2015

Ancient and Medieval Baptismal Fonts

in Rome

Daniel Keeran, MA, MSW

Ancient and Medieval

Baptismal Fonts
in Rome

Daniel Keeran, MA, MSW

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List of Fonts
Santa Cecilia
San Clemente
San Crisogono
Santa Croce in Gerusalemme
San Giovanni in Laterano
San Lorenzo fuori di Muri (Damaso)
San Lorenzo in Lucina
San Marcello al Corso
San Marco
Santa Maria Maggiore
Santa Maria in Trastevere
Ostia Antica
San Paolo fuori di Muri
Saint Peters (Benedict XIII)
Saint Peters (Probus)
San Pietro in Vincoli
San Ponziano (catacomb)
Santa Pudenziano
Santa Priscillia (catacomb)
Santi Quattro Coronati
San Stefano in via Latina
Santa Susanna

See also I battisteri paleocristiani di Roma: analisi

architettonica e topografica by Giacomo Cirsone

Introduction
The photographs were personally taken by the author
with the exception of those used by permission as indicated.
There is very little available to English readers on the subject
of early and medieval baptisteries and fonts.
This brief introductory article of selected baptismal
fonts is concentrated on those in Rome dating from antiquity
and the medieval period through the 13 th century with the
exception of one directed by Pope Benedict XIII in 1725.
This basin, and an earlier baptismal piece known as
the Probus sarcophagus, is documented by Richard J.
Powers in his thesis The Baptisteries and Baptismal Fonts in
Saint Peter's Church, Rome, 366 to 1982 A.D. As his source,
Powers refers to a contemporary of Pope Benedict XIII,
Raffaele Sindone, Della Sacrosancta Basilica di S. Pietro in
Vaticano (Rome, Italy: Presso Giovanni Maria Salvioni, Vol.2,
1750).
The reader should be aware that the term baptistery
refers to the building or room in which the baptismal basin or
font is located. The term font is common usage in literature
referring to the baptismal basin.
A movement within the Catholic Church, supported by
the papacy, is called the Cammino Neocatechumenale (New
Catechumen Way), has thousands of communities (primarily
in Italy and Spain), and seeks to restore early baptismal
practice preceded by lengthy instruction and preparation of
the baptismal candidate. My hope is that this article may
contribute to the energy of the movement.

Santa Cecilia in Trastevere

An excavation in recent years was carried out beneath
this church and revealed a Roman construction, likely
Cecilias residence used as a Christian meeting place during
the period of persecution before the 4th century. We were
pleased to be given a detailed tour by the archaeologists who
excavated the site and documented the findings: Dr. Neda
Parmegiani and Dr. Alberto Pronti.
During the early Roman period of persecution, there
were three characteristic baths in the residence: a cool bath, a
tepid bath, and a hot bath. The interior dimensions of the
circular tepid bath are 60 centimeters or 2 feet in depth and
2.60 meters in diameter, approximately 8 feet 8 inches. The
floor of the bath was set below the floor level of the Roman
house.
This tepid bath was used as the place of baptism in the
house church and continuing until an additional basin was
built directly on top of the tepid bath in the 4th or 5th century
having the same interior diameter and about one meter or 3
feet 4 inches in depth with three steps to the basin floor
including the top rim of the basin. The circular tepid bath can
still be seen as the foundation of the 4th century basin built
over it. The 4th century basin has a star-shaped exterior
design.
A hollow column was later built over the 4th century
basin and was filled with soil where people were then buried.
Then above this in the 9th century another immersion basin
was constructed, the floor of which can be seen. This basin
was destroyed by an earthquake in the 10th century. The soil
and skeletal remains were removed during excavation to
reveal the earlier basin shown here.
Another important finding from the 5th century is a
stone inscription on the lintel over the entrance to the
baptismal basin translated as follows: The sacred basin is for
the faith that removes all sins. Whoever immerses here
begins life anew. The archaeologists explained that
immersion was the mode of baptism in Italy until at least the
10th century.

