I was going to baptize the child, and one of the godparents was supposed to be my friend. He is a Roman Catholic. And we didn't "bother" about it, we thought that Christians seemed to be all the same and the sacraments were the same. Already in the church before Baptism, the priest, having learned that the candidate for godparents was a Catholic, "rejected" his candidacy, and as the only option suggested that he "be baptized" into Orthodoxy. This greatly upset us, and we postponed Baptism. The money paid for Baptism according to the tariff was not returned to us (I did not particularly insist on it). After thinking about this situation, I decided that since a Christian, both by religion and by life, was "rejected" by the Church as a godfather, then I would baptize the child in another Church, in the Catholic Church. And in the future I myself will undergo catechesis and convert to Catholicism (without crossing!). And now I would like to know how correctly and according to the teachings the priest acted in my case, refusing to be a godfather to a Catholic? I'm not talking about the moral Christian norms, but at least according to the teachings and canons of the Russian Orthodox Church?
entrepreneur
Dear Yuri, recognizing the act of the priest (in the form that you described) is not fully consistent with the official position of our Church, which allows, firstly, the presence of one non-Orthodox successor, while the other will be Orthodox, and, secondly, does not imply the acceptance of Catholics into Orthodoxy through Baptism (acceptance is allowed either by the third rite, through repentance, or by the second, through chrismation), I cannot help but ask another question: what, in fact, is your Orthodoxy? If, because of an episode, even if emotionally brightly negative, but in no way connected with the essence of our faith, or with the nature of the doctrinal differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism, you decide without hesitation to change your confession, what is Orthodoxy for you? If the priest had been polite and delicate, would you have remained in the Orthodox Church? With such a measure of irresponsibility, of course, our faith will hold out until the first rude priest or an impolite candlestick ... You can find anything among Catholics after catechism. Will you go further to the Baptists? To the Moonies, to the Jehovists? We must base our religious worldview, our self-determination on something more fundamental than the infirmities or virtues of certain clergymen.
When the first weeks after the birth of a child pass, and maybe even earlier, believing parents begin to think about the baptism of their baby. In this article we will talk about how baptism takes place in the Catholic denomination. Let's answer the questions that Catholic parents most often have when preparing for a child's baptism.
Why baptize a child?
Baptism is a religious ritual that has been followed in the Catholic denomination for many years. Its main purpose is to cleanse the child from original sin, as well as converting a child to Catholicism and association with the Church. It is believed that baptism not only washes away original sin from the child, but also gives the baby strength for life and protection, which he did not have at birth. If original sin, Catholics believe, is not cleansed by baptism, the child will not have the protection of the Holy Spirit, so often believing parents even try not to take the child out of the house before baptism, so as not to once again endanger the baby.
At what age should a child be baptized?
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 baby's baptism. At an earlier age, a child is usually baptized only in extreme cases, for example, if the newborn is sick or weak, and parents believe that baptism can help him gain God's protection and with it, better health.
From a formal point of view, it is not difficult to designate the day of a child's baptism. Most often, 2-3 weeks before the desired date, it is enough 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 event, but also all the nuances of the future ritual. However, it is necessary to take into account the fact that sometimes the date of the baptism of the baby that you have chosen can be postponed by the priest for more late deadline depending on how, in his opinion, the parents themselves and future godparents 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 fasts and holidays. However, before baptism, it will still 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.
Among Catholic parents, periods are popular for baptism Christmas And Easter holidays. Consider this fact, because the more babies, along with parents, godparents and guests, arrive for baptism, the longer and more crowded the procedure will be, which both you and your child will get tired of.
In what context does the ceremony take place?
Whether your baby's baptism will be a crowded ceremony or will be intimate, it's up to you. Often children are baptized during the holy imshi(this is the name of the main liturgical action in Catholicism, similar to the service in Orthodox Church), for which many people from all over the parish gather in the church. However, it is possible to organize a baptism in a more modest and quiet atmosphere - conceived it takes place in the sacristy, a room next to the main hall of the church, where cult objects are usually kept. The only prerequisite for the ritual is the presence in the room crucifixion.
Photo from www.parzuchowscy.com
Who can be godparents?
Godparents can be those who:
- are believers and practitioners Catholics;
- already passed the rite running around(this is how Catholics call the ritual of chrismation, which, unlike Orthodoxy, takes place in adulthood and serves as confirmation that faith is accepted consciously);
- are not direct relatives of the baby, for example, a brother or sister;
- are mature conscious people who can cope with the role of godparents. Usually, though not necessarily, they are adults.
