Sentence:  He was seen [...] bathing in the holy water <WSD>stoup</WSD> as if he were its single and beholden bird, pushing aside weary French maids and local tradespeople with the impatience of a soul in physical distress. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  A receptacle for holy water, especially a basin set at the entrance of a church. (from 16th c.)