A Romanian baby died after a baptism ceremony in which infants are immersed in holy water three times.
The 6-week-old baby was rushed to a cardiac arrest hospital on Monday and died a few hours later, with an autopsy revealing the fluid in his lungs, Agence France-Presse reported.
The tragedy put pressure on the Orthodox Church to change the rules of baptism.
Prosecutors have opened a homicide investigation against the priest in the city of Suceava.
“The death of a newborn due to this practice is a huge tragedy,” said a message with an online petition for changes to the ritual. “This risk must be ruled out because the joy of baptism triumphs.”
By Thursday evening, the petition had collected over 56,000 signatures, according to AFP.
One person online denounced the “brutality” of the ritual and another person threw the “stubbornness of those who believe it is God’s will” to maintain it.
Local media have reported several similar incidents in recent years.
Church spokesman Vasile Bănescu said priests could pour a little water on a baby’s head instead of diving completely.
But Archbishop Theodosius, the leader of the traditional wing of the church, stood firm and insisted that the complete ritual would not change.
In Romania, where over 80% of the population is Orthodox, the church is one of the most reliable institutions, according to recent opinion polls.