Mansurovo. Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. St. Nicholas Church - Baptism Is it possible for a pregnant woman to be baptized

You walk slowly... You walk, admiring the fabulous beauty of your land. Many sounds, sometimes previously forgotten, enchant your ears. Thoughts become calmer, movements become smoother. The soul is filled with warmth and peace, I want to sing. The road along which you walk jumps, twists, then rising up, then falling headlong, revealing new horizons with sparkles of fast-moving streams and rivulets, lakes, ponds, dug-up quarries, ancient churchyards and churches.

Suddenly, something makes you flinch, then listen. What is this? The quiet sound of a bell, the velvety sound spills into space... Then silence... It becomes ringing... The blows are repeated at intervals known only to the bell-ringer. The ringing of bells turns into polyphony, inviting people to worship in every way.

So where does this road lead? It leads to the Temple. And it is impossible to pass by or get around. The legs themselves accelerate the pace, the heart is about to burst out of the chest. Anxiety, confusion, excitement are replaced by the desire to be THERE from where these divine sounds flow.

The church is not immediately visible. The hills hide it. The Molodilnya river flashed by. I wonder how cold the water is? And are there many keys in it? I immediately remember the heroes of the fairy tales “The Little Humpbacked Horse”... The last takeoff to the hill. Finally, there is a turn, and St. Nicholas Church, majestic and bright, emerges in all its glory. There is a slight anxiety in my soul: how will the abode of the new person be received? Here they are, the gates, and...

The temple greets parishioners with warmth, kindness emanating from everywhere, wise parting words and divine illumination. It was here that many rediscovered the Orthodox faith of their fathers, came to know the true God, became a church member... Under the arches of the Temple, even small children, folding their hands, gently whisper incomprehensible words of prayer and kneel down. They believe seriously, deeply... and completely in the power of God. They teach us purity of thought and humility. This is a place where the soul does not hurt, and you want to cry not from grief, but from happiness, because you are alive and well, since you were able to be here and now; this is a refuge where people gain confidence and, at least for a while, become purer in their thoughts and actions.

True, taking the first step towards healing is far from easy, removing the burden of sins and mistakes from your shoulders and receiving a blessing for your mortal soul. For each parishioner, this is their own path.

Outside the walls of the Temple, a blizzard can rage, a dull rain can pour, fluffy snow can fall, or a field of dandelions can burn with an unspeakably bright yellow color, causing the sky to turn blue, and sunlight penetrates everywhere, but inside there is always peace and quiet.

The history of the temple in the name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in the village of Mansurovo near Moscow may be typical, but for its parishioners, for all those who love this temple, who are attached to it with their hearts and souls, it is special, one and only...

Dear brothers and sisters!

We are glad to welcome you to the site xframe of St. Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra of Lycia, wonderworker

village of Mansurovo, Istrinsky district, Moscow region!

The villages of Mansurovo, Petrovo and Yurkino are located in the southwestern part of the modern Istra district, while in the past, in the 16th-18th centuries, they were listed in the Moscow district of the Surozh camp, being almost at an equal distance from the cities of Istra (formerly Voskresensk), Ruza and Zvenigorod. These lands are still full of Central Russian charm, representing a rather rough terrain in the basin of the small rivers Malaya Istritsa and Molodilnya.

The ancient village of Mansurovo, located a mile from Petrov, had its own history and from ancient times belonged to different owners. At the beginning of the Time of Troubles in the 17th century, Mansurovo was completely devastated by Polish-Lithuanian troops and stood “empty.” Later, the village was owned in turn by: Pyotr Danilovich, Prince Yuri Khvorostin, princes Korsakov and Volkonsky.

In 1682, the village of Petrovo first briefly passed into the possession of the Volkonsky princes, from them to Ivan Mikhailovich Voeikov, and in 1754, by mortgage, the village passed into the possession of Marya Vasilievna Olsufieva, the wife of the actual state councilor, Senator Adam Vasilyevich Olsufiev. (Sometimes in written sources the surnames of spouses begin with the letter A - Alsufievs).

At that time, in the estate of General Adam Vasilyevich Alsufiev there were two wooden churches: in the name of St. Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, the miracle worker in the village of Mansurovo, and a mile away from it - the Church of the Praise of the Virgin.

