More than 1,100 baptisms mark Baptize California at Pirates Cove

By AI, Created 8:03 PM UTC, May 15, 2026, /AGP/ – Thousands gathered at Pirates Cove in Corona del Mar on May 2 for Baptize California, where more than 1,100 people were baptized and about 5,000 attended along the shoreline. The event now feeds into Baptize the World on May 24 in Washington, D.C., as the movement expands across states and more than 60 nations.

Why it matters: - Baptize California turned a local beach gathering into a high-profile public faith event, with more than 1,100 baptisms and an estimated 5,000 people on the Southern California coastline. - The event adds momentum to a larger movement that now spans California, the rest of the U.S. and more than 60 nations.

What happened: - Thousands gathered at Pirates Cove in Corona del Mar on Saturday, May 2, for Baptize California. - More than 1,100 people were baptized during the afternoon. - Scores of local churches worked together at the event. - Live worship came from Tiffany Hudson, Abbie Gamboa, Matt Crocker and Oceans Music. - Pastor Mark Francey, lead pastor of Oceans Church, said the gathering was about the Body of Christ coming together and seeing lives changed through Jesus.

The details: - The event included ocean baptisms, live worship, prayer, personal testimonies and unity among churches from across California. - Individuals, families, pastors and church communities publicly declared their faith through water baptism. - Hundreds of people lined the sand and shoreline while pastors baptized participants in the ocean. - Families celebrated together on the beach as worship echoed across Pirates Cove. - John Gasperetti traveled from Casper, Wyoming, to be baptized after hearing about the gathering from his girlfriend in Nevada. - Gasperetti said he wanted to make his faith public and take the next step in following Jesus. - Jim Loreto of Southern California said he came seeking renewal after a difficult season and wanted a fresh start.

Between the lines: - The event is built around unity across churches rather than a single congregation or denomination. - The scale of the baptisms suggests the movement has moved beyond a regional beach event into a repeatable national model. - The personal stories at Pirates Cove show the event is designed to blend large-scale spectacle with individual testimony.

What’s next: - Baptize the World is scheduled for Pentecost Sunday, May 24, with a livestream from the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C. - The global event will feature baptism footage from more than 60 nations. - Churches, pastors and believers from around the world are expected to join in a public declaration of faith. - More information is available on the event website. - Updates are also posted on Instagram and Facebook.

The bottom line: - Baptize California is now one of the clearest signs that the movement has grown from a Southern California beach event into a global public-baptism campaign.