The Orthodox Pages

 

 ASK AN ORTHODOX PRIEST

Homepage

 

   Back                     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Question 120

Thank you I have one further question it has been said on many occasions by the parents of the child that the role of godparent ceases at the point the child enters into adulthood      

 

Answer to Question 120

 

That depends on what people mean by role or obligations.  The Godparents obligation, together with the child’s parents, is to educate and rear the child in the Orthodox faith. If the parents’ obligations stop when the child becomes an adult then I suppose so does the godparent’s. But I think what people mean by this is that the godparents are not obliged to continue giving presents to their godchildren once they become adults.  If both godparents and parents have fulfilled their obligation to the full and instructed the child according to the faith then they are to be commended for having done their duty and raised an adult who can now instruct others in the Christian faith. But this rarely happens so their obligations should never cease.