In 1786, that is, 160 years after the construction of the first wooden church, M.V. Alsufieva submits a petition to the member of the Holy Governing Synod, Archbishop of Moscow and Kaluga Platon, for the construction of a new wooden church in the village of Petrov. From the clergy records of 1823-1826 we learn that it was erected in 1791 “through the diligence of Her Excellency Maria Vasilievna Alsufieva.”

It is known that M.V. Alsufieva wanted to build a new temple not in the village of Petrov itself, on the site of the old temple and in the close surrounding of peasant residential buildings, but very successfully chose a new place - on a hill, between the villages of Petrov and Mansurov, at a distance of a mile from both, and this is how would equalize the rights of both old parishes and make the new one equally accessible to all surrounding residents.

Marya Vasilievna Alsufieva died in 1795. After her death, her real estate estate in Petrov and Mansurov was inherited by deed of sale to her son-in-law, actual state councilor Grigory Pavlovich Kondondi, however, already in 1799 he sold these properties to the daughter of a sea captain of the first rank, Sergei Ivanovich Svinin.

With the new owner, Elizaveta Svinina, a new period began in the arrangement of the St. Nicholas Church. The ancient noble family of the Svinins in Rus' has been known since the mid-16th century, from the time of Grand Duke Vasily Vasilyevich, when its representatives came to serve from Lithuania.

For many years, while remaining the mistress of the estate, Elizaveta Sergeevna Svinina constantly took care of the welfare of the St. Nicholas Church. It is known that in 1810, 1811 and 1817 she turned to the church authorities with petitions for repairs, renovation and beautification of the St. Nicholas Church. As a result, the church was plastered, a new iconostasis was installed inside, and newly painted holy icons appeared. During the summer of 1820, a new stone bell tower was built.

Clergy reports from 1868 report that the St. Nicholas Church was built in 1853 with the diligence of Lieutenant Colonel Pyotr Ivanovich Vyrubov and parishioners on the site of a broken wooden one. In 1875, the church was completed and consecrated, and the main builder of the temple was the landowner P.I. Vyrubov. The architect was Nikolai Ilyich Kozlovsky. St. Nicholas Church in the village of Mansurovo can be considered one of the best creations of N.I. Kozlovsky.

A survey conducted among local old-timers showed that services continued in the St. Nicholas Church until 1936.

After the Great Patriotic War, the empty St. Nicholas Church was first used as a utility room for a pioneer camp, later there was a club here, then it was occupied as a vegetable storehouse. No one was involved in repairing the temple, and it gradually collapsed. The surrounding area was extremely neglected and cluttered, since until 1990 there were trailers for construction workers of the nearby Riga highway.

Only in 1990, in the dilapidated church, by the goodwill of one of the local entrepreneurs, minor repairs were made to the roof, windows and doors, which partly saved the church from further destruction. Standing lonely on a hill among the fields, the abandoned temple was still awaiting the hour of its rebirth. And five years later, the time for revival has come.

On May 9, 1995, on the memorable Victory Day and the day of church remembrance of deceased soldiers, Father Vadim (Sorokin) was ordained a priest and was appointed rector of the St. Nicholas Church in the village of Mansurovo. Soon, together with the dean of the Istra district, Archpriest Georgy Tobalov, he arrived at his parish - the St. Nicholas Church in the ancient village of Mansurovo. Then, for the first time in many years, the troparion and kontakion to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker were sung in the church.

Then complex restoration work began. They invited specialists - a team of architects led by Marina Goryacheva and Maria Borisovna Sotnikova. We started with architectural measurements of the temple, identifying its technical condition. The results of the examination were disappointing: it was necessary to urgently raise the foundations, excavate the walls, re-arrange the masonry of the vaults in the refectory, and much more.

At that time, the Soyuz boarding house of the Gazprom association, located nearby, became a serious assistant in the restoration of the St. Nicholas Church. Specialists from the Polish company Energopol also provided significant assistance. In no time at all, they put up a temporary roof and installed electricity.

On November 1, 1996, with a large crowd of people in the church, the first Divine Liturgy was celebrated, miraculously bridging the gap of 60 years. Concelebrating with Father Vadim was the rector of the Annunciation Church, Priest Vladislav Provotorov.

In June 1997, reconstruction of the church began. The scaffolding near the temple walls went up and repairs began. Meanwhile, the vaults in the refectory church were rebuilt, the roof over them was covered with galvanized iron, and windows were inserted. The work went on as usual. For the parishioners, everyday, but also joyful, for the glory of God, labors were replaced by Sunday and holiday services, the decoration of which was the soulful singing of the choir coming from the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. The acoustics of the temple are so magnificent that (somewhat later) a laser disc entitled “To All Who Dear Rus'” was recorded in it.

