The Role of the Godparents in Weddings
This article discusses the role and roots that Godparents have during the Wedding ceremony. This also lightly touches on how these people can help not only sanctifying the rites but how they play can play into the life of the couple and the family they stand to create.
The origins of the role of godparents in weddings
are directly related to the practice of baptism and confirmation. By
the second century AD baptisms were accepted as spiritual and social
purification of infants and secondary parents or “sponsors” would enact
to speak the child’s part in the acceptance of God in life. This also
was the case in Confirmation as the rites of Christian passage into
adulthood and so for weddings as the couple’s union binds them together
as one. As religion binds families and communities together,
Godparenting became a lifetime commitment with a promise to care the
religious upbringing of all the children of God. The common thread
among all these is that in every rite of a new beginning a hierarchy of
spiritual maturity is expected and in case that the parents of the
child cannot fulfill this obligation then the people who stood side by
side during the parents should be able to carry the duty. The Spanish
words for the godparent roles are used for members of the wedding
party—padrino meaning "godfather" or "best man" and madrina meaning
"godmother" or "matron of honor"—reflecting the custom of baptismal
sponsors acting in this role in a couple's wedding.
Much of the
rites and rituals for weddings are drawn from the Anglo-Saxon age and
have been intertwined with many other beliefs to which Christianity
grew with during its formative years. From oral and written history it
was drawn out that when there was a union to be held all sorts of
charms, chants and prayers were alluded to the couple to grant them
happiness, fertility and prosperity. This was the norm for most other
rituals and passages.
In order to bestow all these good fortunes
to the couple it was deemed necessary for the attendance of the wisest
and the most learned people in the land. For these people not only can
stand as a role model to achieve but can be consulted on to build an
enduring married life. There was actually a period when validity of the
marriage required the “witnessing” of consummation in the marriage bed.
There was also a superstition that the bride’s under garments were also
lucky items to be had. Unfortunately, the combination of gaiety and
inebriation during this part of the ritual sometimes would get the
bride physically hurt, as the witnesses would jostle for those lucky
garters. This eventually led to another wedding rite “tossing the
garter”, which actually was a bridal tactic for self-preservation.
There
are many translations and semblances in many Christian sects and
churches with the terms “witness”, “sponsor” and ”godparent”, but
generally the can be used interchangeably. Basically, if we refer back
to the Greeks, the godparent was originally called a patronus which
translates to a protector who was adopted by the Christian parents for
the sake of the future of the child.
Only one godparent is
necessary according to canon law 874, although both a godfather and a
godmother are preferred. Nowadays it is very common to see multiple
“sets” which is possibly brought about by the intention to creation a
larger support group for new union. Not all marriages start with a
formidable war chest so a strong web of sacred kinships can be alluded
to as a formidable alternative.
In all sense of the word
Godparents are guardians of the faith. In some cases they are enacted
upon to actually co-sign as “guarantors” in the marriage certificate.
The bride and groom should treat this role not merely as gift givers
during nuptials; but as co-sharers to the promise of a lifetime of
Christian commitment.
For godparents, it gives a person both a
new and special status as a child of God and it makes a person a member
of the Body of Christ, the Church— so the choice is critically an
important one, so if asked please carry on the responsibility with
utmost care and consideration as you who can truly represent that
Christian community. This is the gift that you bring, for you now hold
a sacred place in the hearts of the couple.
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