Who gives a cross for the baptism of a boy. Girl's christening: rules, signs and congratulations. Preparing for the sacrament

The choice of a cross for a christening should be approached with special responsibility. But before you go shopping for a symbol of faith for your baby, you should decide who should give such a gift to your baby. The Church does not oblige any of the participants in the Sacrament of Baptism to buy a pectoral cross for the baby. If you ask such a question to a clergyman, you can hear in response that such a gift should be made from a pure heart, and not because it is necessary. Probably for this reason, the Orthodox tradition does not indicate who exactly should buy a cross for christening.

Family parents, godfathers, relatives, friends of parents can purchase a symbol of faith for a baby. As a rule, in the process of preparing for Baptism, there are no problems with this. Usually someone volunteers to buy the child a pectoral cross. Most often, the godmother buys a cross for a christening for a girl, and a godfather for a boy. Together with the pectoral cross, godparents can give the child a children's Bible or any other children's church literature. Even if the child does not know how to read, the weight can equally be presented to him with church books. While he is little, parents can read for him. In addition to books, godparents can give the kid icons. You can buy a gold cross for men, women or children. You will be surprised by the rich assortment and low prices.

How to choose a cross for a child for christening.

When choosing a cross for a child for christening, several factors should be taken into account. First of all, you need to decide on the type of precious metal. Today there is a huge assortment of pectoral crosses made of gold and silver. However, you can find jewelry made from other precious metals, for example, from platinum. The cost of silver and gold crosses of the same weight is significantly different. Children are encouraged to buy jewelry made of gold. They are not as picky about care as, for example, silver ones. They do not turn black or darken over time. At the same time, gold jewelry in very rare cases can cause allergic reactions. Children's delicate skin often reacts to silver with skin rashes.

The size of the children's cross is of great importance. It should be small. It is desirable that there are no sharp corners on the product, and there are no stones. All this can injure the delicate baby skin. You can put on a cross on a chain or on a string. But for babies it is better to wear a pectoral cross on a string. Its length should be such that the child cannot take the cross in his mouth. You can order a chain around your neck in the online store or buy it in the Temple. It is not necessary to consecrate the chain.

Technical issues with checkout

Question: I can't place an order through the basket, drive in personalized embroidery and other technical problems with the design on the site. How to be?

Answer: You can write your order and wishes by e-mail, call us or leave your phone number, e-mail address via feedback - then we ourselves will contact you and discuss the order. WA and Viber 8-903-121-02-22 also work during store working hours.

Question: I would like to place an order by phone, but I cannot get through to you.

Answer: Most likely, the line is just busy at the moment, because we do not have a multichannel phone. You can order a call via feedback, and during the working hours of the store, the operator himself will contact you. We also have a cell phone 8-903-121-02-22, we call back the missed incoming calls, you can also send a message to WA or Viber + 7-903-121-02-22.

Question: I have a non-standard order, where can I indicate my wishes?

Answer: Pay attention to the comment box when placing your order. Here you can indicate your wishes. When placing an order, the operator will definitely clarify all the details. If you have already made an order without leaving a comment, then you can send us your wishes using feedback, by e-mail or inform the operator upon confirmation (he himself will not ask if there were no comments). Don't forget to include your order number!

Pre-order questions. Price, quality, production, availability of goods

Question: Who produces the jewelry (crosses, spoons, chains) presented in the store?

Answer: We cooperate with manufacturing companies from the Kostroma region, famous for its jewelry factories and workshops. Our jewelry assortment is represented by the products of the Aquamarine and Sokolov plants (silver spoons and golden crosses), IE Monichev, Kostroma Region. (silver spoons). Also here you will find wonderful products from the "Silver Factory" Argenta Kolchugino (silver spoons, children's silverware) and Elizaveta St. Petersburg LLC (silver and gilded crosses). Gaitans for crosses are produced by the Pokrovskie workshops, the Aquamarine plant and the individual entrepreneur Ignatov.

Question: Whose manufacture of baptismal clothes?

Answer: We design and sew all garments in our workshop, with the exception of a few christening dresses of the Russian brand Fleole. For sewing baptismal towels, we use either a terry cloth in linen, or factory blanks (rectangular towels 70x130-140, 100x150 cm) from an Uzbek or Russian factory.

Question: I found the same models of christening clothes in another online store, and they were cheaper. Why is that?