In 1998, the walls of the temple were restored to a rotunda. The vault in the altar part of the church was blocked. 3 tons of copper were purchased for the domes. On July 18, 1998, on the day of the celebration of the discovery of the relics of St. Sergius of Radonezh and the Wonderworker of All Russia in 1422, the chapel of St. Sergius of Radonezh, which is located in the village of Zagorye, and the first prayer service was held there. In the same year, St. Nicholas Church acquired its first shrine - a particle of the relics of St. healer Panteleimon, which was included in the icon written on this occasion.

In the fall of 1998, the bell tower tent was covered with copper and a gilded copper cross was erected on it. When they lifted and installed the cross, the sky was densely covered with clouds, but as soon as it was installed, the clouds suddenly parted and a blue sky appeared. Soon the cross was installed on the large dome. And again the wind died down, the clouds suddenly parted, and the clear sky shone brightly, and 20 minutes later a rainbow appeared. It's amazing that all this happened in November, on the eve of winter!

In the fall of 1999, nine bells solemnly rang at once in St. Nicholas Church for the first time. They were brought from the Urals and purchased with money raised from many donors. The Moscow Bell Ringing Center provided great assistance in installing bells and training bell ringers.

The improvement of the St. Nicholas Church has not yet been completed, and many more tasks and worries await the rector and his assistants. Although many goals have already been achieved: the reconstruction of the church has been completed at a decent level, and the territory has been significantly improved. The central gate was built in the form of three arched spans, crowned with three domes with crosses - as it was back in 1903. There are amazingly beautiful carved iconostasis and mahogany icon cases installed. These works were carried out by Palekh masters from the “Iconostasis Workshop” of A. Vlezko and Yu. Fedorov. Unique icons by Mstera masters, made using the ash-blowing technique, decorated the iconostasis and icon cases. The work of the icon painters was supervised by Vladimir Anatolyevich Lebedev.

Among the newly discovered icons was an ancient icon of the Mother of God of the Three Hands, with a signature stating that it was sent from Holy Mount Athos by Archdeacon Theophan and Metropolitan Leonty in 1664 to Patriarch Nikon of Moscow and All Rus' in New Jerusalem. On the icon there was a note describing the miracle in which a third hand appeared to the Mother of God. It should be assumed that this was a later copy of an ancient and very valuable icon that belonged to the New Jerusalem Monastery, located about twenty kilometers from Petrov.

The long-term rector of the St. Nicholas Church in the village of Mansurov, priest Grigory Ivanovich Gruzov, was an extraordinary person. He began his arduous ministry in 1848 at the age of 26, after graduating from the Moscow Theological Seminary. On July 28, 1898, with the blessing of Metropolitan Vladimir (Epiphany) of Moscow, the fiftieth anniversary of his ministry was celebrated in the church of the village of Mansurov. The shepherd's merits were so significant that this event was reflected in the Moscow Church Gazette. It was during his ministry that a new church, a bell tower, a church school were built, the swamps around the temple were drained, a pond was dug, a ditch was dug around the church, and a garden was planted.

Information about the closing time of the church has not yet been found. Apparently, this happened at the end of the 1930s, during the next wave of persecution of the Russian Church, after which, as usual, the remains of church property were destroyed and looted.

One and a half kilometers from the church, the remains of the Vyrubov estate are still preserved. In this abandoned place, one can guess the park layout of the late 18th century, there are a residential outbuilding and service buildings, apparently left over from the last owner of the estate - K.N. Dolgorukov (since 1911).

Church of St. Nicholas (St. Nicholas Church)- Orthodox church of the late 17th century of the Istra deanery of the Moscow diocese,

The temple is located in the village of Mansurovo, Istrinsky district, Moscow region.

Story

The history of the temple in the village of Mansurova is little known. It required painstaking work with primary sources, sometimes very complex and significant historical and archival research.

The appearance of the first church in the village of Petrovo is associated with the descendants of the already familiar to us ancient boyar family of the Golokhvastovs, who for a long time remained the owners of vast lands in these places. In 1682, the village of Petrovo first briefly passed into the possession of the Volkonsky princes, from them to Ivan Mikhailovich Voeikov, and in 1754, the village passed into the possession of Marya Vasilievna Olsufieva, the wife of the actual state councilor, Senator Adam Vasilyevich Olsufiev, by mortgage. (Sometimes in written sources the surnames of spouses begin with the letter A - Alsufievs).

