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SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 22: Serena Williams speaks on stage during keynote conversation at 2019 Watermark Conference for Women Silicon Valley at San Jose McEnery Convention Center on February 22, 2019 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Marla Aufmuth/WireImage)
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SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 22: Serena Williams speaks on stage during keynote conversation at 2019 Watermark Conference for Women Silicon Valley at San Jose McEnery Convention Center on February 22, 2019 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Marla Aufmuth/WireImage)
Serena Williams has always been a Jehovah’s Witness. However, she was not baptized as one of them, until recently. This necessarily implies that now the 23-time Grand Slam champion is a member of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. The followers of Jehovah’s Witness believe in Jesus like other sections of Christianity. However, one of the cornerstones of their belief is that the world is going to end soon.
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In addition to the above, a Jehovah’s Witness does not celebrate birthdays, Christmas, or any other holiday of Pagan Origin. Moreover, they are also prohibited from rendering military services and blood transfusions. And Witnesses believe in heaven, but not in hell, among other principles.
Tennis fans and followers are well aware of Williams’ practices and beliefs.
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Viral video of Serena Williams getting baptized
Last month, the ‘Queen of the Court’ took a step further into embracing her spirituality. She was baptized as a Jehovah’s Witness in full public view. In the widely popular video, the 23-time Grand Slam champion can be seen dressed in all black, with her head covered, as she enters the water for the immersion baptism ceremony.
Serena Williams, the famous Tennis player got baptized today at the Jehovah's Witness Assembly in West Palm Beach Florida.
According to the Governing Body of the religious sect in Watchtower 2019, study 40, paragraph 14, only baptised Witnesses will be saved. pic.twitter.com/wd9E897pFL
— Uptown Press NG (@RealMoshudKarim) January 8, 2023
As Williams enters, two people beside her are there to help her. Consequently, Williams held her breath as she took a dip in the water and emerged as a baptized Jehovah’s Witness.
READ MORE – Four Months After Retirement, Jehovah’s Witness Serena Williams Takes a Big Religious Plunge
Serena Williams was baptized as a Jehovah’s Witness
The Williams family has diverse faiths, however, they respect each other’s choice. For instance, Serena’s father is not a Jehovah’s Witness, but her mother and sisters are. Moreover, her husband, the Reddit co-founder is also not a follower of his wife’s religion.
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – AUGUST 29: Serena Williams of the United States is greeted by her husband Alexis Ohanian following her victory against Danka Kovinic of Montenegro during the Women’s Singles First Round on Day One of the 2022 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 29, 2022 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Despite that fact, Williams has raised their 5-year-old daughter as a Jehovah’s Witness. Hence, getting baptized as one of the Jehovah’s Witnesses was immensely important.
Serena Williams’ daughter Olympia is also being raised as a Jehovah’s Witness
When the 23-time Grand Slam champion was asked about celebrating Olympia’s birthday, she had just one thing to say! Olympia doesn’t celebrate her birthday, as she is a Jehovah’s Witness and instead has a cake day. This confirmed that the American tennis legend is raising her daughter in the same belief as she was raised by her mother.
What does the movie ‘King Richard’ has to say about Serena Williams’ baptism
Oracene Price, the mother of Serena and Venus Williams, raised her daughters as a Jehovah’s Witness. Although their father, Richard Williams, who is the fulcrum of the movie King Richard, was not, he respected the wishes of the family. And hence, whenever either of the Williams sisters won their match, they would thank Jehovah. As reported by the Sun, Richard turned to Jehovah’s Witnesses after his bitter divorce battle with ex-wife, Lakeisha Graham.
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NO COMMERCIAL USE: Tennis sisters Venus (left) and Serena Williams with their father Richard before an interview with the BBC at the Lawn Tennis Championships, Wimbledon. (Photo by Michael Stephens – PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images)
And the same thing was highlighted in the movie, King Richard, as faith has been an important part of the Williams sisters’ life since the beginning. And as she has detailed in one of her interviews, being a Jehovah’s Witness is very important to her. And there have been instances when Williams has relied on spirituality to get through. Particularly, in 2003, at the time of her sister, Yetunde Price’s murder.
Serena Williams’ baptism and retirement are related
Serena Williams retired from professional tennis at last year’s US Open. Following that, her focus has been on being a hands-on business mom to Olympia. Williams has always wanted to delve deeper into her faith; by developing a closer relationship with God. And her recent baptism is in line with this thought.
Watch This Story- Serena Williams’ Religious Father ‘King’ Richard Once Blatantly Dismissed the Idea of Having Patrick Mouratoglou in Her Team: ‘Apply Her Life More to Jehovah’
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Edited by
Tony Thomas