Modern reality and the nature of building relationships between people are such that people call the godfather or godfather of almost any relative or close acquaintance who cannot be given a different definition. However, historically, this concept carried a very important meaning in a religious society and imposed a number of obligations on everyone named by this name.
Kum is not at all a close relative, but rather a person who is rightfully in the so-called spiritual relationship with you, being the godfather of your daughter or son, the main character in the baptismal ceremony. Moreover, the name "godfather" is acceptable for the child himself. Those who are godfather and godfather, not only cannot be husband and wife, but from the point of view of church traditions in no way should they have a close or intimate relationship.
Nepotism
As a rule, it is customary to take very close friends or relatives as godfathers, whom you most trust and assume close communication throughout your subsequent life, because the named godfather should devote as much time as possible to your child and even, if necessary, replace his own mother or father.
Quarreling with godfathers is still considered a bad act, a sin. Godfathers are the closest people for children after their parents, and therefore they are always welcome guests in the house and full members of the family.
The godfather and godfather, according to the rules, take baptismal oaths for their newly baptized and reborn child at the time of the rite, according to the laws established by the church, the godfather should maximally influence the moral development of his godfather, introduce him to the church and introduce him to the basics of a godly life and faith, and godfather to teach everyday life and family life. A child could come to godfathers at all times with his fears and a lump of everyday problems.
Not only rank, but also duties
Becoming a godfather, a person gets an invisible connection with the family that invited him, and a woman called godfather becomes almost a relative with all the privileges and disadvantages of this title. That is why the often used saying that you don’t have to baptize children with a certain person means that this person is absolutely alien to you and does not have any privileges for further close communication and participation in your life and the lives of people close to you.
Thus, during baptism, the baby acquires a kind of "spare" family, and you suddenly get new relatives, whom you must honor, respect, give gifts, congratulate on holidays and name days until the end of your days.
The concept of nepotism is widespread in modern Ukraine, but a close friend is increasingly called godfather there than a godfather.
At the time of marriage, both godfather and godfather, along with their own parents, sit at the head of the table and often bear no less expenses than close relatives.