The temple in the name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, built with the zeal and at the expense of Maria Vasilievna Alsufieva, successfully existed for three quarters of a century, witnessed faith, prayer, baptisms, weddings and funerals of local, mostly rural residents of several generations that took place here. The temple, which had become dilapidated over many years, was gradually replaced by 1875 with a new one. Marya Vasilievna Alsufieva died in 1795. After her death, her real estate estate in Petrov and Mansurov was inherited by deed of sale to her son-in-law, actual state councilor Grigory Pavlovich Kondondi, however, already in 1799 he sold these properties to the daughter of a sea captain of the first rank, Sergei Ivanovich Svinin.

For many years, while remaining the mistress of the estate, Elizaveta Sergeevna Svinina constantly took care of the welfare of the St. Nicholas Church. It is known that in , and years she turned to the church authorities with petitions for repairs, renovation and beautification of the St. Nicholas Church. As a result, the church was plastered, a new iconostasis was installed inside, and newly painted holy icons appeared.

During the summer of 1820, a new stone bell tower was built. Its appearance is presented in the drawing known to us, together with the wooden church of 1791. The drawing was signed by the architect Balashov.

Since 1841, the St. Nicholas Church came under the care of the noble family of the Vyrubovs, who made a significant contribution to its final completion. The Vyrubov family, like the Svinin family, was ancient and had its roots in the 16th century. Clergy reports from 1868 report that the St. Nicholas Church was built in 1853 with the diligence of Lieutenant Colonel Pyotr Ivanovich Vyrubov and parishioners on the site of a broken wooden one. In 1875, the church was completed and consecrated, and the main builder of the temple was the landowner P.I. Vyrubov. The architect was Nikolai Ilyich Kozlovsky. St. Nicholas Church in the village of Mansurovo can be considered one of the best creations of N.I. Kozlovsky.

Among the newly found icons was an ancient icon of the Mother of God of the Three Hands with a signature stating that it was sent from Holy Mount Athos by Archdeacon Theophan and Metropolitan Leonty in the year to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Nikon to New Jerusalem. On the icon there was a note describing the miracle in which a third hand appeared to the Mother of God. It should be assumed that this was a later copy of an ancient and very valuable icon that belonged to the New Jerusalem Monastery, located about twenty kilometers from Petrov.

Revival of the temple

Already in our time, marked by the revival of religious life, when its ancient shrines, monasteries and temples are being returned to the Russian Orthodox Church, a survey conducted among local old-timers showed that even in conditions hostile to the Church, services continued in the St. Nicholas Church until 1936.

During the Great Patriotic War, all the churches in the district were blown up, and subsequently dismantled to the foundation. The Church of St. Nicholas in the village of Mansurovo miraculously survived. After the Great Patriotic War, the empty St. Nicholas Church was first used as a utility room for a pioneer camp, later there was a club here, then it was occupied as a vegetable storehouse. No one was involved in repairing the temple, and it gradually collapsed. The surrounding area was extremely neglected and cluttered, since until 1990 there were trailers for construction workers of the nearby Riga highway.

Only in 1990, minor repairs to the roof, windows and doors were made in the dilapidated church, which partly saved the church from further destruction.

On May 9, 1995, on the memorable Victory Day and the day of church remembrance of deceased soldiers, Father Vadim (Sorokin) was ordained a priest and was appointed rector of the St. Nicholas Church in the village of Mansurovo. The parish was registered based on its affiliation and proximity to the village of Mansurovo. Without knowing it, but driven by God's providence, Dean Father George decreed and secured the historical affiliation of the Church of St. Nicholas to the ancient site of construction.

The first impression of the temple was difficult: no windows, no doors, stone vaults sagging from leaks and green with algae, blasphemously shot faces of saints, many frescoes were roughly cut out, the remaining remains of the ancient beautiful floor were covered with rubbish, the corners were knocked out from the extraction of bricks, the walls are very dilapidated.

On November 1, 1996, with a large crowd of people in the church, the first Divine Liturgy was celebrated, miraculously bridging the gap of 60 years.

In June 1997, reconstruction of the church began. The vaults in the refectory church were re-laid, the roof over them was covered with galvanized iron, and windows were inserted.

