Baby’s baptism goes wrong in mother’s viral video

‘Priest upgrades Baptism to an exorcism,’ one Tik Tok user joked

Brittany Miller
New York
Wednesday 09 August 2023 19:03 EDT
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Toddler splashes water everywhere as priest tries to baptise her

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A baby hilariously interrupted its own New York baptism in a viral video his mother shared to TikTok.

Mother of two Candace Williams was shooting video during her son Sullivan’s baptism when he slapped a book from the hands of a catholic priest which ended up in the baptism fountain.

In the video, which has now had more than 4.5 million views, she is holding Sullivan in his baptism gown surrounded by loved ones as a Catholic priest is reading from the book when Sullivan decides he can’t contain himself anymore.

“@Barstool Sports hope you find this as funny as we did,” the TikTok caption read.

The priest at Our Lady of Pompeii Church in Lancaster, New York attempted to save the flying book but was too late as it landed into a baptism fountain leaving Williams and her loved ones stunned. Thankfully he was able to pick up the book and continue the ceremony as normal.

“He was a champ. He picked the book right back up and kept going,” Williams, 35, said in an interview with Today. “He was turning the pages and they were soaking wet. Later, my husband was like, “Every time I looked at the pages dripping, I started laughing.’”

The mother said she profusely apologized to the priest afterwards who only responded with “It’s ok.” “It was his first baptism at that church,” she says. “And I’m pretty sure he’ll never forget it!”

She went on to explain how her family was trying to keep their laughter contained. “My brother was roaring with laughter,” Williams said. “My mother-in-law was in the front row and she tried to keep it together, but she couldn’t do it.”

Sullivan was also able to join in on the fun the rest of the baptism attendees were having despite the embarrassment he might have caused. “He was being really playful — he was yelling and babbling,” his mother said looking back on the incident. “When we actually baptized him, and we had to put his head over the font, he was looking at everyone and smiling. He knows when he’s being funny.”

This is exactly why when he does eventually have that first birthday party, Williams is making it a camping theme, specifically “one happy camper.” “Sullivan is just always happy. He’s an easygoing baby,” she said.

The TikTok was filmed and edited by Williams’ sister Natalie Walczyk and has since been viewed over 4.5 million times since being uploaded on 30 July.

Comments are continuing to come in, as they come up with ideas on what Sullivan was thinking during the moments leading up to the book flying. “I don’t see pictures, next book,” one commenter joked. “Nah I’m good bruh,” another commenter assumed Sullivan was not interested in a baptism.

Other comments were mentioning everyone’s reactions to the event. “The way the priest looks at the baby at the end,” one commenter wrote. “Priest upgrades Baptism to an exorcism,” another person joked about the priest’s reaction.

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