Today, most believing families professing Orthodoxy continue the tradition of baptizing their own children. Most often, the rite of baptism is successfully performed on a newborn baby no older than a year old, and the closest people are urged to become godparents. Every woman will be flattered by such a request, but an urgent question often arises: is it possible to be a godmother to several children at the same time?
Who do parents choose to be godmother?
Many will be surprised to learn that it is not at all necessary to appoint two people at once as mentors to a child. For a little girl, it is enough to choose only a godmother, but for a young boy - a godfather, in other words, a person of the same gender as the baby. If there are doubts about the second mentor, it is better to refuse his appointment altogether.
The godmother is exactly the person who must guide the entrusted godson on the true path all his life, introduce him to the established Orthodox traditions, teach him to attend church, and bear responsibility for him and for his actions before God. Therefore, it is imperative to choose a godmother mature woman, not only close to the family, but also one that leads the right way of life, has qualities that will become a positive example for the crumbs.
Who is not suitable for the role of a godmother?
It is forbidden to baptize a child by the blood or adoptive parents of the baby and people belonging to another faith, or atheists. All other relatives and friends have the right to become spiritual mentors.
Also, a couple of godparents cannot be married to each other. This is explained by the fact that the relationship between the godfather and the godmother must be at the highest, spiritual level. You have to choose only one of them. If, by chance, this happened, a petition should be submitted to the diocesan administration, which will decide whether it is worth dissolving the marriage or imposing repentance on the godmother and godfather for the sin committed through negligence.
Is it possible to be a godmother to several children at once?
There are no prohibitions on the right to become a godmother for several children, because there are more than one native babies. Therefore, often parents choose the same people to be the godmother for all their children. The problem can only arise during the baptism of twins, since the godfather, according to the prescribed traditions, is obliged to hold the baby in his arms throughout the ceremony. So it is better to assign a separate godmother to each baby.
It all depends on the attitude of the future godmother: will she be able to lead more than her only child through life? Perhaps this is a person who is able to be the godmother of several children overnight and instruct four or more godchildren.
Is it allowed to baptize children if something happens to the godmother?
According to church traditions, baptism is performed on a person only once, therefore parents are required to approach the issue of choosing a mentor very seriously, especially if she is the godmother of several children in the family. If, over time, the godmother strayed from the true path, began to lead a rampant sinful life, or changed her religion, the godson and his family are left to pray for her.
You can solve the problem only by turning to a deeply religious, serious person with a request to take custody of the child. Then she will be considered a godmother.
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 a kryzhma - a white towel in which he is wrapped after initiation into the font, and a baptismal outfit - 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 that 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.
They say that if you baptize a second child, then the cross is removed from the first - these are all rumors, let's talk all the same about how many times you can be a godmother.
You can become a godmother several times, more precisely, as much as your heart desires. The main thing at the same time is to remember your duties to the godson, which you take on during the sacrament of baptism. Being a spiritual mother and having two or three godchildren (goddaughters), it is necessary to take an active part in their spiritual development, pray for them and not stop communicating with them.
The church refutes the rumors that the first child, becoming a godchild for the second time, is no longer considered a godson, as follows. First, the sacrament of baptism has already been performed and is valid. There is no such thing as the rebaptism of a child in the Orthodox Church, it is the same as being physically born a second time. Secondly, if a woman gave birth to a second child, then it turns out that the first one must be taken away from her, otherwise how to understand the words "the cross is removed from the first child."
Interested in the answer to the question “How many times can you be a godmother?”, Answer yourself at the same time, do you know your duties well. If not, please read them carefully. Otherwise, why baptize a second or third time?
Responsibilities of Godparents
By accepting a child from the hands of a priest, godparents, for life, take responsibility for his Orthodox upbringing. It is for this, in due time, at the Last Judgment, they will have to bear the answer.
When the godson reaches a conscious age, the godmother, like the father, is obliged to teach him the basics of the Orthodox faith. The child must be familiar with the Holy Scriptures, know the commandments and basic prayers, attend church services.
In turn, his godparents should pray, until the end of their life on earth, for their godson. In addition, teach him faith and piety, introduce him to church sacraments.
