• Municipalities

  Padula

• Address

  Via S. Giovanni, 1, 84034 Loc. Fonti, SA

• Telephone

  0975 196 6359

• Website

  https://fondoambiente.it/luoghi/il-battistero-paleocristiano-di-san-giovanni-in-fonte?ldc

Description

The Baptistery was built in the 4th century AD and is located in Padula, a short distance away from the Charterhouse of Padula. It is one of the oldest Christian baptisteries in the West; in fact, in ancient times it was part of the village of Marcellianum, a suburb of the Civita di Cosilinum (today's Padula) in the region of Lucania and Bruzii.

In addition, Marcellanium was the site of an important fair that took place every year on the 14th or 16th of September, on the feast of St Cyprian, and attracted people from all over Lucania and beyond. It was so named in honor of Pope Marcellus, who during his brief pontificate (308-309) restarted the difficult programme of giving an organic religious arrangement to the territory, interrupted by Diocletian's fierce persecution. Pope Marcellus as part of an extension of the organization of the Catholic Church established new dioceses, appointed more bishops and promoted the construction of a baptistery for each diocese. The most unique feature of this monument is the fact that the baptismal font, instead of being artificially filled as it was usually done in other buildings, received water naturally because it was built on a perennial spring, allowing baptism by immersion. This makes the early Christian Baptistery of St Johannes of Marcellianum unique in the world of Christianity. The fact, already singular, became miraculous when punctually each year, on Easter night, reserved for baptisms, the spring swelled and the water filled the tank. The prodigy drew growing numbers of believers, keen to witness the miracle of the waters. It was precisely this prodigy that made Marcellianum a holy place, a destination for pilgrims in search of divine signs.

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