Witnessing a Baby Baptism at the Church of Saint Lydia of Philippi, Greece

After a visit at the Kriendis River, we went to the church nearby, the Church of Saint Lydia of Philippi, commemorating Lydia of Thyatira, considered the first Christian convert in Europe. Her story is recorded in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 16). This is the spot where Paul the Apostle is believed to have baptized her in a nearby river.

When we stepped inside the church, we saw beautiful Orthodox frescoes and a small baptistery pool (symbolizing Lydia’s baptism).

  Because Greece is a deeply traditional country where the vast majority of the population identifies as Greek Orthodox, infant baptism is considered a social norm and is highly expected.

  The ideal and most traditional window for an infant baptism is between three and nine months of age, and it almost always happens before the child turns one year old.

Culturally and religiously, the baptism (Vaptisi) is a major milestone because it is when the baby officially receives his/her name. Prior to the baptism, the baby is often affectionately referred to simply as "baba" (baby) rather than by his/her given name.

  Lucky for us, there was a baptism ceremony going on with a baby girl who was about eight months old.

 

  We saw a nicely dressed woman holding the baby ( the God mother ) with the parents standing close by while the priest was putting some sort of oil on the different parts of the baby. The oil symbolized spiritual armor to fight off evil. The baby was calm, quiet, never made a fuss throughout the entire ceremony.

There were lots of relatives and family members dressed in their formal attires attending and witnessing this ceremony.

  One thing I found surprising was that the baby initially was wearing a diaper when the priest was performing the pre baptism ceremony, but came the moment when the baby was baptised, she was completly naked and was immersed into the baptism basin! I never expected this to happen.The first naked baptism I have ever witnessed in ly life!

 

After doing some research, I learned that in Greece, the Three-Fold Immersion is practised - Unlike Western Christian baptisms where water is simply sprinkled on the forehead, a Greek Orthodox baptism involves naked, full immersion. The priest dips the baby completely underwater three times in a large silver font (kolymbithra). This represents the three days Christ spent in the tomb and the baby's spiritual rebirth.

After the baptism, the priest handed the baby to the father who wrapped her in a pristine white cloth and the priest cut off some locks of hair from her head. This is supposed to be the baby's very first offering or sacrifice to God as hair is the only a baby truly owns and can give away.

 

Then baby was taken to the back and dressed by the parents in a brand-new outfit.

 

  I learned that the baptism outfit is purchased by the Godparent ( Nounos or Nouna) who holds immense prestige in Greek culture. They pay for almost the entire ceremony—including the child's clothing, the church fees, the oil, and the candles. They also traditionally choose the baby's name, which is officially revealed to the community for the first time during the ceremony.

Then the fully clothed newly baptised baby came back and were blessed by the priest. I caught the mother wiped away a few tears of joy at the ceremony.

  It was an incredibly joyous, formal and beautiful celebration of life shared with family, relatives and friends in the community!

  We were so privileaged to have witnessed this joyous infant baptism at the Church of Saint Lydia of Philippi, in Greece! RT, Near Ancient Philippe, Greece, 042026 Philippi Greece 042026