Epiphany marked with the baptism of 630 babies

(19 Jan 2011)
1. Wide exterior Holy Trinity Cathedral
2. Mid shot worshippers with children walking towards cathedral
3. Mid shot worshippers lighting the candles
4. Close-up candles
5. Wide shot baptism ceremony
6. Close-up infant
7. Mid shot children in the church
8. Close-up infant being baptised
9. Mid shot infant being baptised
10. SOUNDBITE (Georgian) Marina Meparishvili, Godmother:
"This feeling is overwhelming. I cannot describe it in words. I am so blessed to be part of it and want to congratulate everyone with the Epiphany."
11. Mid shot infant being baptised
12. SOUNDBITE (Georgian) Vakhtang Kvizhinadze, Priest:
"The demographic situation has improved since the Patriarch initiated becoming the godfather of every third child. Some are giving birth especially to get this blessing. I have in my parish people who have grown up children and they decided to have a third child because of this initiative."
13. Wide shot child being baptised
14. Wide exterior Holy Trinity Cathedral
STORYLINE:
Six-hundred-thirty babies were baptised in the Georgian capital Tbilisi on Wednesday to mark Epiphany - and the Patriarch of Georgia, Ilia II, is the godfather of all of them.
In 2007, Georgia's most senior cleric came up with the idea that he would personally baptise all babies born to married couples who have more than two children.
Since then, Georgia has experienced a baby boom.
According to official data since the initiative, the country's birth rate has increase by 20 per cent.
The priest of the Holy Trinity cathedral said people had decided to have more than two children since the Patriarch's initiative.
"The demographic situation has improved since the Patriarch initiated becoming the godfather of every third child. Some are giving birth especially to get this blessing. I have in my parish people who have grown up children and they decided to have a third child because of this initiative," priest Vakhtang Kvizhinadze said.
Previously, Georgia had one of the lowest birth rates in the world.

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