PICTURE EXCLUSIVE: Proud parents Kim Kardashian and Kanye West look on as North is baptised in a traditional Armenian ceremony in Jerusalem
- Kim Kardashian and Kanye West's daughter North was baptised in a traditional Armenian ceremony during the family's recent visit to Jerusalem
- The ceremony took place in the 12th-century Saint James Cathedral, within the walls of the Old City
- Reality TV star Kim covered her body in long clothing while wearing a headscarf, as per the requirements of the faith
- The 22-month-old's service was watched over by Kim's sister Khloe, who was named her godmother
- North is now a member of the Armenian Apostolic Church, the oldest national church in the world
- The following morning, the famous family visited the Church of the Holy Sepulchre
- The site is believed to be the location of the crucifixion and resting place of Jesus of Nazareth
Kim
Kardashian and Kanye West's daughter North is now a member of the
Armenian Apostolic Church - the oldest national church in the world -
after being baptised in a traditional ceremony.
The
baptism took place following the famous family's recent visit to Kim's
homeland Armenia, which saw them take a pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the
22-month-old's special ceremony.
It
was one of the highest honours for the youngster, her baptism into
civilisation's most ancient religion taking place at St. James
Cathedral, a 12th century church that sits within the walls of
Jerusalem's Old City.
Incredible moment: Kim Kardashian and
Kanye West took their daughter North to be baptised in the holy St.
James Cathedral in Jerusalem's Old City during their recent trip to the
Holy Land
The centuries-old church in the Holy Land was swarmed by fans as the famous family entered the building.
But
inside the iconic temple, the scenes were markedly different, as Kim
held her daughter gently in her arms ahead of her induction into the
faith.
The
reality TV star, who is known for her love of a revealing ensemble,
instead wore a full length skirt and long-sleeved blouse to keep her
body covered as per the traditional etiquette of the church.
Traditional: Kim covered her body in a
full skirt and long sleeves, while wearing a scarf on her head as a
mark of respect while cradling her 22-month-old during the service
An honour: North West was inducted into the Armenian Apostolic Church on April 13, the same religion as her famous mother
Family first: Kim's sister Khloe Kardashian (right) was also in attendance at the ceremony, acting as godmother to her niece
Rite of passage: Kim held her daughter in her arms as the Baptism minister read the holy scripture
Centuries-old ceremony: The family were joined by members of the Armenian church for the service
And
covering her head and hair was a headscarf, a garment which must be
worn by women at all times while inside the church during service.
The
serene star cradled her little girl, who fell asleep for a short while
during the hour-long service, as rapper Kanye stood silently beside
them, his head bowed.
North wore a traditional white gown for the service, and her father matched her with his white trousers and long-sleeved jumper.
Male
attendees at an Armenian church are not required to cover their head
once inside a building, meaning the musician was able to go without a
headdress.
Uncovered: As a male attendee within
the church, 37-year-old Kanye was not required to wear anything on his
head, unlike the adult female members of his family
Kisses: While being cuddled by Kim, North was given a kiss by her famous father
Incredible scenes: Within the 12th century church, North looked on as she received one of the holiest blessings in civilisation
Kim's
younger sister Khloe, 30, was also in attendance at the baptism, acting
as her niece's godmother, and it was previously reported that she was
chosen for the special role due to her closeness with the child.
She
too sported a headscarf, and stood further back beyond her sister and
brother-in-law for the duration of the rite of passage.
But
at one point, she stepped closer and touched the tot's arm as she
looked back over her mother's shoulder into the large church beyond.
Out of her hands: Doting mum Kim, 34, then passed her only daughter to the minister, who was above them on the altar
Proud moment: Kim and Kanye looked on as their tot was taken into the arms of the Armenian church official
Family event: Khloe looked on from behind her sister and brother-in-law
Serene: While outside the iconic holy
building were scenes of chaos as fans gathered to see the famous family,
inside was a different matter
Quiet time: Kanye seemed chastened by
the entire ceremony, as his daughter became a member of the Armenian
Apostolic Church, otherwise known as the Gregorian Church
Noble moment: North is now a member of the oldest national church in the world
All tuckered out: North will celebrate
her second birthday in June, just a few weeks after joining her parents
for their tour of Armenia and Jerusalem
It's
also thought that the priest conducting the service acted as godfather:
while an uncommon practice, it is an option when no other suitable
person is present.