Santa Cecilia in Trastevere 4th to 10th century

San Clemente
Located near the Colosseum and Santi Quattro
Coronati, this location began as a 3rd century Mithraeum as
part of a private house with subsequent early Christian
worship use and has a circular structure disputed to be the
remains of a baptismal basin. Guidobaldi excavated the site

and says the circular structure is baptismal in design (Journal

of Christian Archaeology, 73 (1997), pp.459-491).

San Crisogono in Trastevere

An excavation beneath this church was carried out by
Alberto Pronti. An earlier church site was discovered and an
earlier Roman house dating from the 3rd century where
Christians met for worship. A large circular stone baptistery
can be seen here measuring about 104 inches for the interior
diameter and about two feet in measureable depth. The top
rim and floor had deteriorated, and the rim has been recently
reinforced with modern bricks to maintain integrity. The wall of
a later medieval construction intersects the walls of the basin.
Crisogono may have been the owner of the house, and
some believe the baptistery may have served a double
purpose as a laundry basin. As seen with other house sites
where Christians met and where later specific church
construction developed, there was a basin and an abundant
water source used for other purposes such as the thermal
bath or impluvium beneath San Pudenziana and the tepid
bath used as the baptismal basin at San Cecilia in Trastevere.

San Crisogono in Trastevere 3rd century

Santa Croce in Gerusalemme
This church building was excavated and documented
by Dr. Margherita Cecchelli Trinci of the University of Rome at
La Sapienza. Beneath the present building are the remains of
a 4th century basilica built by Constantine for his mother
Helena and includes the characteristic vertical rectangular
marble slabs that line the outside wall of the immersion basin.
The slabs are fitted tightly with metal clasps and placed on a
concrete surface that overlays the familiar Roman bricks laid
horizontally. The top rim of the basin is discernable. As noted
in the description of the baptistery of Ostia Antica and Santa
Cecilia, the vertical rectangular marble slabs lining the inside
wall appear to be a design feature of basins ordered by
Constantine.
The site was too difficult to be viewed by the public
during our visit, but a photo and description by Cecchelli can
be found in a book we came across in the church bookstore
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entitled La Basilica di S. Croce in Gerusalemme a Roma:

quando lantico e futuro edited by Anna Maria Affanni. Another
interesting aspect is that this baptistery and church building
are located within sight of the more famous immersion basin
and church built by Constantine known as San Giovanni in
Laterano. The photo here is used with the permission of
Andrea Jemolo.

Santa Croce in Gerusalemme 4th century

San Giovanni in Laterano

Ordered by the Emperor Constantine, this baptismal
site was first constructed in the 4th century and is possibly the
largest in Rome. The basin has undergone different
reconstructions and was designed for immersion. While some
have thought it was the only baptistery in the diocese at that
time, there were others functioning including one at his
mothers residence down the street where Santa Croce is now
located.
Guidobaldi says in in Private Buildings Transformed
into Buildings of Christian Worship: Excavations show that
the baptistery of Constantine age had a circular plant with
pool in the center, which is also circular and completely
coincides with the western apse of an underlying frigidarium,
relevant to a domus of the third century.

San Giovanni in Laterano 4th century

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San Lorenzo fuori di Muri (Damaso)

Sebastian Ristow in Fruhchristliche Baptisterien says
this location has the remains of a 4th century immersion basin.
During our visit, the sacristano said the remains of the basin
are now buried under the parking area in front of the church
building.

San Lorenzo in Lucina

The remains of this 5th century immersion basin can be
seen in the excavation beneath the present church building.
We approached a priest who then appealed to the custodian
to allow us to see the baptistery, but he could not find the key.
When we returned a few weeks later, he opened the door to
the excavation and allowed us free entrance. As we entered
one of the many rooms, we saw the circular foundation of a
large immersion basin about 12 feet in diameter. The large
drain channel for the outflow of water from the basin is clearly
visible.
This site is a short walk from San Marcello al Corso.
While it is sometimes claimed that in early centuries only a
single baptistery with one bishop served the diocese of Rome,
there were in fact numerous baptisteries located throughout
the city.

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San Lorenzo in Lucina 5thcentury

Santa Maria Maggiore
A 5th century Christian worship site, a baptismal basin
is believed to have been located here because of the early
date of Christian use and its mention in the Liber Pontificalis.