Answer: As a rule, brands force partner stores to maintain a policy of recommended retail prices for their products. Therefore, the prices of online stores for the same product are about the same and you can save money only through a policy of discounts or free shipping. The online store you visited violates the rules or forgot to change the price when changing the supplier's price list, or maybe it sells out stale leftovers. We supply our sewing products to children's stores, churches, we cooperate with other online stores, subject to uniform recommended prices for our products. Therefore, you are unlikely to find specifically our models at a lower price than on our website. Most online stores operate from the supplier's warehouse and they do not have products in their own warehouse. By contacting the supplier, such an online store will receive a refusal to supply the goods for violation of the MRC policy and will not redeem the goods you need from the supplier. You will be wasting your time. The second reason for the lower prices for seemingly similar baptismal clothes is banal theft. Even in the world of baptismal fashion, manufacturers spy on each other's ideas, copy patterns, embroidery designs, and decor. When we started in 2011, we developed our own model range, technology, because there were no other specialized christening clothes manufactures on the market. Since then, we have had many competitors who do not hesitate to take our popular models as a basis, sew them in cheaper fabrics and sell them at a lower price. Indeed, in a photograph, especially a professional one, all fabrics look the same - white and smooth, and the quality can only be understood by touch.

Question: Do you have any certificates for clothes, spoons and crosses?

Answer: All baptismal and children's clothing is certified and meets European safety standards. The certificates are provided by the manufacturers of the goods presented in our store. For a copy, you can contact our operators or send a request through feedback, by e-mail. As for jewelry, each item has a hallmark of the assay office, as well as a tag from the manufacturing plant - this is a confirmation of the authenticity of the sample of the item. Mandatory certification of jewelry has long been canceled, so there are no certificates as such.

Question: Is the item in stock as indicated?

Answer: All sewing products of our production are in stock or can be promptly sewn in a day, if something suddenly runs out. We order jewelry - crosses and spoons from factories and workshops in advance, we buy them to our warehouse, so many products are exclusive and in other stores they are simply not available. The manager will promptly confirm the availability of the product without clarifying with the intermediary - we are one of the few online stores that work with our own jewelry warehouse. If something was not there (the site is not directly related to the stock base and the availability on the site is updated manually, so it may be late in the season), with our wide range you can easily pick up an analogue to replace the missing article.

Question: The description of the towels says that the terry is 100% cotton, fluffy. Is it definitely without synthetic additives?

Answer: The products use terry cloth of various density from 350 to 450 grams. This is a terry of an ordinary average towel - that is, not like the nap of a fur coat, but definitely not rare! The composition of the fabric is declared by the manufacturers as 100% cotton, while some towels may have a silky feeling, not characteristic of 100% cotton, from which you expect some roughness. The fact is that in order to give a presentation, the towels undergo a special treatment that does not affect the composition of the product. This is a surface treatment that disappears after the first wash.

Question: Many christening gowns are made of linen. Wouldn't linen be too tough for the baby?

Answer: The softness and density of flax varies. We sew from thin, softened blouse fabric. In terms of its composition, this fabric is not 100% linen, but a mixed fabric - 45% linen / 55% cotton, which gives it important advantages: it is pure white, soft, not prone to shrinkage, its structure is somewhat reminiscent of coarse calico with textured linen sprinkles. But when compared with coarse calico, then linen looks richer. If you are still not sure about the choice of baptismal clothes made of linen, then pay attention to cotton products - we also have a wide range of them.

Question: How to save money on buying things for Christening?

Answer: It is not recommended to buy a used baptismal set, because baptismal clothes must be new. You can buy an inexpensive set of fine coarse calico gauze or mixed fabric with polyester, without lace, with simple embroidery for about 500 rubles. - such products can be found in a church shop or economy class children's stores. As for our online store, we do not sew products from such fabrics, but we always have discounted shirts and diapers. Usually these are models with a slight defect (the wrong color of the embroidery, a small weaving defect, a speck in an inconspicuous place) or unredeemed items with personalized embroidery. On the site they are presented on the sales page, but the list is incomplete and you need to check with the operator for the availability of the selected item. We can send the photo to WA or Viber + 7-903-121-02-22. You can buy products from the sale in the showroom.

Pre-order questions. Composition, dimensions and equipment

Question: My child is larger (smaller) than his peers, how to choose the right size?

Answer: When choosing a product, pay attention to its card - it contains recommendations for determining the size and measurement of a product of all sizes sewn. You can also ask our operators for advice, they see all the products live. If, even after talking with a consultant, you still have doubts (for example, in the case of a “borderline” age - 3 or 6 months), then we can add two sizes of the product to your order. For a child older than a year, there are usually no problems with choosing a size, choose a size strictly according to height, our products are not small. If the product has a double size, for example 98-104 cm, in reality this shirt is designed for height 104.

Question: Can I put a cap size larger / smaller than the shirt in the set?

