Kim Kardashian is one of the most famous celebrities and media personalities in the world today. She first gained media attention as a friend and stylist of Paris Hilton in the early 2000s. Kardashian came to further prominence in 2007 when a sex tape with her former boyfriend Ray J was leaked. Later that year, she and her family began starring in the reality television series Keeping Up with the Kardashians.
The show focused on the personal and professional lives of the Kardashian-Jenner family members, including Kim, her siblings Kourtney, Khloé, and Rob, and their parents Kris and Caitlyn Jenner. Keeping Up with the Kardashians was a hit and ran for 20 seasons until 2021. Through the show, Kim and her family became influential figures in popular culture, fashion, and social media.
Kim leveraged her fame to launch several business ventures, including the mobile game Kim Kardashian: Hollywood, the photo book Selfish, and her own makeup and perfume lines. She has also amassed massive followings on social media, including over 300 million followers on Instagram as of 2022. Her prominence on social media has allowed her to earn lucrative sponsorship deals and endorsements.
In her personal life, Kim married rapper Kanye West in 2014, with whom she shares four children. She filed for divorce in early 2021. Even with the end of Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Kim remains one of the most-followed and influential celebrities in the world.
Kim’s Upbringing
Kim Kardashian was born into an Armenian Christian family in Los Angeles, California in 1980. Her father, Robert Kardashian, was a third-generation Armenian American and her mother, Kris Jenner, is of Dutch, English, Irish and Scottish descent.
Kim grew up attending church with her family and has spoken about the importance of her Armenian Christian roots. As a child, she attended Presbyterian Foursquare Church in California with her family. Her family’s Armenian heritage and Christian faith were an important part of her upbringing.
Kim’s Baptism
Kim Kardashian was baptized along with her siblings in the Armenian Apostolic Church as a child. The Armenian Apostolic Church is one of the oldest Christian communities in the world and separated from the Catholic Church after the Council of Chalcedon in 451.
In 2019, Kim had her children North, Saint, Chicago, and Psalm baptized in the Armenian Apostolic Church at the Etchmiadzin Cathedral during a trip to Armenia. The private family ceremony demonstrates Kim’s commitment to passing on her Armenian heritage to her children.
Kim’s First Marriage
Kim married NBA player Kris Humphries in a lavish wedding ceremony in August 2011 that was filmed for her family’s reality show Keeping Up with the Kardashians. The wedding, which reportedly cost an estimated $10 million, took place at a private estate in Montecito, California and had over 450 guests.
Despite the extravagant affair, the marriage only lasted 72 days before Kim filed for divorce citing irreconcilable differences. While Kris said he was “committed to the marriage”, Kim was criticized in the media for staging the wedding as a publicity stunt and profiting from the televised event. Sources close to Kim defended her, saying she took marriage very seriously but realized the relationship wasn’t going to work shortly after the wedding 1.
Kim’s Second Marriage
Kim married rapper Kanye West in a private ceremony at Forte di Belvedere in Florence, Italy in May 2014. Their wedding came nearly a year after Kanye proposed to Kim in October 2013 at AT&T Park in San Francisco. The lavish wedding ceremony and party was attended by the couple’s close friends and family.
Kim wore a custom Givenchy haute couture gown designed by Riccardo Tisci for the ceremony. Their wedding was officiated by Rich Wilkerson Jr., a pastor from Miami who had become friends with the couple. Kim and Kanye went on to have four children together before Kim filed for divorce in 2021.
Kim’s Views on Religion
Kim Kardashian was raised as an Armenian Christian, but has described herself as just Christian in recent years. She was baptized along with her sister Khloe in the Armenian Apostolic Church when she was a child. However, after her 72 day marriage to Kris Humphries, Kim expressed feeling disconnected from her faith.
In the past, Kim has talked about the importance of her Armenian Christian roots. But she now seems to identify more broadly as just Christian. She had her first child North baptized in the Armenian Apostolic Church, but her other children have been baptized in the Catholic Church.
While Kim clearly values her Armenian heritage, she seems to take a more open approach to religion now. She focuses more on general Christian values and spirituality rather than following the strict tenets of the Armenian church. Kim has said she compromises with her husband Kanye West’s more devout Christian beliefs. So she seems to have a flexible view of religion, embracing both her Armenian Christian upbringing and a more general Christian identity.
Kim’s Commitment to Her Armenian Roots
Kim Kardashian has strong ties to her Armenian heritage and has advocated for recognition of the Armenian genocide. She visited Armenia in 2015 with her sister Khloé and husband Kanye West, meeting with the country’s prime minister and laying flowers at the memorial for the victims of the 1915 massacre. During the trip, she called for acknowledgement of the genocide, saying “Until this crime is resolved truthfully and fairly, the Armenian people will live with the pain of what happened to their families”.
In 2020, she again spoke out about the importance of Armenia recognizing the genocide on Armenian Remembrance Day. She urged her followers to call on Congress to vote for a resolution recognizing the killings of 1.5 million Armenians as genocide. Kim has said that she’s very proud of her Armenian roots and wants to use her fame to raise awareness. Her father, Robert Kardashian, was a third-generation Armenian American.
Kim’s Children’s Baptisms
Kim Kardashian had her children North, Saint, and Chicago baptized in the Armenian Apostolic Church in October 2019 during a trip to Armenia. The baptisms took place at the Etchmiadzin Cathedral, which is considered the “Vatican” of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Kim and her husband Kanye West wanted their children to be baptized in the same cathedral where Kim was baptized as a child during a trip to Armenia in 1991.
The Armenian Apostolic Church dates back to the 1st century AD and is one of the oldest state churches in the world. Kim has spoken openly about her pride in her Armenian heritage and wanted her children to have the same cultural and spiritual experiences she had growing up. The baptisms appeared to be very meaningful for Kim and her family.
Kim’s Thoughts on Spirituality
Kim has discussed being on a spiritual journey and exploring her faith over the years. In a recent interview, she stated “I do believe in God and I pray every night that things will work out in my life”. She went on to say “I believe in God, love, faith in all of it, and he will bring me my perfect person.” Kim has also talked about finding inner peace and being at one with herself spiritually.
While she was raised Christian, she seems open to exploring her spirituality more broadly. Prayer and having faith seem to be important parts of Kim’s life.
Conclusion
In summary, Kim Kardashian was raised Christian and was baptized with her family at the Armenian Apostolic Church when she was a child. Her first marriage to Kris Humphries was an over-the-top wedding at an estate in Montecito, officiated by a Christian minister. Her second marriage to Kanye West was in Italy and had no religious affiliation.
Throughout her life, Kim has maintained a connection to her Armenian heritage, passing on traditions like baptizing her kids at the Armenian church. She considers herself spiritual but not overly religious. Kim focuses more on being a good person than following organized religion. While she was raised Christian, her faith practices are now more general. Overall, Kim values her Armenian roots and passes down cultural traditions to her children, while taking a open-minded approach to spirituality in her own life.