Santa Maria in Trastevere

Professor Frederico Guidobaldi at the Pontifical
Institute of Christian Archaeology says this location had a
baptismal basin because parts of the door to the baptistery
have been identified.
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San Marcello al Corso

When we first visited the church building a short
distance from San Lorenzo in Lucina, the lights were out of
service for viewing this fascinating immersion basin from the
5th century. The custodian assured us the lights would be in
operation the following month. When we returned one
morning, he immediately led us below to a room especially
designed to house the elaborate basin measuring about 8 feet
in diameter and 3 feet deep and with three steps leading to
the floor. The depth is difficult to determine due to destruction
of the top rim. Four niches are designed in the sides of the
basin and appear to be for seating or standing purposes for
the participants or assistants.

San Marcello al Corso 5thh century

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San Marco
A rectangular basin was constructed in the 5th century
at this location in Piazza Venezia (Marinone M., Space
Christian City, in Archaeological Rome, 16-17, 2003, p.10).
See also mention by Cecchelli Margherita in Dati da scavi
recenti di monumenti cristiani. Sintesi relativa a diverse
indagini in corso, 1999, Mlanges de l'Ecole franaise de
Rome, Moyen-Age, Volume 111, Issue 111-1 pp. 227-251.
See also I battisteri paleocristiani di Roma: analisi
architettonica e topografica by Giacomo Cirsone

Saint Peters basilica (Benedict XII)

The current baptismal area is actually two baptismal
basins with an interesting history. The large red marble basin
with the ornate brass cover is set into a large oval basin cut
into the floor of the basilica that originally had three marble
steps descending to the basin floor. The basin below floor
level is about 8 feet long, 5 feet wide, and 3 feet deep,
ordered by Pope Benedict XIII in 1725 who wanted to
perform the ancient rite of baptism by immersion (Powers,
116). The description of the basin and reference to Benedict
XIII* is given by Powers as page 214 in a book written in 1750
by a contemporary of the events, Raffaele Sindone, Della
Sacrosancta Basilica di S. Pietro in Vaticano.
Benedicts decision was opposed by others who
thought the immersion basin would distract from the beauty of
the piece designed by Carlo Fontana for infant pouring which
following the Popes death was placed in the floor basin and
obscures the presence and functionality of Benedicts basin.
The porphyry infant basin, had previously been the
sarcophagus of the Emperor Hadrian in Sant Angelo and
afterward had been the tomb of Otto II.
*Benedict XII in Powers due to a change in the list of Popes.

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Saint Peters basilica Benedict XII

Saint Peters basilica (Probus)
When the immersion basin of Damasus, restored and
redesigned by a later Pope had fallen into disuse in Old St.
Peters by the 15th century, the double sarcophagus of Sextus
Anicius Petronius Probus (375 CE) was used as the
immersion basin until 1695, and in its last phase of use for
baptism was placed in the area where the Pieta is now
located. This sarcophagus baptismal basin measures about 9
feet long, 3.5 feet high and 4.5 feet wide (Powers, 78) and can
still be seen in the crypt area beneath the basilica. The
Probus sarcophagus is located in an unmarked room on the
right before the exit. It can be recognized by the figure of a
beardless Christ holding a cross with the vertical piece
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extending to his feet. The Probus sarcophagus continued to

serve as the baptismal font in new St. Peters basilica built in
the 16th century until it was replaced by the ornate Carlo
Fontana font that can be seen today sitting inside an
immersion basin carved into the basilica floor on orders from
Benedict XIII in 1725.

Probus sarcophagus font 15th to 17th century

Ostia Antica (Constantinian basilica)
This location south of Rome was the main port bringing
supplies to the city. The baptismal pool, dating from the 4th
century, is a room to the right of the main hall and is identified
by a water channel, water outflow, and steps descending seen
here. A cross design is outside on the ground nearby. Marble
overlay can be seen over the brick interior of the baptismal
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room, and a small shelf perhaps for an oil lamp for evening
use is on the rear wall.
Another location for a possible, but in the authors view
unlikely basin, is located to the left of the main hall and has
the vertical marble slabs tightly fitted with metal staples
characteristic of Constantinian construction (see Santa Croce
in Gerusalemme).

