THE BAPTISM AND THE FOUNDATION IN CRETE
In Crete In the old days the newborn child had to baptized as soon as possible, because the infant disease were not easy to fight and so the child should not be left without baptized because if he died they would become goblins. In fact, to protect it from evil spirits, until it was baptized, it was called a dragon.
The named was the second after the wedding a great family event, which treated with a feast. In the baptism of the child was necessary the collaboration of the Child (godfather), which be the driver of the life.
The custody of the godfather was done by the father of the boy long before this was born, with the old custom, during which the father “caught hand” with a good friend, to baptize the child, which his wife was waiting for. With this handshake he closed an unbreakable agreement, which obliged the candidate to baptize the child, if he would born and at the same time the father not to give it to anyone else for baptism.
This unwritten agreement was also applicable, in which two mpistikoi (pectoral) Friends “give hand” to baptize each other the child, who born first. There was still the case, that the Santolos (godfather) of Kopeliou (child) was by chance-this was happening when the family did not have children, but they died shortly after they were born.
In these cases they made a vow, that the child would be baptized by the first person they would meet after the birth of the child. This random godfather-Synteknos was free of all the costs of baptism, give usually at the request of the family in Filiotso (admitted) the name Stylianos, or Stereos to solid .
The usual Synteknos (godfather) had to bear the filiotsistika baptizing clothes of the baby and with them the Myropano (myrrh cloth), the frankincense, the candles of the font and above all the oil-which made them synteknoys merwtikoys (The Perfectionist Synch). Close to them was the hanging, which was originally a white mpolida (large handkerchief), which tieded crosswise in the two diagonal edges and passed over the neck and hung in the neophyte after diving in Font and after dressing with the filiotsistpka – baptizing clothes .
In baptizing , the father of the child had to take care of all those: they needed for a good day feast with the Syntekno (godfather) his company and with relatives and friends of the family. Meats, cheeses, sitino ftazymo a kind of breads and plenty of booze in raki and wine. At the same time he had to ensure in time and Chi Paignidiatoroys (music band) of the Feast lyre, Ntaoyltzi and quarterback, which would played chi(to) dances and songs of feast this.
In the old years over the eight days during the baptism, back the Synteknos (godfather) with his company and gathered again the relatives and friends of the family, so the priest along with the Syntekno untied the stayrwmata that is The knot that was tied to the ends of the child’s hanger. And on this occasion the father of the child faced other kneaded, other carcasses and cheese, other Rakokrasa (kind of wines) and other Klapatsimpala (musical instruments) for the new feast and Choreytakismata (dances).
Merwtiki Synteknia (The Perfectionist Synch) was a powerful-friendly bond, which even extended to the next of kin of the child, from whence the other folk facetious “of our child, the dog Synteknos (godfather) is also.” The bond of Synteknias (godfather) was considered sacred, and that is why they were used in some cases to make great grudges and conflicts between mutually hated families.
If sometimes cooled the relationship between the children, the father of the child threatened to turn the oil (of the baptism) to the syntekno (godfather), to relieve the bond of Synteknias.
When the Filiotso (godchild) was feminine, it was a habit, to assume the Santolos (godfather) to to crown it during her marriage when she grew up. This habit confirms the maxim “after you have the oil put on the vine”. This means that the one who put “the oil” ie. The oil of baptism should also put “the vine” ie. The wedding wreath, because in the old days the wreaths of the wedding were made from Vine vine or another kind of wild vine, the honeysuckle.
This information was taken from the Crete blog and then edited for our purposes.