Saint-Remy-de-Provence

Described in the Dictionnaire des églises..., (1966-) as a baptistery dating from the 6th or 7th century built in the Syrian style after the one at the church of St. George at Ezrah and the one at Riez: it has a square external plan with an octagonal interior, with semi-circular niches in the four diagonal walls; it had two tubs, one for the pre-baptism cleansing of the catechumens, and another for the proper and formal immersion in the presence of the bishop. According to this same source, the hollowed baptistery structure became the porch of the new church dedicated to the Virgin in the 10th century. On-site notes: there is no visible trace of the baptistry now. The baptismal font in use at this church is a stylised marble object of the 18th or 19th century [cf. Images area]