In the Christian Orthodox tradition as well as in the Catholic one the godfathers have a really important role in the wedding. Due to this matter it’s great to think well before choosing a pair of godfathers with which you have to spend Easter, Christmas and together with whom you have to think alike and have the same ideas.
Some time in the past it was like a tradition that the godfather was that person who initialized the bride before the groom. There are some traditions however that changed in the same time of the Christianization.
The role of godfathers in the weddings has proven to be not that important in the late years and the godfather is the main character accordingly to traditions- and not the young couple. Well, after reading this idea it may seem all so outrageous to you, but it’s kind of true.
The godfather is followed as importance in the wedding by the bride and this is a paradoxical idea, because in most of the cases you think that the bride is the main figure in a wedding. Accordingly to traditions and customs, the material obligations of the godfathers are concerning the veil, the candles and the ceremony in the church. These are only traditions….
The spiritual obligations are however much important. They have the duty of pushing the bride and groom on their way together during their lifetime and the young couple has to respect the godfathers as they do with their parents.
In order not to loose this duty of the bride and groom, more and more priests talk to the couple in the end of the ceremony, and they talk to them about their obligation of offering advice and talking with the godfathers in their more difficult moments in life. After they’ve decided whom they want as godfathers, the young couple has to make them a visit with different attentions….
The gifts can be received or refused by the godfathers, them receiving it is equivalent with accepting the proposal of supporting the young couple.
Also, the godfathers have the duty of buying the veil of the bride. The veil should be placed on the bride’s head by the godmother and it’s her duty to make it stand in a gorgeous manner on the head.
Another duty of the bride is tying the bride in the end of the party, when the veil is taken off and the bride is considered as being a woman fully. In some parts of the world this is a tradition that is still maintained and it’s relied to the usage of a ribbon. The godmother is involved in this ritual of playing with the ribbon….