As
is the conventional method, North was taken by the Baptism minister and
had Holy water poured over her head, an age-old tradition in order to
'cleanse the soul from original sin' as well as making one an official
member of the Armenian Apostolic Church, otherwise known as the
Gregorian Church.
She was also given a cross by the church during the service, which was conducted in both Armenian and English.
The little girl was taken up to the altar by the minister, as her parents stepped back and watched on.
A
small crowd was assembled inside the holy temple to watch North's
blessing, while a larger group of people had gathered outside the
building to catch a glimpse of the Kardashian-Wests.
Sleepy girl: During the hour-long service, North fell asleep for a little while
Doting auntie: While Khloe stood behind Kim and Kanye, she reached out to stroke North's arm in the midst of service
Baptism traditions: North had Holy
water poured on her head, and was also given a cross, as Kim later
admitted she was 'thankful' for the special event
Bilingual: The ceremony lasted an hour, and was conducted in both English and Armenian
Following
the service, Kim told People magazine: 'It was such a beautiful
experience for my family to have North baptised in Jerusalem. Kanye and I
are so thankful.'
Archbishop
Aris Shirvanian, an Armenian church official, revealed beforehand that
the family had indeed arrived for the baptism ceremony during their
two-day visit to Jerusalem, on April 13.
'Kim
Kardashian's daughter will be baptised and become a Christian
officially and a member of the Armenian church,' he explained, amid the
commotion that was taking place thanks to the inescapable lure of the
Kardashian-Wests.
'All I know is that she's a famous personality. I don't know her in person. In any case she is welcome with her family.'
Meanwhile,
as Kim is a member of the Armenian church, Kanye was raised a Christian
with his rather Ray West becoming a Christian counsellor in his later
life.
An
openly-spiritual man, he has previously spoken about his love of Jesus
Christ and his love of his faith, with religion a recurring theme in his
musical work: in fact, one of the songs on his album Yeezus is entitled
I Am God.
He
maintains that his artistry and talents are God-given gifts, and in an
interview with Los Angeles-based radio station Power 106 back in 2013,
he stated: 'I'm working on one mission and that's a mission from God,
period.'
He famously travelled with a pastor on one of his tours, due to the heavily religious and Christian overtones to his staging.
Early morning visit: The following day, at 5am, the family visited the Church of the Holy Sepulchre
Landmark moment: The husband and wife
touched a marble slab within the historical site, which is identified as
the place of both the crucifixion and the tomb of Jesus of Nazareth
Part
of the family's trip was filmed for their eponymous Keeping Up With The
Kardashians programme, but their time within the cathedral was off
camera.
After the service, the family dined with Jerusalem mayor Nir Barkat at Mona Restaurant.
The
following day, at a very early 5am, Kim, Kanye, Khloe and North
returned to the Old City of Jerusalem to visit the site of the Church of
the Holy Sepulchre.
Their
early morning visit gave them the chance to take in the ancient
architecture and the history around them in the Christian Quarter, while
avoiding the crowds and chaos of the previous day.
Also
known as the Church of the Resurrection, it is identified as the place
both of the crucifixion and the tomb of Jesus of Nazareth.
Doting
father Kanye also took his daughter in his arms and took a solo walk
around the area for their rare moment of family solitude, less than a
day after she was inducted into the same church to which her mother
belongs.
No chaos: To avoid the busy scenes from the previous day, they went out in the small hours to have a tour of the holy site
Alone time: The family used their time wisely, taking in the scenes of history in Jerusalem
Busy girl: North has visited some incredible places at such a tender age
Sisterly addition: Also on their early
morning trip was Khloe, who covered her face with a pair of shades
despite the pre-dawn darkness
Happy daddy: Kanye bore a huge smile as he carried his newly-baptised girl through the capital of Israel
Returning
to his wife and sister-in-law, the Grammy winning artist then joined
them as they went inside the iconic religious building, taking photos of
the altar while mingling with other early morning church-goers as a
priest dictated passages from the Bible.
Kim took her mobile phone out to record the moment as hymns were sung all around them by the church choir.
The
family then took to their knees on the ground where Jesus Christ is
believed to have been laid to rest after his death, Kim and Kanye both
touching the marble slab looking humbled by the experience.
