The institute of receptiveness (godparents) arose in the Elin environment. It was entrenched in the following way: religious knowledge and experience was passed from teacher to student.
The church entrusted the disciple into the hands of the teacher, who received the rights and duties of a shepherd for a person. Some see in the prohibition to have a teacher of their biological parents the Indo-Aryan Vedic tradition, which was observed among the Elins in teaching philosophy (more precisely, any book wisdom).

The recipient receives from the church one who is preparing for baptism. The recipient must convey his religious and spiritual-ascetic experience and knowledge to the perceived. The receiver is the main participant in the announcement. In the classical period, only deacons and deaconesses (or higher in the hierarchical ladder) could be the recipient.
Baptism was performed on the catechuchman only when the recipient testified that he had taught everything and tested the faith.
If a baby is baptized, then the recipient's promise is to bring up the baby for the first confession, when the baptized one himself, consciously, pronounces the baptismal vows for himself.

added: 19 Dec 2014

Faith is primarily related to religious experience. The flesh of faith is the keeping of the rules of faith (dogmas).
If a Catholic had the Orthodox faith, he would be called Orthodox.
The fact is that we baptize a person not into abstract Christianity "with all that is good," but we plant a branch to the Vine - the Body of Christ - the Church.

If a baby is baptized, then his recipient (godfather) is seen as the builder of the Temple of the Holy Spirit. The Bible also describes an episode when the Jews refused to allow the Samaritans to allow them to build the Jerusalem Temple. The Samaritans differed from the Jews "in some details of their worship." Approximately how we differ from Catholics and Protestants.

added: 19 Dec 2014

If the recipient is accepted consciously, for the cause, then this can only be a person whose experience and knowledge you can trust.
Signs that your candidate for recipient is not suitable: he does not believe Christ, that it is necessary to take communion, study the Scriptures, and not leave the prayer meeting. He can demonstrate his worldview by deed. Moreover, he is not at all fit if he does not listen to the Church in her rules of faith. For example, in the doctrine of the Trinity or the Church (that is, in what we have the greatest contradictions with the Catholics, which is reflected in the Creed and in the catechism - ours and theirs).
A sign that a Catholic accepts the teachings of the Church is the Church of the Catholic Church, where he firmly renounces all the errors of Rome.

If you want to invite a friend as a decorative character in your family circle, then you can choose anyone who can read the Creed without error and hold your child with a firm hand for 15 minutes.
I hope that you will accordingly not entrust a blind person to lead your, not yet sighted, baby to his pit, and you will educate your child in the Orthodox faith yourself. Let's cross out the Vedic traditions of brahmacharya (it seems so)!

Ever since the receivers became wedding generals at the Wedding Feast of the Lamb, from then on you can invite anyone you like as a receiver. We have both Muslims and atheists as godparents. So a quiet kind Catholic in our glorious time is already a blessing (for example, St. Luke Voino-Yasenetsky was brought to God by a kind gentle Catholic Pole - his father Felix, his mother was too liberal in religious matters).

added: 19 Dec 2014

If you nevertheless wish to be chosen as a Catholic god, look for a very well-read and dialectically mobile priest. For example, I got acquainted with Church law from the textbook of the Odessa Seminary, where it is written in black and white "CAN'T" (and the justification is indicated). The highly respected book of Tsipin tells me, a rigorist, that it is also impossible. But further it is indicated that in some respected by many literature with an unknown author, it is said that sometimes it is possible. That is, at first a clear prohibition was pronounced, and then, as a scientific discourse, a different opinion was given, with the expression of great doubts about its quality.
I see a similar technique like this: we open a textbook on Therapy, and we read: a person eats through his mouth. But if you really need it, then you can ... I can list a dozen methods of introducing food or nutritional mixture not through the mouth. So be smart.

added: 19 Dec 2014

And the choice "for love" is generally strange. Usually they invite according to the appropriateness: a cook who cooks well, repair a car - a car mechanic, treat - a doctor, baptize - a believer of the church in which they are baptized (the Church is the Body of Christ, therefore they believe in it, and they baptize in it).
It will hardly be correct if you choose a doctor not by qualifications, but by friendship with him: a urologist in the treatment of eye diseases. And in the case of a Catholic, you call a chess player to teach boxing.

