Portable Baptistry: Room for Two People and Full Immersion

Before equipping themselves, many churches ask a practical question: is the pool large enough not just for the candidate, but for the person doing the baptizing, in the water, at the same time? For the Kollder portable baptistry, the answer is yes.

Room for two adults in the pool

At set-up dimensions of 205 × 80 × 60 cm (81 × 31 × 24 in), the baptistry lets the candidate lie back along the full length of the pool while the officiant stands or kneels alongside, in the water. The pool holds up to two people at once, without one getting in the way of the other's movement. Additional helpers can also assist from the rim, on either side.

Why two people in the water changes the moment

A dignified full immersion means the candidate is supported, not just guided from outside the pool:

Controlled support. With a hand behind the shoulders or the back of the head, the officiant lowers and raises the candidate smoothly, at a measured pace.
A reassured candidate. For someone anxious about water, elderly, or with limited mobility, having a second adult in the pool makes the moment safe and calm.
A shared moment. Some churches want a relative or a faith mentor to step into the water with the candidate. The space allows for it.

What makes the immersion genuinely full

Beyond room for two, it's the pool's geometry that guarantees total immersion:

Water depth. With 20 to 24 in (50 to 60 cm) of water, an adult lying down is fully covered, head included, for the moment of the immersion.
Volume. Roughly 130 to 185 gallons depending on the fill level, filled with a garden hose or water containers.
The pool floor. A flat, firm floor on a stable structure lets the candidate lie back and gives the officiant secure footing.
Temperature. Room-temperature or lightly warmed water, with none of the cold-water requirement of a medical tub.

A stable pool even with two people moving

The Kollder baptistry's stability doesn't depend on air pressure but on a stainless steel frame, with SS304 hinges, 6 support points, and cross-bracing. The pool carries the weight of two adults plus several hundred liters of water and stays level even on slightly uneven flooring, with no risk of tipping as both people shift position.

The rest of the time

Once the service is over, the baptistry drains through a valve, folds into a bag 85 × 10 × 10 cm (33 × 4 × 4 in) at about 11 kg (24 lb), and sets up the next time in under 2 minutes by one person. Room for two costs nothing in storage footprint.