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 flight.
Photo from www.parzuchowscy.com
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 have to take place, namely to the church office or, which often happens, directly to priest. Here you must set the exact date of baptism, discuss the necessary organizational issues and make a payment (you set the amount yourself, since this is more 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;
- an 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 forbid them to baptize a child);
- Evidence that God-parents 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 godparents to visit several preparatory classes
at the church. These classes are useful not so much as informational preparation for the organization of baptism, but as a knowledge of the essence of the sacrament, learning the necessary prayers and preparing for further raising a baby according to catholic faith.
Depending on the preparedness of parents and godparents, as well as on church traditions, classes can take place either once or twice, or all seven. For example, if one of the parents or future godparents is Orthodox and does not know 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, an outfit is chosen for a baby in light colors. White color 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 parishes, it is customary to choose clothes that come into contact with the baby’s skin. clean white color
. One way or another, it is necessary to dress the child according to the weather, and also think about whether the baby will be comfortable not only on the street, but also inside the church.
As for the clothes of adults on this day, there are even fewer wisdoms here than when choosing an outfit for a baby. Just match the event, time and place.
Photo from www.parzuchowscy.com
How to prepare the baby for the event?
The day of baptism is always not easy, but first of all, you need to think about ensuring that all the needs of the child are met, and the baby himself is as little as possible involved in the festive fuss.
It would not be superfluous to take with you to the church what usually accompanies a 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 be against the fact that, for example, during imsha before baptism, a mother and baby will go to sacristy to change diapers or breastfeed the child.
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 adults. Still, for a baby, all this celebration is more stressful than a pleasant pastime.
How is the christening ceremony?
The godmother, according to tradition, buys and brings clean white shirt-shirt, and the godfather - bought at the church white candle. However, often parents themselves buy these items - here you can agree.
Before the rite of baptism, both parents and godparents must confess and take communion. It is good if all the guests present at the ritual do this.
Photo from www.foxo.com.ua
The rite of baptism outside imsha takes about half an hour, and if you decide that baptism will be during the liturgy, be ready for an hour. Since baptism during imsha is more common, let's consider it.
During baptism, the parents stand in front of the altar, behind them or next to them are the godparents. The mother usually holds the child, but there are no specific rules here. Parents and godparents pronounce prayer which testifies to their faith, and publicly commit themselves raise a child in the Catholic faith. Then there is a direct baptism ceremony, 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 church and the Latin one), according to two scenarios.
1.
The forehead of the child is marked with the symbol of the cross and water is poured over his head three times, a holy cross is applied to the baby, after which they are covered with a new white shirt or undershirt, previously brought by the godmother. At this time, the godfather should light the candle he brought from the church candle.
2.
The forehead of the baby, his 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 vest, but you just need to bring it with you to baptism for sprinkling holy water. After - Catholics believe - this vest can help with the illness of the baby. If a serious illness occurs, the child is dressed in a christening robe or covered with it. Also, often in the vest from the baptism of one child, if it has remained new, the next baby born in this family is dressed. It is believed that children from this will certainly be friendly.
Photo from www.parzuchowscy.com
Baptismal rumors that are just rumors.
Since the time of its existence, the ritual of baptism has grown with an incredible amount of rumors and misconceptions. Here are some of them.
- The godmother cannot be pregnant at the time of baptism, because the unborn child can take away the health of the mother's godson.
- Godparents cannot be spouses.
- The first godson of a woman can only be a boy, and men - only a girl. Otherwise, godparents may not wait for their offspring.
- Anyone who sees the baby at baptism for the first time should put money next to him so that the child is healthy.
- A candle must be lit at baptism right hand so that the child does not grow up left-handed.
- If the candle goes out at 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? Ask a priest!
The first gifts for the baby from the godparents. What to give?
A good solution in a situation with a gift would be a preliminary discussion of who and what will give, because obligatory gifts are cross or locket, as well as image(icon). The rest of the gifts can be chosen at your discretion, but it would be nice to give something memorable, something that the child can keep, if not for life, then for many years as a symbol of spiritual connection with his second parents.
Photo from www.storegift.ru
And finally.
When planning and organizing a child's baptism, remember that although this is an important and memorable event, 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, let this day be really special for you and your child. Good and peace to your family!
Olya Samardak
27.03.2015
website
Reprinting and copying of text and photographs without the permission of the editorial office is prohibited.
