Was there something special about this summer? A special event? In all the running around across three continents it is almost a blur but yes, there was... Irini was baptised! Natalia and Laurence had spent a long time preparing her for the "dunk". We had taken her down to the pool, tossed water in her face, even dunked her under water just to make sure she was ready. By the time she got to the church on the morning of June 21st, she was happily looking at the place, splashing her feet in the water and not quite minding the fact that her entire body was slopped in olive oil (Ralph - the proud godfather - did a great job!) and the priest was dunking her in three times in true Orthodox custom. With each dunk the small crowd of onlookers (mostly friends and family) took a breath in anticipation of the crying that would be done. All little babies cry when they are being baptised, it seems. Well, not this one. This one just smiled and looked around happily! The 25 minute ceremony was short, beautiful, and filled with very many happy faces. When it was all over Irini was changed and given her new white outfit with which she can now march on in life, white with innocence and free of worries.
The baptism included a number of local friends (Peter and Vika, Stelio & Maria, Vasil and Sophia to name a few) and, of course, the godparents (Ralph and Anne, along with their own daughter Maria who was baptised there years earlier), but also involved Natalia's two aunts - Patricia and Marta - who now live in Madrid. Their whirlwind visit (from Friday evening to Sunday morning) was as action-packed as it could, including, in addition to the baptism and post-ceremony lunch, a visit downtown to see the Acropolis and take a stroll around the Plaka area, and a Greek dinner or two.
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