The font in wich Prince Carol was baptized
Text: Alexandra Mărășoiu, Raluca Mălăncioiu; photo: Mark Perpits
One of the objects in the collection of the National History Museum which is connected to the history of the Romanian monarchy is the font in which prince Carol (1893-1953) - later King Carol II of Romania - was baptized in the Orthodox faith, as it was stipulated in the constitution of 1866, but also as an expression of the Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen’s willingness to embrace the traditional values of the Romanian nation. Carol, who thus became the first Orthodox member of the Romanian royal family, was the first child of prince Ferdinand of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (designated heir presumptive to the Romanian throne because his paternal uncle, Carol of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, elected prince of the United Principalities of Wallachia and Moldova in 1866 and crowned king of Romania in 1881, lacked male successors) and of his wife, princess Marie, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria of Great Britain.
Carol was born in the early hours of Sunday, 3/15 October 1893, at about a quarter to two, at the Peleş Castle in Sinaia. At the request of King Carol, the members of the government, who were called to Sinaia from the capital, were the ones to choose the baby’s name: Carol. That same day, the christening was settled for 17/29 October 1893, which coincided with the young mother’s 18th anniversary.
The baptism took place in the grand hall of Peleş Castle, the religious service being officiated by metropolitan bishop Ghenadie Petrescu, without Princess Mary attending, as Orthodox tradition dictates (mothers can only enter a church 40 days after giving birth).
Among the presents received by Princess Mary on the occasion of her first son’s christening was the font used during the baptism, which was a gift from metropolitan bishop Ghenadie Petrescu. Made out of silvered common metal, in the form of a Communion chalice, its cup is decorated with a baptismal scene depicted within a medallion shaped as a heraldic shield: Jesus Christ is holding a baby above a baptismal font situated in front of an Altar table on which there are a Gospel and a pedestalled cross; the Altar table is framed by two tall candlesticks with burning candles, while above it can be seen a dove, symbol of the Holy Spirit, within a sun. All members of the Holy Trinity are present in the scene. In the upper and lower parts of the image are the inscriptions BOTEDAT IN ISUS XRISTOS (Baptized in Jesus Christ) and CAROL. On the stem of the chalice-shaped font there are three other inscriptions: PRINŢUL CAROL NĂSCUT LA 3 OCTOMBRIE/A FOST BOTEZAT LA 17 OCTOMBRIE ACELAŞI AN DE I.P.S.S. GHINADIE MITROPOLITUL UNGROVLAHIEI EXARCH AL PLAIURILOR/PRIMAT AL ROMÂNIEI ŞI PREŞEDINTE AL SFÂNTULUI SINOD/NAŞA FIIND A.S. IMPERIALĂ MARIA DUCESA DE COBURG GOTHA (PRINCE CAROL BORN ON 3 OCTOBER/WAS BAPTIZED ON 17 OCTOBER THE SAME YEAR BY HIS HOLINESS GHENADIE THE METROPOLITAN BISHOP OF UNGROVLAHIA, AUTONOMOUS EXARCH, PRIMATE OF ROMANIA AND PRESIDENT OF THE HOLY SYNOD/GODMOTHER BEING H.I.H. MARY, DUCHESS OF COBURG GOTHA); ACEST BAPTISERIU S’A DĂRUIT LA BOTEZ/DE CĂTRE I.P.S.S. MITROPOLITUL PRIMAT GHENADE/FAMILIEI REGALE (THIS FONT WAS OFFERED BY HIS HOLINESS THE PRIMATE METROPOLITAN BISHOP GHENADIE TO THE ROYAL FAMILY ON THE OCCASION OF THE BAPTISM); the other godparents: M.M.L.L. REGELE ŞI REGINA, A.A.L.L.R.R. PRINCIPELE ŞI PRINCIPESA DE HOHENZOLERN ŞI MAREA DUCESĂ XENIA DE RUSIA/T.R.H. THE KING AND QUEEN OF ROMANIA, T.H. THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS OF HOHENZOLLERN (Ferdinand’s parents) AND GRAND DUCHESS XENIA OF RUSSIA (a maternal first cousin of princess Marie).
