Denzel Washington publicly declared his faith last Saturday (Dec. 21). The actor was baptized and received a license to minister at a Harlem, NY, church. According to PEOPLE Magazine, the 69-year-old spoke to the congregation at the Kelly Temple Church of God in Chris before the religious ceremony commenced. The event was live-streamed by the First Jurisdiction Church of God in Christ Eastern New York.
“In one week I turn 70,” explained the Gladiator II star, according to Archbishop Christopher Bryant, per Page Six. “It took a while but I’m here.” He continued, “If [God] can do this for me, there’s nothing He can’t do for you. The sky literally is the limit.”
His wife Pauletta Washington also shared a message, detailing, “Forty-six years later, here I’m still standing next to him as only God will have it,” continuing, “So I’m very proud of you. You are the head of our house and you have set a great example for our children, who are now adult children who know the difference because we have shown them the difference.”
The moment comes weeks after the acclaimed actor published his religious views during a conversation with Esquire. In his own words, the New York native elaborated on establishing his faith while actively working in the entertainment industry.
“But my faith has always informed the roles I choose. Always. I’ve always been led by God, and most of my performances are faith filled. Even if I was playing the devil. I still have my shooting script from Training Day, and I wrote on the cover: ‘The wages of sin is death.’ The wages of sin is death. And now all these years later in Gladiator II, I play another bad guy in another great movie,” described Washington.
“Even in the darkest stories, I’m looking for the light.”
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