Orthodox priests claim that in order to carry out the Sacrament of Baptism, a child must have a godparent of the same sex. The baby's mother and father choose the second godfather or godfather at their own discretion. This is explained by the fact that the rite of baptism for infants is carried out according to the faith of his godparents. However, there are still exceptions to the rules - when a sick child in intensive care is baptized, the presence of godparents is not necessary.

In the Orthodox Church there is also such a concept as “absentee baptism.” In this case, christenings are carried out without the presence of godparents, but the names of godfathers are recorded on the child’s baptismal certificate. Meanwhile, not all priests agree to conduct baptisms in absentia, explaining their position by the fact that the absence of godparents at the Sacrament of Baptism is a sin before God.

If parents want to baptize the baby, but have not found people who can become godparents for their child, then the role of the church father can be played by the priest himself. The main thing is that the godfathers are baptized and religious people.

It happens that one of the church parents cannot attend the christening. In such a situation, the rite of baptism can be performed with the permission of the priest.

The clergy argue that it is not at all necessary to take acquaintances or girlfriends to play the role of church parents. They can be close relatives - a brother, a sister from the husband's side, nephews, aunts, uncles, and even grandparents. Therefore, if a family was forced to move to another city where there are no relatives, then close relatives can still come to the christening. Plan a celebration for the day when your chosen godfathers can attend the christening. If relatives refuse this role, then ask the priest who will conduct the baptism ceremony to be godfather for your child. Orthodox clergy they will not refuse you this request.

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To answer the question whether it is possible to baptize a child without godparents, it is enough to read the sequence of the sacrament of Baptism, then a lot will become clear to us. The sequence is compiled for adults, that is, it contains places where the person being baptized says prayers and answers questions to the priest. When we baptize a child, the godparents are responsible for him and read his prayers. Therefore, it is obvious that the sacrament of Baptism of a child cannot take place without adults. But an adult is able to profess his faith himself.

Is it possible to baptize a child without one of the godparents?

The question of whether it is possible to baptize a child without a godmother can be answered in the same way as the question of whether it is possible to baptize a child without a godfather. If it was not possible to find a person capable of taking over the father, it is possible to perform the sacrament of baptism without one of the parents. In this case, it will be more important for the girl if she has godmother, for a boy - godfather.

Is it possible to baptize a child without godparents?

In this case, baptism can only be performed under the following circumstances:

1. The child's life is in danger, he is in serious condition. At such a moment, baptism can be performed by a priest or any layman by pouring holy water on the baby’s head three times and saying the words: “God’s servant (me) (name) is baptized in the name of the Father. Amen. And the Son. Amen. And the Holy Spirit. Amen". If after baptism by a layman the baby survives and recovers, then you need to turn to the Church and complete the Sacrament of Baptism with Confirmation.
2. If no godfather is found for the child, the priest can take over and say prayers for the child himself. If the priest knows the baby, then he will be able to take care of him and instruct him in the faith, but if not, then he will remember the godson in prayer at every service. Not all priests take on such responsibility, so in different churches the question of whether it is possible to baptize a child without godparents is answered differently.

And yet, it is better to try so that your child has two godparents, just like two relatives. After all, in later life he will need to see not only the example of the life of his parents, but also other people who visit the temple and try to live according to God's commandments.

Is it possible to baptize a godfather's child?

Become a godmother or godfather possible for any child, unless, of course, he is your own. There is even a pious tradition in Orthodox families baptize each other's children: this makes it easier to maintain connections and communicate with godchildren.

Is it possible for godfathers to baptize a child?

Of course, people who become godparents for one child can become godparents for another, there are no obstacles to this.

Is it possible to baptize a child at home?

It is advisable that the baby be baptized in a church, because after baptism there is still a prayer for churching: the boy is brought into the altar, the girl is placed on the soleya, from where her mother receives her.

There are times when a child is sick or there is no temple nearby, and it is not possible to take the child far away. You can invite a priest to your home, then the priest will read the prayers for churching when the baby is brought to church. Bringing the child to church after baptism and giving him communion is the responsibility of the godparents and birth parents.

Is it possible to baptize two children?

Yes, if a family is baptizing two or more children at the same time, you can ask the same people to be their godparents. It will be even better this way, because two children have the same natural parents and will also have the same godparents.

Is it possible for spouses to baptize a child?

This question cannot be answered affirmatively. There is such a thing as spiritual kinship between godparents; it is impossible in the presence of a marital relationship. Therefore, a husband and wife cannot baptize a child.

