PICTURE EXCLUSIVE: Proud parents Kim Kardashian and Kanye West look on as North is baptised in a traditional Armenian ceremony in Jerusalem
- Kim Kardashian and Kanye West's daughter North was baptised in a traditional Armenian ceremony during the family's recent visit to Jerusalem
- The ceremony took place in the 12th-century Saint James Cathedral, within the walls of the Old City
- Reality TV star Kim covered her body in long clothing while wearing a headscarf, as per the requirements of the faith
- The 22-month-old's service was watched over by Kim's sister Khloe, who was named her godmother
- North is now a member of the Armenian Apostolic Church, the oldest national church in the world
- The following morning, the famous family visited the Church of the Holy Sepulchre
- The site is believed to be the location of the crucifixion and resting place of Jesus of Nazareth
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West's daughter North is now a member of the Armenian Apostolic Church - the oldest national church in the world - after being baptised in a traditional ceremony.
The baptism took place following the famous family's recent visit to Kim's homeland Armenia, which saw them take a pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the 22-month-old's special ceremony.
It was one of the highest honours for the youngster, her baptism into civilisation's most ancient religion taking place at St. James Cathedral, a 12th century church that sits within the walls of Jerusalem's Old City.
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Incredible moment: Kim Kardashian and Kanye West took their daughter North to be baptised in the holy St. James Cathedral in Jerusalem's Old City during their recent trip to the Holy Land
The centuries-old church in the Holy Land was swarmed by fans as the famous family entered the building.
But inside the iconic temple, the scenes were markedly different, as Kim held her daughter gently in her arms ahead of her induction into the faith.
The reality TV star, who is known for her love of a revealing ensemble, instead wore a full length skirt and long-sleeved blouse to keep her body covered as per the traditional etiquette of the church.
Traditional: Kim covered her body in a full skirt and long sleeves, while wearing a scarf on her head as a mark of respect while cradling her 22-month-old during the service
An honour: North West was inducted into the Armenian Apostolic Church on April 13, the same religion as her famous mother
Family first: Kim's sister Khloe Kardashian (right) was also in attendance at the ceremony, acting as godmother to her niece
Rite of passage: Kim held her daughter in her arms as the Baptism minister read the holy scripture
Centuries-old ceremony: The family were joined by members of the Armenian church for the service
And covering her head and hair was a headscarf, a garment which must be worn by women at all times while inside the church during service.
The serene star cradled her little girl, who fell asleep for a short while during the hour-long service, as rapper Kanye stood silently beside them, his head bowed.
North wore a traditional white gown for the service, and her father matched her with his white trousers and long-sleeved jumper.
Male attendees at an Armenian church are not required to cover their head once inside a building, meaning the musician was able to go without a headdress.
Uncovered: As a male attendee within the church, 37-year-old Kanye was not required to wear anything on his head, unlike the adult female members of his family
A big moment: At nearly two years old, little North may not have been completely aware of the incredibly important show of faith around her
Kisses: While being cuddled by Kim, North was given a kiss by her famous father
Incredible scenes: Within the 12th century church, North looked on as she received one of the holiest blessings in civilisation
Kim's younger sister Khloe, 30, was also in attendance at the baptism, acting as her niece's godmother, and it was previously reported that she was chosen for the special role due to her closeness with the child.
She too sported a headscarf, and stood further back beyond her sister and brother-in-law for the duration of the rite of passage.
But at one point, she stepped closer and touched the tot's arm as she looked back over her mother's shoulder into the large church beyond.
Out of her hands: Doting mum Kim, 34, then passed her only daughter to the minister, who was above them on the altar
Proud moment: Kim and Kanye looked on as their tot was taken into the arms of the Armenian church official
Family event: Khloe looked on from behind her sister and brother-in-law
Serene: While outside the iconic holy building were scenes of chaos as fans gathered to see the famous family, inside was a different matter
Quiet time: Kanye seemed chastened by the entire ceremony, as his daughter became a member of the Armenian Apostolic Church, otherwise known as the Gregorian Church
Noble moment: North is now a member of the oldest national church in the world
All tuckered out: North will celebrate her second birthday in June, just a few weeks after joining her parents for their tour of Armenia and Jerusalem
It's also thought that the priest conducting the service acted as godfather: while an uncommon practice, it is an option when no other suitable person is present.
