U.S rapper, Kanye West, and his reality TV star wife, Kim Kardashian, recently had their 22-month-old daughter, North, baptized in Jerusalem on Monday.
In a confirmation from a close family source of the power couple to PEOPLE, it was stated that the entire West family, together with Khloe – a younger sister to Kim, who doubles as baby North’s godmother – were purposefully in Jerusalem to carry out the long desired baptism, though the couple had said they only planned visiting various holy sites in Israel on their middle-eastern tour.
In the baptism which took place at St. James Cathedral in the historic Armenian Quarter of the ancient city of the holy town, Kanye West and his daughter were spotted putting on an all-white outfit, while Kim was decked in long peach and beige colored outfit, even as a pack of fans mobbed the black SUV that dropped off the family.
Kim Kardashian, Kanye West in Jerusalem for daughter’s baptism http://t.co/LGP7rANP0E pic.twitter.com/Zm6T94DlqF
— Diyar (@DKurdistan) April 13, 2015
The officiating Priest, Archbishop Aris Shirvanian, confirmed that baby North has now officially become a Christian, and a member of the Armenian church, following her baptism in Jerusalem. Kim Kardashian, whose family has some close ties to Armenia, continues to express close links with her family heritage.
After the baptism was concluded at the Cathedral, the couple had a quick catch-up with Nir Barkat, the Mayor of Jerusalem, and they shared a meal.
Barkat who said they jointly raised a toast to Jerusalem, in a statement available on Jerusalem Post, he added that he admonished the power couple “to be ambassadors of Jerusalem and to spread the message around the world that Jerusalem is open and everyone is wanted here.”
The family was billed to leave Jerusalem for Jordan on Tuesday morning, to continue their tour of the Middle-East, which began last week with a five-day visit to Armenia to mark the 100-year anniversary of the Armenian genocide that occurred in 1915.
Hovik Abrahamyan, the Prime Minister of Armenia, commended the Hollywood couple for their contribution to “international recognition and condemnation of the Armenian genocide.”
The country of Turkey recognizes the fact that several Armenian Christians died in a partisan fight with Turkish Muslims back in 1915, but continues to deny that any act of genocide was taken against Armenia.