Church spokesman Vasile Banescu has suggested another method to perform the ritual. Banescu said that instead of completely submerging the tots, priests can pour or sprinkle a little water on their forehead. However, Archbishop Teodosie, leader of the church s traditionalist wing, did not seem to like the alternative and insisted that no amendments can be made.
According to the Romanian Orthodox Church, under the baptism ritual in question, newborns are fully immersed in water thrice as the priest holds their nose so that they cannot breathe. Mostly, the ritual is held at a grand level with hundreds of guests and a big party. Recent opinion polls show that over 80 percent of Romanians are Orthodox and the denomination is one of the most trusted institutions.