I have many non-Orthodox friends: Muslims, Catholics, sectarians. Jews. I love them and am friends with them not for the sake of a community of faith. Therefore, I will not be offended if they do not call me "recipient" to the mosque, synagogue, church. I will even definitely come to a home holiday "on occasion," but I will not be able to become a teacher of a young Catholic in his catechism. Or I'll have to be a hypocrite teaching about things that I don't believe in.

And the remembrance of Catholics in the church is the sphere of traditions, and not a sign of belonging to the Church. For example, at every liturgy, I remember the "authorities and armies", being sure that part of our authorities and armies are sectarians, Muslims, atheists, Uniates, Satanists. And such a conflict did not appear today, but under the apostles.

Briefly:

An Orthodox Christian must be a godfather, or a successor. A godfather cannot be a Catholic, a Muslim, or a very good atheist, because the main duty of a godfather is to help a child grow up in the Orthodox faith.

The godfather must be a church person, ready to regularly take the godson to church and monitor his Christian upbringing.

After the baptism is completed, the 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 be godparents of both boys and girls - don't listen to superstitious concerns!

The father and mother of a child cannot be godparents, and a husband and wife cannot be godparents of one child. other relatives - grandmothers, aunts and even older brothers and sisters can be godparents.

Many of us were baptized in infancy and no longer remember how it happened. And then one day we are invited to become a godmother or godfather, or maybe even more joyful - we have our own child. Then we once again think about what the Sacrament of Baptism is, whether we can become someone's godparents and how we can choose recipients for our child.

Answers by prot. Maxim Kozlov to questions about the duties of godfathers from the site "Tatiana's Day".

- I was invited to become a godfather. What am I supposed to do?

Being a godfather is both honorable and responsible.

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 person should become a godparent who, moreover, has some experience of church life and will help parents raise a baby in faith, piety and purity.

During the performance of the Sacrament over the infant, the godfather (of the same sex as the child) will hold him in his arms, pronounce the Creed on his behalf and the vows of renunciation of Satan and union with Christ.

The main thing in which the godfather can and should help and in which he undertakes an obligation is not only to be present at Baptism, but also then to help the one received from the font to grow, strengthen in church life, and in no case limit your Christianity only to the fact of Baptism. According to the teaching of the Church, the way we took care of the fulfillment of these duties, we will be asked 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 large.

- 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 in the traditional form adopted in the Orthodox Church.

In the old days, there was a traditional church christening gift - 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 began to eat from a spoon.

- How can I choose godparents for my child?

First, the godparents must be baptized, churched Orthodox Christians.

The main thing is that the criterion for your choice of godfather or godmother is whether this person will subsequently be able to help you in a good, Christian upbringing perceived from the font, and not only in practical circumstances. And, of course, an important criterion should be the degree of our acquaintance and simply the affection of our relationship. Think about whether your chosen godfathers will be the church's educators for the child or not.

- Is it possible for a person to have only one godparent?

Yes it is possible. It is only important that the godparent is of the same gender as the godson.

If one of the godparents cannot attend the Sacrament of Baptism, is it possible to carry out the ceremony without him, but write him down as a godparent?

Until 1917, the practice of absentee godparents existed, but it was applied only in relation to persons of the imperial family, when, as a sign of royal or grand-ducal favor, they agreed to be considered godparents of a particular infant. If we are talking about a similar situation, do so, and if not, then perhaps it is better to proceed from generally accepted practice.

- Who can't be 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 heterodox 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 recipients.

- And which of the relatives can be godfather?

An aunt or uncle, grandmother or grandfather can become the recipients 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 more adult Orthodox friends, whom he could turn to 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 loved ones.

- Is it possible to refuse godparents? Or to baptize the child for the purpose of normal education in the faith?

In any case, a child cannot be re-baptized, for the Sacrament of Baptism is performed once, and no sins of either the godparents, or his own parents, or even the person himself cancel all those grace-filled gifts that were given to a person in the Sacrament of Baptism.

As for communication with godparents, then, of course, betrayal of the faith, that is, falling away into certain heterodox confessions - Catholicism, Protestantism, all the more falling away into certain non-Christian religions, godlessness, blatantly impious way of life - in fact, they say that that a person has not coped with his duty as godmother. The spiritual union, concluded in this sense in the Sacrament of Baptism, can be considered terminated by the godmother or godfather, and you can ask another churchly pious person to take a blessing from his confessor to bear the care of the godfather or godmother about this or that child.

I was invited to be the girl's godmother, 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 invention, which 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 necessarily be married and have children is a superstition, just like the idea that a girl who has taken a girl from the font will either not marry herself, or it will impose on her fate some something imprint.