Please note: comments from readers of the site reflect only their personal position. It may differ from the opinion of the site administration. In accordance with the legislation of the Republic of Belarus, the person who published it is responsible for the content of the comment. If you notice comments that violate Belarusian law, please report it
This article will focus on what Catholicism is and who are Catholics. This direction is considered one of the branches of Christianity, formed due to a large split in this religion, which occurred in 1054.
Who are in many ways similar to Orthodoxy, but there are differences. From other currents in Christianity, the Catholic religion differs in the peculiarities of the dogma, cult rites. Catholicism supplemented the "Creed" 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 states South America where it is practiced by the vast majority of the population. There are also Catholics in Asia and Africa, but the influence of the Catholic religion is not significant here. compared to the Orthodox are a minority. There are about 700 thousand of them. The Catholics of Ukraine are more numerous. There are about 5 million of them.
Name
The word "Catholicism" is of Greek origin and in translation 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 general and universal. Ignatius of Antioch spoke about this in 115. The term "Catholicism" was officially introduced at the first Council of Constantinople (381). Christian church was recognized as one, holy, catholic and apostolic.
Origins of Catholicism
The term "church" began to appear in written sources (letters of Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, Polycarp of Smyrna) from the second century. The word was synonymous with municipality. At the turn of the second and third centuries, Irenaeus of Lyon applied the word "church" to Christianity in general. For individual (regional, local) Christian communities, it was used with the appropriate adjective (for example, the Church of Alexandria).
In the second century, Christian society was divided into the laity and the clergy. In turn, the latter were divided into bishops, priests and deacons. It remains unclear how the management in the communities was carried out - collegially or individually. Some experts believe that the government was initially democratic, but eventually became monarchical. The clergy were 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 had real power in a single province.
In the second century, the desire to preserve apostolic traditions contributed to the emergence and structure. The Church was supposed to protect the faith, dogmas and canons Holy Scripture. All this, and 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" covers 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 left the power of the Patriarch of Constantinople and became subordinate to the Pope of Rome, but retained their dogmas and rituals. Examples are Greek Catholics, the Byzantine Catholic Church and others.
Basic dogmas and postulates
To understand who the Catholics are, you need to pay attention to the basic postulates of their dogma. The main tenet of Catholicism, which distinguishes it from other areas 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 dishonorable alliances with large feudal lords and kings, were obsessed with a thirst for profit and constantly increased their wealth, and also interfered in politics.
The next postulate of Catholicism is the dogma of purgatory, approved in 1439 at the Council of Florence. This teaching is based on the fact that the human soul after death goes to purgatory, which is an intermediate level between hell and paradise. There she can, with the help of various trials, be cleansed of sins. Relatives and friends of the deceased can help his soul cope with trials through prayers and donations. It follows from this that the fate of man in 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. A priest among Catholics has serious advantages and privileges compared to an ordinary flock. According to the Catholic religion, only the clergy have the right to read the Bible - this is their exclusive right. Other believers are forbidden. Only editions written in Latin are considered canonical.
Catholic dogma determines the need for systematic confession of believers before the clergy. Everyone is obliged to have his own confessor and constantly report to him about own thoughts and actions. Without systematic confession, the salvation of the soul is impossible. This condition allows the Catholic clergy to penetrate deeply into personal life his flock and control every step of man. Constant confession allows the church to have a serious impact on society, and especially on women.
Catholic sacraments
The main task of the Catholic Church (the community of believers as a whole) is to preach Christ in the world. The sacraments are considered visible signs of the invisible grace of God. In fact, these are the 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 among Catholics is taken at the age of 7-10 years);
- sacrament of repentance and reconciliation (confession);
- unction;
- sacrament of priesthood (ordination);
- sacrament of marriage.
According to some experts and researchers, the roots of the sacraments of Christianity go back to pagan mysteries. However, this point of view is actively criticized by theologians. According to the latter, in the first centuries AD. e. some rites were borrowed from Christianity by the pagans.
How do Catholics differ from Orthodox Christians?
What is 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 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). The Orthodox profess the "Symbol of Faith", which proclaims the procession of the Holy Spirit only "from the Father". Catholics, on the other hand, 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 Creed.
Both Catholics and Orthodox understand that there is a difference between the Creator and creation. However, according to Catholic canons, the world has a material character. He was created by God out of nothing. There is nothing divine in the material world. While Orthodoxy suggests that the divine creation is the incarnation 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 a 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 vicar of God on Earth. In matters of religion, he is considered infallible. This dogma was adopted in 1870.
Differences in rituals. How are Catholics baptized?
