Christening of Countess Zaria: February 3, 2007

[Empress]

Well, it's a bit over the top for my taste, as christening gowns go.

 

[JessRulz]

Zaria is absolutely adorable!!! And Luana too. I agree with Sister Morphine, Mabel needed to run a brush through her hair before leaving home. Then her ensemble would have looked near perfect!

And one last thing....the bows!! Why Mabel? WHY?!?!

 

[rominet09]

Good looking children, so cute !

 

[MoonlightRhapsody]

The christening gown isn't so bad with the bow prints. Now, if it were actual bows..well...

Anyway, I like Mabel's hair. It looks soft and full of volume. I wish my hair would come out looking like that!

 

[Lady Bluffton]

Hopefully this comment is still on topic, keeping in mind our good administrator's wishes.

How do you get baptized without being affiliated with a particular denomination? I'm sorry, but that's a new one for me.

Who will perform the baptism; shouldn't that determine "what kind" of baptism it is???

 

[Empress]

Unfortunately I do not know that I can offer you an answer, but perhaps I can offer an idea, and someone else might know for sure.

I would imagine that one can be christened, but not affiliated with a particular denomination. Christenings are generally about being blessed as a child of God, Buddha, Mohammed, Allah, or whichever deity/God is the "head" of a particular belief system. So, having said that, I would imagine that these children, with their parents being protestant, are being blessed as a child of God, and will then be free to choose their affiliation as they grow older.

 

[Lostriver]

Luana and Zaria are very cute!

 

[Henri M.]

Hopefully this comment is still on topic, keeping in mind our good administrator's wishes.

How do you get baptized without being affiliated with a particular denomination? I'm sorry, but that's a new one for me.

Who will perform the baptism; shouldn't that determine "what kind" of baptism it is???

Anyone can perform a baptism. Any baptism in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit is acknowledged by the major Christian Faiths.

What Prince Friso & Princess Mabel did, (and Prince Maurits and Princess Marilène) is that they gave their children a christian baptism but do not make them member of a certain denomination. Countess Luana and Countess Zaria will be raised and be learned the common Christian principles and morale and their parents hope that they will make their very own personal choice: for the Protestant Church, for the Roman-Catholic Church, for an Evangelical Church, whatever.

The Orange-Nassaus are flexible in that. During the Wedding of the Prince of Orange and Princess Máxima, Padre Rafael Braun, the roman-catholic family-priest of the Zorreguietas did the Readings in Spanish. On request of the bride the Ave Maria was sung by a soprano, and all that during a Protestant service.

The children of Prince Friso and Princess Mabel were baptized by Huub Oosterhuis, a former Catholic priest, a poet, a writer, a theologist and the pastor of the Amsterdam Students Ecclesia, which is a religious center for all students from all Christian denominations.

Huub Oosterhuis is very close to the Queen and her family: he guided Prince Claus in his last phase of life and he emotioned the Netherlands with a sublime tribute during the State Funeral.

 

[Her_Majesty]

The photos are really nice. The girls are so adorable! They turned into cute kids!
Zaria's Christening-dress is really beautiful!

 

[Henri M.]

Well, it's a bit over the top for my taste, as christening gowns go.

At least the Orange-Nassaus make use of presentation gowns and christening gowns. And they used the centuries old silver broche of a dove (representing the Holy Spirit). Especially that last, with the knowledge that 300 years ago also a princely baby wore that jewel, is a very beautiful symbolism.

I have seen royal families doing baptisms without even a christening gown at all (Belgium, for an example). Or present them to the world, with simply a woollen suit (most other royal families) while at least in the Netherlands they use a presentation gown from 1880 and a presentation cushion from 1909.

 

[Sancia]

At least the Orange-Nassaus make use of presentation gowns and christening gowns. And they used the centuries old silver broche of a dove (representing the Holy Spirit). Especially that last, with the knowledge that 300 years ago also a princely baby wore that jewel, is a very beautiful symbolism.

I have seen royal families doing baptisms without even a christening gown at all (Belgium, for an example). Or present them to the world, with simply a woollen suit (most other royal families) while at least in the Netherlands they use a presentation gown from 1880 and a presentation cushion from 1909.