Is it possible for a couple to baptize a child?

Godparents must have a spiritual relationship with each other, so even if the couple lives in civil marriage and they are not registered as husband and wife, they cannot be the godparents of the child.

If young people do not have a marital relationship, but intend to get married in the future, they will also not be able to become godparents of one child.

Is it possible for relatives to baptize a child?

A child can be baptized by any relatives, except for the mother, father and relatives who are spouses, since spouses cannot be godparents.

Is it possible to refuse to baptize a child?

If you have many godchildren and you know that you will not be able to properly care for the new godchild, you are in another city or another country, and you do not know the child’s family well, it is better to refuse to baptize the baby. But if there is a possibility that the child will not be baptized at all because of your refusal, it is better to agree and ask God for help.

Is it possible to baptize several children?

If parents are baptizing several of their children, then it will be very desirable that the same people be godparents. Then the children will have the same godparents, just like their relatives. It will be easier for godparents to take care of raising all the children together. It is possible to baptize several children at the same time - not siblings.

Is it possible to baptize a child twice? Is it possible to baptize a child a second time?

Such questions are rare, but still asked in the Church. The Sacrament of Baptism itself is performed on a person only once. After all, the meaning of this sacrament is acceptance by man Orthodox faith and recognition of him as a member of the Church. But there are several cases when such a question may arise:

1. If children do not know whether they were baptized or not. This happens if a child has lost his natural parents, or there is a possibility that the child was secretly baptized by one of his relatives. In this case, it is necessary to inform the priest about this, then the sacrament of Baptism is performed according to a different rite. The priest says the words: “The servant of God (name) is baptized (if not baptized) in the name of the Father. Amen. And the Son. Amen. And the Holy Spirit. Amen".
2. If the child was urgently baptized by a layman. Such baptism is performed if there was a danger to the child’s life, but he later recovered. Then you need to come to Church and complete the sacrament of Baptism with Confirmation.
3. If the child was baptized in a different faith. The Orthodox Church recognizes the sacrament of Baptism in other denominations as valid in cases where the sacrament of Baptism is performed according to a similar rite and if in this denomination the institution of the priesthood and apostolic succession in the ordination of priests have been preserved. Only Catholicism and the Old Believers can be classified as such confessions (but only that direction where the priesthood has been preserved). After baptism in the Catholic faith, you need to complete the sacrament of Baptism with confirmation, since in Catholic Church Confirmation is performed separately from baptism at a later age (about 15 years).

Is it possible to baptize a sick child?

If a child is seriously ill, then baptism is necessary; it can even be performed in a hospital or at home. If the baby’s life is in danger, then, as a last resort, he can even be baptized by a layman.

Is it possible to baptize a child in absentia?

Baptism, like any sacrament, is a sacrament in which the invisible grace of God is communicated to the believer under a visible image. The sacrament of Baptism requires the physical presence of the person being baptized, the priest and the godparents. A sacrament is not just prayer; performing a sacrament in absentia is impossible.

Is it possible to baptize a child during Lent?

IN Orthodox Church There are no days when a child cannot be baptized. The baptism of a child can be performed on any day agreed upon with the priest and godparents. Usually the question of whether it is possible to baptize a child during Lent arises due to the fact that the sacrament of weddings in the Church is not performed during Lent. Fasting is a time for repentance and abstinence from fasting food and marital intimacy, therefore there are restrictions for weddings, but not baptism. Is it possible to baptize a child during Lent? Of course, yes, and on any day of Lent, and on holidays, and on the eve fast days and holidays.

Is it possible to baptize a child on Saturday?

Sunday services are held in all churches, urban and rural. Therefore, most often baptism is performed on Saturday: after baptism, you can participate in the service and give the child communion the next day on Sunday.

Is it possible to baptize a child at Epiphany?

IN Ancient Church due to the spread large quantity In the case of heresies, baptism was preceded by a long period of instruction in the faith, which lasted up to 3 years. And the catechumens (learners) received baptism on the Epiphany of the Lord (at that time this holiday was called Enlightenment) and on Holy Saturday before Easter. The celebration of Baptism on these days was a great holiday in the Church. If you decide to baptize a child on Epiphany (Epiphany), then not only will you not violate the canons of the Church, but you will also follow the ancient Christian tradition.

Is it possible to baptize a child with menstruation?

