John Sheldon's photos with the keyword: Baptismal font

Parikia is the main town in the island of Paros in the Cyclades. The church in which this ancient font is preserved is one of the most important Christian monuments in Greece. The original church was constructed in the 4th century A.D. Many reformations were performed through centuries and today the church is a complex of Paleochristian, Byzantine and post-Byzantine elements. The name Ekatontapiliani means 'the Church with the hundred doors'. According to tradition, the church has 99 doors and a secret door will open when the church of Hagia Sofia in Constantinople becomes Orthodox Christian again. The ancient Baptistery in which the cruciform font is situated dates back to the 4th century. It is said to be the most ancient and the best preserved baptistery of the orthodox Christian East. It was, obviously, designed for the use of adults wishing to be baptised as Christians.