Who is the godfather (a) - definition of the concept, role and responsibility. Kum is, what is kum, the meaning of the word kum, who is kum, what does kum mean, the word kum definition and interpretation, Dahl's explanatory dictionary

It is widely believed that godfather and godfather are relatives.

In fact this is not true.

The godparents of a child are the godfathers of their parents.

For a family, these people must be very close. Often, relatives are invited to this role: brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, cousins, etc.

Godfathers are given very important role in a child's life. Spiritual, physical development and Orthodox mentoring.

Which does not mean at all that such responsibility is removed from the natural parents and transferred to the godfather and mother. Now to intermarry in this way is an honorable role for friends or relatives, in fact, godfathers are the second parents.

People who are not paired with each other can become godparents to a child. Any intimate or love relationship between godfathers is excluded. Love affairs between godparents and godchildren up to the second knee are also prohibited.

This is a very responsible choice and an important decision. During baptism, it is the godmother who holds the baptized and takes oaths for him. The pectoral cross gives the godfather, this symbol remains with the godson for life. Godparents become relatives of the family, congratulate each other on all Orthodox holidays and give gifts.

The task of the godfathers is to instill in the child moral values ​​and cultivate his spirituality. This is even more than just relatives, whom fate does not give the right to choose, unlike godparents to their child. Godparents prepare the child for adulthood and should be more friends than parents.

Establish a spiritual connection with the godson and become his support in life, this is what the godparents strive for. For parents, godfathers are a family that is often closer than blood relatives. Families give each other all kinds of support.

Godfathers should be close in spirit to the family, with whom they will be related. Given their responsible mission in the life of a child, they must be adults and mature personalities. Any quarrels between godfathers, between godfathers and godchildren are prohibited, all conflict situations are resolved amicably.

Word meanings in Russia and Ukraine

There is no difference in the meaning of the word for Ukraine and Russia. Still, the concept is more developed in Ukraine, especially in the outback, where traditions are honored. A modern resident of a metropolis learns more about the traditions of his people through cinema, in classical Ukrainian works this concept is very common.

But to this day becoming godfather and mother is considered very honorable. Thus, the child receives not only second parents, but also acquires a guardian angel. It is not customary to show an unbaptized child to strangers. Since ancient times, it was believed that before baptism, the child has no protection and is subject to the influence of evil eyes.

Families that are related in this way acquire close relatives. They come to godfathers for advice, help and blessings. Godparents at the wedding sit with the godson's parents. In the event of the loss of parents, godfathers are considered their first successors, who exactly is negotiated in advance.

In current politics, both Russia and Ukraine, such a word is common, but it carries more negativity. Kumov are attached in a related way to good positions. Positive is present only for the officials themselves.

And now not everyone will be able to answer who the godfather is, more associations with a complete seizure of power. These people also perform sacred rites, but for them they carry a slightly different meaning and guarantee cover at the right time.

Otherwise, there is no difference in the meaning of the words: godfather and godfather for Ukrainians and Russians. In most cases, this means lowering demands and indulgence. This is how modern alliances are created.

The meaning of the word "godfather" in prison jargon

In places of deprivation of liberty godfather name of the authority, which interacts with guards or other prisoners and controls the internal situation. Godfathers can legally and illegally achieve their goals.

In order to obtain the necessary information, can affect guards and determine higher penalties for prisoners. This can be: separate cells with a violent regime or pitting prisoners against each other.

Quite often, the godfather cooperates with former and current prisoners. For small privileges in serving time, prisoners become his eyes and ears behind bars. Not without physical reprisals against uncontrolled prisoners. Prisoners who work with godfathers are called informers.

Hello, dear readers of the blog site. Recently, anyone in society is called godfathers: good friends, relatives and close colleagues, and the real meaning of this concept is lost.

Let's figure out who the person who is called godfather or godfather really is.

Who are godfather and godfather?

Ozhegov's dictionary says that the godfather is the godfather of the child in relation to his parents and the godmother of the same child (godson).

Accordingly, the godfather is the godmother of the child in relation to his parents and the godfather of the godson.

Example. Let's say that you were invited to be the godfather of a child by your acquaintances. After the ceremony is over, you become a godfather for the father and mother of the child, as well as for the woman they invited to be the godmother. Also, the godfather for you will be the father of the child.

Well, both women (actual and godmother) can now call each other "kuma", just as you can do the same with respect to them. It turns out that two women and two men after christening become godfathers and godfathers in relation to each other.

Nepotism is a religious relationship: Having decided to baptize a child, you take on a number of obligations to him, his family and God. Having passed the ritual of baptism, you become a godfather or godmother, and in short, a godmother or godmother.

Also, such people are called godparents, since they renounce Satan in the rite of baptism, make a vow to serve the Lord, teach this adopted son (daughter) and support him in every possible way throughout his life path - not so much materially as spiritually.