Answer: Indicate in the comments to the order your wish, as well as the child's head circumference in centimeters. In fact, an increase in size is not always required, it seems to many that the head is large, but it turns out to be standard. If this decision is justified, then we will gladly fulfill your wish and attach a larger cap to the set or put 2 caps of your choice.

Question: I cannot decide on the model and size online. Why is there no delivery of products to choose from?

Answer: We limit the delivery of goods to choose from for two reasons: our couriers are on foot, so physically they cannot bring a bulky goods to choose from, they have up to 10 deliveries per day. The second reason: preservation of the presentation of the product. When the clothes were touched by thirty hands and seven babies were tried on, it is no longer possible to sell it, let alone put it on at Epiphany. Therefore, if you have a choice of size delivery, please do not try on the clothes directly on the child, evaluate it visually or carefully attach it to the child. As for jewelry, we can bring a choice of up to 5 items without any problems, because we work with our warehouse.

Question: I like the set, but it has a towel without a hood. I want the same, but with a hood and a different color of the embroidery.

Answer: Write about your wish in the comments to the order, and we will fulfill it. In this case, the operator will recalculate the order amount. You can also assemble a set of different items you like - take a shirt from one set, a towel with a hood - from another, a cap - from a third, put it all in a basket and sign “pack as a set”. If the products do not fit together, the operator will warn you.

Question: Is it possible to correct the product according to my measurements, tailoring to order, other embroidery?

Answer: The figure of a child under 3 years old can hardly be called a figure for which an individual fit is required, therefore we do not correct baby clothes according to the measurements taken by the parent, just take a larger / smaller size, focusing not only on weight, but also on weight , chest circumference. In children closer to adolescence, deviations from the standard figure are possible, full-length rows appear, and we sew all products at an average fullness for a given height / age. You need to accurately measure the baby's height and chest circumference. If the child's figure is radically different from the standard or the fullness differs from the average, the operator discusses this moment with the technologist. The service of individual fitting or sewing of the product is rendered again on a prepayment basis, the increase in the price of the product will be 20%, the lead time is about a week. Embroidery design, product design can also be adjusted, contact our operator for details.

Question: We baptize a boy, do I need to buy a complete baptismal set with a cap, although we do not wear the latter?

Answer: You can purchase the shirt and towel / diaper separately. Or indicate in the comments to the order that you do not need a cap, and we will recalculate the amount. Boys' sets also offer a choice of options - with a cap or a storage bag.

Question: Which baptismal set to choose - with a diaper or a towel?

Answer: After the bath, you take the baby in a diaper or in a towel. This item will become wet almost immediately, and you will need to put on a shirt and wrap the child in a blanket. During the Epiphany, neither a film nor a towel will be useful to you anymore, so the choice is not so important. The priests often ask for a towel, but in the future it also needs to be stored, and it takes up a lot of space. Therefore, we personally tend to choose a film - you can put it in a crib, and then fold it compactly and save it as a keepsake. The diaper can also be warm, i.e. flannel, in it the baby will not freeze even when christened in winter.

Question: What do you need to buy to baptize a child?

Answer: The required minimum of baptismal supplies for a boy: a shirt and what you will take from the font - a diaper or a towel. A headdress may be needed for a girl, although in theory it is not required for babies (children under 7 years old). You will also need an Orthodox cross made of any metal and a string. Read more about the list of things for Baptizing a child in the article. If a boy (over 7 years old) or an adult is baptized, slippers will be needed.

Question: Why do I need 2 towels for Baptism?

Answer: Usually in the church they don't explain this, they just ask to bring 2 towels. In short, you use one of the towels for your child as a baptismal one, i.e. after the font, and leave the second in the temple for various needs. Therefore, the first can be personalized, with an embroidered Orthodox cross, and on the second, you can save money - buy a simple white terry towel. You can read more about this in the article.

Questions about delivery, payment, pickup

Question: Do you accept payment by card?

Answer: You can pay for the order through the card online directly on our website, at the pickup point in Moscow and to the Baptismal courier upon delivery in Moscow. In the order, be sure to indicate the desired payment method, because not all couriers have payment terminals with them. When delivered by third-party courier services in St. Petersburg, the CDEK courier service in Russia and in the Moscow region, couriers do not have terminals, the order can be paid by card online on our website.

Question: Is it possible to come to you and buy what you need without making a preliminary order?

Answer: You can, but we do not recommend doing this for some reason. First, the pick-up point is not a full-fledged store. It houses a small exhibition hall with samples of baptismal clothes. A pick-up point in St. Petersburg is generally an office without a showcase. Our managers are often busy taking orders by phone and via the Internet, and you will have to wait for a consultation. It is impossible to make a personalized embroidery on site, it must be ordered 1 working day in advance. The full assortment of jewelery in the display case is not presented. Any number of crosses and spoons to choose from must be ordered at least one hour in advance. Therefore, we recommend making a preliminary order so that all products are put away and you can make a purchase decision on the spot.