The purists would say the christening gown (at least for the Catholics) is to be used only once the baby has been baptised: the parents enter in the church with the baby dressed in white but not the gown, and they dress the baby with the christening gown just after the baptism.
That is what has been done for my whole family.

 

[JessRulz]

The purists would say the christening gown (at least for the Catholics) is to be used only once the baby has been baptised: the parents enter in the church with the baby dressed in white but not the gown, and they dress the baby with the christening gown just after the baptism.
That is what has been done for my whole family.

That is what is done in my family too. I'm not Catholic, but Macedonian Orthodox

I think that it was very thoughtful of Friso & Mabel not to baptise their girls in one set religion, that way the girls won't have to feel pressured into the way the ways of that religion and can choose one they feel is best suiting to their beliefs and personality.

 

[BeatrixFan]

Can I ask a question? How can Zaria have been baptised if she doesn't belong to any church? I assume she's been baptised but just won't follow the protestant faith? AFAIK most major christian denominations have the doctrine of "one baptism for the forgiveness of sins" so is this what Friso and Mabel had her baptised for? The one baptism and then let her choose her own faith later on?

 

[Henri M.]

The one baptism and then let her choose her own faith later on?

Exactly. This was done to Countess Luana and Countess Zaria, as well to Anastasia, Lucas and Felicia van Lippe-Biesterfeld van Vollenhoven. Their parents will raise them in the best christian tradition but hope they will make their own personal and conscious choice for a christian denomination (or not).

 

[BeatrixFan]

Ah I see. Thankyou Henri M. It seems a very wise choice to me. My parents let me make my own decision for a faith because there were two big faith divisions in the family. I think I benefitted from finding my own way and I'm sure that little Zaria will too.

 

[Henri M.]

Different parents, different choices



HRH The Prince of Orange (Protestant) & HRH Princess Máxima of the Netherlands (Roman Catholic):
Princess Catharina-Amalia and Princess Alexia are baptized and raised into the Protestant Church. They will have an upbringing "in the protestant tradition". There will be "Catholic elements" in their upbringing.




HRH Prince Friso of Orange-Nassau (Protestant) and HRH Princess Mabel (Protestant):
Countess Luana and Countess Zaria have received a christian baptism but do not belong to a specific christian denomination. Their children will be raised in the christian tradition and the parents hope that they will make their own personal and conscious choice for a certain denomination.




HRH Prince Constantijn of the Netherlands (Protestant) and HRH Princess Laurentien (Protestant):
Countess Eloise, Count Claus-Casimir and Countess Leonore are (will be) baptized and raised into the Protestant Church.




HH Prince Maurits van Oranje-Nassau, Van Vollenhoven (Protestant) and HH Princess Marilène (Roman Catholic):
Anastasia, Lucas and Felicia have received a christian baptism but do not belong to a specific christian denomination. Their children will be raised in the christian tradition and the parents hope that they will make their own personal and conscious choice for a certain denomination.

 

[nokklav]

that bow dress is a bit too much. that lady needs BOW HELP

 

[BeatrixFan]

I wonder if there's a Bows Anonymous, "Hello, my name is Mabel. I'm a Princess and I have a bow problem".

 

[Henri M.]

that bow dress is a bit too much. that lady needs BOW HELP

It is an unique dress. Like Princess Mabel's wedding gown was unique.
And it is haute couture as well, by Viktor & Rolf.

Seen in that light, it is a very unique, very expensive and very royal christening gown.

And taste is in the eye of the beholder, of course. Some babies are dressed for their baptism with só much lace and organza that they almost are invisible under it.

 

[Her_Majesty]

I think the bows look cute on this christning dress!
They suit the little girl!
I didn't like all that bows on Mabel's wedding dress (and she doesn't wear many bows anymore), but IMO they look nice on a little girl.

 

[Henri M.]

(and she doesn't wear many bows anymore)

The Bows were part of the then Viktor & Rolf-line.
The Princess still wears Viktor & Rolf couture, but the bows have disappeared in their couture collections 2006 and 2007.

 

[dazzling]

was maxima there ? her daughters? any more pictures while they were in the church ?

