Baptisteries as separate structures

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I’m currently in Florence and just came from Pisa. In both cities, the cathedrals have stunning, majestic separate baptistries - completely separate buildings from the main church. Does anyone know how widespread this was and during what eras?
 
I think fairly such.

I think unbaptized persons couldnt even enter a church until baptism.
 
The Church I was baptized at had theirs in a huge (stunning) bell tower, at the base!
Last time I visited home, they had moved the glorious font into the sanctuary.
I remember years ago, parents would not take an infant out fo the HOUSE until it was Baptized. The first outing was to the Baptism itself. 😊
 
Do you know if it was universal law or local practice? I seem to think that in Rome itself, from what I recall, baptismal fonts are in the churches.
 
Sorry, not an answer to your question, but a data point: My parish church building has a separate baptistry (circa late 50’s). It was in disrepair and unused for many years, but has recently been restored and has been utilized at Easter Vigils. (Most baptisms through the year still utilize a portable font in the sanctuary, I think)

PS. Did you see the bell tower in Pisa? 🔔 😀
 
Mine has a separate room off to the side of the vestibule. It’s usable for smaller Baptisms, but anything with 15+ people has to use what we call the ‘salad bowl’ in the main sanctuary haha
 
twf said:
I’m currently in Florence and just came from Pisa. In both cities, the cathedrals have stunning,
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My level of envy just went off the charts…

😭
 
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Rome two days ago (my second time)… it’s amazing that from any street corner you are bound to find a church that equals any Byzantine temple in terms of ostentation haha.
 
It seems to be somewhat common in Italy from way back. The Duomo in Florence also has a separate Baptistery. St John Lateran also has one.

The Baptistery at Pisa is spectacular. Where you there when the cantor came in? I didn’t care so much about the bell tower but the Duomo and Baptistery were well worth the side trip.
 
twf said:
Rome two days ago (my second time)… it’s amazing that from any street corner you are bound to find a church that equals any Byzantine temple in terms of ostentation haha.
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Yes! The sheer number of beautiful churches is amazing. And if you just happened to wander into one, even if it isn’t well-known, you’re likely to find lesser-known pieces of outstanding art from one of the masters.
 
Ours was repurposed as an Adoration chapel, church was built around the same time. Much of the art in the chapel has to do with baptism and water, quite appropriately. 🙂
 
Yes, it was common in more prominent towns. Dante was baptized in “mi bella Giovanni,” as he calls it–the St. John baptristy in Florence.
 
twf said:
Do you know if it was universal law or local practice? I seem to think that in Rome itself, from what I recall, baptismal fonts are in the churches.
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In the early church, the only place baptisms were carried out was in a separate baptistry associated with a cathedral, as the sacrament was administered by the bishop himself, and not a priest. That meant for several centuries starting in 440 AD, the only place in the diocese of Rome where one could get baptized was in the baptistry of St. John’s Lateran, which still stands today.
 
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The separate baptistery dates back to the Roman Empire. Mainly for privacy, because pagan adult converts had to descend naked into the pool before dressing in white robes and presenting themselves in the adjacent main building to the Christian community. Pools were often octagonal in shape, representing the eight days of creation (Christ being the eighth).
 
Mainly because no one was allowed to enter a churches until after they were baptized.
Dan_Defender said:
Pools were often octagonal in shape, representing the eight days of creation
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Because they often were inspired by the Lateran Baptistry, which is octagonal, probably following the plan of the building it replaced, which was a spring house for the Lateran palace.
 
Same with me Nelka.

This is my first post here, however someone’s reply to twf was sent as a notification to me
 
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