I hope all of the above answers the question of how many times you can be a godmother. The main thing then is not to forget why you decided to become a godmother for the umpteenth time. Remember the faith of your godchildren, this is your faith. Being present at the sacrament of baptism, the recipients must offer God their love, their heart and their faith for the godson. And if the child grew up, and he does not have such qualities, it means that his godparents did not have them initially either. This is explained by the fact that the relationship between godparents and their spiritual children is more eternal and stronger than with parents in the flesh.
The custom of having godparents belongs to ancient Apostolic Tradition. Future godparents should be Orthodox believers, those who can give an account of their beliefs. At the time of the child's baptism, the recipients must know the Creed, as it will be necessary to read it at the sacrament. In addition, they must be prepared to give clear answers to the priest's questions, including renouncing Satan and spiritually uniting with Christ.
Which forever makes a person a Christian. Even if he ever changes his faith, the grace of baptism still remains with him all his life. Already since ancient times, there has been a tradition to conduct this sacrament with the participation of sponsors who are responsible for the churching and righteousness of the entire future life of the convert.
In this regard, the Orthodox have a question: how many times can a child be baptized by one person?
Baptism of a child in a church
Allowed number of godchildren
The Church does not place any restrictions here. The only thing that can stop a person from agreeing to become a godfather is the fear of responsibility. After all, if the recipient did not make enough efforts to teach his spiritual son or daughter the Christian faith and direct him to the path of salvation, he will have to answer to God.
Read about the Sacrament of Baptism:
The people invented a lot of superstitions associated with baptism. It seems that if a woman takes a second godchild, then her spiritual motherhood will be “removed” from the first.
It's not worth listening to this nonsense. Taking on several spiritual children is the same as giving birth to several children. It is hard and responsible, but a mother will remain a mother for everyone.
Allowed number of godparents
A person can have one or two godparents - a godfather and a mother. If there is only one recipient, then it is customary to choose a person of the same sex as the godson for this role. But this is just a tradition, if for some reason it is impossible to do so, there is no sin in breaking it.
It happens that the priest himself becomes the recipient.
Baptism of a child in a church
If a baby is being baptized, the godfather must make vows to God instead of him and take the baby out of the font. When there are two recipients, this is done by the godmother if the child is a girl, and by the father if it is a boy.
Godparents: Who Can Become a Godparent? What do godmothers and godfathers need to know? How many godchildren can you have? Answers 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 duty godfather - to help the child grow up in the Orthodox faith.
- The godfather must be church man, ready to regularly take the godson to the temple and monitor his Christian upbringing.
- After the baptism is done, godfather cannot be changed, but if the godfather has changed a lot for the worse, the godson and his family should pray for him.
- Pregnant and unmarried women CAN to be godparents for both boys and girls - do not listen to superstitious fears!
- Godparents cannot be the father and mother of the child, as well as a husband and wife cannot be godparents for one child. other relatives - grandmothers, aunts and even older brothers and sisters can be godparents.
Many of us were baptized as infants and no longer remember what happened. And then one day we are invited to become a godmother or godfather, or maybe even happier - our own child is born. Then we think again about what the Sacrament of Baptism is, whether we can become godparents for someone and how we can choose godparents for our child.
Replies Prot. Maxim Kozlov to questions about the duties of godparents from the site “Tatiana's Day“.
- I was invited to become a godfather. What will I have to do?
– Being a godfather is both an honor and a responsibility.
The godmother and father, participating in the Sacrament, take responsibility for the little member of the Church, so they must be Orthodox people. Of course, a godfather should become a person who also has some experience in church life and will help parents raise a baby in faith, piety and purity.
During the performance 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 is not only to be present at Baptism, but also then to help those received from the font grow, strengthen in church life, and in no case limit your Christianity to the fact of Baptism alone. According to the teachings of the Church, for how we have taken care of the fulfillment of these duties, we will be asked the same on the day of the last judgment, as well as for the upbringing of our own children. Therefore, of course, the responsibility is very, very big.
- And what to give to the godson?
- Of course, you can give your godson a cross and a chain, no matter what they are made of; the main thing is that the cross should be of the traditional form adopted in the Orthodox Church.
In the old days, there was a traditional church gift for christening - this is a silver spoon, which was called a "gift for a tooth", it was the first spoon that was used when feeding a child, when he started to eat from a spoon.