Godfather and godfather - one Satan?

“What kind of godfather, what was not under the godfather ?!” - people sing a cheerful song. The meaning of this phrase suggests that sexual intercourse is welcomed between the godparents of the child, which is a gross mistake, a sin.

In order to clearly realize the inadmissibility of sexual life between godfathers, it is necessary to understand who a godfather is and who such a godfather is in relation to God. A man and a woman who christened the same baby are considered relatives in the face of the Almighty, and if intimacy happens between them, then, in fact, they will commit an act of incest.

Also, a husband and wife who are married and live a full family life do not have the right to become godparents of the same baby.

Thus, answering the question "godfather and godfather - this is who is related" to each other, we can safely say that no one, completely alien people connected only by spiritual kinship, but not more. They can become friends, communicate warmly, visit each other, congratulate each other on holidays, because now they have one concern for two - the guardianship of the receiver.

But in relation to the parents of the godson godfathers may be blood relatives. For example, many often take close relatives as godparents to their baby - sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, nieces.

Responsibilities of godfathers

In fact, godparents are engaged in the spiritual enlightenment of the godson, therefore, in theory, people who are deeply religious, pious, who observe all church commandments, honor religious holidays, and most importantly, who want to educate the godson and take an active part in his life, should take such a step.

Unfortunately, very often a prerequisite for christening is a strong friendship between the parents of the baby and his future godparents. And when the moment comes when their paths and interests diverge, the godparents stop communicating not only with the receiver's mother and father, but also with him. It turns out that the godfather (kuma) violate the vow given to the Lord, which is a sin.

So if you want to be a godfather, think well over what obligations this status imposes on you, and what will be the consequences if you renounce them.

Now you know the interpretation of concepts, so it's time to list the responsibilities in relation to a foster child:

How to choose godparents for your child

It is not difficult to answer this question. Think about what you want to give your children, how to educate, what to teach, and find a person who, in your opinion, can do it just like you. What to pay attention to?

1. as mentioned above, these should be people close to the church. It is not necessary to look for religious fanatics, but at a minimum they must be baptized and obey God's laws;
2. do not focus on whether you like a person or not, whether it will be pleasant for you to communicate with him or not. You don't choose your friend you choose another parent for the child. Therefore, look more not at personal preferences, but at the moral and spiritual qualities of future godfathers;
3. pay attention to how a person relates to his spiritual development: whether he strives for self-improvement or goes with the flow, or maybe rushes from one extreme to another.

After baptism, godfathers will become your closest relatives with whom you need to keep in touch. The child should get used to their constant presence and will more easily accept them as mentors.

Good luck to you! See you soon on the blog pages site

You can watch more videos by going to

You may be interested

Wake up - what does this word mean? Autism is not a sentence What is citizenship, how to acquire it, how to obtain citizenship of the Russian Federation and how to write it correctly in the application form What kind of tax is this, why is a 2-NDFL certificate needed, who must fill out a 3-NDFL declaration and how to reduce tax payments What is ethics and what does this science study What is loyalty (loyal attitude) in simple words

Each person already most often has many relatives, the names of which are difficult to figure out, and here you also need to choose godparents for the child. Here the question may logically arise: "Godfathers - who are they?" Who will be the godparents to the baby's parents?

You ask: "Kumovya - who is this?" To answer this question, it is worth recalling the many literary works where these people often appear. It may seem that these are close people, but not blood relatives. So it really is. Godfathers are people given as relatives by God himself.

Kumovya - who is this? purpose

It is worthwhile to understand that these are people who, as Godfathers, they are the parents of the baby. The main purpose of godfathers was the spiritual upbringing of their newly acquired children, namely teaching them biblical literacy and everything that has a connection with God. At all times godfather and godfather were revered, and their presence was obligatory at all family events and holidays.

It is also worth noting that they should strongly influence not only the life of their ward - the godson, but also the life of the whole family. It is with the godfather and godmother that the child should consult on many issues, including which work path to choose, how to decide on his soulmate, etc. You also need to know that if the baby for some reason loses his parents, godparents should take him into their upbringing.

adult relationship

But while the baby is growing and does not ask any special questions, the relationship of godfathers has always been interesting. For some reason, these people are considered almost the best, and you need to be called godfather or godfather only with pride. Moreover, there are specific sayings and poems about godfathers, telling that between such relatives not only close friendships can be established, but also more serious, loving ones. Like it or not, to judge each separately, but to be godfathers is not only desirable, but also honorable.

In addition to the fact that godfathers must be given gifts for various holidays, they must also be respected during the time. This is done, by the way, according to centuries-old traditions. So, the parents of the child are obliged to redeem their child from the godparents in order to calmly raise him until the age of 18. To do this, the godfather is given a bag in which you can find terry towels or bed linen, and the godfather will find a brand new shirt in his bag. Also, a couple of godparents must be given a bread ransom - home-made pies, Easter cakes, cakes.