There are also differences in rituals, the design of temples, etc. Even the Orthodox prayer procedure is performed not quite the way Catholics pray. Although at first glance it seems that the difference is in some small 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, index, and middle fingers. How are Catholics baptized? A less common way is to use an open hand with fingers pressed tightly and the thumb slightly bent towards inside. This symbolizes the openness of the soul to the Lord.
The fate of man
The Catholic Church teaches that people are weighed down by original sin (with the exception of the Virgin Mary), that is, in every person from birth there is a grain of Satan. Therefore, people need the grace of salvation, which can be obtained by living by faith and doing good works. 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 in the end awaits him Last Judgment. Particularly righteous and charitable people are ranked among the Saints (canonized). The Church keeps a list of them. The process of canonization is preceded by beatification (canonization). Orthodoxy also has a cult of the Saints, but most Protestant denominations reject it.
indulgences
In Catholicism, indulgence is the complete or partial release of a person from punishment for his sins, as well as from the corresponding expiatory action imposed on him by a priest. Initially, the basis for receiving an indulgence was the performance of some good deed (for example, a pilgrimage to holy places). Then it was the donation of a certain amount to the church. During the Renaissance, there were serious and widespread abuses, which consisted in the distribution of indulgences for money. As a result, this provoked the beginning of protests and a reform movement. In 1567, Pope Pius V imposed a ban on the issuance of indulgences for money and material resources in general.
Celibacy in Catholicism
Another major difference between the Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church is that all the clergy of the latter give Catholic clergy no right to marry and generally have sexual intercourse. All attempts to marry after receiving the diaconate are considered invalid. This rule was announced during the time of Pope Gregory the Great (590-604), and was finally approved only in the 11th century.
The Eastern churches rejected the Catholic variant of celibacy at Trull Cathedral. In Catholicism, the vow of celibacy applies to all clergy. Initially, small church ranks had the right to marry. Married men could be initiated into them. However, Pope Paul VI abolished them, replacing them with the positions of reader and acolyte, which ceased to be associated with the status of a cleric. He also introduced the institution of lifelong deacons (who are not going to advance further in church careers 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 obligation of 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 abolished for non-monastic clergy. However, the Pope did not support such a reform.
Celibacy in Orthodoxy
In Orthodoxy, clergymen can be married if the marriage was concluded before ordination to the priestly or deaconate. However, only monks of the small schema, widowed priests or celibates can become bishops. In the Orthodox Church, a bishop must be a monk. Only archimandrites can be ordained to this rank. Bishops cannot simply be celibates and married white clergy (non-monastics). Sometimes, as an exception, hierarchal ordination is possible for representatives of these categories. However, before that, they must accept a small monastic schema and receive the rank of archimandrite.
Inquisition
When asked who the Catholics of the medieval period were, one can get an idea by familiarizing themselves with the activities of such an ecclesiastical body as the Inquisition. She was a judiciary catholic church, which was intended to combat heresy and heretics. In the twelfth century, Catholicism faced the rise of various opposition movements in Europe. One of the main ones was Albigensianism (Cathars). The popes have placed the responsibility of fighting them on the bishops. They were supposed to identify heretics, try them and turn them over to secular authorities for execution. The highest punishment was burning at the stake. But the episcopal activity was not very effective. Therefore, Pope Gregory IX created a special church body, the Inquisition, to investigate the crimes of heretics. Initially directed against the Cathars, it soon turned against all heretical movements, as well as witches, sorcerers, blasphemers, infidels, and so on.
Tribunal of the Inquisition
Inquisitors were recruited from various members, primarily from Dominicans. The Inquisition reported directly to the Pope. Initially, the tribunal was headed by two judges, and from the 14th century - by one, but it consisted of legal consultants who determined the degree of "heretics". In addition, the court employees included a notary (who certified the testimony), witnesses, a doctor (monitored the defendant's condition during executions), a prosecutor and an executioner. The inquisitors were given part of the confiscated property of heretics, so there is no need to talk about the honesty and fairness of their court, since it was beneficial for them to recognize a person guilty of heresy.
inquisitorial procedure
Inquisitorial investigation was of two types: general and individual. In the first, a large part of the population of any locality was surveyed. At the second time, a certain person was called through the curate. In those cases when the summoned did not appear, he was excommunicated from the church. The man swore an oath to sincerely tell everything he knew about heretics and heresy. The course of the investigation and proceedings were kept in the deepest secrecy. It is known that the inquisitors widely used torture, which was allowed by Pope Innocent IV. Sometimes their cruelty was condemned even by secular authorities.
