Over the next days, Nicholas looked into what was left of his estate. His home in Myra appeared in good shape. When he knocked on the door, a stern man answered, “What do you want?”
“Did you purchase this home?” asked Nicholas.
“Who wants to know?”
“I am the owner.”
“Not anymore,” said the man. “I bought it from the proconsul and I have the title deed.”
Nicholas nodded, then handed him a paper. The man asked, “What is this?”
“A summons to appear before the magistrates. This home was seized by the state when I was arrested for worshiping Christus. Under the emperor’s new edict, the state will now buy it back for me.”
The man could only glare at him, speechless.
Nicholas went on to search the harbor. He recognized some of his former fisherman working about a ship and moved in to have a closer look. He spotted captain Lysimachus. A finely dressed slave stood over him, yelling about not catching enough fish. Nicholas took him to be a slave of Silvanus, sent to manage the fishing ships. The crewmen kept their distance from him. At one point, the slave raised a switch over Lysimachus, but Nicholas took hold of it and said, “The beatings will stop.”
The slave growled, “Stand aside or I’ll give you a beating too. You have no say over these slaves.”
Nicholas replied, “They are not slaves. They are freedmen. And if you beat them again, I will bring you and your master Silvanus before the magistrates.”
Arriving at the hall of the magistrates, Nicholas hoped to find Valerius. He was one of the many he had prayed for during his time in prison, and he hoped that he might one day meet him again and tell him of Christus. He recognized a friend of Valerius, one of the two who took his challenge of giving to the poor in the name of the gods. The man gave Nicholas a scowl and said to his colleague, “It didn’t take long for the rats to spread once they opened the dungeons.”
Nicholas ignored the insult and asked, “Do you know where I can find Valerius?”
“In the dirt outside the city. He’s dead. A fool like you, Christianus.”
Nicholas felt a mixture of disappointment that he didn’t get to speak to Valerius and peace that he was now in the presence of Christus. He moved on into the hall.
By the stares and frowns he got, he knew that they all knew he was a Christianus. When he presented his petitions, the chief magistrate said, “You are free to go about your business, but do you really expect us to give aid to a religion that defies the ancient institutes and public order of Rome?”
“Did you purchase this home?” asked Nicholas.
“Who wants to know?”
“I am the owner.”
“Not anymore,” said the man. “I bought it from the proconsul and I have the title deed.”
Nicholas nodded, then handed him a paper. The man asked, “What is this?”
“A summons to appear before the magistrates. This home was seized by the state when I was arrested for worshiping Christus. Under the emperor’s new edict, the state will now buy it back for me.”
The man could only glare at him, speechless.
Nicholas went on to search the harbor. He recognized some of his former fisherman working about a ship and moved in to have a closer look. He spotted captain Lysimachus. A finely dressed slave stood over him, yelling about not catching enough fish. Nicholas took him to be a slave of Silvanus, sent to manage the fishing ships. The crewmen kept their distance from him. At one point, the slave raised a switch over Lysimachus, but Nicholas took hold of it and said, “The beatings will stop.”
The slave growled, “Stand aside or I’ll give you a beating too. You have no say over these slaves.”
Nicholas replied, “They are not slaves. They are freedmen. And if you beat them again, I will bring you and your master Silvanus before the magistrates.”
Arriving at the hall of the magistrates, Nicholas hoped to find Valerius. He was one of the many he had prayed for during his time in prison, and he hoped that he might one day meet him again and tell him of Christus. He recognized a friend of Valerius, one of the two who took his challenge of giving to the poor in the name of the gods. The man gave Nicholas a scowl and said to his colleague, “It didn’t take long for the rats to spread once they opened the dungeons.”
Nicholas ignored the insult and asked, “Do you know where I can find Valerius?”
“In the dirt outside the city. He’s dead. A fool like you, Christianus.”
Nicholas felt a mixture of disappointment that he didn’t get to speak to Valerius and peace that he was now in the presence of Christus. He moved on into the hall.
By the stares and frowns he got, he knew that they all knew he was a Christianus. When he presented his petitions, the chief magistrate said, “You are free to go about your business, but do you really expect us to give aid to a religion that defies the ancient institutes and public order of Rome?”
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