Finally

From all of the above, it can be seen that (godfathers) are almost the first people after parents in the life of every baby. Therefore, they must be treated accordingly. Gifts, wishes to the godfather and godfather are very important so that they can feel like the right people. But it is also important that there is a return. Indeed, often after baptism, newly-made godparents simply forget about their duty and do not even visit the child and their new relatives.

Godfather and mother, godfather and godfather- recipients from the font at baptism. In the Russian folk tradition, godparents played a significant role throughout a person’s life, since the spiritual relationship that godparents and their godchildren entered into as a result of baptism was considered even stronger than blood. Proverb: "Spiritual kinship is more carnal."

Godparents are responsible before God for the spiritual and moral state of their godchildren. From the moment the sacrament was performed, the godparents became, as it were, intermediaries between the godchildren and the world of saints. Their prayers were considered effective, sometimes they were given even greater power than the prayers of their own mother.

In spiritual kinship with godparents (in popular terminology - nepotism) as a result of baptism, both the parents of the person being baptized and his closest relatives entered. All of them were called godmothers (those who were baptized and godparents were not called godmothers among themselves).

Persons connected by spiritual kinship could not enter into marriage. Church legislation after the 17th century. significantly narrowed the circle of persons bound by marriage prohibitions. In the end of the XIX century. only marriages between the godson's godson and mother and the goddaughter's godchild and father were officially banned. The folk tradition significantly expanded the circle of persons who were subject to spiritual kinship and, accordingly, marriage prohibitions. Marriages were forbidden not only between godparents and godchildren, but also between godfathers. The bans extended to the second generation. Intimate relations between spiritual relatives were considered incest among the peasantry. “After all, the godfather and the godfather stood at the common font before God, vouched for the baby and renounced Satan for him, and instead they themselves go into the clutches of Satan and drag the baby there, it’s a direct matter that sin is unforgiven, because it defiles an innocent baby” ( Yaroslavl Province).

Nepotism as a system of relationships included certain norms of behavior. According to reviews coming from different places, among those connected by spiritual kinship, "great restraint and respect are noticed." Mutual assistance was essential. There were to be no quarrels between the families who had sacrificed; they were regarded as a great sin. Children were brought up in the spirit of special respect for godparents. According to the deep conviction of the Russian people, “it is an unforgivable sin to offend godparents. God will not give you happiness."

According to the custom, godfathers visited each other on big holidays, especially on Easter. On this day, the godparents always presented their godchildren with painted testicles, and the parents of the godchildren, in turn, carried gifts to the godparents. Godparents were indispensable participants in all holidays in the house of their godchildren. In addition, it was customary to treat godfather and godfather whenever they came.

A special role was assigned to the godfathers on wedding godchildren. They were consulted before marriage. They blessed the bride and groom after their parents and performed the role of planted father and mother. In the absence of parents, godparents replaced them. When an orphan bride went to the cemetery to ask for blessings from her dead parents, she was accompanied by her godfather. Often they performed the honorary functions of a matchmaker in the wedding ceremony, thousand. Godparents, like parents, blessed when they were sent to military service or on long trips.

According to the tradition established among Russians, the godmother brought a piece of white cloth to baptism, on which they laid after the font - “risks”, or “reception”. The godfather paid for the sacrament and gave a pectoral cross - a symbol of faith and protection from evil spirits. The constant wearing of a cross for a Russian person was obligatory and natural. His absence made us believe that the sacrament of baptism was not performed on this person, that is, he does not belong to the Orthodox faith.

The meaning of the word Kumovya has lost its original meaning over time. It is believed that such titles are “awarded” to relatives and close friends. In Russia, from the moment of the formation of Christianity, this was the name of the people responsible for the spiritual health of the child. For the baby, they became godfather and mother. Parents must make informed choices that will affect their child's entire life.

Who are godfather and godfather

Godfather and godfather - godparents of a newborn child in front of the baptismal font. Russian traditional culture assumes a significant role of godchildren in the life of a godson, it is believed that the spiritual connection between them is stronger than blood. From the moment the sacrament is performed, the godfather and mother become a kind of mediator between their ward and God. They are engaged in the moral and spiritual education of the child. The recipients become close people in relation to the physical parents of the godson. They receive the status of "spiritual relatives", and according to the people - "godfather" and "godfather".

Nepotism in Russia was a certain system of relationships. She was characterized by certain behavioral norms:

• restraint, respect for godfathers towards each other;
• mutual assistance;
• fear of a quarrel, which was considered a sin;
• perception of godfather and godfather as direct members of the family;
• education in children of deep respect for godparents.

