A shell was worn by pilgrims traveling to this site, and it eventually came to be a sign of pilgrimage in general. It is a symbol of pilgrimage through this life and into the next one, and an important step in this transforming journey is baptism.

The Baptismal shell is an ancient symbol of baptism, and it is used during the rite to pour water onto the person being baptized. In the Catholic Church it is often used in infant baptisms. Since the shell is connected with baptism it came to be recognized as a symbol for new life in Christ.

Water has long been associated with new life in the Christian tradition. Western art is no exception. Sandro Botticelli's Birth of Venus clearly connects the symbolism of the shell, the water and new life, albeit not from a Christian perspective. In Christian art, if the shell is shown with three drops of water, it represents the Holy Trinity.

While we don't use the baptismal shell here at Trinity, the imagery of the shell is not something foreign to us. The stained glass window in the Baptistry clearly depicts John the Baptist baptizing Jesus with a scallop shell in his hand, and in the sanctuary there is a coat of arms which has the shell emblem on it.

While most churches seem to have a Baptismal shell, very few seem to use them. It is one of those fancy pieces of church hardware that everyone wants to have and very few seem to use.

Michelle Childs