[Author's note: Here is post 44 again to put the posts in the proper order. If you missed 43, you can find it on the blog right before this one. Thanks.]
The next day, Nicholas stood in the Assembly of New Zion singing praises to Christus with the rest of the believers. There was no statue, no image of Christus; only a mosaic picture of five loaves and two fish on the floor, showing the work of Christus. There was no altar. The sacrifice had already been made by Christus himself. Here, Nicholas felt at home. Here, he could be himself among friends. And yet today, the unease from the banquet hung over him. He could still see Valerius offering his incense to Zeus, grinning to him as if he belonged there. He could have spoken up about Christus, but that was dangerous. He might end up like Faustinus, shut out of his trade. Still, it bothered him.
A few days later as Nicholas came to the hall of the magistrates, he spotted a formation of soldiers gathering in the forum. It was unusual to see them massing in the city. It looked as if they were preparing for some battle, but he saw no sign of a disturbance. Nicholas approached a centurion whom he knew from court and quietly asked, “Is there some invasion, or a ring of bandits you’re hunting down?”
“Christiani,” said the centurion. He said it with such contempt that Nicholas found it hard not to react. “The emperor’s edict came in last night. Finally, we can shut them up.”
“An edict?” asked Nicholas.
“He outlawed Christiani gatherings. We get to burn their writings and destroy their halls.”
“Then I’d best be out of your way,” said Nicholas. He turned and marched away.
As soon as he had passed beyond sight of the troops, Nicholas broke out running all the way to his uncle’s home. He pounded on the door and wouldn’t stop until at last his uncle opened to him. Nicholas barged inside and blurted out, “An edict from Caesar! He’s banned the writings of Christus! The assemblies are outlawed!”
His uncle hurried to his room and returned with his cloak. He said, “Come. We must not waste time.”
Together, they hurried to the Assembly of New Zion and marched into the library. While Nicholas kept watch over the door, his uncle scanned the books on the shelf and started pulling one from here and one from there. He said, “The commentaries we can leave behind. The memoirs of the apostles we must protect.” Soon, he held a stack of books in his arms.
Nicholas poked his head out the front door. He spotted eight soldiers in the distance moving up the street in their direction. He called inside, “They’re coming!”
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