How do I choose godparents for my child?
– Firstly, the godparents must be baptized, churched Orthodox Christians.
The main thing is that the criterion for your choice of a godfather or godmother should be whether this person can subsequently help you in a good, Christian upbringing received from the font, and not only in practical circumstances. And, of course, the degree of our acquaintance and simply the friendliness of our relationship should be an important criterion. Think about whether the godparents you choose will be the child's church educators 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 perform the ceremony without him, but write him down as a godparent?
- Until 1917, there was a practice of absentee godfathers, but it was applied only to members of the imperial family, when they, as a sign of royal or grand ducal mercy, agreed to be considered godparents of one or another baby. If it's a similar situation, do it, and if not, it's probably best to go with common 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 of the child's parents and no matter how pleasant people they are in communication.
An exceptional situation - if there are no close people close to Orthodoxy, and you are sure of 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 confession: 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 sponsors.
- And which of the relatives can be a godfather?
– An aunt or an uncle, a grandmother or a grandfather can become the godparents of their little relatives. It should only be remembered that a husband and wife cannot be godparents of one child. However, it is worth thinking about this: our close relatives will still take care of the child, help us raise him. In this case, do we not deprive the little person of love and care, because he could have one or two adult Orthodox friends to whom he could turn throughout his life. This is especially important at a time when the child is looking for authority outside the family. The godfather at this time, in no way opposing himself to his 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 relatives.
Is it possible to refuse godparents? Or to baptize a child for the purpose of a 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 relatives, 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 into one or another heterodox confession - Catholicism, Protestantism, especially falling into one or another non-Christian religion, godlessness, a blatantly impious way of life - in fact, they say that that a man has failed in his duty as a godfather. The spiritual union, concluded in this sense in the Sacrament of Baptism, can be considered terminated by the godmother or godmother, and you can ask another churched pious person to take a blessing from his confessor to bear the care of the godfather or godmother for this or that child.
- I was invited to be the godmother of a girl, 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 in any way.
- 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 takes a girl from the font will either not marry herself, or it will impose on her fate some imprint.
On the other hand, in this opinion one can also see a certain kind of sobriety, 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, who have something to share with the physical parents of the baby, 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, will you have time to take care of him, for advice to the parents of the baby, in order 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, and in all other cases, it may be better to measure seven times before cutting off once.
About godparents
Natalia Sukhinina
“Recently, I got into a conversation with a woman on the train, or rather, we even argued with her. She argued that godparents, like natural father and mother, are obliged to raise their godson. But I do not agree: a mother is a mother, to whom she will allow to interfere in the upbringing of a child. I also once had a godson in my youth, but our paths diverged a long time 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? Something is unbelievable…”
(From a letter from a reader)
It so happened, and my life paths turned 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. Even their names could not be retained by memory, they baptized me long ago, in infancy. I asked my parents, but they themselves don’t remember, they shrug their shoulders, they say that people lived in the neighborhood at that time, and they were invited to be godparents.
And where are they now, what to call them, to magnify, do you remember?
To be honest, for me this circumstance has never been a flaw, I grew up and grew up, without godparents. No, she was cunning, it was once, envied. A school friend was getting married and received a gold chain as thin as a gossamer as a wedding gift. The godmother gave it, she boasted to us, who could not even dream of such chains. That's when I envied it. If I had a godmother, maybe I would ...
Now, of course, having lived and thought, I am very sorry about my random “father and mother”, who don’t even keep in 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 in the train, I am completely on the side of the fellow traveler. She's right. To hold us responsible for the godchildren and goddaughters scattered from their parental 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, he is passed from hand to hand, they go outside with him, they distract him so that he does not cry. Waiting for christening. They look at the clock, nervous.
Godmother and father can be recognized immediately. They are somehow especially concentrated and important. They rush to get a wallet to pay for the upcoming christening, give some orders, rustle bags of christening clothes and fresh diapers. The little man does not understand anything, goggles his eyes at the wall frescoes, at the lights of the chandelier, at the “persons accompanying him”, among which the face of the godfather is one of many. But the father invites - it's time. They fussed, got excited, the godparents are trying their best to maintain importance - it doesn’t work, because for them, as well as for their godson, today’s exit to God’s temple is a significant event.