As is the conventional method, North was taken by the Baptism minister and had Holy water poured over her head, an age-old tradition in order to 'cleanse the soul from original sin' as well as making one an official member of the Armenian Apostolic Church, otherwise known as the Gregorian Church.
She was also given a cross by the church during the service, which was conducted in both Armenian and English.
The little girl was taken up to the altar by the minister, as her parents stepped back and watched on.
A small crowd was assembled inside the holy temple to watch North's blessing, while a larger group of people had gathered outside the building to catch a glimpse of the Kardashian-Wests.
Sleepy girl: During the hour-long service, North fell asleep for a little while
Doting auntie: While Khloe stood behind Kim and Kanye, she reached out to stroke North's arm in the midst of service
Baptism traditions: North had Holy water poured on her head, and was also given a cross, as Kim later admitted she was 'thankful' for the special event
Bilingual: The ceremony lasted an hour, and was conducted in both English and Armenian
Following the service, Kim told People magazine: 'It was such a beautiful experience for my family to have North baptised in Jerusalem. Kanye and I are so thankful.'
Archbishop Aris Shirvanian, an Armenian church official, revealed beforehand that the family had indeed arrived for the baptism ceremony during their two-day visit to Jerusalem, on April 13.
'Kim Kardashian's daughter will be baptised and become a Christian officially and a member of the Armenian church,' he explained, amid the commotion that was taking place thanks to the inescapable lure of the Kardashian-Wests.
'All I know is that she's a famous personality. I don't know her in person. In any case she is welcome with her family.'
Meanwhile, as Kim is a member of the Armenian church, Kanye was raised a Christian with his rather Ray West becoming a Christian counsellor in his later life.
An openly-spiritual man, he has previously spoken about his love of Jesus Christ and his love of his faith, with religion a recurring theme in his musical work: in fact, one of the songs on his album Yeezus is entitled I Am God.
He maintains that his artistry and talents are God-given gifts, and in an interview with Los Angeles-based radio station Power 106 back in 2013, he stated: 'I'm working on one mission and that's a mission from God, period.'
He famously travelled with a pastor on one of his tours, due to the heavily religious and Christian overtones to his staging.
Early morning visit: The following day, at 5am, the family visited the Church of the Holy Sepulchre
Landmark moment: The husband and wife touched a marble slab within the historical site, which is identified as the place of both the crucifixion and the tomb of Jesus of Nazareth
Part of the family's trip was filmed for their eponymous Keeping Up With The Kardashians programme, but their time within the cathedral was off camera.
After the service, the family dined with Jerusalem mayor Nir Barkat at Mona Restaurant.
The following day, at a very early 5am, Kim, Kanye, Khloe and North returned to the Old City of Jerusalem to visit the site of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Their early morning visit gave them the chance to take in the ancient architecture and the history around them in the Christian Quarter, while avoiding the crowds and chaos of the previous day.
Also known as the Church of the Resurrection, it is identified as the place both of the crucifixion and the tomb of Jesus of Nazareth.
Doting father Kanye also took his daughter in his arms and took a solo walk around the area for their rare moment of family solitude, less than a day after she was inducted into the same church to which her mother belongs.
No chaos: To avoid the busy scenes from the previous day, they went out in the small hours to have a tour of the holy site
Alone time: The family used their time wisely, taking in the scenes of history in Jerusalem
Busy girl: North has visited some incredible places at such a tender age
Sisterly addition: Also on their early morning trip was Khloe, who covered her face with a pair of shades despite the pre-dawn darkness
Happy daddy: Kanye bore a huge smile as he carried his newly-baptised girl through the capital of Israel
Returning to his wife and sister-in-law, the Grammy winning artist then joined them as they went inside the iconic religious building, taking photos of the altar while mingling with other early morning church-goers as a priest dictated passages from the Bible.
