The use of sponsors in Baptism dates back to the days when Christians were persecuted by the Roman Emperor Nero. Parents were often massacred during these persecutions. Thus, sponsors were provided to instruct the children in the Christian faith in the event the parents were martyred. The godparent(s) promise to see to it that the child is raised and educated in the Orthodox Christian faith. For this reason, it is important that godparent(s) be chosen not for social reasons, but because they are persons who love God and His Church. Sponsors must be Orthodox Christians in good standing with the Church; otherwise, they will not be able to bring up the child in a faith that is not theirs.

The Responsibility of the Sponsor or Godparent(s)

1. The Godparent(s) must be of Orthodox faith.
2. The Godparent(s) should be a member in good standing in the Orthodox Church.
3. A person cannot serve as godparent(s) if his/her marriage has not been blessed in the Orthodox Church; or if civilly divorced, he or she has not been granted ecclesiastical divorce; or of any reason he or she is not in communion with the Orthodox Church.
4. If he or she is a member of another community, they must provide the current membership card and a letter of good standing from the Pastor of the community from which they belong.
5. He or she should know and be able to recite the "Creed" in English or in Greek.
6. For three consecutive Sundays, the Godparent(s) have to bring the newly baptized child to the Church to receive Communion. They should also bring the candle that should be lit prior to receiving Communion.
7. The parents should not bathe the child for three days following the Baptism, because the newly illumined has the Holy Chrismation on him/her, which is the "Seal of the Holy Spirit". It is a custom to have a vigil light (with oil) lit at the house for these three days if there is no vigil light already burning at the home's icon shrine (econostasion).

On the third day, the Godparent(s) go to their Godchild's home to bathe the newly illuminated in a basin before sunset and wash all the items that the body of the child touched. The water is kept in a bucket. Then again with very warm, hot water this time, in the basin they wash all the sheets, pillow cases, towels and underwear that the baby was using. These buckets of water have to be thrown into a river, ocean or in a wooded place under a tree that nobody steps on, it consists of Holy Chrismation.