“When was the last time you were in church?” the priest will ask. They shrug their shoulders in embarrassment. He may not ask, of course. But even if he doesn’t ask, it’s still easy to determine from awkwardness and tension that godparents are not church people, and only the event in which they were invited to participate brought them under the vaults of the church. Father will ask questions:
- Do you carry a cross?
Do you read prayers?
- Do you read the Gospel?
Do you honor church holidays?
And the godparents will begin to mutter something indistinct, to lower their eyes guiltily. The priest will certainly conscience, remind of the duty of godfathers and mothers, in general, of Christian duty. Hastily and willingly they will nod their godparents, humbly accept the denunciation of sin, and whether from excitement, or from embarrassment, or from the seriousness of the moment, few will remember and let into their hearts the main father’s thought: we are all responsible for our godchildren, and now, and forever. And whoever remembers is likely to misunderstand. And from time to time, mindful of his duty, he will begin to invest in the well-being of the godson a feasible contribution.
The first deposit immediately after baptism: an envelope with a crisp solid banknote - for a tooth. Then for birthdays, as the child grows - a chic set of children's dowry, an expensive toy, a fashionable satchel, a bicycle, a branded suit, and so on until the gold, to the envy of the poor, chains for the wedding.
We know very little. And it’s not a problem, but something that we don’t really want to know. After all, if they wanted to, then before going to the church as a godfather, they would have looked there the day before and asked the priest what this step “threatens” us with, how it is more worthy to prepare for it.
Godfather - in Slavic godfather. Why? After immersion in the font, the priest passes the baby from his hands into the hands of the godfather. And he accepts, takes it into his own hands. The meaning of this action is very deep. By perception, the godfather takes upon himself the honorable, and most importantly, responsible mission to lead the godson along the path of ascent to the Heavenly heritage. 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."
In serious words - "guardians of faith and piety" - the Church calls the recipients. But to keep, you need to know. Therefore, only a believing Orthodox person can be a godfather, and not the one who, together with the baptized baby, first got into the temple. Godparents should know at least the basic prayers “Our Father”, “Virgin Mary”, “May God rise again ...”, they must know the “Symbol of Faith”, read the Gospel, the Psalter. And, of course, to wear a cross, to be able to be baptized.
One priest said: they came to baptize the child, but the godfather did not have a cross. Father to him: put on a cross, but he can’t, unbaptized. It's just a joke, but it's the real truth.
Faith and repentance are the two main conditions for union with God. But one cannot demand faith and repentance from a baby in lace, so the godparents are called, having faith and repentance, to pass them on, to teach them to their godparents. That is why, instead of babies, they pronounce the words of the "Creed" and the words of renunciation of Satan.
Do you deny Satan and all his works? the priest asks.
“I deny it,” the recipient answers instead of the baby.
The priest is wearing a bright festive robe as a sign of the beginning of a new life, which means spiritual purity. He walks around the font, censes it, all those standing next to the lit candles. Candles are burning in the hands of the recipients. Very soon, the priest will lower the baby three times into the font and, wet, wrinkled, not at all understanding where he is and why, a servant of God, will be handed over to the godparents. And he will be dressed in white clothes. At this time, a very beautiful troparion is sung: “Give me a light robe, put on light, like a robe ...” Accept your child, godparents. From now on, your life will be filled with a special meaning, you have taken on the feat of spiritual parenthood, and for how you carry it, you now have to answer to God.
At the First Ecumenical Council, a rule was adopted according to which women become godparents for girls, men for boys. Simply put, a girl only needs a godmother, a boy only needs a godfather. But life, as it often happens, has made its own adjustments here. According to the ancient Russian tradition, both are invited. It, of course, will not spoil the porridge with butter. But even here it is necessary to know quite certain rules. For example, a husband and wife cannot be godparents to one child, just as the parents of a child cannot be godparents at the same time. Godparents cannot marry their godchildren.
... Behind the baptism of the baby. He has a great life ahead of him, in which we have a place equal to those who gave birth to his father and mother. Ahead is our work, our constant striving to prepare the godson for the ascent to spiritual heights. Where to begin? Yes, from the smallest. At first, especially if the child is the first, parents are knocked down from the worries that have fallen on them. They are, as they say, nothing. Now is the time to lend them a helping hand.
