother do before and at a christening? Responsibilities of a godmother and gifts for a girl or boy

The very first important event in the life of a newborn baby is a sacrament called baptism. It is permissible to equate it even to birth - in spiritual terms. At this moment, the baby receives a Guardian Angel who will accompany him throughout his life, helping, protecting and supporting.

According to church canons, baptism is usually carried out on the fortieth day of birth. By this time, the mother of the child is completely cleansed after childbirth, and she can attend church. What are the rules and signs for a girl’s christening?

How is the sacrament performed?

The rules and rituals for the baptism of infants of both sexes are practically the same. The only cardinal difference is that at the end of the ritual, boys are brought into the altar, but girls are not.

The baptismal clothes are also a little different - for girls they are more elegant, and they definitely need a headdress - a scarf or cap. Traditionally, baptismal robes are white, but the girl's outfit can be decorated with embroidery or ribbons.

At first, the godparents pronounce several vows on behalf of the goddaughter, answering the priest’s questions. Then the priest anoints certain parts of the naked baby’s body with oil - for health, both physical and mental. You can keep it wrapped in a towel so that you can easily twist it in the right place.

During the process of baptism itself, the girl is brought to the holy font and handed over to the priest by her godmother, who lowers her into the water three times. Sometimes, instead of dipping the child, they simply pour holy water over it.

Holding a kryzhma (a special diaper or white towel decorated with a cross) in his hands, the godfather takes the girl from the hands of the priest. They wipe the baby with this kryzhma, dress her in a baptismal dress and an elegant cap (kerchief) and put on a cross.

An important moment in the life of a girl is the anointing of parts of her body with holy myrrh - this is the imposition of the so-called seals of the Holy Spirit. Such anointing occurs only once in a lifetime, and it reveals in the little person his spiritual gifts.

At the end of the action, the priest cuts a small lock of hair from the baby’s head. This lock remains in the temple as a symbol of sacrifice and a pledge of dedication to God.

Prayers are read throughout the ceremony.

Is it possible to baptize on critical days?

The date of christening is agreed upon by the parents not only with the priest, but also with the godmother, because this date cannot coincide with the period of the woman’s monthly purification. On critical days, women are prohibited from entering the temple; they are not allowed to participate in any sacraments or rituals.

If suddenly these days come unexpectedly, then you cannot hide this fact; it is better to explain the situation to the parents and reschedule the christening date.

In the event that it is not possible to reschedule the date of the sacrament, this issue is discussed with the priest. Sometimes the godmother is allowed to be present at the ceremony and simply observe it, but it is strictly forbidden to receive the child after the font and kiss the icons.

Prayers and traditional vows may be said. Such a rite is considered completed, and the woman at baptism is included in the certificate as a godmother, while she is also assigned all the responsibilities provided for by the sacrament and church charter.

Rules and signs

This wonderful ritual has been surrounded by many signs since ancient times. Some of them make sense, others are nothing but superstition. What does superstition mean? Simply put, it is vain faith. And vanity refers to unnecessary worries and troubles associated with everyday life, far from spiritual life.

There are many signs, and some are completely inexplicable from the point of view of common sense. But to believe them or not is a purely personal matter. But if you are a believer, then in controversial and unclear cases it is better to seek advice from a clergyman. In the meantime, let’s talk about some signs regarding the christening of a girl.

• It is not recommended to wipe droplets of water from the girl’s face with a towel; they must dry. How to explain this - perhaps it guarantees beauty?
• It is believed that the baby’s baptismal outfit and kryzhma should not be washed. After drops of holy water have dried on them, these objects are kept as a talisman until the end of their days. If a child gets sick, he should be wrapped in kryzhma or attached to a baptismal gown, which should alleviate his condition.
• One of the signs indicates a good sign if a girl endures everything in silence or sleeps during the ceremony. This seems to promise her a happy life. If she cries and screams, this is also good - it indicates the release of evil spirits from her.
• If the date of baptism, which has already been planned, is postponed for some reason, this is perceived as a bad omen.
• This category also includes the belief that it is impossible to baptize several children in one font.
• The question of whether it is possible to take a pregnant woman as a godmother is considered controversial. Superstitions say that in no case, because both the godfather’s unborn child and the godson will get sick. In the church they will tell you that this opinion is groundless: it is not only possible, but also useful for the expectant mother to participate in the baptismal ceremony.
• There is a superstition that an unmarried girl's first godson should be a boy, and a man's first godson should be a girl. What is this connected with? Some believe that otherwise godparents will not meet their soul mate and will not have success with people of the opposite sex. Others are sure that if godparents already have families, their personal lives will not go well.
• The recommended number of guests present at a baptism is an even number. In general, it is best that there are as few of them as possible, because this is a sacrament that is best witnessed only by parents and godparents.
• The sign of not telling anyone the girl’s baptismal name has a pagan connotation - it may not coincide with what was already given by the parents, is a secret and protects the child from the evil eye and damage.
• At the baptismal meal, you must eat everything from the plates, otherwise the girl may become pockmarked.

