Making a Baptismal Font

Baptismal fonts come in many shapes and sizes.

No matter which wing of Christianity you call home, baptism is one of the central sacraments. The idea of baptism goes back to the Hebrew roots of the faith, specifically the Old Testament regulations for bringing converts into the faith. Many denominations practice infant baptism, sprinkling or anointing infants or young children using water from a baptismal font. Occasionally, adult converts also receive anointing from the water in this font. If you are part of a smaller congregation building a new worship facility, you may need to build your own baptismal font.

Things You'll Need

• Stainless steel basin
• Metal, wood or stone

Instructions

1. Select a shape and material for your font. The most common shapes for a baptismal font are round and octagonal. The font then rests on either a solid pedestal or a four-legged structure so that the minister can reach the water while standing up. You will want the material to complement the interior of the church; a wooden font would match a more rural church, for example, while a stone font would complement a more traditional, classic architecture.

2. Find a space in your church large enough for the font. If this font is for immersion, it will be the same size as a small jacuzzi -- perhaps 12 feet in diameter, able to hold three feet of water. If the font is for sprinkling or anointing only, it can be the size of a small sink.

3. Place the support structure for the anointing font where you would like on the altar or in the designated baptismal space. If you are using wood or stone, you may be sinking a stainless steel basin liner into the structure. If you want a water line to run up through the base, you'll need to install a plumbing-ready basin and run the lines through the supports as well.

4. Set the basin on top of the structure, and decorate the basin (and the rest of the font) to suit the taste of your congregation. Obviously, crosses are very common, but other common decorations include other Christian symbols as well as flowers.

5. Slide a stainless steel basin liner into the recess of your basin. Because it does not corrode and is extremely easy to clean, stainless steel is a good choice.

Tips & Warnings

• Your base should weigh more than the basin above. Afterall, you'll have small family members who may be bumping into the font, and you don't want it to fall over.

References

• Catholic Encyclopedia: Baptismal Font