Question: Christenings are already tomorrow, can I urgently receive an order in Moscow?

Answer: As a rule, the Baptism of the child is scheduled for the weekend. And such urgent orders appear on Thursday-Friday. Therefore, if you manage to place an order before the couriers are sent to the route (that is, until 9 am on Friday) with a comment about urgent delivery, then your order will be processed in the morning (be ready to receive a call from 9 am) and delivered on the same day. If the couriers have already left, then make a pre-order and come to our pick-up point on the same day! We work according to the schedule indicated in the header of the site).

Question: How to pay for delivery in Russia if I am abroad?

Answer: You can pay for your order online using a card on our website, most foreign cards are suitable for payment. If the card does not work, we offer other payment options, for example, Western Union transfer, Zolotaya Korona. We do not work with Paypal.

Question: I want to make a surprise and order delivery of goods as a gift. What do I need to do?

Answer: In the comments to the order, indicate your intention, leave your phone number and the recipient (mark where whose number is). You can pay for your order using a card online or make a transfer to the bank details indicated by us. We also sell gift cards of various denominations, both in physical form and in the form of electronic certificates.

Question: Can I send my courier for the order?

Answer: Yes, to pick up the order, tell your courier the order number and the full name of the person for whom the purchase was made. Do not forget to give the courier our telephone number and address. You can pay for your order in advance or upon receipt - in cash or by card.

Question: Why don't you send your order to the regions by transport companies, because it's cheaper?

Answer: We can send an order to any TC of your choice, but to the tariff of the TC you need to add the cost of delivery services by our courier in Moscow, if the address of the TC is within the Moscow Ring Road. Often, courier delivery of CDEK costs the same money as the tariff of the cheapest TC + our courier to the address of the TC.

Question: I don’t want to pay for the order before it is shipped, I’m afraid of deception, I want to receive the order with cash on delivery.

Answer: The site and workshop of the Baptism has been operating since 2011, and during this time, tens of thousands of orders have been completed. The team of our company is more than 15 people, we have a real address in Moscow and an official legal entity, and believe me, any negative feedback on the network regarding the failure to send paid orders would affect us with losses incomparable with the value of your order. Therefore, do not worry, we send everything, do not forget to promptly inform about payment and track your parcels with orders, because there are overlays with notices in the mail. If you are still afraid, we can send the order by mail or courier service CDEK with cash on delivery, if the order does not contain items with personalized embroidery. To do this, you need to make an advance payment only for delivery, and pay the rest of the amount upon receipt of the order. Be prepared that the cost of delivery in this case will be higher due to the insurance cost of the shipment than when sending a regular prepaid parcel. Also, delivery services have a commission for the transfer of cash on delivery. Therefore, when choosing this method of payment, you overpay a lot.

Question: Why is there a surcharge on delivery with cash on delivery?

Answer: All details of delivery with payment on receipt can be found on the page Payment Methods. A mark-up is a commission that the delivery service takes on top of the cash on delivery itself. For delivery by the CDEK service, this is 5%, for the Russian Post, the commission varies from the amount of cash on delivery and is 7-12%. We do not send orders with 100% payment upon receipt, we always take prepayment for delivery. Several years ago we tried to send orders without prepayments with full cash on delivery - the statistics are sad: 30% of customers did not pick up their orders by mail, we paid not only for empty delivery, but also for returning orders back. Therefore, now we are working according to the "partial prepayment + cash on delivery" scheme.

Question: How long should I wait for my parcel?

Answer: The website of the Russian Post has wonderful delivery times, which in reality are longer. And the delivery time for first class in our experience is no different from the delivery time for regular parcels. Departure from Moscow to the regional centers of the European part of Russia most often arrives in a week, for the Urals it will take 2 weeks. However, if you live in a remote village, to which mail is delivered by helicopter several times a year, do not expect fast delivery, check the time frame at your post office. Do not forget to track your shipment by the track number that the operator will send after the order has been sent. We cannot track all orders, after shipment, the post office or the transport company is responsible for the delivery time. Notices do not always come to the mailbox, and the storage time for parcels in the mail has been reduced to 2 weeks. Also, budget courier services, for example, CDEK, often fail with delivery. And on New Year's Eve, all delivery services have problems. The deadlines are violated and we cannot do anything. As soon as we send your order and report its track number, you follow its fate yourself and in case of delays, find out the delivery time directly in the delivery service.