They
ended their trip inside the church by going up to the exact height
where Jesus was crucified on the cross, and kneeling on the ground
before it before leaving at 6am.
Taking it all in: The Kardashian-Wests met with a few others as dawn broke in the midst of the holy area
Landmark moment: Kim and Kanye took their youngster to the site of the Holy Sepulchre
One for the photo album: North's visit to Jerusalem will be a memory she'll no doubt cherish for the rest of her life
Privileged: The famous couple - who
married in 2014 - woke up early to see the site of the crucifixion of
Jesus Christ, and crouched below the altar in the holy temple
Kim
had previously given her millions of fans on social media a glimpse
into perhaps the most sacred part of their trip, sharing a couple of
pictures taken within the Church of the Holy Sepulchre as the family
crouched beneath the statue of Christ.
'Good
morning Jerusalem! We woke up really early to see the site where the
crucifixion of Jesus Christ took place,' she wrote on Instagram.
Kim's
pilgrimage to Jerusalem followed her visit to her ancestral home, which
coincided with the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.
As
part of the famous family - who are now best known for their landmark
reality show Keeping Up With The Kardashians - Kim and her siblings hail
from the country on their late father Robert Kardashian's side.
Taking it all in: Kim dressed respectfully in a formal dress and long coat as she took in the sites of the historial landmark
Touched: Khloe appeared humbled as she stood in front of the tomb of Jesus Christ
Getting involved: The Kardashians and Kanye West also attended an early morning service, mingling with the other church-goers
Snap happy: Kim took the phone out to take pictures while holding her daughter on her hip
The
celebrity lawyer, who passed away in 2003 just eight weeks after being
diagnosed with cancer, raised his children Kim, Khloe, Kourtney and
Robert Jr, to know about their Armenian heritage.
His
ancestors fled the country during the genocide, thanks to the word of a
'prophet' who warned them of a war, imploring them to travel to America
and make a new life there.
Known
at the time as the Kardaschoffs, in the Russian style, the family made
their way from their home village of Karakale in the late 19th Century
to German ports. From there, they travelled to a new life in America on
the passenger vessels SS Brandenberg and SS Koln.
By
doing so, they escaped the triple horror of the First World War from
1914-18, the 'Armenian Genocide' starting in 1915 - exactly a century
ago this year - and the Russian Revolution in 1917.
Incognito: For their private family visit, they were pretty much able to go unnoticed
Taking memories: Khloe also made sure to take photographs within the Church of the Holy Sepulchre
Blending in: Scenes of busy chaos from the previous day were a distant memory as they emerged from the church
Checking out the shots? Kim seemed distracted as she looked at her device
A landmark trip: The family had
previously been in Armenia - the Kardashians' ancestral home - before
embarking on a two-day tour of Jerusalem's Old City
Still stylish: Kim managed to look flawless as she accompanied her husband and daughter for their early morning stint
Among
those fleeing Erzurum - then in Armenia, and ruled by last Russian Tsar
Nicholas II - was family patriarch Hovhannes Miroyan and Kim's
great-great grandfather, born in 1844. He married the doughty Luciag
Chorbajian, born in 1853.
The
couple wed in Erzurum, which is now in Turkey, in 1867 but escaped
along with their daughter Vartanoosh Mironyan, born in 1886, in the
early 20th century.
Vartanoosh's
distinctly blonde daughter Haigoohi Arakelian - known as Helen, born in
America in 1917, the year the Bolshevik Revolution rocked the Russian
Empire - was Kim's grandmother, who later married into the Kardashian
clan.
The glamorous and 'dynamic' Helen wed Arthur who ran the largest meat-packing business in southern California.
Helen's son Robert married Kris Houghton and they had four children - Kim, Khloe, Kourtney and Robert Jr.
Alone time: Kanye was then seen carrying his daughter as the two of them went off for a solo trek
Adorable: Perhaps unaware of the
baptism ceremony focused on her that had taken place hours before, North
was taken on a tour around the Old City with daddy
Humble entrance: With his hood up over his head, Kanye made for a low-key guest into the Holy Sepulchre
Amazed: North held the rapper's hand as she looked around the incredible interior of the holy building
Only
Kim and Khloe from the Kardashian clan visited Armenia, with their
older sister Kourtney, 36, and brother Robert Jr, 28, staying behind at
home in California.