In the fall of 1998, the bell tower tent was covered with copper and a gilded copper cross was erected on it. Soon a cross was installed on the large dome. In the fall of 1999, nine bells solemnly rang at once in St. Nicholas Church for the first time. They were brought from the Urals. The Moscow Bell Ringing Center provided great assistance in installing bells and training bell ringers.

In recognition of his diligent pastoral service, the rector of the St. Nicholas Church in the village of Mansurovo, priest Vadim Sorokin, was awarded the Order of the Russian Orthodox Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh, third degree.

Restoration work and painting of the temple

In the St. Nicholas Church in the village of Mansurovo, Istra District, restoration work began in the summer of 1997.

By 2003, the temple was well dried and the interior walls were prepared for the upcoming painting. A long search for highly qualified and experienced icon painters made it possible to get acquainted with various modern icon painting schools. The Mstera school, rich in historical and cultural traditions, aroused great interest. The best icon painters of the Mstera school painted icons for the iconostasis of the St. Nicholas Church. The icons are painted in the style of the 19th century, which in itself is a rarity. They are made using gold-plated technique, which creates a glowing effect. The work of the icon painters was supervised by Vladimir Anatolyevich Lebedev.

The frescoes were painted by the same masters in order to preserve the stylistic unity of the interior in the quadrangle part of the temple. Painting works were carried out on the basis of traditional methods of monumental painting using traditional Mstera techniques.

An amazingly beautiful five-tiered iconostasis was installed in the quadrangle part of the temple, as well as mahogany icon cases. The iconostasis and icon cases were made by carpenters and carvers of the “Iconostasis Workshop” of the city of Palekh, according to the design of M. M. Mikhailov and priest Vadim (Sorokin). In the same workshop, Anatoly Vlezko and Yuri Fedorov developed drawings of small iconostases for the refectory.

In March 2006, the development of a project for painting the quadrangular part of the church (rotunda and walls) began. The painting is dedicated to the life of St. Nicholas.

In the same month, the iconostasis workshop “Palekh Iconostasis” completed work on the production of 2 carved iconostases, which were installed within the Praise of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Apostles Peter and Paul. The iconostases are made in the style of the 18th century (Baroque).

On January 29, 2007, a Divine Liturgy took place in the church, which was performed by Archbishop Gregory of Mozhaisk. The Bishop thanked the parishioners and personally the rector of the temple, Vadim Sorokin, for the restoration work carried out.

In August 2007, in the St. Nicholas Church in the village of Mansurovo, Istrinsky district, another of the most important stages of decorating the interior space was completed. The walls and vaults of the refectory were painted and picturesque icons were painted for the new iconostases. By December 2007, work on painting the main St. Nicholas altar was completed.

Baptism is the Sacrament of spiritual birth, and is performed once in a person’s life. In this Sacrament, a person is given grace that frees him from his previous sins and sanctifies him.

The Sacrament of Baptism was commanded by Jesus Christ after His Resurrection. Sending the disciples to preach, He said: Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age (Matthew 28:19-20). The Savior Himself received Baptism in the waters of the Jordan River from the Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John, thereby consecrating the water and establishing the Sacrament.

The right to perform the Sacrament of Baptism belongs to the clergy of the Church. In exceptional cases, Baptism can and should be performed by a layman (Christian). For example, if a child is in mortal danger, he may be baptized by his father, mother, or other layman. In this case, the baptismal formula is pronounced: The servant of God (or: the servant of God) (name of the rivers) is baptized in the name of the Father (immersion or pouring with water), amen. And the Son (immersion or dousing with water), amen. And the Holy Spirit (immersion or pouring of water), amen. If the child survives, it is necessary to contact a priest so that he can fill the Sacrament with the necessary prayers and sacred rites and anoint the child with holy myrrh. In the event of the death of a child, Baptism performed by a layman is considered valid.

For baptism you must have:
1. Pectoral cross
2. Christening shirt
3. Towel (for children - a diaper)
4. Light shoes
5. Passport (or Child’s Birth Certificate)

Place and time of the Sacrament of Baptism
Usually the Sacrament of Baptism is performed in a church, in the first half of the day, but it can also be performed on open sources of water - rivers, lakes. In exceptional cases, the Sacrament of Baptism is performed in homes, hospitals or other places.
In the ancient Church, the Sacrament of Baptism was performed three times a year: on Holy Saturday (the Saturday before Easter), on Epiphany (Christmas and Epiphany were celebrated on the same day) and Trinity. This happened at a meeting of the community of believers, relatives and friends of those being baptized. Currently, Baptism is performed throughout the year.

