More than 50 inmates at a county jail in Maryland have publicly declared their faith after taking part in a baptism service held inside the facility for the first time.

Sixteen women and 38 men were baptised during the service at the Prince George’s County Department of Corrections, which was run by prison group Moving Forward Ministries.

In a post on Instagram, the jail said: “The gymnasium was filled with members of the community, local church leaders and county leaders on Tuesday to support the baptism of 54 incarcerated individuals.”

It added: “The Department of Corrections is appreciative of the community partners who helped make this event possible, including assisting in providing the necessary equipment.

“This is the first time the agency has held a baptism, but it will not be the last. The baptism will become a recurring event to allow incarcerated individuals the opportunity to learn what it means to be baptised and sign up to be baptised themselves, if they are interested.”

State’s Attorney Tara Jackson, who was in attendance at the service, told the crowd: “God knew that the state’s attorney needed to be here."

According to The Washington Post, the inmates changed from orange jumpsuits into white ones to represent baptismal robes and were baptised in pools donated by local churches.

Moving Forward Ministries, which is led by the prison’s director of corrections, Terence Clark, had been holding weekly meetings inside the jail for the previous two years.

These meetings, which originally saw around twelve inmates gather, had grown into church services with a worship band, deacons and more than 100 attendees.

One inmate receiving baptism was 34-year-old father Aaron Jefferson, who was incarcerated after pleading guilty to a killing last year. He told The Washington Post it felt like a “second chance”.

“It’s a blessing to have this opportunity,” he added. “I felt that I wanted to leave some of my old habits and old ways behind and become a new, better person.”