2015

Daniel Keeran, MA, MSW

Ancient and Medieval Baptismal Fonts

in Rome

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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 Peter’s (Benedict XIII) Saint Peter’s (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

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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 13th 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.

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Santa Cecilia in Trastevere

An excavation in recent years was carried out beneath this church and revealed a Roman construction, likely Cecilia’s 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.

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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

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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.

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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 l’antico 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

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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 mother’s 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, Mélanges de l'Ecole française 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 Peter’s 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.

Benedict’s 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 Pope’s death was placed in the floor basin and obscures the presence and functionality of Benedict’s 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 Peter’s basilica – Benedict XII Saint Peter’s basilica (Probus)

When the immersion basin of Damasus, restored and redesigned by a later Pope had fallen into disuse in Old St. Peter’s 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 author’s 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 Paul’s 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 Michaelangelo’s 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 well-read 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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