On the other hand, in this opinion you can see a certain kind of sobriety, if you do 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 the godparents of 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: will you have the strength and determination to share the love for your own child with the love for the perceived baby, will you have time to take care of him, for advice to the baby's parents, in order to sometimes warmly pray for him , bring to the temple, somehow be a kind elder friend. If you are more or less confident in yourself and the 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.

This article will focus on what Catholicism is and who Catholics are. This trend is considered one of the branches of Christianity, formed due to a large split in this religion, which occurred in 1054.

Who they are is in many ways similar to Orthodoxy, but there are also differences. The Catholic religion differs from the rest of the currents in Christianity by the peculiarities of doctrine, cult rites. Catholicism has replenished the "Symbol of Faith" with new dogmas.

Spreading

Catholicism is widespread in Western European (France, Spain, Belgium, Portugal, Italy) and Eastern European (Poland, Hungary, partly Latvia and Lithuania) countries, as well as in the states of South America, where the overwhelming majority of the population professes it. There are also Catholics in Asia and Africa, but the influence of the Catholic religion is not significant here. in comparison with the Orthodox, they constitute a minority. There are about 700 thousand of them. Catholics in Ukraine are more numerous. There are about 5 million of them.

Name

The word "Catholicism" is of Greek origin and translated means universality or universality. In the modern sense, this term refers to the western branch of Christianity, which adheres to the apostolic traditions. Apparently, the church was understood as something universal and universal. Ignatius of Antioch spoke about this in 115. The term "Catholicism" was officially introduced at the first Council of Constantinople (381). The Christian Church was recognized as one, holy, catholic and apostolic.

The origin of Catholicism

The term "church" began to be found in written sources (letters from Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, Polycarp of Smyrna) from the second century. This word was synonymous with municipality. At the turn of the second and third centuries, Irenaeus of Lyons applied the word "church" to Christianity in general. For individual (regional, local) Christian communities, it was used with the appropriate adjective (for example, the Alexandrian Church).

In the second century, Christian society was divided into laity and clergy. In turn, the latter were divided into bishops, priests and deacons. It remains unclear how the community was governed - collegially or individually. Some experts believe that the government was at first democratic, but eventually became monarchical. The clergy was governed by a Spiritual Council headed by a bishop. This theory is supported by the letters of Ignatius of Antioch, in which he mentions bishops as leaders of Christian municipalities in Syria and Asia Minor. Over time, the Spiritual Council became just an advisory body. And only the bishop possessed real power in a given province.

In the second century, the desire to preserve the apostolic traditions contributed to the emergence and structure. The church was supposed to protect the faith, dogmas and canons of Holy Scripture. All this, as well as the influence of the syncretism of the Hellenistic religion, led to the formation of Catholicism in its ancient form.

The final formation of Catholicism

After the division of Christianity in 1054 into western and eastern branches, they began to be called Catholic and Orthodox. After the Reformation of the sixteenth century, more and more often in everyday life, the word "Roman" began to be added to the term "Catholic". From the point of view of religious studies, the concept of "Catholicism" encompasses many Christian communities that adhere to the same doctrine as the Catholic Church and are subject to the authority of the Pope. There are also Uniate and Eastern Catholic churches. As a rule, they came out of the power of the Patriarch of Constantinople and became subordinate to the Pope, but retained their dogmas and rituals. Examples are Greek Catholics, Byzantine Catholic Church and others.

Basic dogmas and postulates

To understand who Catholics are, you need to pay attention to the basic tenets of their doctrine. The main dogma of Catholicism, which distinguishes it from other directions of Christianity, is the thesis that the Pope is infallible. However, there are many cases when the popes, in the struggle for power and influence, entered into dishonest alliances with large feudal lords and kings, were obsessed with the thirst for profit and constantly multiplied their wealth, and also intervened in politics.

The next postulate of Catholicism is the dogma of purgatory, approved in 1439 at the Florence Cathedral. This teaching is based on the fact that the human soul after death goes to purgatory, which is an intermediate level between hell and heaven. There she can, with the help of various tests, be cleansed from sins. Relatives and friends of the deceased can help their soul cope with trials through prayers and donations. It follows from this that the fate of a person in the afterlife depends not only on the righteousness of his life, but also on the financial well-being of his loved ones.