Carry the baby to Communion, make sure that icons hang over his cradle, give notes for him in the temple, order prayers, constantly, like your own blood children, commemorate in prayers at home. Of course, you don’t have to do it instructively, they say, you are mired in fuss, but I’m all spiritual - I think about the high, I aspire to the high, I feed your child, so that you do without me ... In general, the spiritual upbringing of the baby is possible only in if the godfather in the house is his own person, desirable, tactful. It is not necessary, of course, to shift all the worries onto yourself. The duties of spiritual education are not removed from parents, but to help, support, replace somewhere, if necessary, this is mandatory, without this one cannot be justified before the Lord.
This is a really difficult cross. And, perhaps, you need to think carefully before you lay it on yourself. Can I? Will I have enough health, patience, spiritual experience to become a recipient of a person entering into life? And parents should take a good look at relatives and friends - candidates for an honorary post. Who among them can become a truly good helper in education, who will be able to give your child true Christian gifts - prayer, the ability to forgive, the ability to love God. And plush bunnies the size of elephants may be nice, but not at all necessary.
If there is trouble in the house, then there are other criteria. How many unfortunate, restless children suffer from drunken fathers, unlucky mothers. And how many simply unfriendly, embittered people live under one roof and make children suffer cruelly. As old as the world, such stories are banal. But if a person who stood with a lit candle in front of the baptismal font fits into this plot, if he, this person, rushes, as if into an embrasure, towards his godson, he can turn mountains. Doing good is also good. It is not in our power to drive away a fool-man from half a liter, to reason with a lost daughter or to sing “make peace, make peace, make peace” to two frowning halves. But it is in our power to take away to our dacha for a day at the dacha a boy weary of affection, enroll him in Sunday school and take the trouble to take him there, and to pray. Prayer feat is at the forefront of godparents of all times and peoples.
The priests are well aware of the severity of the feat of the recipients and do not bless 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 just from there, from childhood loneliness, childish sadness. From a big child's misfortune.
This man's name is Alexander Gennadyevich Petrynin, he lives in Khabarovsk, directs the Children's Rehabilitation Center, or, more simply, in an orphanage. As a director, he does a lot, digging through funds for equipping classes, selecting personnel from conscientious, unselfish people, rescuing his wards from the police, collecting them in the basements.
Like a godfather, he takes them to church, tells them about God, prepares them for Communion, and prays. Pray a lot, a lot. In Optina Hermitage, in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, in the Diveevsky Monastery, in dozens of churches throughout Russia, long notes written by him about the health of numerous godchildren are read. He is very tired, this man, sometimes he almost collapses 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, realizing this, blesses him for such asceticism. A teacher from God, those who know him in business say about him. Godfather from God - is it possible to 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 villages, his ministry to children is an example of true Christian ministry. I think that many of us cannot reach his heights, but if we do life with someone, then just with those who understand their title of “grandparent” as a serious, and not an accidental matter in life.
You can, of course, say: I am a weak, busy person, not so hot what a church person is, 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 easier, right? Easier - yes. But more honest...
Few of us, especially when the time has imperceptibly come to stop, look back, can say to ourselves - I am a good father, a good mother, I owe nothing to my own child. We are indebted to 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 away. Children have grown up and do without our truths and our discoveries of America. The parents got old. But conscience - the voice of God - itches and itches.
Conscience requires a splash, and not in words, but in deeds. Can it not be such a thing to carry the duties of the Cross?
It is 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 the daughter of my childhood friend was a great 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. Sat down, poured wine, waiting for a toast. Everyone is somehow embarrassed, the parents of the bride skip ahead with the speeches of the groom's parents, they are vice versa. And then a tall and handsome man stood up. He got up in a very businesslike way. He raised his glass:
“I mean, as the godfather of the bride…”
Everyone quieted down. Everyone listened to the words about young people living long, together, having many children, and most importantly, with the Lord.
“Thank you, godfather,” said the charming Yulia, and from under the luxurious foaming veil she gave her godfather a grateful look.
Thank you godfather, I thought. Thank you for carrying the love for your spiritual daughter from the baptismal candle to the wedding. Thank you for reminding us all of something we had completely forgotten about. But we have time to remember. How many - the Lord knows. Therefore, we must hurry.