Why do the Orthodox Church baptize infants?
This custom dates back to apostolic times, when the apostles baptized entire families, for example the family of Lydia (see: Acts 16, 14-15) and the prison guard (see: Acts 16, 31-33), as well as Crispus (see .: Acts 18:8), “Stephen’s house” (see: 1 Cor. 1:16).
In the Fathers of the Church we also find direct indications of the need for infant baptism.
The custom of baptizing infants is enshrined in the canonical rules of the Ecumenical Councils.

What a person who wants to be baptized needs to know
An adult who wishes to receive Baptism must know the basic truths of Orthodoxy: know about the Holy Trinity and the incarnation of the Son of God, about the purpose of man, about sin and the atoning Sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ, about the Church of Christ and the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Communion, about Eternal Life. All this can be read in the “Law of God.”
The catechumen must study and consciously recite (preferably by heart) the Creed, the Lord’s Prayer “Our Father” and “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice...”. He must be able to form his fingers correctly and make the sign of the cross.
Currently, every adult must undergo an interview before Baptism. In our church, interviews are held on Saturdays at 11.30, and also, if necessary, before the Sacrament itself.

Godparents (godparents)
The institution of godparents (godparents) has existed since the very beginning of the life of the Church, since apostolic times. Following the Sacrament of Baptism, after the baby is immersed three times in the font, he is passed into the arms of the godfather. It is precisely because, after immersion in the font, the godfather accepts the baby from the hands of the priest, that the Slavic name “receiver” came about (according to Dahl’s dictionary: the godparent is the one who receives the child from the font, godfather and mother). Receivers are not honorary witnesses, but spiritual mentors, leaders of godchildren. They undertake a lifelong commitment to the Church to look after their godson and raise the child in the spirit of Orthodoxy, and the answer for this upbringing will be given at the Last Judgment. During the celebration of the Sacrament, they make promises of loyalty to God, renounce Satan and all his works, and also read the Creed.
When baptizing adults, recipients serve as witnesses and guarantors of the faith and vows of the baptized and, thus, eliminate any deception, forgery, hypocrisy, etc. in their baptism and answer questions during baptism for those who, due to illness, cannot give answers for themselves ( Rule 59 of the VI Ecumenical Council and Rule 14 of the VII Ecumenical Council).
The main requirement that must be presented to the godfather is his informal attitude towards his participation in the Sacrament. You can't teach someone what you don't know yourself. Consequently, the recipients, before taking responsibility for the baptized person, must balance their strengths and knowledge, decide for themselves whether they can be a support and mentor to the future godson.
In the current church tradition, two recipients are chosen for a baby: male and female, although only one is sufficient: a man for a male person being baptized or a woman for a female person.

Requirements for receivers
Recipients cannot be people of a different religion, minors, monastics, spouses of one child, parents of a child, and persons who are mentally ill, physically incapable of this, or non-believers who are planning to marry each other. Grandparents and brothers and sisters can be godparents.

Can parents, including those who adopted a child, be godparents for him?
During Baptism, the person being baptized enters into a spiritual relationship with his recipient, who becomes his godfather or godmother. This spiritual kinship (1st degree) is recognized by the canons as more important than kinship in the flesh (53 canon of the VI Ecumenical Council), and is fundamentally incompatible with it.
Parents, including those who have adopted a child, can under no circumstances be the adopters of their own children: neither both together, nor each individually, otherwise such a close degree of kinship would form between the parents that would make the continuation of their marital cohabitation impermissible.

Responsibilities of recipients

Prayer room. The godfather is obliged to pray for his godson, and also, as he grows up, to teach him prayer, so that the godson himself can communicate with God and ask Him for help.
Doctrinal. The godfather must teach the godchildren to turn to the Sacraments of the Church (confession and communion); give them knowledge about the meaning of worship and the features of the church calendar; teach to attend church services and fast.
Moral. The godfather, by his own example, must show an example of the fulfillment of Christian virtues: faith, love, mercy, etc., so that the godson grows into a true Christian.

Participation of recipients in the Sacrament of Baptism
Recipients during the baptism of adults are witnesses and guarantors for the seriousness of the intention and for the right faith of the baptized.
When baptizing infants, the godparents bring and hold their godchildren in their arms throughout the entire rite, and if there are two godparents, then the boy can be held by the godmother, and the girl by the godfather until immersion in the font. After being immersed in the font three times, the baby returns to the arms of his recipient (of the same gender as the baby), who should have a clean swaddle or towel in his hands and quickly wipe the baby’s body so that he does not become hypothermic.
The recipient must know the Creed and read it at the appropriate moment of the Sacrament of Baptism; in addition, he gives answers to the priest’s questions about renunciation of Satan and union with Christ.

