Philippi (Greece) — Baptismal Site

Soon after Paul’s arrival at Philippi on his second missionary journey—on the Sabbath—he “went outside the gate to a riverside, where we [Luke included] were supposing that there would be a place of prayer”  (Acts 16:14).  There a woman named Lydia from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics” was converted to Christianity and was baptized (Acts 16:14–15).

Krenides River

The exact site of this event is not known, but its memory is preserved just north of the Krenides gate of Philippi, about 0.5 mi. [0.8 km.] west of the archaeological site.

Baptismal Church of Lydia

Here the Greek Orthodox have built a baptismal site along the river and have constructed an octagonal Church of Saint Lydia that is used for Orthodox baptisms.

Ten additional high resolution images of this site are available for viewing and personal use.