All questions about personalized embroidery

Question: How quickly is personalized embroidery done?

Answer: Name embroidery is done on the finished product in one working day on weekdays. If the order is placed before lunchtime, it will be embroidered today and ready for delivery / shipping the next business day. If the order is prepaid, it will be embroidered immediately after receiving the prepayment. On items with lining (towel hoods, double-layer kryzhma, lined shirts), personalized embroidery is done 3 working days after prepayment.

Question: What fonts are used for name embroidery?

Answer: For embroidery on fabric we use a thin, slightly italic font Monotype Coursiva. Sometimes we use Mon Amour, it has a monogram in a capital letter. For embroidery on terry products, we use fonts with wide letters - Lobster or Boyarsky. On request, we use the Ermak font, similar to the Old Church Slavonic, but it has only large letters and no numbers. For embroidery of long inscriptions on terry cloth, we use a more compact font Monotype Coursiva, in this case the inscription should be colored, white color with a thin font will hide in the pile.

Question: Why did they ask me to prepay for the embroidery, because I am in Moscow and want to pay for the order directly to the courier?

Answer: Most likely, this is because the name that needs to be embroidered is absent in the Orthodox Saints, or it needs to be embroidered in Latin, or the name is simply rare. Some of our unscrupulous clients refuse their orders for reasons beyond our control. And it is very difficult to find a buyer for products with embroidery of uncommon names! Products lie for years and eventually go to write-off. We take an advance payment only for the embroidered product, and you give the rest of the payment to the courier upon delivery.

Question: The date of Baptism has changed / they chose a different name instead of the ones already embroidered. What to do?

Answer: We warn you that it is impossible to whip the embroidery (this mark is in every product card), in exceptional cases we can whip one number, but it will take 1 day and will cost 300 rubles. If you need to remake several numbers or a name, then 2 options are possible: 1) You take the product and evaporate the date / name entirely yourself, give it to us, we embroider a new date / name over the whipped one for free. 2) We embroider the new date and name on the new product, subject to the purchase of the previously ordered one.

Question: Why not all items can be embroidered with a name?

Answer: We do personalized embroidery on many products, this feature is spelled out in a specific product card. It happens that we can, but forgot to indicate in the card. Therefore, in any case, ask the operator if it is possible to embroider the name on the selected item. On some items, in particular items with a lining, it is impossible to make a personalized embroidery, because this must be done even during the sewing process, but we embroider in 1 day only on finished products. If you have a few days in stock and you are ready to make an advance payment, we will embroider and sew a product with a lining that covers the wrong side of the embroidery, usually this is how personalized double-layer kryzhma or towels with an embroidered name on the hood are made. It happens that the desired place for embroidery is not chosen well, for example, we cannot embroider a name on a small cap or yoke of a finished dress, our hoop is too large for such small details.

You can baptize in a shirt from a previous child. There are no canonical prohibitions on this. But nevertheless, if the financial situation allows, it is better to purchase a new set, so that each baby has his own baptismal robes.

Question: Can baptismal clothes be washed?

Answer: Any underwear for children should be washed before use, paying attention to the labels with information about the composition and washing. As for the baptismal clothing, it cannot be washed after Epiphany, but before it, it is necessary, like ordinary underwear. Fabrics in factories are processed many times, there are stages of bleaching or dyeing. Therefore, it is better to wash your clothes, as a last resort - at least rinse them in water. And pay attention to the care instructions included in the product - they tell everything. As a rule, our baptismal products cannot be machine washed, but only by hand. It is not customary to wash the baptismal shirt after the Sacrament, because drops of holy peace can fall on it during chrismation. But a towel, if suddenly it gets dirty, you can wash it (but preferably separately from other things).

Question: I bought a baptismal set, what should I do next and what should I take with me to church?

Answer: Christening clothes intended for an infant must be washed, following the recommendations from the attached tag, or, at least, steam it well with an iron. After washing, it is important not to overdry the fabric, otherwise it will be difficult to iron it and get its original presentation. It is best to bring the baptismal set to the temple on a hanger or in the maximally unfolded form so that the products do not look wrinkled in photographs. Read about what to take with you to church for a comfortable ceremony in the article. In short, from things you will need a warm and beautiful blanket, diapers, napkins, a pacifier or a bottle, a baptismal set, a cross on a string, a birth certificate, godparents baptized in Orthodoxy. In the temple, you need to buy candles, an icon and make a donation for the Sacrament. Mom and godmother should be wearing skirts and with their heads covered.

Return, exchange, incomplete set

Question: The size did not fit me / Christenings were rescheduled, can I change or return the order?