The accused were never given the names of 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 defense was an appeal to the Holy See, although it was formally prohibited by bull 1231. People who had once been convicted by the Inquisition could at any moment be brought to justice again. Even death did not save him from the investigation. If the deceased was found guilty, then his ashes were taken out of the grave and burned.
Punishment system
The list of punishments for heretics was established by bulls 1213, 1231, as well as by the decrees of the Third Lateran Council. If a person confessed to heresy and repented already 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, often shackled, ate water and bread. In the late Middle Ages, this sentence was replaced by hard labor in the galleys. Recalcitrant heretics were sentenced to be burned at the stake. If a person turned himself in before the start of the process over him, then various church punishments were imposed on him: excommunication, pilgrimage to holy places, donations to the church, interdict, different kinds penance.
Fasting in Catholicism
Fasting among Catholics consists in abstaining from excesses, both physical and spiritual. In Catholicism, there are the following fasting periods and days:
- Great Lent for Catholics. It lasts 40 days before Easter.
- advent. The four Sundays before Christmas, believers should reflect on his forthcoming arrival and be spiritually focused.
- All Fridays.
- Dates of some major Christian holidays.
- Quatuor anni tempora. It translates as "four seasons". This special days repentance and fasting. The believer must fast once every season on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
- Fasting before communion. The believer must abstain from food one hour before communion.
The requirements for fasting in Catholicism and Orthodoxy are for the most part similar.
Good afternoon, father Alexander!I got very difficult situation, this has been tormenting me for some time now, I will not be able to write briefly, so I apologize in advance for your time.
I was baptized in Orthodoxy as a child, since then I have not been in the Orthodox Church - it happened that way. Neither my godparents nor my family instilled Love for God in me, for they themselves were far from it. Moreover, in my youth and adolescence, I did a lot of bad things and considered myself an atheist. When I studied at the university, I met a guy from a large religious family. Slowly, he began to tell me about God, about religion, about the Church, and then, somehow sensing my interest and desire for this, he took me to the Catholic Church Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (in Moscow, I am from there), and there I came to God and to faith myself, I went there for a very long time, although we parted with the guy a long time ago. Years passed, and God brought me together with my husband - he is a Latvian, and I moved to live with him in Latvia, although my relatives, as you understand, were very upset by my decision, and this is one of the reasons for our misunderstandings - they always think that I am here temporarily, although I have been living here for six years. We formalized the marriage, but he is not baptized (although better than many of those who beat their chests that he is a believer), he is even afraid to go into the temple, so as not to defile the feelings of the parishioners and servants of God. So far I have not been able to persuade him to get married, which means that I cannot convert to Catholicism, which is close to me in spirit and whose church I go to, but I really want to do this and cannot consider myself Orthodox - that would be dishonest, but I consider myself a Christian and want the reunification of the Churches.
Recently, my sister asked me to be her daughter's godmother, and I gladly agreed! I asked her to find out all the details in my homeland, since I can only come to Russia for a short time for the baptism itself, and if I need to go through the teachings, like the Catholics, then I would go through it here, at home. She said that she did not want to bother me, and found a temple where no teaching is required (I will not bore you with my thoughts on this), I replied that I would go to the temple anyway and ask the priest all the questions that interest me, so as for me this is a responsible step. Before going to the priest, I decided to read in more detail how this ceremony takes place among the Orthodox, and the first thing I discovered was that the godmother must be Orthodox. Father Alexander, but it’s completely different for Catholics, Protestants - even an Orthodox can baptize a Lutheran, it’s the same in my husband’s family, and it’s everywhere here - Latvia is multi-confessional, I couldn’t imagine this at all. I shared my doubts with my sister, who accused me of ruining the name day (told me that I was changing God), since the money had already been paid, the photographer had been ordered, the cross had been bought, etc. I was very offended, because I do not feel guilty for the fact that I myself decided to take a more responsible approach to this and made it all worse. We quarreled very strongly and now I don’t know what to do next, how to communicate with people close to you who hurt you (this is not the first time). Tell me the direction where to "look", father Alexander.
Have a nice day!
Sincerely, Ekaterina.
Ekaterina
Kekava
Latvia
Other
Living and dead water: myth or reality, what is the power of living and dead water?
Craniosynostosis, or premature fusion of the bones of the skull Frontal crest in a child
Beautiful hair How to achieve hair density at home: useful tips
Why mosquitoes bite some people, but not others
How to achieve beautiful hair