Kim took her mobile phone out to record the moment as hymns were sung all around them by the church choir.
The family then took to their knees on the ground where Jesus Christ is believed to have been laid to rest after his death, Kim and Kanye both touching the marble slab looking humbled by the experience.
They ended their trip inside the church by going up to the exact height where Jesus was crucified on the cross, and kneeling on the ground before it before leaving at 6am.
Taking it all in: The Kardashian-Wests met with a few others as dawn broke in the midst of the holy area
Landmark moment: Kim and Kanye took their youngster to the site of the Holy Sepulchre
One for the photo album: North's visit to Jerusalem will be a memory she'll no doubt cherish for the rest of her life
Privileged: The famous couple - who married in 2014 - woke up early to see the site of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, and crouched below the altar in the holy temple
Kim had previously given her millions of fans on social media a glimpse into perhaps the most sacred part of their trip, sharing a couple of pictures taken within the Church of the Holy Sepulchre as the family crouched beneath the statue of Christ.
'Good morning Jerusalem! We woke up really early to see the site where the crucifixion of Jesus Christ took place,' she wrote on Instagram.
Kim's pilgrimage to Jerusalem followed her visit to her ancestral home, which coincided with the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.
As part of the famous family - who are now best known for their landmark reality show Keeping Up With The Kardashians - Kim and her siblings hail from the country on their late father Robert Kardashian's side.
Taking it all in: Kim dressed respectfully in a formal dress and long coat as she took in the sites of the historial landmark
Touched: Khloe appeared humbled as she stood in front of the tomb of Jesus Christ
Getting involved: The Kardashians and Kanye West also attended an early morning service, mingling with the other church-goers
Snap happy: Kim took the phone out to take pictures while holding her daughter on her hip
The celebrity lawyer, who passed away in 2003 just eight weeks after being diagnosed with cancer, raised his children Kim, Khloe, Kourtney and Robert Jr, to know about their Armenian heritage.
His ancestors fled the country during the genocide, thanks to the word of a 'prophet' who warned them of a war, imploring them to travel to America and make a new life there.
Known at the time as the Kardaschoffs, in the Russian style, the family made their way from their home village of Karakale in the late 19th Century to German ports. From there, they travelled to a new life in America on the passenger vessels SS Brandenberg and SS Koln.
By doing so, they escaped the triple horror of the First World War from 1914-18, the 'Armenian Genocide' starting in 1915 - exactly a century ago this year - and the Russian Revolution in 1917.
Incognito: For their private family visit, they were pretty much able to go unnoticed
Taking memories: Khloe also made sure to take photographs within the Church of the Holy Sepulchre
Blending in: Scenes of busy chaos from the previous day were a distant memory as they emerged from the church
Checking out the shots? Kim seemed distracted as she looked at her device
A landmark trip: The family had previously been in Armenia - the Kardashians' ancestral home - before embarking on a two-day tour of Jerusalem's Old City
Still stylish: Kim managed to look flawless as she accompanied her husband and daughter for their early morning stint
Among those fleeing Erzurum - then in Armenia, and ruled by last Russian Tsar Nicholas II - was family patriarch Hovhannes Miroyan and Kim's great-great grandfather, born in 1844. He married the doughty Luciag Chorbajian, born in 1853.
The couple wed in Erzurum, which is now in Turkey, in 1867 but escaped along with their daughter Vartanoosh Mironyan, born in 1886, in the early 20th century.
Vartanoosh's distinctly blonde daughter Haigoohi Arakelian - known as Helen, born in America in 1917, the year the Bolshevik Revolution rocked the Russian Empire - was Kim's grandmother, who later married into the Kardashian clan.
The glamorous and 'dynamic' Helen wed Arthur who ran the largest meat-packing business in southern California.
Helen's son Robert married Kris Houghton and they had four children - Kim, Khloe, Kourtney and Robert Jr.