Answer: Return or exchange is possible if standard conditions are met: the product is new with tags, has not been tried on for a child, no more than two weeks have passed since the purchase, it is desirable to keep the receipt and fill out an application for a return. Exchange and return is possible in our office Mon-Fri 9: 00-18: 00 (the administrator's working time differs from the working hours of operators who do not make a decision on the exchange / return). A courier in Moscow can come for a refund or exchange, but you must pay for the delivery service. The courier does not make a decision on the return, therefore, in order to return the money for the goods, you must come to the office or provide the account details for a remote refund.

Question: How to return an item if I am not in Moscow?

Answer: First of all, you need to inform our operator about the planned return, he will provide you with the address for sending the return, and will send an application for filling out. If the order does not contain a personalized embroidery, you can fully return the products within 2 weeks from the date of receipt of the parcel. If the shipment was by mail, you need to receive the order, send it back to us, and provide the tracking number for tracking. If the delivery is by courier, you can send the goods back by regular mail. After receiving the parcel, we make a refund for the goods. If the product is not defective, we will compensate for its cost, but delivery and return are at the expense of the buyer. If there is a defect, all shipments (return and replacement) are at our expense.

Question: The order is delivered too late and is not relevant to me, what should I do?

Answer: If the order does not contain a personalized embroidery, you can return the product and get money for it according to the scheme described in the previous question. We do not accept items with personalized embroidery or individually sewn back, because We are not responsible for the work of third-party delivery services. If the deadlines for delivery by courier service are violated, we write a claim to this service and if this service compensates us for the delivery and return costs for an order not delivered in time, we will compensate you for them. Consideration of such a claim usually takes more than a month. Please note that the CDEK courier service does not accept claims for delayed parcels for 1-2 days, and the Russian Post does not accept claims in principle.

Question: A defect was found (or incorrect equipment), and the courier has already left. What to do?

Answer: In this case, please contact us. In the event of a defect, we change the product for a similar one or return the money. When you receive your order, you sign for checking the order, be careful. If there is no signature and the incomplete is found after the courier leaves, we check in our warehouse and deliver the missing goods, the second option is a refund (if they were paid for the entire set).

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Baptism is the most important church rite in the life of every Orthodox person. At the time of baptism, he dies with Christ for a sinful worldly life, in order to be reborn with him from the Holy Spirit for eternal life. And on the whole further life path he will be accompanied by godparents. They should instruct him in faith, engage in his spiritual education, take care of him and warn against mistakes. Therefore, an honorary invitation to become the godfather of a child imposes on you certain responsibilities, which should be approached very responsibly. When the child's parents have shown you high confidence and invited you to be a godfather, the first step is to think about a worthy gift for your little godson. Baptism is a church rite and an old one, therefore, unlike secular holidays, such as, for example, a birthday, when the hero of the day can be presented with any beautiful and useful thing, it is customary to present gifts for christening in accordance with the traditions prevailing among the people.

If you are, so to speak, a “budding godfather,” a beginner in this business, and you haven’t baptized anyone before, then our story about what godfathers give for christenings will come in handy for you. Approach the issue of choosing gifts responsibly, buy them with all your heart and give them from a pure heart. Let your godson now be quite small and cannot appreciate your gifts at the true worth. He will grow up quickly, and the thing you donated will be kept as a family heirloom and remind the grown-up godson of the first church sacrament in his life and of you, his caring godparents.

What the godfather gives at the christening

The godfather must give the most important attribute of the entire baptismal ceremony - a pectoral cross. There are no clear rules of what material the cross should be made of. Now in vogue, so to speak, gold crosses, openwork, decorated with pebbles and enamel. However, it is not at all necessary to buy such a cross, especially if it is difficult for you for quite understandable material reasons.

The main value of the cross is not in its monetary value. The cross is, first of all, a symbol of spirituality and faith in God, and not an ordinary piece of jewelry, as many now perceive it. Therefore, from the point of view of the Church, a simple pewter cross made by monks in an Orthodox monastery, or a sandalwood cross, brought by pilgrims from a trip to the Holy Land, is much more valuable than any gold. The pectoral cross can also be made of bronze, amber or silver - the main thing is that it conforms to the Orthodox canon and is consecrated in the church.

Most often in Russia it is customary to wear an eight-pointed cross with the inscription "Save and Preserve" on its back. For a small child, it would be best to buy a silver cross and hang it on a strong natural twine, and not on a chain that will rub the delicate child's neck. And if you do not want to be known as a curmudgeon and can afford it, in addition to a silver cross, give your godson some kind of gold jewelry that will be useful to him when he grows up.