The days of a woman’s purification in the Church are called impurity; many restrictions are associated with these days for women in Old Testament. Today, it is not appropriate for a woman in uncleanness to touch sacred objects (icons, crosses) or to receive sacraments. Therefore, when choosing the day for a child’s baptism, it is advisable to take this circumstance into account. However, baptism is performed on the child, and not on his godmother or birth mother; a woman in uncleanness, if necessary, can be present at the sacrament, but should not touch the shrines.

Is it possible to baptize a child under a different name?

There is a belief that the baby should be baptized under a different name, and no one should know his baptismal name, otherwise the child’s energy will be spoiled. These are all rumors that have nothing to do with the Holy Scriptures and Sacred Tradition. The child can be baptized with another name, but most often this is done if the child’s real name is not in the list of names of Orthodox saints

When a baby is born, his soul and body are defenseless, therefore, the sooner he is baptized, the sooner he will find his own and learn faith in God. Up to 7 years of age, it is customary to assign godparents to children. But what to do if unforeseen situations arise when such people are simply not around. The question arises: “Is it possible to baptize a child without godparents?”

Cases of performing a ritual without godparents

Our life is a series of events in which it happens that the Christian rite of baptism must be performed regardless of whether godparents are nearby or not.

1. The child is seriously ill. In this case, anything can happen, the baby can die at any moment or he will have a serious operation. Then little man should be baptized right in the hospital. This ritual can be performed by anyone. To do this, you should bring it from church blessed water. If this is not possible, take the usual one. Then, pouring this water on the head, say these or similar words: “God’s servant (name) is baptized in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen". After this, you can go to church and ask the clergyman to complete the baptism according to all the rules. You can also choose Orthodox godparents for your child in the future.
2. There are no people of the Orthodox faith nearby who adhere to God's Laws. Sometimes parents cannot entrust their child to people who have nothing to do with the faith, and it is impossible to appoint godparents from among friends and acquaintances who will not raise the child in Orthodoxy.
3. The godparents are far away. There are situations when close person is located several kilometers away, but you really want him to become the spiritual mentor of your child. The Church approaches this situation differently. Some clergy do not advise choosing godparents who cannot be with the godson. Others think that there is nothing wrong with this. A person, even being far away, can take part in the life of a child and will be able to convey to him the basic commandments.

It is best to baptize a child in infancy, then he will be reliably protected from all the evil that exists in this world. In addition, this is the revival of the human soul.

Most often, baptism is carried out after the baby turns 40 days old, because all this time the mother cannot attend church, and the baby needs to feel under the protection of the mother’s wing when performing the sacrament. Therefore, as soon as a woman is cleansed after generational sin, she can immediately take part in baptism.

If the mother trusts the chosen godparents, then baptism can be carried out on the 8th day after birth without her presence.

Required preparation:

• purchase pectoral cross. If it is purchased in a regular jewelry store, then it must first be consecrated;
• buy kryzhma - a towel for wiping the baby. After the sacrament it must be preserved. It is believed that in case of illness it helps to alleviate the child’s condition. To do this, you need to dry your baby with this towel every day after bathing;
• Prepare comfortable clothes for the baby so that they can be taken off and put on easily and quickly.

The rite of baptism is always the same. But in order for the baby to be calm, you should come to church early, let the child get used to the new place, then he will be less nervous and capricious.

Then you can prepare the baby - undress and wrap it in a baptismal towel. Next comes the ceremony itself. There is no need to worry that you might do something wrong. Father will tell you what to do.

What does the Church advise if the baby does not have godparents?

Try to find at least one of the godparents. To a girl godmother, and the boy a spiritual mentor. Children should trust other parents and seek any help.

If, after all, there are no such people, the Church answers the question “Is it possible to baptize a child without godparents?” positively. The baby should not be deprived of the sacrament of baptism due to the lack of spiritual mentors. In addition, during baptism, this role is taken on by the priest who conducts the ritual.

Remember, it is necessary to baptize a child, then his life will be under reliable protection and his guardian angel.

Many of us were baptized when we were still babies. We, of course, cannot remember how this happened. It happens that we are invited to become godfathers or our own child is born. Most people, in this case, think once again about what the Sacrament of Baptism is and whether it is possible to baptize a child without godparents.

The Orthodox Church reports that the baby must have a godparent of the same sex, and the second is at the discretion of the child’s mother and father. The church explains this sacrament by the fact that while the child is still very small, the rite of baptism is carried out according to the faith of his godparents. An exception is when a seriously ill baby is baptized, when there is a threat to the life of the child, for example, a newborn in the intensive care unit.

