The UK and Godparents, was Re: Sirius and Gringotts

[sbursztynski]

No: HPFGUIDX 95857

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "ghinghapuss" 
<rredordead at a...> wrote:
> > 
> 
> 
> Mandy here:
> I'd like to add that in my experience which was a very loose 
Church 
> of England upbringing.  (The Death or Cake religion, as per the 
> brilliant Eddie Izzard.)  Godparents were chosen the parents to 
be 
> secondary guardians.  People who the child could go to incase 
of 
> trouble or difficulty.  It was expected, although not legally 
> binding, that the Godparents would adopt the child if anything 
> happened to the parents. 
> 
> But most importantly each child has 3 godparents.  2 men and 
1 woman 
> if the child was a boy, and 2 women and 1 man if the child was 
a 
> girl.  So who are Harry's other Godparents?  Yet another 
question he 
> has yet to ask.
> 
> Mandy

Sue B here:

I have a vague memory from somewhere in my historical reading 
that in the Middle Ages, the godparent was considered a relative 
to the extent that you couldn't marry one, because it was 
considered too close. My memory could be wrong, of course, but 
I vaguely recall finding the notion fascinating. Given that the WW 
is very traditional in many ways, perhaps they haven't changed?

Just  a thought.