Baptisms in the Snow: Archbishop Baptises 25 on Easter Day

In an open air baptismal pool outside the Church of St. Michael le Belfry, next to York Minster, the Archbishop welcomed 25 people into the Christian faith in an outdoor ceremony by baptising them by total immersion.

Baptising the 25 candidates, who had been prepared for Baptism over previous weeks, the Archbishop heard each candidate tell of their reasons for being baptised before proceeding to baptise the candidates in the open air.

Baptism of new adult believers by total immersion (being bodily dipped under water) is highly symbolic of the Christian's death to their old life and re-birth in Jesus Christ, and is a particularly appropriate way to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus himself on Easter Day, three days after his execution on the cross.

The celebration was organised by One Voice York, a network of Christian churches and leaders of different denominations working together across the city.

Earlier in the day, in his Easter sermon at a York Minster, the Archbishop said that "the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth has been called the best attested fact in history".

The Archbishop told the 2,000 strong congregation – including Conservative Leader David Cameron – that "the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth is more than a miracle. It is an eschatological event that makes possible a radical style of new life. Closed worlds are broken open, and old perceptions of what is plausible and possible are shattered.

"The future becomes a promise of sharing in resurrection: the empty tomb is he word of divine deliverance and brings about radical transformation: in worship, in everyday human relationships and in communities and nations. It is a new creation.

"Our duty is to infect the world with the goodness of God: Christ's risen life into the world. Let us create communities that will heal our divisions, overcome our fears in economics, fear of violence – and enable us to tackle conflicts in the world: poverty, injustice and global warming. ...Let us live the resurrection. Believe it and share. It is God's power to reconcile a broken and hurting world."

The Archbishop also said "there could be no resurrection without crucifixion, either for Jesus or for us. Our self-life must be crucified if we are to know the full resurrection life. Throughout our lives God will allow many trails and testing times to come our way...The risen Christ comes to the sad, the depressed, the frightened, the weary and the confused and says: 'With you. I am with you always'."