A
few days before the baptism of North West, Kim and Khloe had visited
the eternal flame of the Armenian Genocide Memorial Complex on the
outskirts of Armenia's capital Yerevan as part of their highly
publicised tour.
On
Friday April 10, the reality TV stars placed flowers at the memorial to
the 1915 mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman soldiers, which took
place during World War I.
Upon
her arrival in the country, Kim gushed on Instagram: 'Armenia we are
here!!!!! We are so grateful to be here & start this journey of a
lifetime! Thank you to everyone who greeted us! I can't wait to explore
our country and have some yummy food!
️#MyDadAndGrandParentsWouldBeSoProud.'
She
also explained: 'My husband and daughter came to Armenia as well to see
my heritage and learn about my ancestors! My cousins came along too! So
excited I can't sleep.'
Tour guide: They seemed to be led by an expert around the church
Hurry up! The little girl - clad in shorts, boots and a leather jacket - quickly ran behind her father as they carried on
Off home? They finished their trek around the city to return to meet Kim and Khloe
Ties that bind: The Kardashian family tree that traces back to two Molokan Armenian families
She was also honoured to have met with the country's Prime Minister, along with a couple of her cousins who live in the country.
Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan had received the family in Yerevan on Thursday, shortly after their arrival from the US.
'It was an honor to meet the Prime Minister of Armenia,
Hovik Abrahamyan who expressed how proud they are that we are
proud Armenians and we have not forgotten our roots!
#NeverForget,' Kardashian wrote on her Instagram account.
The 100th anniversary of the mass killings in World War One
will be commemorated by Armenia on April 24.
Armenians, some Western historians and some foreign
parliaments refer to the mass killings as genocide.
Treated like royalty: While still in
Armenia the day before heading to Jerusalem, Kim and Khloe were treated
to a special dinner with locals
Special guest: Kim appeared to be given a necklace while sitting at the dinner table in the converted carpet factory
Entertainment: The reality TV siblings watched on as a dancer performed in front of them
Armenians
say up to 1.5 million of their kin were killed between 1915 and 1917 as
the Ottoman Empire was falling apart and have long sought to win
international recognition of the massacres as genocide.
Turkey
rejects the claims, arguing that 300,000 to 500,000 Armenians and as
many Turks died in civil strife when Armenians rose up against their
Ottoman rulers and sided with invading Russian troops.
During the trip, Kim and her family also spent time visiting the provincial city of Gymuri, where her distant relatives reside.
Kim
and Khloe were also treated to a special dinner, the two of them
receiving the royal treatment at a converted carpet factory, before the
family left to head to the Holy Land for their private two-day tour.
Taking part: Khloe jumped up and was taught some dance moves by the guests
Kicking up her heels! Looking slick in
a pair of skinny jeans and towering shoes, along with a traditional
Armenian jacket, Khloe gave it her all at the feast
Such fun: She could barely contain her giggles, while her sister Kim stayed seated at the table
Kanye
remained at the hotel with North, while the sisters took part in the
somewhat raucous festivities, Khloe leaping up to the dancefloor at one
point to receive a dancing lesson from locals, who made up the assembled
guests at the feast.
She
could barely contain her laughter as she tried to master some of the
traditional moves while Kim, dressed head-to-toe in white and wearing a
large necklace that appeared to have been gifted to her, looked on from
the dinner table.
The
family finally ended their extended stay in Armenia and Jerusalem after
eight days, Khloe returning to the United States as Kim, Kanye and
North went on to Paris, France for work purposes.
A special time: At the start of their
Armenia trip, Kim and Khloe visited the genocide memorial in Yerevan
along with their cousins
Meanwhile,
on Friday April 24 - the official 100th anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide - Kim took to her Twitter to leave a string of messages as a
mark of respect and to also show her pride at being of Armenian descent.
'Today
marks the 100 year anniversary of Armenian Genocide! I am proud to now
say I have been to Armenia,' she began telling her 31.1m fans on the
social networking site.
'I have seen the memorials and the people who survived and I am so proud of how strong the Armenian people are!
'I am saddened that still 100 years later not everyone has recognized that 1.5 million people were murdered.
'But proud of the fact that I see change and am happy many people have started to recognize this genocide!'
She continued: 'We won't give up, we will be recognized by all soon! #NeverForget #ProudArmenian.'
