Necessity of Godparents?

[Logan]

My wife and I are having a girl later this year. We were both baptized in the Orthodox Church and would like our daughter to be baptized in the Orthodox Church as well. We have been told that our child needs to have Godparents in order to be baptized. Is this a requirement in all Orthodox churches? If yes, then this is a problem for us. We are not regular church attendees and are not close to any people who would be good Godparent candidates. Also, we will not be in our current location for more than another two years, so any Godparents would play a minimal role in her life.

[SolEX01]

My wife and I are having a girl later this year. We were both baptized in the Orthodox Church and would like our daughter to be baptized in the Orthodox Church as well. We have been told that our child needs to have Godparents in order to be baptized. Is this a requirement in all Orthodox churches?

Welcome to the forum.   

Yes, Godparents are standard in an Orthodox Church.

If yes, then this is a problem for us. We are not regular church attendees

Do you and your wife have any Orthodox relatives independent of regular church attendance like siblings?  cousins?  I'm not for relatives being Godparents; however, based on what you said - relatives serving as Godparents may work for you.

and are not close to any people who would be good Godparent candidates. Also, we will not be in our current location for more than another two years, so any Godparents would play a minimal role in her life.

My Godparents live an hour from me; I didn't see them much as a child.  Didn't affect their role in my life.

[Logan]

Thanks for replying. I understand that Godparents are the norm for Orthodox churches, but are they required for our child to be baptized? Will our daughter be denied baptism if we cannot find Godparents? Neither of or respective families are religious, so relatives are not an option.

[augustin717]

They do not have to be religious or even attending church. Just formally Orthodox and willing to hold a candle and say the creed.

[Punch]

Thanks for replying. I understand that Godparents are the norm for Orthodox churches, but are they required for our child to be baptized? Will our daughter be denied baptism if we cannot find Godparents? Neither of or respective families are religious, so relatives are not an option.

In our Church, Godparents are a requirement.  If you don't have anyone in mind, the Priest will find someone.

[Michał Kalina]

Thanks for replying. I understand that Godparents are the norm for Orthodox churches, but are they required for our child to be baptized? Will our daughter be denied baptism if we cannot find Godparents? Neither of or respective families are religious, so relatives are not an option.

So why do you want to baptise it?

[GabrieltheCelt]

My wife and I are having a girl later this year. We were both baptized in the Orthodox Church and would like our daughter to be baptized in the Orthodox Church as well. We have been told that our child needs to have Godparents in order to be baptized. Is this a requirement in all Orthodox churches? If yes, then this is a problem for us. We are not regular church attendees and are not close to any people who would be good Godparent candidates. Also, we will not be in our current location for more than another two years, so any Godparents would play a minimal role in her life.

Congratulations and many years!

 You'll find some great answers to your questions here:
http://www.orthodoxchristianity.net/forum/index.php/topic,13107.html

[yeshuaisiam]

yep, the church usually mandates it.

[Logan]

Thanks for replying. I understand that Godparents are the norm for Orthodox churches, but are they required for our child to be baptized? Will our daughter be denied baptism if we cannot find Godparents? Neither of or respective families are religious, so relatives are not an option.

So why do you want to baptise it?

Our daughter is not an "it". We want her to be baptized for the same reasons other people want their children to be baptized.

[Logan]

My wife and I are having a girl later this year. We were both baptized in the Orthodox Church and would like our daughter to be baptized in the Orthodox Church as well. We have been told that our child needs to have Godparents in order to be baptized. Is this a requirement in all Orthodox churches? If yes, then this is a problem for us. We are not regular church attendees and are not close to any people who would be good Godparent candidates. Also, we will not be in our current location for more than another two years, so any Godparents would play a minimal role in her life.

Congratulations and many years!

 You'll find some great answers to your questions here:
http://www.orthodoxchristianity.net/forum/index.php/topic,13107.html

Thank you. I'll check out this site.

[NicholasMyra]

Our daughter is not an "it". We want her to be baptized for the same reasons other people want their children to be baptized.

I wasn't raised in church so I actually don't know the reason why by default.

[SolEX01]

Thanks for replying. I understand that Godparents are the norm for Orthodox churches, but are they required for our child to be baptized? Will our daughter be denied baptism if we cannot find Godparents? Neither of or respective families are religious, so relatives are not an option.

So why do you want to baptise it?

Our daughter is not an "it". We want her to be baptized for the same reasons other people want their children to be baptized.

