Every Knee Shall Bow by Bryan Litfin

Author:Bryan Litfin [Litfin, Bryan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Historical Fiction;Church history—Primitive and early church (ca. 30–600)—Fiction;Rome—History—the Great Constantine I (306–337)—Fiction;Christian fiction;FIC042030;FIC014010;FIC027050
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2021-09-02T00:00:00+00:00

9

NOVEMBER 311

The pleasant days of early autumn had begun to lapse into a dreary Roman winter. It was November now, and like every year, Flavia was trying to adapt to more chilly drizzle and less beautiful sunshine. Today was yet another one of the rainy days. As she gazed out her window at the Gelotiana House, she could tell it was going to be like that all day.

“Enjoying the view?” Alexamenos asked as he entered the room behind her, obviously joking. The only thing Flavia could see was the rain-drenched wall of an apartment block a short distance away.

She glanced over her shoulder and rolled her eyes. “Of course! I always love to stare at wet bricks.”

Alexamenos laughed at the reply, then came closer and pointed at the plain-looking building. “See those windows right there? Four in a row on the second floor? Guess what it is.”

“Somebody’s residence, I suppose,” Flavia said with a shrug.

“Used to be. But now it’s been turned into a church.”

“Really?” Flavia looked over at her friend, mouth agape, eyebrows arched. “A church right here at the foot of the Palatine? That building touches the Circus Maximus! The emperor passes it every time he comes down to his box to watch the races!”

“I know. Hard to believe. Little does he know what’s happening right under his nose. Quite a few high-level officials attend the church. It’s named for the lady who owns the apartments. She took some rooms off her rental roll and devoted them to sacred use. Her name is Anastasia. Quite an energetic woman. And very devoted to the faith.”

“I wish I could visit,” Flavia said wistfully.

Alexamenos shook his head. “Just keep your head down and do your job. No need to raise suspicions. There will be time in the future to start going to church again.”

“I know. But I miss meeting with the brethren.”

“Maybe you could go out to the Catacombs? There’s a feast coming soon at the Apostolic Monument. The place is less visible to watching eyes.”

Flavia was considering her friend’s remark when, out in the main courtyard, the normal ruckus of the rowdy boys who lived in the house grew louder. Tensions had been running a little high today because everyone was cooped up by the rain. Now a fight seemed to be breaking out.

Alexamenos went to the portico to intervene, and Flavia followed. “Bassus! Zoticus! Break it up!” the teacher barked. “You want to mar those pretty faces with a black eye? You’ve got a banquet tomorrow!”

The mention of disfigurement was more than enough to make the handsome youths back down from whatever had aroused their fighting spirit. When Flavia had arrived a few days earlier at Gelotiana House, she immediately noticed that the boys—from slight youths with still-smooth cheeks to young men who were seventeen like herself—were all extremely good-looking. Their faces were beautiful, their clothes were elegant, and all of them were tall for their age. Yet what Flavia noticed most was their hair. Every single boy had long, thick locks that draped down upon his shoulders.

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