Alone time: Kanye was then seen carrying his daughter as the two of them went off for a solo trek
Adorable: Perhaps unaware of the baptism ceremony focused on her that had taken place hours before, North was taken on a tour around the Old City with daddy
Humble entrance: With his hood up over his head, Kanye made for a low-key guest into the Holy Sepulchre
Amazed: North held the rapper's hand as she looked around the incredible interior of the holy building
Only Kim and Khloe from the Kardashian clan visited Armenia, with their older sister Kourtney, 36, and brother Robert Jr, 28, staying behind at home in California.
A few days before the baptism of North West, Kim and Khloe had visited the eternal flame of the Armenian Genocide Memorial Complex on the outskirts of Armenia's capital Yerevan as part of their highly publicised tour.
On Friday April 10, the reality TV stars placed flowers at the memorial to the 1915 mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman soldiers, which took place during World War I.
Upon her arrival in the country, Kim gushed on Instagram: 'Armenia we are here!!!!! We are so grateful to be here & start this journey of a lifetime! Thank you to everyone who greeted us! I can't wait to explore our country and have some yummy food! ️#MyDadAndGrandParentsWouldBeSoProud.'
She also explained: 'My husband and daughter came to Armenia as well to see my heritage and learn about my ancestors! My cousins came along too! So excited I can't sleep.'
Tour guide: They seemed to be led by an expert around the church
Hurry up! The little girl - clad in shorts, boots and a leather jacket - quickly ran behind her father as they carried on
Off home? They finished their trek around the city to return to meet Kim and Khloe
Ties that bind: The Kardashian family tree that traces back to two Molokan Armenian families
She was also honoured to have met with the country's Prime Minister, along with a couple of her cousins who live in the country.
Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan had received the family in Yerevan on Thursday, shortly after their arrival from the US.
'It was an honor to meet the Prime Minister of Armenia, Hovik Abrahamyan who expressed how proud they are that we are proud Armenians and we have not forgotten our roots! #NeverForget,' Kardashian wrote on her Instagram account.
The 100th anniversary of the mass killings in World War One will be commemorated by Armenia on April 24.
Armenians, some Western historians and some foreign parliaments refer to the mass killings as genocide.
Treated like royalty: While still in Armenia the day before heading to Jerusalem, Kim and Khloe were treated to a special dinner with locals
Special guest: Kim appeared to be given a necklace while sitting at the dinner table in the converted carpet factory
Entertainment: The reality TV siblings watched on as a dancer performed in front of them
Armenians say up to 1.5 million of their kin were killed between 1915 and 1917 as the Ottoman Empire was falling apart and have long sought to win international recognition of the massacres as genocide.
Turkey rejects the claims, arguing that 300,000 to 500,000 Armenians and as many Turks died in civil strife when Armenians rose up against their Ottoman rulers and sided with invading Russian troops.
During the trip, Kim and her family also spent time visiting the provincial city of Gymuri, where her distant relatives reside.
Kim and Khloe were also treated to a special dinner, the two of them receiving the royal treatment at a converted carpet factory, before the family left to head to the Holy Land for their private two-day tour.
Taking part: Khloe jumped up and was taught some dance moves by the guests
Kicking up her heels! Looking slick in a pair of skinny jeans and towering shoes, along with a traditional Armenian jacket, Khloe gave it her all at the feast
Such fun: She could barely contain her giggles, while her sister Kim stayed seated at the table
Kanye remained at the hotel with North, while the sisters took part in the somewhat raucous festivities, Khloe leaping up to the dancefloor at one point to receive a dancing lesson from locals, who made up the assembled guests at the feast.
She could barely contain her laughter as she tried to master some of the traditional moves while Kim, dressed head-to-toe in white and wearing a large necklace that appeared to have been gifted to her, looked on from the dinner table.
The family finally ended their extended stay in Armenia and Jerusalem after eight days, Khloe returning to the United States as Kim, Kanye and North went on to Paris, France for work purposes.
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