Naming
One of the most important events in the life of a Christian family is the choice of a name for the baby. At all times, the name of a Christian was considered holy, and therefore from childhood he was taught to respect his name. Thus was born the tradition of giving the person being baptized the name of a saint, who thus becomes his heavenly patron and intercessor. For example, Nicholas - in honor of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Anastasia - in honor of St. Anastasia the Roman and others.
According to custom, Christians name a person after a saint whose memory is celebrated in the church calendar on or near his birthday. Saint Theophan the Recluse writes: “Choose a name according to the calendar: either on what day the child will be born, or on what day he will be baptized, or in between, or three days after Baptism.” However, you can also call saints who are especially revered in the family by other names.
In the calendar, the names are not only Russian, but also Jewish, Greek, Latin, Chaldean, Gothic, Arabic, Syrian and others. Each name has one meaning or another in its own language. For example, the name Trophim in Greek means breadwinner, pet, nourisher, and the name Clement in Latin means gracious, and in Greek - vine etc. When choosing a name, do not neglect its semantic meaning.
If the name you were given is not in the calendar, then at baptism the name that is closest in sound is chosen. For example, Dina - Evdokia, Lilia - Leah, Angelica - Angelina, Zhanna - Ioanna, Milana - Militsa. According to tradition, Alice receives the name Alexandra in baptism, in honor of St. passion-bearer Alexandra Feodorovna Romanova, who before accepting Orthodoxy bore the name Alice. Some names in the church tradition have a different sound, for example, Svetlana is Photinia (from the Greek photos - light), and Victoria is Nike, both names mean “victory” in Latin and Greek.

Announcement
Anyone wishing to be baptized, starting from the age of seven, is first tested by the Holy Church to see whether he sincerely desires to leave his former sinful habits and errors and become a member of the Church, and announces him, that is, teaches him the faith of Christ.
The announcement is also made at the baptism of an infant - then the recipients are responsible for him, who vouch for the faith of the baptized.
The rite of announcement came to us from the times of the first Christians. In the ancient Church, an adult who wished to be baptized was brought to the local bishop by his future successors (guarantors). These were members of the Christian community who testified to the seriousness of his intentions and the sincerity of his conversion. Having received such assurances, the bishop entered his name into the list of catechumens.
The catechumen, that is, the teaching of faith, could sometimes take a very long time. The catechumens occupied a special position in the Church; they were not allowed to attend the Liturgy of the Faithful (during the service and now you can hear the deacon’s exclamation: “Catechumens, come out!”).

Ceremony Announcements

After instruction in faith, the catechumen at the beginning of the Sacrament of Baptism, as a sign of submission and humility, untied his belt, took off his outer garments, renouncing worldly pride and vanity, and stood barefoot on a spread out hair shirt.

1. Three prohibitions against unclean spirits
This ritual follows immediately after the preconciliation prayers.
The priest reveals the baby, who is being held by the recipient or recipient, and, blowing three times in a cross shape on his face, blesses the forehead (that is, the forehead) and the chest (that is, the chest) three times.
The priest then places his hand on the head of the person being baptized. The hand of the clergyman - the hand of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself - protects, gives refuge, “takes you under your wing,” for soon there will be a mortal battle with the forces of darkness.
The priest reads the first prayers of preconception, and after them three prayers of “prohibition” (incantations against unclean spirits).

2. Renunciation of Satan
This rite, as well as the subsequent confession of Christ in ancient times, was usually performed on Good Friday or Saturday, and thus completed the preparation for Baptism. Currently, they are performed immediately after the rite of exorcism.
After three prayers of “prohibition,” the prayer “O Lord, Lord...” is read, during which the priest blows again on the forehead and chest of the catechumen, saying three times: “Cast out from him (her) every evil and unclean spirit hidden and nesting in the heart him (her)."
Next, the priest turns the catechumen to face the west and asks: “Have you denied Satan, and all his works, and all his angels, and all his ministry, and all his pride?”
The catechumen or his recipient, if an infant is baptized, answers: “I deny.”
This and subsequent questions and answers are repeated three times. When a baby is baptized, the godfather gives answers for the boy, and the godmother for the girl.
The priest asks the person being baptized: “Have you renounced Satan?” And the catechumen or his recipient answers: “I have renounced.” Then the priest says: “Blow and spit on it.”
“Renouncing Satan” means renouncing your former sinful habits, abandoning a sinful way of life, woven from pride and self-assertion, which took man and his life from God, as the Apostle Paul says: putting off the old way of life of the old man, which is corrupted in the deceitful lusts (Eph. 4:22).
The three-fold renunciation ends with the catechumen blowing and spitting on the left side at Satan, thereby showing the weakness of the devil and contempt for him.