The history of the appearance of the rite of baptism in Russia

During the formation of Christianity in ancient Russia, the rite of baptism was performed on adults who understood why the sacrament was being performed. Babies were believed to have no sins and did not need to be baptized. With the development of Orthodox traditions, the attitude to this issue has also changed. In the modern world, infant baptism is carried out after 40 days of life. In case of a serious illness, it is allowed to perform the ceremony from the first minutes of life.

For several centuries it was believed that only blood relatives could baptize a child. This was due to the fact that they would be able to devote a lot of time to the ward, being in constant contact with his parents. The first recipients for their child were the blood parents (father). Over the past few decades, the principle of choosing receivers has changed somewhat. Parents invite a friend, boss, neighbor in the stairwell as godfathers. This approach cannot be called correct, because the godparents before God are responsible for the child.

family relations

For many years, there has been a dispute in the church itself about the permitted degree of kinship of the godparents in relation to the godson and to each other. Article 211 of the Nomocanon (a collection of rules of the Orthodox Church, compiled back in ancient Byzantium) forbids a husband and wife to baptize the same baby. They can do this for two different children from the same family.

But the "Handbook of the Clergyman" of 1913 says that "if parents want to take a married couple as godparents, this can be done. It is necessary to submit a petition to the Ruling Bishop of the diocese where the sacrament of baptism is planned to be held.

As for people who are not yet married at the time of the ceremony, they cannot get married after pronouncing the vow near the font. This is the view of most church workers. The "Handbook of the clergyman" states that in such a situation, the godparents can be married with the permission of the bishop. Secular marriages bypass this issue because of their "sinfulness".

A brother or sister can be invited as godparents to a baby if the boy is 15 years old and the girl is at least 13. An honorary role is allowed for aunts, uncles, grandparents. The main thing is that the recipient should be churched and have an idea about the Orthodox faith. Relatives in the event of the death of the parents will take care of the child in any case. Therefore, many people try to take non-blood relatives as godfathers in order to gain confidence in additional custody of the child.

Who are the godfather's godfathers

The custom of taking godparents for a baby has its roots in the Apostolic Tradition. The rite of baptism involves the presence of only one godfather. If there are two godparents, then the boy has a godfather, and the girl has a woman. For their ward, they become spiritual parents.

The main spiritual duties of the recipients include:

1. Teaching children the basics of Christianity.
2. Godparents are required to pray for their spiritual child. When the baby grows up, the task of the godparents is to teach him the basic prayers, to explain the meaning of the main church sacraments.
3. By their personal example, the godparents should show the child the manifestation of Christian virtues - kindness, mercy, love.
4. Spiritual parents are obliged to prepare the ward for married life, teaching the wisdom of life, helping financially.

sacrament of baptism

For several centuries, baptism was considered a church sacrament. It was attended only by the priest, godparents and a child. For the last 10-15 years, everyone has been gathering in the temple. According to the laws of the Russian Orthodox Church, the godchildren become spiritual relatives for the godson and his parents after the vows pronounced near the font.

During an important event, godparents bring babies in their arms. Before immersion in the font, the godmother can carry the boy, the godfather can carry the girl. After washing the child three times, a recipient of the same sex takes him. At the same time, he should have a clean diaper in his hands to wipe the baby. Godparents are required to know the main prayer of Orthodox Christians - the Creed. On behalf of the godson, the godparents take a vow of renunciation of Satan.

Then the child is named after a saint who was born around the same time as the baby. Churched boys are brought to the altar and bow to the throne. Babies of both sexes are applied to the icons of the Mother of God and the Savior. At the end of the sacrament, the blood father makes three prostrations towards the priest and takes the child in his arms.

Duties of godparents

When conducting the rite of baptism of a child, certain obligations are imposed on the recipients:

1. Communion and confession before the start of the sacrament. Godparents should take on the role of spiritual mentors with pure thoughts.
2. The godfather must purchase a pectoral cross for his ward as a gift.
3. The godmother should prepare a baptismal towel and clothes for the baby. These things are later used only in case of illness of the child - they cover him with a towel or put on things with the remnants of baptismal water.

How to choose the right godfather and godfather

1. It is necessary to choose godparents based on the moral qualities of a person, his spiritual development.
2. The recipients should be able to communicate with the godchildren at least 2-3 times a week in order to set them on the right path.
3. It should be remembered that parents will have to communicate a lot and constantly with godfathers, celebrate holidays together, put up with any shortcomings.
4. Godparents choose people who are ready to love the baby, give him not only their time, but also give a particle of the soul, the happiness of true faith.

Who can not be taken as godfather

As for married couples and those who plan to become them, there is no unequivocal opinion on the issue of suitability for the role of a successor. But the clergy clearly defined the list of persons who are prohibited from becoming godparents and godfathers:

• the physical parents of the child;
• monks, nuns;
• boys under 15;
• girls under 13;
• women during menstruation
• people with mental disabilities;
• sectarians, infidels.

Video