In addition to these gifts, the godfather traditionally pays for the baptism ceremony and sets the festive table.

What the godmother gives for christening

According to tradition, the godmother must give another item necessary for baptism - a kryzhma. Such an unusual word for our ears in the church is called a piece of cloth in which a baptized baby is wrapped after it is taken out of the font. Initially, it was a flap of bleached linen, which by now has turned into a large snow-white linen towel (in winter it can be terry cotton), decorated with white embroidery, hemstitching, jacquard braid with Christian symbols and lace. The most valuable kryzhma is the one that the godmother will embroider with her own hands and decorate with lace, crocheted with her own hand - they used to be called "valances". But if your hands are not "sharpened" for needlework, do not be discouraged and buy a ready-made kryzhma in a church shop or in a store. After baptism, the kryzhma is by no means washed, the baby's face is carefully preserved and wiped with it if, God forbid, he gets sick. This, according to popular belief, should bring him early healing from any ailment.

The next thing the godmother buys for her christening is a special baptismal dress, consisting of a white baptismal shirt up to the baby's toes and a white lace cap, richly decorated with ribbons and pearl beads. The set may also include sliders and knitted openwork booties that match the general style. The baptismal gown is usually made of cambric, decorated with embroidery, lace and hemstitching, and stored later as a family heirloom.

At this point, our conversation about what godparents buy for christenings comes to an end. It remains only to mention such a cute, small gift as a silver spoon, popularly called "for the first tooth". It is often given by godparents or grandparents to a baby for christening. Often the handle of such a baby spoon is decorated with a silver angel or a cute little animal - a bunny or a kitten. It is believed that the baby grows healthy, his teeth are easily cut, and he always has a good appetite, he must be fed from this gift spoon.

Baptism is the birth of a person in faith. For this spiritual birth and the sacrament, certain material attributes are needed, the main of which is a pectoral cross for the baptism of an infant. In a sense, wearing it is a prayer without words, which helps to overcome all life's difficulties. So, which cross is better to choose for Baptism? How to choose it and who should buy it? Our article will answer these and other important questions.

Adults like to choose a cross (the second name is a vest) and a chain to their taste. But a cross for a baby is a special category of goods that should be maximally adapted to be worn on the body of a newborn baby. Do not press, prick, rub, or cause allergic reactions. One of the most important rules is that the cross should have rounded, smooth edges.

It's easier with a question about a chain or thread. Most parents agree that simple is the best option. cotton lace or ribbon... The metal chain will chafe and irritate the skin, and may cause injury. The length of the lace should be about 2 times the baby's neck circumference. Wash the tape in warm water and soapy water 2-3 times before putting it on to soften it.

According to church canons, there are no strict rules about which cross to give preference to. The main thing is the comfort for the baby and the calmness of the parents. But there are averaged parameters: the maximum weight is 1.5 grams, the maximum size is 2 cm, the absence of sharp stones that can fall out, sharp patterns, the absence of a rigid fastener on the lace. The cross may contain the following images:

• Image of the crucifix.
• The inscription "Save and save".
• The abbreviation “I. N. Ts. I. ", which means" Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews. "

What else can be said in the matter of choice? The modern market for Orthodox goods offers a wide range of materials in addition to gold and silver. These are wood, platinum, steel and other precious metals. Orthodox traditions differ from Catholic ones, which means that the cross can be not only 4-point. It can have 6 or 8 endings, it doesn't really matter. But all this is not the main thing.

MAIN! Remember that the essence of the cross for any person is not in its beauty or value. No matter what material it is, no matter what precious stones it is inlaid, the cross is a visible Christian symbol of faith in God.

How to wear a vest correctly for a baby?

Someone considers the constant wearing of a cross at any age as a matter of principle of faith. " A real Christian, even if he is 2-3 months old, should always wear a cross. This is protection from everything, nothing bad will happen a priori"- such people repeat.

The opposite point of view also takes place. " The cross is a potentially dangerous thing for a baby. He can hurt the skin, the worst thing is even strangle».

Who is right and what is the right thing to do? The only correct answer: you need to act according to faith and personal convictions. If you are of the opinion that it is dangerous for a child to wear a cross at such an early age, after the Sacrament, carefully remove it and keep it in the holy corner next to the icons.

5 STOP: how can you not wear a cross?

1. You cannot put a cross on a baby if he has not yet been baptized. After all, the cross is a sign of belonging to the Church.
2. The crucifix should not be worn over clothing. In the Church tradition, this is permissible only for priests who wear crosses over their robes.
3. There is no need to wear an attribute of faith for beauty or use the symbol of the cross in the child's jewelry or clothing (it is permissible to wear a scarf or headscarf with such an image).
4. You should not put a cross on a child only for reasons of "protection" from the evil eye, damage and evil spirits. All these are superstitions that have nothing to do with Christianity and Orthodoxy.
5. It is forbidden to buy a cross for the baptism of a baby from the hands, resell or give a personal vest to other people (even close ones).

