Last October, we had the pleasure of flying back to Romania to capture the wonderful celebration of A's Christening.

Romania is the fourth largest country in terms of the number of Orthodox Christian followers, after Russia, Ethiopia, and Ukraine. The majority of the population (over 80% according to some statistics) adheres to the Orthodox Christian religion, although the state recognises 18 different religions and denominations with no official one.

With such a large number of followers, certain traditions and ceremonies remain important in today's society, one of them being the Baptism or Christening.

The Age

Unlike other religions, Orthodox Christian children are baptized in their first few months of life. In Romania, parents and godparents organise a family and friends reunion to come together and celebrate. Besides weddings, this celebration is probably the biggest in our country, and people do go out of their way to attend.

We started the day early at A's home, where we were greeted by her parents, grandparents, and godparents. Everyone had breakfast together, put on their fancy outfits, and spent the morning ensuring all the details were in perfect order. We captured some photos of A in her natural environment, candid shots, and also tried to capture some formal photos.

The Godparents

Godparents play a central role in this celebration and are meant to be seen as spiritual guides for the child as they grow. They come to the house in the morning with a large candle, a white outfit, and different objects needed during the church ritual.

In the church, they hold the baby and confess on his/her behalf. The godparents take the lead for the first part of the service before the child is baptized and given back to the mother.

During the Service

People arrive at the church and take their place with the child, godparents, and parents at the front. A table is prepared with all the necessary items, and the priest starts the service with a reading. The godparents are tasked with being the child's voice, as they face the West to renounce Satan and then turn to the East to welcome Christ's union on his/her behalf. They then recite the Apostles Creed.

As the ceremony progressed, it was an honour to capture the atmosphere and the emotions of everyone involved. A’s father was especially tearful, and you could see how happy and proud both parents were. She was on her best behaviour too, following the priest's movements with awe and curiosity.

The priest blesses the water, and the child is anointed with oil and then submerged underwater three times to symbolise the birth, death, and resurrection of Christ.

In some churches, the child is fully submerged. A's parents decided that this is not what they wanted, and luckily there are priests nowadays who understand the parents' concerns and will only bathe the body and pour water over the babies' heads.

The newly baptized child is dressed in white to symbolise the purity of their soul, and they circle the Baptismal Font three times with the priest, godparents, and candle.

Three locks of hair are removed as a symbol of sacrifice and obedience, and then the child is given Holy Communion (the flesh and blood of Christ). Once the service is complete, the child is returned to their mother's arms, and the priest encourages the community to bring them to church to strengthen the bond with Christ.

The Party

The baptism is usually followed by a party, whether it's a small family gathering or a full-on celebration like in A's case.

We gathered at the restaurant where people had the chance to mingle, enjoy nice food, dance, and have fun. The parents even started the party with a first dance for the three of them as everyone cheered for A. Even though the party started early, around 1 p.m., everyone continued to rock the dancefloor until late in the night. The atmosphere was great, and you could see how happy they all were to come together for such a wonderful celebration.

At the end of the night, people present their gifts or money for the child, and they are offered party favours before heading home. I can tell you the macarons we received didn't last long as they were absolutely delicious, and we also had the pleasure of enjoying some home-made cognac.