What is the Role of Greek Godparents at Easter

Written by Greek Boston in Greek Easter Traditions Comments Off on What is the Role of Greek Godparents at Easter

In order to understand the role of Greek Godparents at Easter, it helps to understand what their overall role really is. Essentially, they’re tasked with guiding the Godchild during their path of learning about and practicing the Greek Orthodox faith.

Relationships between the Godparents and the Godchild differ greatly because it all depends on what the child really needs. If the parents of the child are avid churchgoers, the Godparent won’t need to get involved as much as they would if the parents don’t regularly attend church.

No matter what your relationship with your Godchild is, it’s still nice to renew your bonds now and then. Easter is a perfect time for that! Even though there are no set rules, it’s still a perfect opportunity to spend some time with your Godchild and even to pamper him or her. Here are some things that you can do during Great Lent, Holy Week, and Easter that will help strengthen your bonds and help guide him or her on the path to being a practicing Orthodox Christian:

Buy an Easter Outfit

Many Godparents buy their Godchild a special outfit to be worn during Holy Week or Easter. Even though this isn’t actually mandated by the church, it is a tradition in many families. When the outfit is worn will all depend on when the Godchild goes to church. For instance, if he or she always attends the Holy Saturday service that takes place in the evening, this is the perfect time to wear the outfit!

Take Holy Communion

Even if you both take Holy Communion on a regular basis, it’s nice to set aside one day to take it together at some point during Great Lent or during Holy Week. This gives you and your Godchild a chance to spend some quality time together while also participating in a very special part of the Orthodox Christian Divine Liturgy together.

Gift the Easter Candle

Does your Godchild attend the Holy Saturday service that takes place in the evening? During this service, the candle plays an important part. While you could always have your Godchild use the candle that the church provides, these candles tend to be unremarkable. While the point of the candle itself is what it represents (they’re lit at the moment when Christ rises from the dead) there’s no harm in giving your Godchild a candle that is a little more unique than the ones the church provides. This is a great tradition that many Godparents and their Godchildren follow.

It is important to understand that there are no set rules as to what the Godparents need to do during Easter. With that being said, the Godparents do have an obligation to make sure that their Godchild develops a great relationship with God and the Orthodox Church. Easter is the perfect time to make sure that the child’s spiritual journey is sound. It’s also a great time to give your Godchild a gift and to also spend some extra time developing the bond between you.

Categorized in: Greek Easter Traditions

This post was written by Greek Boston