3. Confession of fidelity to Christ
After renouncing the devil, the catechumen is united to Christ, that is, enters into an alliance, unites with Christ. Having turned his face away from the darkness of the west, the person being baptized turns his face to the east - the land of light, to Christ.
The priest asks: “Are you compatible with Christ?” And the catechumen or his recipient answers: “I combine.”
This question is asked three times and the answer is given three times.
The combination to Christ means a promise to be submissive to Him, an obligation to join the ranks of His warriors.
The priest again asks the person being baptized: “Are you compatible with Christ?” - and the answer follows: “They match.” Then the priest asks: “And do you believe Him?” The person being baptized answers: “I believe in Him as a King and God.”
To believe in Christ as King and God - these titles do not mean the same thing. Believing in Christ as God is not enough, for demons also believe and tremble (James 2:19). Accepting Him as King and Lord means devoting your entire life to serving Him, living in accordance with His commandments.

4. Confession of the Creed
Then the person being baptized or his recipient reads the Creed, as if explaining what he believes. After reading the Creed, the priest asks: “Are you compatible with Christ?” The person being baptized responds: “You are married.” The priest asks: “And do you believe Him?” And the person being baptized answers: “I believe in Him as a King and God.” The Creed is read a second time, followed by the same questions and answers. After reading the Creed for the third time, the priest asks a question, and after the third answer of the person being baptized, “Combine,” he says: “And worship Him.” The catechumen worships, saying: “I worship the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the Trinity, Consubstantial and Indivisible.”
After the rite of announcement has been completed, the person approaching Baptism is ready to accept this great Sacrament.

Rite of the Sacrament of Baptism

1. Blessing of water
The rite of Baptism begins with the blessing of water. A great litany is said, to which petitions for its consecration are added, and then a series of prayers are read in which we ask God to sanctify the prepared water.

2. Blessing of the oil
After the water is blessed, it is anointed with oil. The Greek word "oil" means "oil" and also means "mercy, compassion." The priest reads a prayer for the consecration of the oil and, using a special brush, anoints the water with it in a cross shape three times. Then he anoints all important parts of the human body with oil in a cross pattern: head, chest, back, ears, arms and legs. At the same time, he pronounces the established words for each of the members: The servant of God (or: the servant of God) (name of the rivers) is anointed with the oil of gladness, in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, amen. For the healing of soul and body. In hearing faith. Thy hands create me and create me. Let him (or her) walk in the footsteps of Your commandments.

3. Baptism
The most important and solemn moment of the Sacrament of Baptism begins - the very immersion of the baptized person in water. After anointing with oil, the catechumen will have to enter into a covenant, a union with God through three immersions of a single secret action. Baptism is performed by immersing the person being baptized in water while the priest pronounces the words: The servant of God (or: the servant of God) (name of the rivers) is baptized in the name of the Father, amen. And the Son, amen. And the Holy Spirit, amen. At the same time, the priest immerses and raises the baptized person from the water three times.
Currently, the Baptism of adults is often performed through pouring (due to the unsuitability of some churches for the baptism of adults). In exceptional cases, Baptism can be performed in other ways. History knows about the Baptism of Martyrs with Blood, when those preparing to be baptized accepted martyrdom for confessing faith in Christ.

4. Vestment of the newly baptized
After being immersed in water three times, the newly baptized person puts on white clothes. Currently this is a new white shirt for infants and a white shirt for the newly baptized adult.
Along with white clothes, a pectoral cross is placed on the newly baptized person - as a sign that he must now fulfill the will of our Lord Jesus Christ crucified for us on the Cross, even if the believer had to endure and endure many troubles and unexpected misfortunes. According to pious custom, white clothes are carefully kept by parents.
In the tradition of the Orthodox Church, immediately after the Sacrament of Baptism comes the Sacrament of Confirmation.