Rules for a godmother

Having agreed with the priest on the date of the sacrament, the godmother must:

• Pass the required interview.
• She also needs to know by heart the texts of the main prayers - “Our Father” and “Creed”. This is necessary for the ceremony.
• You need to buy a kryzhma and a baptism kit. In former times, it was customary for the godmother to prepare such an outfit for the ritual with her own hands. Nowadays there is quite a wide choice of ready-made kits, but it is best for the godmother to consult with the mother of the future goddaughter before purchasing. But she is quite capable of marking the purchased kryzhma by embroidering the baptism date and the baby’s name.
• When coming to church for baptism, you must remember that you must have a cross on your body. The godmother should be dressed modestly, preferably in a skirt rather than a trouser suit, with her head covered, and without bright makeup.
• The godmother should be well known to the baby so that she can easily calm her down if she cries and be able to change her clothes.
• The duties of the godmother include preparation for the ceremony itself and home celebration.

Responsibilities after baptism

The godmother (duties during baptism consist of observing all established church rules during the sacrament) after the ceremony assumes a number of functions:

• constant prayers for your pupil;
• submitting notes for church services regarding the child’s health;
• mention in morning and evening prayers;
• teaching an already grown child to piety, mercy and kindness;
• visiting temples together and reading prayers.

Also, the godmother should tell the pupil about the importance of Christian rituals, fasting, confession and communion.

After christening, the godmother becomes a second mother, she helps with kind words, support, advice, thereby guiding you on the true path and helping you cope with difficult situations in life.

Also, every year on his birthday, angel’s day and christening day, she congratulates the pupil, gives him some gifts, and it doesn’t matter whether they are expensive or not, the main thing is that love and attention are given along with them.

What to give from guests?

You should think carefully about the gift. For such a special occasion, it would be nice if it was both practical and unique.

• When the baby grows up, you will want to add a chain to the baptismal cross. Such a chain can be given by godparents. They can also order a photo session or filming of the ceremony on a video camera. This will be the most memorable and “long-lasting” gift. Traditionally, they can order a cake for the final stage of the holiday.
• Very popular are the “Our Baby” photo albums, which contain photographs from all events occurring in the child’s life.
• Various hygiene items for babies are always relevant.
• There is a huge selection of colorfully published books, and not only on paper. You can even swim with some of them.
• Toys – rattles, pendants, rides.
• Children's underwear will never be superfluous. You can even buy it for growth.
• You will be pleased with beautiful bed linen sets and original towels with hoods.
• Grandfathers and grandmothers, as a rule, are ready to purchase the entire “dowry” for their granddaughter: an envelope for walking, overalls, jackets, dresses. They often take care of purchasing strollers and first children’s furniture.

For such a family celebration, the closest people usually gather. They can discuss in advance with the baby’s parents what is more important for them at the moment. In addition, everything still depends on the financial capabilities of the invitees.

Baptism gifts for a little boy from grandparents

At the christening of grandparents, a grandson is often given a silver tea spoon for his teeth. Preference is given to this metal because of its beneficial properties for the body: silver ions bind and remove toxins, improve metabolic processes. In addition, water and food in silver dishes are disinfected from bacteria and viruses.

Congratulations in your own words

Such a significant event requires special words of congratulations. Of course, the baby still doesn’t care what the guests say, but her parents will be glad to hear sincere congratulations and wishes for her. They can be spoken in verse, which means that the person has prepared specially, but heartfelt words spoken impromptu will sound warmest. It might look something like this:

“There is a belief that when a new person is born on earth, a new star lights up in the sky. No one can verify this, but they say that there are as many stars in the sky as there are people on our planet. And even if the star of your newborn baby is not yet shining brightly enough to be able to see it, but now that the baby has passed the sacrament of baptism, her dim star will flare up more and more brightly!

And soon you, parents, will be able to see her. After all, the Creator has now sent his reliable assistant, a Guardian Angel, to your daughter so that he will always protect and preserve her soul. May the star of the new servant of God, starting from this day, shine so that she will be visible to the whole world!”

In your congratulations you can start from the following text:

“Today is an extremely important day in your family’s biography. Your baby, who received holy baptism, acquired another spiritual parent - godfather and mother. And they voluntarily took upon themselves the duty of protecting her, instructing her and protecting her from wrong steps.

May everything always work out for your daughter, and may her Angel spread his bright wings over her. After all, baptism is a holy sacrament that gives a person strong spiritual protection in life. I wish that your baby always follows the right path, respects you and her godparents, as well as everyone around her, lives in love and peace with everyone and pleases with her successes. Happy baptism of your daughter!”