An important postulate of Catholicism is the thesis of the exclusive status of the clergy. According to him, without resorting to the services of the clergy, a person cannot independently earn God's mercy. The priest among the Catholics has serious advantages and privileges in comparison with the ordinary flock. According to the Catholic religion, only the clergy have the right to read the Bible - this is their exclusive right. The rest of the believers are prohibited from doing this. Only editions written in Latin are considered canonical.

Catholic dogma stipulates the need for systematic confession of believers before clergy. Everyone is obliged to have his own confessor and constantly report to him about his own thoughts and actions. Soul salvation is impossible without systematic confession. This condition allows the Catholic clergy to penetrate deeply into the personal life of their flock and control every step of the person. Constant confession allows the church to have a serious impact on society, and especially on women.

Catholic ordinances

The main task of the Catholic Church (the community of believers in general) is to preach Christ to the world. The sacraments are considered to be visible signs of the invisible grace of God. In fact, these are actions established by Jesus Christ that must be performed for the good and salvation of the soul. There are seven sacraments in Catholicism:

• baptism;
• chrismation (confirmation);
• the eucharist, or communion (the first communion with Catholics is taken at the age of 7-10);
• the sacrament of repentance and reconciliation (confession);
• blessing of oil;
• the ordinance of the priesthood (ordination);
• the sacrament of marriage.

According to some experts and researchers, the roots of the sacraments of Christianity go back to the pagan mysteries. However, this point of view is actively criticized by theologians. According to the latter, in the first centuries A.D. NS. some rituals were borrowed from Christianity by the pagans.

How do Catholics differ from Orthodox Christians?

Common in Catholicism and Orthodoxy is that in both of these branches of Christianity, the church is the mediator between man and God. Both churches agree that the Bible is the main document and doctrine of Christianity. However, there are many differences and disagreements between Orthodoxy and Catholicism.

Both directions agree on the fact that there is one God in three incarnations: Father, Son and Holy Spirit (trinity). But the origin of the latter is interpreted in different ways (the Filioque problem). Orthodox Christians profess the "Symbol of Faith", which proclaims the procession of the Holy Spirit only "from the Father." Catholics, however, add "and the Son" to the text, which changes the dogmatic meaning. Greek Catholics and other Eastern Catholic denominations have retained the Orthodox version of the Symbol of Faith.

Both Catholics and Orthodox understand that there is a difference between the Creator and the creation. However, according to Catholic canons, the world has a material character. It was created by God out of nothing. There is nothing divine in the material world. While Orthodoxy assumes that divine creation is the embodiment of God himself, it comes from God, and therefore he is invisibly present in his creations. Orthodoxy believes that it is possible to touch God through contemplation, that is, to approach the divine through consciousness. This is not accepted by Catholicism.

Another difference between Catholics and Orthodox is that the former consider it possible to introduce new dogmas. There is also the doctrine of "good deeds and merit" of Catholic saints and the church. On its basis, the Pope can forgive the sins of his flock and is the deputy of God on Earth. In matters of religion, he is considered infallible. This dogma was adopted in 1870.

Differences in rituals. How Catholics are baptized

There are also differences in rituals, the design of churches, etc. Even the Orthodox prayer procedure is not performed exactly as the Catholics pray. Although at first glance it seems that the difference is in some little things. To feel the spiritual difference, it is enough to compare two icons, Catholic and Orthodox. The first is more like a beautiful painting. In Orthodoxy, icons are more sacred. Many are interested in the question, Catholics and Orthodox? In the first case, they are baptized with two fingers, and in Orthodoxy - with three. In many Eastern Catholic rites, the thumb, forefinger, and middle finger are put together. How are Catholics baptized yet? A less common method is to use an open palm, the fingers of which are pressed tightly, and the large one is slightly bent towards the inside. This symbolizes the openness of the soul to the Lord.

The fate of man

The Catholic Church teaches that people are burdened by original sin (with the exception of the Virgin Mary), that is, every person has the seed of Satan from birth. Therefore, people need the grace of salvation, which can be obtained by living by faith and doing good deeds. The knowledge of the existence of God is, despite human sinfulness, accessible to the human mind. This means that people are responsible for their actions. Every person is loved by God, but at the end he will face the Last Judgment. Especially righteous and godly people are numbered among the Saints (canonized). The Church maintains a list of them. The process of canonization is preceded by beatification (canonization). Orthodoxy also has a cult of Saints, but most Protestant movements reject it.