The correct attitude of parents to a child's cross can be formulated in one sentence: it is a symbol of the spiritual birth of a baby, which invisibly keeps his soul.

Where to buy baby baptism cross?

According to the established tradition, the godparents buy the cross for the christening of the baby. The godfather to the boy, the godmother to the girl. But this is only an established tradition; in practice, such a purchase can be made by parents or someone from relatives. The question is, where to go for such an important and meaningful purchase?

This can be done in the jewelry store or the church shop of the Temple. As a rule, jewelry stores provide a wider range of products from different materials. Have you bought a cross from a jewelry store? It must be brought to the Temple in advance for consecration. Those crosses that can be purchased in the candle shop have already been consecrated by the priest.

What else do you need to take to church?

Complete baptism kits for babies are sold in the Temple in the candle shop. It includes everything that is needed in the Sacrament of Baptism. But all attributes can be purchased separately. The standard set includes the following items:

The most important thing that is important to take to church is your faith. that the Sacrament of Baptism and the wearing of a pectoral cross is a manifestation of God's blessing in our life.

What if the baptismal “creed” is lost / broken?

It is believed that the baptismal vest should accompany any person throughout his life. In practice, this does not work out, at least for the reason that the children's cross is very small. Often the cross is lost or broken - but this is not a problem, not a sign that the baptism has become invalid, or a bad fate awaits the child.

A broken cross can be replaced with a new one (necessarily consecrated). The old one should be kept in a box next to the icons. It is also worth doing with the lost chain - replace it with a new one. The situation is similar with the issue of age. When the child grows up and he needs a larger cross on a chain, give him such a gift. And keep the old little cross for the baptism of the baby.

If you are worried about the situation with the loss or breakage of the vest, tell this situation to the confessor or priest in any Temple. He will listen and tell you what to do. Turning to a priest for advice in many situations, including raising a child, will help keep the family together and overcome difficulties.

On many sites and forums they write that a cross for the baptism of a baby will save him from troubles, evil spirits, lies, slander and everything bad. Blood parents and godparents should always remember: it is not the cross itself that saves from everything evil in the world, but faith in the Orthodox teaching, faith in God.

All questions about the cross and the Sacrament of Baptism can be asked to the priest in the Temple, where you plan to baptize the baby. Baptism, as a rule, precedes a cycle of conversations about Orthodoxy, the role of godparents in a child's life. It is during these conversations that it is best to ask the priest the questions you are interested in.

There are no strict rules and canons regarding who should buy a cross for baptism. These can be close relatives (parents or grandparents), close friends, or the clergyman himself. However, according to the established Orthodox tradition, the godmother buys the cross for girls, and the godfather for boys. Compliance with this condition is by no means necessary, because the main thing is that the ceremony itself should be performed with a pure heart and an awareness of its significance for the future life of the little man.

How to choose a cross for a child

In fact, it doesn't matter who should buy the baptismal cross, just as it doesn't matter what kind of material it will be. Much more important is that the cross must be Orthodox. This means that the decoration meets certain requirements: for example, a crucifix is ​​depicted on the obverse of Orthodox crosses, and a prayer addressed to God is depicted on the reverse, namely "Save and preserve." But the main requirement is sanctification. If the cross was not bought in a church shop, then before baptism it is necessary to consecrate it (for this it is enough just to give it to the priest).

As for the material, a silver cross will be the best option for the baby. This metal has excellent antiseptic properties and can be used even by allergy sufferers. If you don't know, just look at the ear of the product (a special ring through which a chain or lace is threaded). It is on it that the test is put, usually 925.

Particular attention should be paid to the shape of the product. Sharp corners and details can injure the delicate skin of a child, so it is best to buy a product with rounded shapes, such as from a production model.

Who should attend the baptism and is it worth buying a gold cross

The ordinance of baptism can be attended by both parents, grandmothers, grandfathers and other relatives, and friends; presence of godparents is obligatory. It is they, and not the parents, who take the baby out of the font after washing.

Gold, like silver, does not cause allergic reactions, so products made of this metal are also in demand. If all the conditions are met, such a cross will be a wonderful gift from a godfather or godmother. However, keep in mind that a thin chain is easy to break, so for the first time you should give preference to a cotton or linen fiber lace. The pectoral cross is worn constantly. It is believed that this is the only way he will protect the baby from all troubles and misfortunes.