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As the singular symbol of membership in the Orthodox Christian Church, the sacrament of baptism has been of central importance in the Church.

The baptistry may be located within the main structure of a [[church]] or as a separate structure located adjacent the church. Commonly, the sacrament of baptism for those becoming Orthodox Christians is conducted in the [[nave]] of the church, generally in portable pools or [[font]]s. In some churches the font or baptismal pool maybe "built-in". Baptistries were found in many early churches in Asia Minor and Italy, as illustrated in the third century in the Church at Dura-Europus[http://www.deeperstudy.com/link/dura_baptistery.html]. A sixth century example can be found in the Great Church of Holy Wisdom ([[Hagia Sophia (Constantinople)|Hagia Sophia]]) in present day Istanbul.