Indulgences

In Catholicism, indulgence is the complete or partial release of a person from the punishment for his sins, as well as from the corresponding redemptive action imposed on him by the priest. Initially, the basis for obtaining an indulgence was the performance of some good deed (for example, a pilgrimage to holy places). Then they donated a certain amount to the church. During the Renaissance, serious and widespread abuses were observed, which consisted of the distribution of indulgences for money. As a result, it provoked the outbreak of protests and a reformation movement. In 1567, Pope Pius V banned the issuance of indulgences for money and material resources in general.

Celibacy in Catholicism

Another serious difference between the Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church is that all the clergy of the latter gives Catholic clergymen have no right to marry and generally have sexual intercourse. All attempts to marry after receiving the deacon's dignity are considered invalid. This rule was announced at the time of Pope Gregory the Great (590-604), and was finally approved only in the 11th century.

Eastern churches rejected the Catholic version of celibacy at Trull Cathedral. In Catholicism, the vow of celibacy applies to all clergy. Initially, minor church officials had the right to marry. Married men could be initiated into them. However, Pope Paul VI abolished them, replacing them with the posts of reader and acolyte, which were no longer associated with the status of a cleric. He also introduced the institution of deacons for life (not going to advance further in the church career and become priests). These may include married men.

As an exception, married men who converted to Catholicism from various branches of Protestantism, where they had the ranks of pastors, clergy, etc., can be ordained to the priesthood. However, the Catholic Church does not recognize their priesthood.

Now the obligatory celibacy for all Catholic clergy is the subject of heated debate. In many European countries and the United States, some Catholics believe that the obligatory vow of celibacy should be canceled for non-monastic clergy. However, the Pope did not support such a reform.

Celibacy in Orthodoxy

In Orthodoxy, priests can be married if the marriage was concluded before ordination to the priestly or deacon dignity. However, only monks of the lesser schema, widowed or celibate priests can become bishops. In the Orthodox Church, a bishop must be a monk. Only archimandrites can be ordained to this dignity. Bishops cannot be simply celibates and representatives of married white clergy (non-monastic). Sometimes, as an exception, for representatives of these categories, bishop ordination is possible. However, before that, they must accept a minor monastic schema and receive the rank of archimandrite.

The inquisition

When asked who the Catholics of the medieval period are, you can get an idea by familiarizing yourself with the activities of such an ecclesiastical body as the Inquisition. She was the judicial institution of the Catholic Church, which was intended to combat heresy and heretics. In the 12th century, Catholicism faced the growth of various opposition movements in Europe. Albigensianism (Cathars) was one of the main ones. The popes entrusted the bishops with the responsibility to fight them. They were to identify heretics, try them and hand them over to secular authorities to carry out the sentence. The capital punishment was burning at the stake. But the episcopal activity was not very effective. Therefore, Pope Gregory IX created a special church body to investigate the crimes of heretics - the Inquisition. Initially directed against the Cathars, it soon turned against all heretical movements, as well as witches, sorcerers, blasphemers, gentiles, and so on.

Inquisition Tribunal

Inquisitors were recruited from various members, primarily from the Dominicans. The Inquisition was directly subordinate to the Pope. Initially, the tribunal was headed by two judges, and since the 14th century - one, but it consisted of legal advisers who determined the degree of "heretical". In addition, the number of court officials included a notary (certified the testimony), attesting witnesses, a doctor (controlled the condition of the defendant during the executions), a prosecutor and an executioner. The inquisitors were given a part of the confiscated property of heretics, so there is no need to talk about the honesty and fairness of their trial, since it was beneficial for them to find a person guilty of heresy.

Inquisitional procedure

The inquisitorial investigation was of two types: general and individual. At the first, a large part of the population of any locality was interviewed. Under the second, a call was made to a certain person through the priest. In those cases when the summoned did not appear, he was excommunicated. The man took an oath to sincerely tell everything that he knew about heretics and heresy. The course of the investigation and proceedings was kept in the deepest secrecy. It is known that the inquisitors widely used torture, which was authorized by Pope Innocent IV. Sometimes their cruelty was condemned even by the secular authorities.

The accused were never given the names of the witnesses. Often they were excommunicated, murderers, thieves, perjurers - people whose testimony was not taken into account even by the secular courts of that time. The defendant was deprived of the right to have a lawyer. The only possible form of protection was an appeal to the Holy See, although this was formally prohibited by the Bull of 1231. People once condemned by the Inquisition could at any time be brought to justice again. Even death did not save me from the investigation. If the deceased was found guilty, then his ashes were taken from the grave and burned.

