This building, built at the end of the 6th century (perhaps on the ruins of a Roman temple), was remodeled in the 12th century.
Following the wave of barbarian invasions, the bishops of Carpentras would have found refuge in Venasque, from the 6th to the 10th century.
The basis of any bishopric, from the 4th/5th century, is a cathedral church where the seat of the bishop, the cathedra and a church dedicated to Saint John the Baptist are located.
At this time, there were numerous catechumens and the bishop celebrated the baptism of adults by immersion twice a year, on the eve of Easter and Pentecost.
The word “baptism” comes from the Greek “baptizō” which means “to dive, to immerse”.
The baptistery is a four-lobed building which has a plan in the shape of a Greek cross. Its central space, vaulted with groins, opens onto four apses in the shape of a furnace, enclosed in quadrangular massifs.
Their decoration of blind arcades is based on reused antique columns.
In the ground is the location of the octagonal baptismal font.
At the same level as the ground of the building, the existence of a small crypt, located under the choir of the church and dating from the 4th century would prove that a religious community was established very early.
The baptistery, built in the 6th century, was remodeled in the 11th, 12th and 13th centuries and restored in the 19th century by the Historical Monuments under the leadership of Prosper Mérimée, inspector of Historical Monuments who discovered it during his journey to the south of France in 1834.
Restored, it was included in the first list of Historic Monuments in 1840.
The capitals of the west apse date from the Merovingian period and are similar to those of Montmajour Abbey.
In the vault of the north apse is the location of fine pottery resonator vases to improve the acoustics.
This Roman technique, borrowed from the Greeks, will be used in churches until the Gothic period.
Opening days and hours 2024:
Open Monday to Friday (closed Saturday and Sunday).
Low season: from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. (cash desk closes, 4:45 p.m.).
High season (from April 8 to October 7): from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. (cash desk closes, 5:45 p.m.).
