Nicholas hadn’t considered announcing to her father that he was a Christianus, but a typical Roman wedding would involve homage to the gods, and a Christianus wedding would include prayers to Christus. It couldn’t be avoided. He sighed, then said, “Then we will pray he believes. And wait for that day.”
Her smile returned, and with it, a tear in her eye. “Grace to you,” she said, and hurried away.
Nicholas smiled. Despite the growing troubles, he had found someone to share them with, someone with whom he could spend the rest of his life. He almost felt as if the troubles must soon pass.
Some days later he came to the forum and found the magistrates on the public stage with a crowd gathered around them. An outdoor trial meant that the accused had no rights and would face a speedy punishment. He asked a man in the crowd, “Are they pirates?”
“No. Traitors. It’s the brother-in-law and the nephew of someone high up in the city. They refuse to bow to the emperor’s statue.”
Nicholas’ stomach turned a knot. A statue of Diocletian featured prominently in the forum and many would bow to it as they passed, but no one paid much attention to who bowed and who didn’t. Still, he would avoid passing it. The pair stood in chains below the magistrates. The first man, he recognized from his assembly. The chief magistrate addressed them. “You have been accused of following this outlawed superstition of Christus. Do you deny it?”
There was a long silence. The magistrate said, “You are not without recourse. The Aedilis here is willing to drop the charges. Each of you will be spared... All you must do is declare Caesar is lord.”
“We have but one lord,” said the first man. “And he is Christus.”
The man standing by Nicholas muttered, “Fools... Whoever holds the sword, he is lord.”
Nicholas sighed and shook his head, wondering how it had come to this. The Aedilis, in charge of the city temples, must have made an issue with his family of bowing to the statue, and now his reputation was at stake. The chief magistrate said, “If you do not turn from this rebellion, you will burn.”
Again, there was a long silence. Finally, the chief magistrate said, “Prepare the fires.”
The man standing by Nicholas wondered aloud, “How can they not fear the fire?”
Nicholas turned and left the forum. He had seen burnings before and they were ghastly affairs. He refused to stand and watch them die.
His face flushed with anger. They were making the greatest sacrifice, but for what? A simple gesture? They could have just given a nod and gone on serving Christus. He knew the rewards of the kingdom of heaven. He himself had taught them, and he believed them, but these men believed them to death.
Her smile returned, and with it, a tear in her eye. “Grace to you,” she said, and hurried away.
Nicholas smiled. Despite the growing troubles, he had found someone to share them with, someone with whom he could spend the rest of his life. He almost felt as if the troubles must soon pass.
Some days later he came to the forum and found the magistrates on the public stage with a crowd gathered around them. An outdoor trial meant that the accused had no rights and would face a speedy punishment. He asked a man in the crowd, “Are they pirates?”
“No. Traitors. It’s the brother-in-law and the nephew of someone high up in the city. They refuse to bow to the emperor’s statue.”
Nicholas’ stomach turned a knot. A statue of Diocletian featured prominently in the forum and many would bow to it as they passed, but no one paid much attention to who bowed and who didn’t. Still, he would avoid passing it. The pair stood in chains below the magistrates. The first man, he recognized from his assembly. The chief magistrate addressed them. “You have been accused of following this outlawed superstition of Christus. Do you deny it?”
There was a long silence. The magistrate said, “You are not without recourse. The Aedilis here is willing to drop the charges. Each of you will be spared... All you must do is declare Caesar is lord.”
“We have but one lord,” said the first man. “And he is Christus.”
The man standing by Nicholas muttered, “Fools... Whoever holds the sword, he is lord.”
Nicholas sighed and shook his head, wondering how it had come to this. The Aedilis, in charge of the city temples, must have made an issue with his family of bowing to the statue, and now his reputation was at stake. The chief magistrate said, “If you do not turn from this rebellion, you will burn.”
Again, there was a long silence. Finally, the chief magistrate said, “Prepare the fires.”
The man standing by Nicholas wondered aloud, “How can they not fear the fire?”
Nicholas turned and left the forum. He had seen burnings before and they were ghastly affairs. He refused to stand and watch them die.
His face flushed with anger. They were making the greatest sacrifice, but for what? A simple gesture? They could have just given a nod and gone on serving Christus. He knew the rewards of the kingdom of heaven. He himself had taught them, and he believed them, but these men believed them to death.
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