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Perhaps the most ancient liturgical term extant, the baptistery is, as its name implies, the place where baptisms take place. In the early church the baptistery was a separate building, and although it was usually connected or adjacent to the church to which it belonged, it was nevertheless a place set apart. This was due to the fact that in the early church rites and practices surrounding baptism were much more esoteric. The candidate for baptism, almost exclusively an adult, went through a long process of preparation that was called mystagogical catechesis (literally instruction in the mysteries) and were not welcome in the church proper while the Eucharist was celebrated. At the time when the priest announced the offertory, those catechumens who had finished their catechesis would retreat to the narthex, or vestibule, awaiting their baptism at the Easter Vigil. Meanwhile, those catechumens who were not fully prepared for Baptism would retreat to the baptistery, to continue their instruction. Most Ancient baptisteries were large circular or polygonal buildings with many large outer chambers-where the catechumens took their instruction, and a round central chamber in the center of which was placed the baptismal font- where they would be baptized at the Easter Vigil. As Eucharistic piety changed baptisteries ceased to be separate buildings and the term came to refer to that are of the church where the font resides and where the faithful are baptized, usually in the midst of the worshiping community. No longer a private or mysterious affair, baptisteries, particularly since the reformation, are typically located either in the vestibule or, as in our church, at the extremity of the one of the transept arms. As an interesting aside, the post reformation catholic church actually had rubrics dictating how the baptistery was to be appointed. To quote the Catholic Encyclopedia: “it should be railed off; it should have a gate fastened by a lock; and should be adorned, if possible, with a picture of the baptism of Christ by St. John.” While our baptistery is not gated or railed, it may be comforting to know that if the Pope ever paid us a visit, at least he'd be pleased with our stained glass window.
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