A baptistry, the site where a baptism in the Christian faith is conducted, has a rich and storied history. In religious terms, a baptistry was used to formally grant entry into the Christian or Catholic church. These ancient structures, many of which are located throughout the world, date back more than 1,000 years and still stand today.

Definition

A baptistry is a structure where a baptism is conducted. It is used to formally grant an individual entry into the Christian or Catholic church.

Features

Most baptistries will either be in the shape of a font, which is typically used to baptize an infant. For this purpose, the size can be smaller and just big enough to hold water, which the infant's head will be dipped into. For adults, the baptistry will actually be a small pool-shaped structure that can fully immerse the man or woman.

Sizes

Different sizes of baptistries are necessary, as there are currently four different types of baptisms that are done: aspersion (sprinkling water), affusion (pouring of water), immersion (partial water coverage) and submersion (entire body coverage).

Famous Baptistries

The most celebrated baptistry in all of the Christian religion is located in San Giovanni, Italy. It is located in close proximity to the Church of St. John Lateran at Rome. One other is Baptistiere Saint Jean in Poitiers, France. It is said to be the oldest standing French structure today.

Expert Insight

Historians claim that the earliest baptistries were only used four times annually, during Pentecost, Epiphany, Christmas and Easter.

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