 

[Empress]

I completely agree that royal babies should have a special christening gow, I just do not find anything special about this particular christening gown at all. I think that it is just terrible. However, is the christening gown of the Dutch Royal family even available to them? That would be my question. If not then I can certainly understand the idea of getting a new one. Just not that one.

 

[Henri M.]

I completely agree that royal babies should have a special christening gow, I just do not find anything special about this particular christening gown at all. I think that it is just terrible. However, is the christening gown of the Dutch Royal family even available to them? That would be my question. If not then I can certainly understand the idea of getting a new one. Just not that one.

There are a dozen of christening and presentation gowns in the Dutch royal family, stored in boxes in the Royal House Archives. But of course, even the 17th century one, all of them once were newly purchased, to the taste of the parents.

The gowns differ from plain white, to crême lace, to golden brocante, from simple to sumptuous, etc. Well, Prince Friso and Princess Mabel apparently dislike the traditional tralala baptismal gowns. That is their good right, of course.

 

[Maxie]

Luana and Zaria are awfully cute and Mabel looked really good. It was also fun to see the bow christening gown again. At least it is original and I can appreciate that (though I'm glad V&R dropped the bows in their last collections. Enough is enough).

 

[Avalon]

The whole Family looked realy great and Luana and Zaria were just too cute.

DUTCH ROYALS MEET UP FOR LITTLE ZARIA'S BIG DAY

She may not be one of the best-known members of the Dutch royal family, but little Countess Zaria enjoyed her moment in the spotlight at the weekend when relatives went along to Bosch Palace in the Hague to witness her christening. And Prince Johan-Friso's second child with wife Mabel Wisse Smit, who is named after a mythical goddess, seemed to take all the fuss.

Pictures:
Princess Mabel holds Zaria in her arms while big sister Launa sticks close to her dad Prince Johan-Friso
The Family

 

[AliciaAnn]

I have three questions:

(1) Why are Zaria and Luana called Countesses and not Princesses?
(2) Why don't they go by their first names: Joanna and Emma?
(3) Is it my imagination or did Luana's Christening Gown have bows all over it like her Mom's Wedding Gown?

Thank You~

 

[princess leonor]

I have three questions:

(1) Why are Zaria and Luana called Countesses and not Princesses?
(2) Why don't they go by their first names: Joanna and Emma?
(3) Is it my imagination or did Luana's Christening Gown have bows all over it like her Mom's Wedding Gown?

Thank You~

Zaria and Luana are not called princesses because only the children of the crownprince and princess get that title. All the children of the crownprince's brothers get the titles count and countess.
I don't really know why they don't go by their first names. Amalia and Alexia don't go by their first names either, probably just the choises of the parents.
And yet Luana's christening gown has bows all over it like Mabel's wedding gown. I guess she really likes it

 

[Henri M.]

I have three questions:

(1) Why are Zaria and Luana called Countesses and not Princesses?
(2) Why don't they go by their first names: Joanna and Emma?
(3) Is it my imagination or did Luana's Christening Gown have bows all over it like her Mom's Wedding Gown?

Thank You~

In addition to the answers given by princess leonor:

In 2002 the Act on the Membership of the Royal House has been modernized.
Main changes are the equal titulature for male and female royals and the streamline of the Royal House.

The new Act states that only the children of a the present, a former and a future King can become 'Princess of the Netherlands' and 'Princess of Orange-Nassau' by right.

Eventually, by Royal Decree, can be decided on titles and surname of other members of the Royal House. When Prince Friso and Prince Constantijn married, the Crown issued a Royal Decree determining the surname as of their offspring as 'Van Oranje-Nassau van Amsberg' with the title 'Count(ess) van Oranje-Nassau' and the noble predicate 'Jonkheer (Jonkvrouw) van Amsberg'.

Note that in the united Kingdom there is a similar system. But in there all children ánd grandchildren (in the male lineage) of a present, a former and a future Sovereign are a 'Prince(ss) of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland'.

 

[JessRulz]

....Amalia and Alexia don't go by their first names either, ....

Alexia does go by her first name doesn't she? Her first name is Alexia, and IIRC, everyone calls her Alexia