Baptism in the Holy Land

Baptism is a Christian rite of passage. Its theological significance and practice were discussed by the Church Fathers of the 2nd and 3rd c. in both the East and West. In the first three centuries it was conferred outdoors in a stream, a spring, or in a private bath, leaving no identifiable physical traces. The earliest full-fledged baptistery in the Christian East is that uncovered in the Domus Ecclesiae in Dura Europos that was built before the mid-3rd c. CE. Monumental baptisteries throughout the Christian world are known only from the 4th c. on.

The present study on baptism, which focuses on the Holy Land, relates to the archaeological aspects and literary sources, of various genres. All the baptisteries in the Holy Land recorded to date – 98 installations in 90 churches – are addressed here.

The first two chapters of Part A address the literary evidence (Chapter 1), and the archaeological context (Chapter 2). Chapter 3 is devoted to infant baptism in the prism of these two aspects. Part B comprises an Inventory of the Baptisteries, arranged alphabetically and accompanied by plans and figures.