Ostia Antica (Constantinian basilica 4th century)

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San Paolo fuori di Muri

Saint Pauls Outside the Walls claims to have the
bones of the apostle and may have the largest baptismal
basin in Rome to rival San Giovanni in Laterano and dating
from the same period. The church custodian (sacristano) and
confirmed by Sebastian Ristow in Fruhchristliche Baptisterien
says the baptistery at San Paolo is the oldest and largest in
Rome. The basin is rectangular in shape with steps
descending on opposite sides. A small 20th century infant
basin is at the center. The pillars are definitely early, and a
medieval mosaic just outside the baptistery, partly survived a
19th century blaze that destroyed the basilica. Due to its
immense size, a picture including both sets of steps and a full
view of the baptismal basin, is impossible to show here.

San Paolo fuori di Muri 4th century

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San Pietro in Vincoli

This location, where Michaelangelos Moses sculpture
is found, is thought to have a baptismal basin from the 5th
century. If true, it remains unexcavated as far as I know.

San Ponziano (catacomb)

The baptismal basin, dating from the 6th century, is
rectangular in shape beneath a large fresco of the immersion
baptism of Christ. (See also I battisteri paleocristiani di Roma:
analisi architettonica e topografica by Giacomo Cirsone.)

San Pudenziano
The fresco seen here dating from the 6th century, is
located in the building near Santa Maria Maggiore, and
depicts two individuals in a baptismal basin.

San Pudenziano fresco 7th century

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This large catacomb area includes a place of worship

and a rectangular basin thought to date from the 4th or 5th
century. When we inquired about two baptisteries we had
read about, the guide said one in the area was inaccessible
because of no lighting. When I explained that I was writing a
book on early baptisteries, she said arrangements to see the
baptistery could be made.
We remained after the tour, and Francesca a
Benedictine nun appeared who had knowledge of the
extensive catacombs. Although she had recently suffered a
fall, she seemed eager to take us to the baptistery. With only
flashlights, we stumbled past cobwebs, narrowing tunnels,
and early Christian inscriptions and tombs. Finally the tunnel
opened onto an area with a wide stone staircase on the left
leading from the outside now closed off. Opposite the
staircase is the basin set below where we stood. The basin is
rectangular in shape and about 7 feet wide, 12 feet in length,
and 4 or 5 feet in depth.
The nun explained that the staircase was from a villa
previously located on the surface. There was evidence of
painting on the walls under the apse ceiling in front of the
basin, crosses scratched in the stone, and writing taken from
the words of Jesus in the gospel of John: If anyone is thirsty,
let him come to me and drink. What appear to be remnants of
marble covering, can be seen along the base of the rear back
wall of the basin.

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Saint Priscillia catacomb 5th century

Santi Quattro Coronati
At this church site near the Colosseum, remains of a
circular stone immersion basin dating from the 5th century and
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measuring 20 feet in diameter, was excavated, recovered,

and subsequently reburied in the present courtyard. This
basin may have been the largest in the city of Rome after San
Giovanni in Laterano.
During our visit we also found the fresco shown here
located in the chapel of Saint Sylvester from the year 1246,
depicting the 4th century immersion baptism of Constantine.
Although the painting shows Sylvester baptizing, it is more
likely the emperor was baptized by his close friend and
biographer, Eusebius of Cesarea, who also wrote a still wellread history of the church.

BAPTISM OF CONSTANTINE 13th century fresco

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San Stefano in via Latina

This 7th century site is difficult to see, and permission
must be obtained from the archaeology department of Rome.
The immersion basin is in the shape of a peacock feather,
symbol of eternal life.

San Stefano in via Latina 7th century

Santa Susanna
In the 9th century a baptismal basin was constructed
according to Frederico Guidobaldi in Private Buildings
Transformed into Buildings of Christian Worship.
Conclusions
The evidence shows an early custom much different
than the predominant practice today in liturgical churches.
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Even as late as the 13th century, Thomas Aquinas

writing in his Summa Theologica, is able to say: it is safer
to baptize by immersion, because this is the more ordinary
fashion
Today, the Catechism of the Catholic Church says in
section 628: Baptism, the original and full sign of which is
immersion

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