Punishment system

The list of punishments for heretics was established by bulls 1213, 1231, as well as by decrees of the Third Lateran Council. If a person confessed to heresy and repented during the process, he was sentenced to life imprisonment. The tribunal had the right to shorten the term. However, such sentences were rare. At the same time, the prisoners were kept in extremely cramped cells, were often shackled, fed on water and bread. In the late Middle Ages, this sentence was commuted to hard labor in galleys. Persistent heretics were sentenced to be burned at the stake. If a person confessed before the trial began, then various church punishments were imposed on him: excommunication, pilgrimage to holy places, donations to the church, interdict, various types of penances.

Fasting in Catholicism

Fasting for Catholics is to abstain from excesses, both physical and spiritual. In Catholicism, there are the following periods of fasting and days:

• Great Lent among Catholics. It lasts 40 days before Easter.
• Advent. On the four Sundays before Christmas, believers should reflect on his coming and be spiritually focused.
• All Fridays.
• Dates of some of the great Christian holidays.
• Quatuor anni tempora. Translated as "four seasons". These are special days of repentance and fasting. The believer must fast once every season on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
• Fasting before the sacrament. The believer must abstain from food for an hour before communion.

The requirements for fasting in Catholicism and Orthodoxy are mostly similar.

Irina, Moscow

Where to baptize a child if the mother is Catholic and the father is Orthodox?

Good evening. My husband and I had a controversial question: where to baptize my son. Please help me figure it out. I was born in Zhitomir and lived there until the age of 29, and a little over a year ago I married a Russian and moved to live in Moscow. 2 months ago our son was born, and we set out to baptize him, but we have big disagreements. Briefly about us: my husband and I are Christians, but we profess different faiths, and before marriage, we did not raise the issue of future baptism of children and weddings (we intend to get married). I am a Catholic and I was raised to love God. My grandmother and mother were engaged in our religious education (I have 2 more sisters), I believe in God, I went to the church (now I do this less often, because there are only 3 churches in all of Moscow and there is not always time to get there and stay at Mass), went to the procession in Berdichev, etc. I also venerate Orthodox saints. My husband is Orthodox, and so is his whole family. He believes in God, wears a cross, but goes to church very rarely (on big holidays and only light a candle). And in their family, no one is accustomed to church, people do not go there and, in my opinion, do not consider it necessary. So I tell my husband that I want my son to accept the Catholic faith, since I will be involved in upbringing, including religious education, and he will not be in any, says: "The son was born on Orthodox soil, so he will be Orthodox." I tell him that if he and his mother take his son to church (because I don’t know what the rules are, I don’t even know their prayers), then I don’t mind baptizing him there, but they won’t do it! And to start a "double life" - to baptize in one place, but to lead to God in another is wrong. On this basis, we quarrel, and here also his mother categorically stated that she was against baptism in Catholicism. Please advise how to do the right thing so that your son will feel good and we will not quarrel.

Everything in your situation is very complicated. I understand that I may not be understood, but you turned to the priest of the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church, I will try, as I can, to explain the situation from my point of view.

« Orthodoxy"- not a geographical term, it is a matter of religion, ie. not in the name, but in a conscious approach to faith! The dogmas of Christianity and church laws cannot be something external to a person. A Christian either lives a Christian life, i.e. tries to keep his soul clean, ready to appear before God, or he is no longer a Christian at all. Canon 80 of the 6th Ecumenical Council reads:

“If anyone, a bishop, or a presbyter, or a deacon, or any one of those numbered among the clergy, or a layman, having no urgent need, or obstacle by which he would be removed from his church for a long time, but, being in the city, in three on Sundays for three weeks if he does not come to the church meeting, then the cleric will be expelled from the clergy, and the layman will be excommunicated. "

In Moscow, the metro and other transport are absolutely wonderful. Living in this city, you can refer to anything as an excuse for not attending church services, but, you must agree, most likely, the reason is your and your husband's family's negligence. They, calling themselves " Orthodox", Have fewer excuses, because home prayer and visiting temples, if desired, will not be difficult. And for them and for you, if you wish, there will be an opportunity.

When the first weeks after the birth of a child pass, and maybe even earlier, believing parents begin to think about baptizing their baby. In this article we will tell you about how baptism takes place in the Catholic denomination. Let's answer the questions that most often arise among Catholic parents when preparing for the baptism of a child.

