Christianity was the main religion at the close of the Roman Empire. During the time of the Visigoths, the Church became one of the pillars of society. Rural villages, like El Bovalar, which dates from the 5th to 8th centuries, had their own basilica and baptistery. During palaeo-Christian and Visigothic times, the baptistery was used to administer baptism. The baptistery had a pool in which the candidates, who were generally adults, were immersed during the sacrament of baptism. When baptism for children became widespread from the 7th century on, baptisteries gave way to baptismal fonts.