Why do people baptize their children?  To continue traditions?  To expose children to the parents' faith?  Because a grandparent wants to?  Am I missing something?   

[Logan]

Thanks for replying. I understand that Godparents are the norm for Orthodox churches, but are they required for our child to be baptized? Will our daughter be denied baptism if we cannot find Godparents? Neither of or respective families are religious, so relatives are not an option.

So why do you want to baptise it?

Our daughter is not an "it". We want her to be baptized for the same reasons other people want their children to be baptized.

Why do people baptize their children?  To continue traditions?  To expose children to the parents' faith?  Because a grandparent wants to?  Am I missing something?   

We want for her to be baptized so she can receive our Lord's grace, and to be introduced to The Church.

[Cognomen]

Thanks for replying. I understand that Godparents are the norm for Orthodox churches, but are they required for our child to be baptized? Will our daughter be denied baptism if we cannot find Godparents? Neither of or respective families are religious, so relatives are not an option.

So why do you want to baptise it?

Our daughter is not an "it". We want her to be baptized for the same reasons other people want their children to be baptized.

Why do people baptize their children?  To continue traditions?  To expose children to the parents' faith?  Because a grandparent wants to?  Am I missing something?   

We want for her to be baptized so she can receive our Lord's grace, and to be introduced to The Church.

Sounds pretty good to me.  Sorry for the 3rd degree from some.

It seems that you and your wife should interact a bit with the congregation, speak with the priest, and hopefully you can find someone suitable, who would be willing to sponsor (be the godparents) of your child.  Given your tendency to move, it may not be an ideal or lasting relationship but, to put it bluntly, it would fulfill the requirements.  And who knows? It could develop into something.

[Logan]

Thanks for replying. I understand that Godparents are the norm for Orthodox churches, but are they required for our child to be baptized? Will our daughter be denied baptism if we cannot find Godparents? Neither of or respective families are religious, so relatives are not an option.

So why do you want to baptise it?

Our daughter is not an "it". We want her to be baptized for the same reasons other people want their children to be baptized.

Why do people baptize their children?  To continue traditions?  To expose children to the parents' faith?  Because a grandparent wants to?  Am I missing something?   

We want for her to be baptized so she can receive our Lord's grace, and to be introduced to The Church.

Sounds pretty good to me.  Sorry for the 3rd degree from some.

It seems that you and your wife should interact a bit with the congregation, speak with the priest, and hopefully you can find someone suitable, who would be willing to sponsor (be the godparents) of your child.  Given your tendency to move, it may not be an ideal or lasting relationship but, to put it bluntly, it would fulfill the requirements.  And who knows? It could develop into something.

Thank you for your suggestion. We have a few months before our daughter is born, so hopefully we'll be able to talk with our local priest and find a solution.

[Gebre Menfes Kidus]

Thanks for replying. I understand that Godparents are the norm for Orthodox churches, but are they required for our child to be baptized? Will our daughter be denied baptism if we cannot find Godparents? Neither of or respective families are religious, so relatives are not an option.

So why do you want to baptise it?

Our daughter is not an "it". We want her to be baptized...

Amen. I cringed when I read that too. But I'm sure Michal didn't mean any harm.


Selam

[Alpo]

I'm not for relatives being Godparents

Why not? I'm not familiar with Finnish EO practice but relatives being godparents is fairly standard practice among Finnish Lutherans.

[Logan]

Thanks for replying. I understand that Godparents are the norm for Orthodox churches, but are they required for our child to be baptized? Will our daughter be denied baptism if we cannot find Godparents? Neither of or respective families are religious, so relatives are not an option.

So why do you want to baptise it?

Our daughter is not an "it". We want her to be baptized...

Amen. I cringed when I read that too. But I'm sure Michal didn't mean any harm.


Selam

To state the obvious, I was displeased when Michal referred to my unborn daughter as an "it". That is insulting language. But now I realize that he is young, and English is not his native language, so it's possible no slight was intended. I should be more aware of such possibilities since my wife and I do not share the same native language. Misunderstandings still occasionally occur, even after many years of happy marriage.

[Michał Kalina]

In Polish "a children" is neuter.

[Νεκτάριος]

In Polish "a children" is neuter.

As it was in Old English and modern Germanic languages that have retained three genders, i.e das Kind in German.  Russian (ребёнок, masculine) and Ukraine (Детина - feminine) are the outliers among European languages. 

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