Chilean Miner’s Baby Baptized in the Jordan at Yardenit

Yesterday, I was witness to one of the most spiritually significant moments of the Chilean miners pilgrimage of thanks, the baptism of 4 month old Richard Villarroel, who was born only six days after his father was rescued from the mine on October 13, 2010.

Chilean Miner Richard Villaroel with son Richard, after baptism yesterday in Yardenit on the Jordan River (Credit: Israel Ministry of Tourism)

"Now that my baby has been baptized in the name of God in the River Jordan, I feel content," said his father, Richard Villaroel as he emerged from the waters, holding the baby in his arms.

Many of the rescued miners along with their wives took part in a baptism ceremony at the Yardenit, a popular baptism site on the Jordan River for Christian tourists to Israel, where some believe Jesus may have been baptized as well. Earlier in the day we had visited the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth, where Archbishop Boulos Marcuzzo, the Bishop of Nazareth gave them a blessing. Father Ricardo Boustos, of the Church of the Annunciation led the Chileans in the "Prayer of the Words", which is not a Eucharistic