It was a perfect day for a Christening at the St George Serbian Orthodox Church in Cabramatta. The youngest daughter of Tania and Ray Duricic was about to be christened.
Many of Tania’s and Ray’s friends and family were present to witness this joyous and celebratory event. It is always at events such as these that you realise how important it is for people to come together and socialise and interact…no matter what the occasion.
Since I am not accustomed to witnessing an Orthodox Christian ceremony, I was fascinated to see the traditional proceedings and rituals. The interior of the church has many murals, paintings of religious figures, gilded objects and is rich with colour and gold.
At this christening, the role of the godparents is to attend to the person being christened, to present Kristina and to repeat the vows given by the priest. The parents stand in the background, supporting their child from a distance.
Once the service was completed, everyone moved to a nearby reception centre where the festivities continued, complete with musicians including a very enthusiastic piano accordionist and keyboard player, as well as a delicious feast.
It also happened to be Kristina’s first birthday. Obviously you can’t have a birthday without a cake and the obligatory blowing-out of the candles. It was a most fantastic day, not only for Kristina but also for all those who attended.
