From evil to good

From evil to good
In order to prevent children from remaining as dwellers of the devil's kingdom, there are severe punishments for waiting too long for baptism. Water is regarded as the correct baptismal liquid, but saliva, snow, dew and beer are also permitted. The last-named were probably commonly used in emergencies, such as in situations when a child was in danger of dying before being baptised.

This baptismal font from the thirteenth century has stood in one of the stone churches in the Stavanger region. The original cathedral font was probably lost in the fire of 1272. The font is made of soapstone, which contains a high content of talc – the softest known mineral. This makes the stone itself relatively soft and easy to work.