Jerusalem (Old city) - Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Martyrion / Basilica of Constantine)

Paragraph: 
45-46
Translation: 

45. (2) Once the priest has all the names (of those are to be baptized at Easter), on the second day of Lent at the start of the eight weeks, the bishop's chair is placed in the middle of the Great Church, the Martyrium, the presbyters sit in chairs on either side of him, and all the clergy stand. Then one by one those seeking baptism are brought up, men coming with their fathers and women with their mothers.

46. (1) They have here the custom that those who are preparing for baptism during the season of the Lenten fast go to be exorcized by the clergy first thing in the morning, directly after the morning dismissal in the Anastasis. As soon as that has taken place, the bishop's chair is placed in the Great Church, the Martyrium, and all those to be baptized, the men and the women, sit round him in a circle. There is a place where the fathers and mothers stand, and any of the people who want to listen (the faithful, of course) can come in and sit down. - - - (5) So when seven weeks have gone by, and only the week of Easter remains, the one which people here call the Great Week, the bishop comes· early into the Great Church, the Martyrium. His chair is placed at the back of the apse, behind the altar, and one by one the candidates go up to the bishop, men with their fathers and women with their mothers, and repeat the Creed to him.

(transl. Wilkinson)

Bibliografical ref.: 
Bibliography
Summary: 
Baptism at the "Great Church".