Why baptize a child?

Baptism is a religious ritual that has been practiced in the Catholic denomination for many years. Its main purpose is to cleanse the child from original sin, as well as adoption of the baby to Catholicism and unification with the Church. It is believed that baptism not only removes original sin from the child, but also gives the child the strength to live and protection that he does not have at birth. If the original sin - Catholics believe - is not cleansed with the help of baptism, the child will not have the protection of the Holy Spirit, therefore, often believing parents even try not to take the child out of the house before baptism, so as not to expose the baby to danger once again.

At what age to baptize a child?

It is customary to baptize a baby 4-6 weeks after birth. However, it often happens that children go through this ritual later - this is not prohibited, but for the reasons mentioned above, believing parents try not to delay the baptism of their baby. At an earlier age, a child is usually baptized only in extreme cases, for example, if a newborn is sick or weak, and parents believe that baptism can help him gain God's protection and, along with it, better health.
From a formal point of view, it is not difficult to designate the day of the child's baptism. Most often, it is enough 2-3 weeks before the desired date to notify the priest (as Catholic priests are called) of the church where you are going to baptize the child, and discuss with him not only the time of the ritual, but also all the nuances of the future ritual. It is necessary, however, to take into account the fact that sometimes the date of the baby's baptism, which you have chosen, the priest can postpone to a later date, depending on how, in his opinion, the parents and future godparents themselves are ready for the sacrament of Baptism.

How to choose a date taking into account religious fasts and holidays?

Catholic church law allows children to be baptized throughout the year, including during fasting and holidays. However, before baptism, it will not be superfluous to find out what customs exist in your church. In some parishes (this is the name of the parish), for example, it is customary to organize the baptism of children once a month. However, this is more the exception than the rule.
Popular periods for baptism among Catholic parents Christmas and Easter holidays... Consider this fact, because the more babies with their parents, godparents and guests arrive for baptism, the longer and more crowded the procedure will be, from which both you and your child will get tired.

In what setting does the ceremony take place?

Whether the christening of your baby will be a crowded ceremony or will be held in chamber, you decide. Children are often baptized during the holy imshi(this is the name of the main liturgical action in Catholicism, similar to the service in the Orthodox Church), for which many people from all over the parish gather in the church. However, it is possible to organize baptism in a more modest and quiet atmosphere - this is conceived in the sacristy, a room next to the main hall of the church, where religious objects are usually kept. The only prerequisite for the ritual is the presence in the room crucifixion.

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Who can be godparents?

Godparents can be those who:
- are believers and practitioners catholics;
- the ceremony has already passed beige(this is how Catholics call the ritual of chrismation, which takes place, in contrast to Orthodoxy, in adulthood and serves as confirmation that the faith is accepted consciously);
- are not direct relatives of the baby, for example, a sibling;
- are mature conscious people who can cope with the role of godparents. Usually, although not necessarily, they are adults.
The requirements for godparents in different parishes can be more or less strict, for example, not every church requires that both godparents be Catholics or have passed the rite of refuge.

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About preparation, as well as documents and other formalities.

As we have already said, after you have chosen the date for the future baptism of your baby, you must go to the church where the ceremony will take place, namely to the church office or, as often happens, directly to priest... Here you must set the exact date of baptism, discuss the necessary organizational issues and make the payment (you set the amount yourself, since this is rather a donation to the church than a mandatory service fee). Here you must register future godparents parents.
Take the following documents with you:
- birth certificate of the child;
- passports of both parents;
- the act of wedding in a church, if there is one (if the parents did not get married during marriage, but declare themselves as believing Catholics, church law does not prohibit them from baptizing a child);
- certificates informing that the godparents meet the requirements of the church where the baby will be baptized. Future godparents take such certificates in their churches if they belong to another parish (these documents are often not required - you need to check with the parish where the baptism will take place).
Before the baptism takes place, the priest usually invites parents and godfathers to visit several preparatory sessions at the church. These classes are useful not so much for informational preparation for organizing baptism, as for learning the essence of the sacrament, learning the necessary prayers and preparing for further raising a baby according to the Catholic faith.
Depending on the preparedness of the parents and godparents, as well as on the church traditions, classes can be held once or twice, or all seven. For example, if one of the parents or future godparents is Orthodox and does not know the Catholic canons at all, you will have to attend more classes than if they were all practicing Catholics.

