Famous French actor Gérard Depardieu was baptised an Orthodox Christian, as reported by the Russian news agency Ria Novosti.
According to the publication, the 71-year-old star decided to embrace Orthodoxy. His baptism ceremony took place last Friday afternoon at the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Paris.
“I confirm that he was baptised in the cathedral,” as reported by a source of the Russian news agency, without giving further details.
L'attore francese Gérard Depardieu è stato battezzato oggi nella Cattedrale di Sant'Alessandro Nevskij a Parigi. Nella foto con il metropolita (arcivescovo) delle chiese ortodosse russe in Europa Occidentale Giovanni Renneteau. pic.twitter.com/ScZJZiALxt
— Detti dei Padri (@DettiDeiPadri) September 5, 2020
Russian journalist Dmitry Smirnov posted a photo of the ceremony on his Twitter account. According to Tass Russian News Agency sources, close friends of the actor, who became a Russian citizen in 2013, attended the ceremony.
A priest from the church, where the French actor was baptised, refused to reveal to Tass News Agency the name that Depardieu was given. However, he commented on the actor’s decision: “It was something unexpected but at the same time very pleasant,” he said.
«Мне нравится православное богослужение»: Жерар Депардье принял православие, крестившись в Александро-Невском соборе Парижа pic.twitter.com/cfUbNjvs5W
— Дмитрий Смирнов (@dimsmirnov175) September 5, 2020