In a heartfelt post on his Facebook page, Priest Ioan recounted a deeply profound experience that had a lasting impact on his life, both as a priest and as a person. The incident unfolded at a maternity hospital, where Priest Ioan was urgently called to baptize a premature baby who was not expected to survive.
Equipped with protective gear, Priest Ioan entered the chaotic world of life and death in the maternity ward. Tiny babies, born at just 5, 6, and 7 months, were fighting to overcome the threshold of death. Among them was a baby weighing a mere 500 grams, tightly clutching his little hands as if in defiance.
Guided by a dedicated nurse named Ilinca, Priest Ioan took the fragile baby into his arms and performed the sacrament of Baptism, anointing him with holy water and sharing the sacrament with the tiniest of spoons.
“This baby hasn’t gained weight since birth, and he suffers from severe respiratory failure. Yet, he refuses to give up on life,” Priest Ioan expressed, reflecting on the baby’s condition.
Moved by a deep sense of responsibility as the baby’s spiritual guide, Priest Ioan took a chair and sat beside the incubator, contemplating the delicate life before him. In that moment, the baby turned his head and bestowed upon the priest the most beautiful smile imaginable, illuminating the room with warmth and love. It was as if a gate of light had opened in Priest Ioan’s heart.
Overwhelmed with emotions, the priest’s tears flowed freely, his vision blurred as he noted the relentless efforts of the nurses and the haunting sound of the electrocardiograph, serving as a reminder of the fragility of life.
Later, Ilinca revealed to Priest Ioan that the baby had been eagerly awaiting his baptism. The weight of that revelation silenced the priest, leaving him with the indelible memory of that divine smile, forever etched in his mind.
As word spread of this extraordinary encounter, Priest Ioan’s post quickly went viral, touching the hearts of many who were moved to tears by the miraculous baptism at the maternity ward.