The rules state:

Clearly, life shows us that there is one religion, but different priests explain the question of the possibility of baptizing a child without godmothers and fathers in the same way. Some priests allow godparents to be recorded from the words of the baby’s mother and father. This can figuratively be called absentee christening. Other priests are confident that, according to the canons of the church, godparents who are not present at the Sacrament of Baptism cannot be considered such before God.

Therefore, if you want to baptize your baby, but the people you have chosen, for certain reasons, do not have the opportunity to attend the Sacrament of Baptism, and you do not want to choose others, or, in extreme cases, there is no one to call, then you definitely need to personally talk with the priest and clarify what to do in this situation. By the way, the priest himself can be a godparent.

How to choose godparents for your baby?

The main thing is that they must be baptized people, religious Christians belonging to the Orthodox Church. It is important that the condition for your choice of godparents is whether the chosen person will be able to help you in the future good deeds, raise a child according to Christian customs, and also help in practical circumstances.

And of course, important conditions there should be a degree of your acquaintance with the prospective godparents and simply a good relationship between you. Think carefully about whether the godparents you choose can serve as church mentors for your child.

If one godfather is not present at the Sacrament of Baptism, is it possible to carry out the ceremony without his participation, while registering him as a godparent?

Before 1917, there was such a thing as “absentee godparents,” but it was practiced only in relation to imperial families, if, as a sign of their mercy, they agreed to be the godparents of any baby. If we're talking about O similar situation, only, of course, in the modern version, then you can do this, but if not, then it is better to proceed from the norms of practice common to all.

Is it possible to refuse godparents if the child has already been baptized? And is it possible to baptize a baby for the purpose of proper education in the Christian faith?

In no case should a child be rebaptized, since the Sacrament of Baptism occurs once, and the sins of godparents, biological parents, and even the baptized person himself do not cancel all the gifts that are given to the child in the Sacrament of Baptism.

As for a person’s communication with his godparents, of course, betrayal of faith, that is, a transition to another religion or a fall into atheism, as well as a non-Christian lifestyle, confirm that the person failed to fulfill the responsibility of a godfather.

You know, here we are all accustomed to relying on some customs invented by people. But no one pays attention to the Bible. Read in the Gospels how Christ himself was baptized. I don’t remember something, but it was said about the godmother. There's not a word about it there.
Also, read the Acts of the Apostles, when everyone was baptized in the Holy Spirit, is there any mention of a godmother or even a father?
The only godfather a Christian should have is Christ.
All other things are not from Christ.
By the way, all this is converted from pagan beliefs. This is not Christian, including godfathers and mothers.
Now, I can even go and be baptized, and there will be no godmother or father.
I was baptized in childhood, but consider that I was not baptized, since no one asked my permission for this. In general, a person must be baptized precisely of his own free will and in consciousness. And when a child is baptized against his will, he still does not understand anything, we can assume that he was not baptized.
God gave each of us the right to choose, but no one asked the child whether he wanted to be baptized or not.
What they say is that if a child is not baptized, then in case of death he will not be joined to God, and will automatically go to hell, this is the same nonsense as the fact that there are little green men on Mars, or that there are golden valley (Eldorado).
Here you can think logically: how can a child who has not yet committed any sin end up in hell? In order to punish, you must have a pretext for this, because they punish for actions, and not just like that.
God's concept of justice is completely different from that of humans.
Therefore, one should conclude: it is possible to baptize a child, both without a godfather and without a godmother.
Yes, and interesting fact: I don’t remember from the Bible that a child’s hair must be cut with a cross. This is again from paganism.
After all, in paganism they worshiped stones natural phenomena, making imaginary images from stones and wood. So everything switched to crosses and icons.
God always knows who is worth what, and will never think bad things about a person if the person had none of this on his mind. The Lord sees all our hearts, He even knows what we are just about to think about.
Therefore, I will say this: if it is not possible to baptize a child with a godmother, you can do this without her.
In general, if it’s good, then let the child grow up and decide for himself whether to be baptized or remain unbaptized.
It is his right to make his choice.
I would do the same with my child, because I don’t believe in pagan nonsense. And at least I have no doubt that this is nonsense. For me, the Lord Christ is more valuable than the blood of our pagan ancestors.
One more thing: a child’s guardian angel already appears from the beginning of his conception in the womb. Again, the pagan idea of ​​God is about defenselessness, that only when some ritual is performed will a guardian angel appear.