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which still exists, was restored in the eleventh century, and consecrated under the same name.

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A baptistery of the fifth century, was excavated recently in close approximation to the ancient cathedral of Marseilles

Gregory of Tours, in the third book of his History of France, designates under the title of Templum Baptisterii, the temple of the baptistery, the edifice at Rheims, in which King Clovis was solemnly baptized by Remigius.* This important event, represented in the accompanying woodcut (Fig. 45), is thus recounted by Gregory of Tours :-"The news of the conversion of the Franks is carried to St. Remy, who, filled with joy, orders the sacred fonts to be immediately prepared; decorated draperies overshadow the streets; the churches are ornamented with curtains; the baptistery is put in order; clouds of perfume arise; sweet scented tapers are burning, the entire temple of the baptistery is filled with a divine odour, and the Lord gave His grace to the assistants in such abundance that they fancied themselves surrounded by the perfumes of Paradise. The king was the first to request baptism from the pontiff. Another Constantine, he advances towards the bath, which is to wash away his leprosy-he comes to purify in the fresh water the hideous stains of his past life. As he is about to enter into the font, the saint of God says to him in an eloquent voice: Sicamber, bow humbly thy head; adore what thou hast burnt; and burn what thou hast adored.' The king, having confessed his belief in one all-powerful God in the Trinity, was baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, and was anointed with the holy chrism administered with the sign of the cross of Christ. More than three thousand men of his army were also baptized, as well as his sister Albofleda, who, not long after, died in the Lord."+

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Remigius or Remy, bishop of Rheims, was so distinguished for his zeal that he has obtained the appellation of The Apostle of the Gauls.

Gregory of Tours: Nuntiantur hæc antistiti, qui gaudio magno repletus, jussit lavacrum præparari. Velis depictis adum

The baptistery is represented by a quadrilateral edifice, without a dome, and pierced with a number of windows. Clovis, in a state of complete nudity, stands erect in the water, which reaches up to his waist. His hands are joined, his features are calm. All the assistants are in the attitude of surprise and expectation-the pretended miracle of the holy ampulla takes place, a shining dove penetrates into the baptistery, holding in its beak the precious ampulla; Remy in his episcopal robes, watches the descent of the Holy Ghost and renders thanks to God for this manifestation of His favour. The clergy, the courtiers, and the people, are full of admiration. Near the font are represented two of Clovis' soldiers, who are about to imitate his example.

The following liturgy was used by Remy in the administration of baptism. It is taken from a manuscript about one thousand years old.

brantur plateæ, ecclesiæ cortinis albentibus adornantur, baptisterium componitur, balsama diffunduntur, micant flagrantes odore cerei, totumque templum baptisterii divino respergitur ab odore; talemque. ibi gratiam adstantibus Deus tribuit, ut æstimarent se paradisi odoribus conlocari. Rex ergo prior poposcit se à pontifice baptizari. Procedit novus Constantinus ad lavacrum, deleturus lepræ veteris morbum, sordentesque maculas gestorum antiquorum recenti latice deleturus. Cui ingresso ad baptismum, sanctus Dei sic infit ore facundo: "Mitis depone colla, Sicamber, adora quod incendisti, incende quod adorasti." Igitur rex Omnipotentem Deum in Trinitate confessus, baptizatus est in nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti, delibutusque sacro chrismate cum signaculo crucis Christi. De exercitu verò ejus baptizati sunt amplius tria millia. Baptizata est et soror ejus Albofleda, quæ non post multum tempus migravit ad Dominum. (De Gestis Francorum, lib. ii.)

Gregory of Tours (A.D. 539-593) is esteemed the father of Gallic history; his writings disclose considerable diligence, but little judgment. Levity and credulity are the characteristics of his Annals of the Franks, his Miracles or Lives of the Saints, and of his other writings. His tasteless history is the authority most nearly contemporary with, and, in fact, the only original and detailed chronicle of the reign of Clovis.

"On Sabbath morning the children recite the Creed. Catechize them previously, with the hand placed upon their heads, saying:- Remember, Satan,' &c., as in the Roman ordinal. Then touch the nostrils and ears of the child, and say: Ephpheta, Ephpheta, &c. Afterwards, apply the exorcised oil to his chest and between his shoulders, and calling each one by name, say: Dost thou renounce Satan? &c. I anoint thee with the oil of salvation unto life everlasting. Then recite again the Creed, with the hand placed upon their heads. The archdeacon says: Pray, ye elects, bow the knee, &c. He gives the following notice: Let the catechumens retire, &c. The deacon says: Dearly beloved sons, return to your places, &c.

“This done, the pontiff proceeds from the church, accompanied by every order of the priesthood, chanting the litany, and preceded by two tapers of the height of a man, with thuribles and tymias, goes to bless the font. The litany having been chanted around the font, silence is restored, and the pontiff says:-'The Lord be with you. And all answer: And with thy spirit. He then makes the following prayer:-Almighty and everlasting God, be present, &c., as in the Roman Ritual. Taking some of the chrism in a small vase, he pours it in form of a cross upon the water, and sprinkles with it the font and the bystanders. The presbyter interrogates each one (of the candidates) as follows:-Believest thou in God the Father Omnipotent? Answer: I believe, &c. Wilt thou be baptized? &c.

"The presbyters or the deacons, or, if need be, the acolyths, having put on other robes, proceed to the font, and enter into the water, and receiving them from their parents, baptize, first the males, and then the females, by trine immersion, with but one invocation of the Holy Trinity, saying: I baptize thee in the name of the

Father, and dip once, and of the Son, and dip again, and of the Holy Ghost, and dip the third time. (Et ingrediuntur presbyteri aut diaconi, etiam si necesse fuerit, acolythi discalceati, induentes se aliis vestibus mundis, et ingrediuntur ad fontes intro in aqua, et accipientes eos a parentibus suis baptizantur primi masculi, deinde feminæ sub trina mersione, tantum Sanctam Trinitatam semel invocantes, ita dicendo: Baptizo te in nomine Patris, et mergis semel; et Filii, et mergis iterum; et Spiritus Sancti, et mergis tertio.)

"When they have come out of the font, the presbyter dips his thumb in the chrism and anoints them, on the crown of the head, in the form of the cross, saying: Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, &c.

"They are then received by the sponsors, and the pontiff walks out of the font and takes his seat in the church. The children are brought to him, and he gives them a stole, a chasuble, the chrism, and ten silicas, and then the children are clothed. They afterwards attend mass, and they are recommended not to take any food till after they have received the communion."

Gregory of Tours, in the Fifth Book of his History, gives an account of the conversion and baptism of a number of Jews at Clermont, through the labours of the bishop Avitus. "The Jews for a long while hesitated and wavered; but on the third day they sent him (Avitus) an answer in the following terms: We believe that Jesus is the Son of the living God, often announced by the prophets, and therefore beg of thee to wash us with baptism, that we may not persevere in our sin.' On learning this, the pontiff, filled with joy, proceeded to the baptistery, situated outside of the walls of the city; there a multitude fell upon their knees before him, entreating to be baptized. Weeping for joy, he washed them all in the sacred water, and anointed them with the holy chrism,

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