How to dress a child and dress yourself?

Traditionally, for the baby, they choose an outfit in light scale... White and pastel colors are what you need, because they are associated with purity and purity, light and joy. However, there are no clear rules about clothing - it all depends on the traditions of your church. For example, in many paraffia, it is customary to choose clothes that come into contact with the baby's skin pure white... One way or another, it is necessary to dress the child for the weather, and also think about whether the child will be comfortable not only on the street, but also in the church building.
As for the clothes of adults on this day, there are even fewer wisdoms than when choosing an outfit for a baby. Just match the event, time and place.

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How to prepare your baby for an event?

The day of baptism is always not an easy one, but first of all you need to think about ensuring that all the needs of the child are satisfied, and the baby himself is as little as possible involved in the festive bustle.
It will not be superfluous to take with you to the church what usually accompanies the child, for example, on a long walk: a disposable diaper, wet wipes, spare sliders or tights, quiet favorite toys, bottles of milk and water, and so on. By the way, no one will mind the fact that, for example, during the imshi before baptism, the mother and baby will go to sacristy to change diapers or breastfeed the baby.
After baptism, when guests, as is usually the case, gather at home to celebrate the event, it is not advisable to leave the child in the same room with the adults. Still, for the baby, all this celebration is more stressful than a pleasant pastime.

How is the baptismal ceremony going?

The godmother, according to tradition, buys and brings a clean white shirt-vest, and the godfather - bought at the church white candle... However, parents often buy these items themselves - that's how you agree.
Before the ceremony of baptism, both parents and godparents must necessarily confess and receive communion. It is good if all the guests present at the ritual do this as well.

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The baptismal ceremony outside the imshi takes about half an hour, and if you decide that baptism will take place during the liturgy, be ready by the hour. Since baptism is more common during imshi, we will consider it.
During baptism, the parents stand in front of the altar, behind them or next to them are the godparents. The child is usually kept by the mother, but there are no specific rules. Parents and godparents pronounce prayer that testifies to their faith, and publicly pledges raise a child in the catholic faith... Next, the baptismal ceremony takes place, in which the priest reads a special prayer over the baby, after which the rite can develop, depending on the church (there are differences between the Eastern and Latin ones), according to two scenarios.
1. The child's forehead is marked with the symbol of a cross and his head is poured three times with water, the holy cross is applied to the baby, and then covered with a new white shirt or undershirt, previously brought by the godmother. At this time, the godfather must light the candle he brought from the church candle.
2. The baby's forehead, palms and chest are smeared with myrrh and holy water, and at this time they read a joint prayer and light the brought candle.
In the Belarusian church, you can often find the second version of the rite. In this version, by the way, there is also a white undershirt, but you just need to bring it with you to the baptism for sprinkling with consecrated water. After - the Catholics believe - this undershirt will be able to help with the baby's illness. If a serious illness occurs, the child is dressed in or covered with a baptismal gown. Also, often in the baptismal vest of one child, if it remains new, they dress the next baby born in this family. It is believed that children will inevitably be friendly from this.

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Baptism rumors that are just rumors.

Since the time of its existence, the ritual of baptism has acquired an incredible amount of rumors and misconceptions. Here is some of them.
- The godmother cannot be pregnant during baptism, because the unborn child can take health away from the mother's godson.
- Godparents cannot be spouses.
- The first godson of a woman can only be a boy, and men can only be a girl. Otherwise, the godparents may not wait for their offspring.
- Anyone who sees a baby at baptism for the first time should put money next to him so that the baby is healthy.
- The candle during baptism must be lit with the right hand, so that the child does not grow up left-handed.
- If the candle goes out during baptism, the baby will not live a long life.
There are a great many such beliefs, however, we recall that they are all delusions. Don't believe me? Ask the priest!

The first gifts for the baby from godfathers. What to give?

A good solution in a gift situation would be to discuss in advance who will give what, because obligatory gifts are cross or medallion, and image(icon). The rest of the gifts can be chosen at your discretion, but it would be good to give something memorable, something that the child can preserve, if not for life, then for many years as a symbol of spiritual connection with his second parents.

Photo from the site www.storegift.ru

And finally.
When planning and organizing the baptism of a child, remember: although the event is important and memorable, it is not mandatory. You should not baptize a baby just because parents or friends insist on it. But if you decide that the baptism will take place, make this day really special for you and your child. Goodness and peace to your family!

Olya Samardak

27.03.2015

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