Friday bottom #14

In the Cast Gallery at the V&A there's this very big font. On it is St John the Baptist baptising the Penitents.

The Penitents have been around since the 4th century. Having committed serious sins, they would go to the bishop and confess. He would then give them some heavy duty penance, such as build a church, change the direction of a river, that sort of thing.

John the Baptist, on the other hand, had his head removed for Salome in around 28 AD.

This makes me wonder how he could be baptising these two guys...and why they're naked.