This beautiful Greek Orthodox baby baptism took place at the newly constructed St. Nicholas Church & National Shrine at the World Trade Center, and although the little one was pretty upset during the ceremony, it was a beautiful testament to tradition and spirituality.

The priest began with the Sacrament of Baptism, a pivotal moment symbolizing the child's entry into the Orthodox Christian community. Water, representing spiritual purification and rebirth, played a central role as the child was fully immersed 3 three times in the baptismal font signifying the Holy Trinity. Following the baptismal rite, baby is anointed with holy chrism, representing the bestowal of the Holy Spirit and sealing the bond with God. Prayers were offered for the child's spiritual growth and guidance, invoking blessings for a life enriched by faith.

What made this baptism even more special was the fusion of cultures: while both families were Catholic, each parent hailed from different nationalities – Greek and Ukrainian. Following the baptism, the two families gathered for a joyous brunch at a traditional Ukrainian restaurant in the East Village.

Here are some of my favorite images from this shoot (click/tap to view full-size and un-cropped):

To see more examples of this style of photography, visit my religious ceremonies gallery >>

All images in this blog post were shot on a Nikon D850, using a variety of lenses, all individually post-processed in Adobe Lightroom.

Jinnifer Douglass is a full-time freelance photographer based in NYC, shooting both digital and film for individuals and brands such as Google, Door Dash, Make Up For Ever, Squarespace, and more! Specializing in portraits, food, and special events, she works to make every piece of your social and website content ‘Insta-worthy’ with high resolution, full-frame DSLR photography and expert Lightroom editing. Interested in chatting? Leave a comment below, or send an email to info@jinyc-photo.com!