Constantine & St. Nicholas 

Merry Christmas! We are due another visit from St. Nicholas.

A year ago, I presented the interview between the Myra church elders and young Nicholas. Soon after that, Nicholas was imprisoned.

Diocletian, the Roman emperor, who had been supportive of the growth of the Christian church, let one of his four “sub-emperors” Galerius begin persecutions against the Church.  Nicholas was in that unfortunate segment of the empire.

During research, I ran across a good deal more about Nicholas, some of it legend ... and some not.  It seems that he and Constantine had a number of dealings.  Since Myra was not that far from Constantinople, I can imagine the two had face-to-face meetings.  The internet provided many possibilities and I let my imagination do the rest.

The setting of this meeting between the bishop of Myra and the Emperor of Rome is in 337 AD.   Nicholas has been out of prison for a quarter century, the Council of  Nicaea occurred twelve years before, and Constantine is in failing health.

-----

The great hall is emptied by order of the Emperor.  Constantine takes Nicholas’ hand and leads him to a smaller room with ebony furnishings, light oak walls, and leather-covered benches.  Sunlight coming through the domed ceiling brightens the space.  Constantine sends his centurion off so he and Nicholas can have their conversation in private.

Nicholas gets right to the point.  “Have you called me to baptize you?”

Constantine replies, ”Not yet.”  He laughs.  The two of them have had this discussion many times before.  “I’m not on my death bed!  No, it has to do with that decree I gave you last week which eases the taxes on Myra.”

“You need to know, Constantine, that you do not look well,” Nick says with a grin even though Constantine does not look well at all.  He learned a long time ago that speaking with a lighter tone of voice was much more effective at imparting truth.  And since Constantine is not ready to seek baptism, Nick goes on to the new subject as quickly as his friend has.  “Oh, I stuck it in a bottle and threw it into the harbor to let the currents carry it to Myra across the straits.  I told you I’d do that.  What’s up?”

“I got word from the consul there that Myra already has the decree and you haven’t even left town!”

“A miracle!  See, faith has its rewards and you are putting them off,” Nick laughs.

“Miracle, schmiracle!”  Constantine cries out.  “Calming a stormy sea as Jesus did is a miracle.”

“So is getting a captain of a fishing trawler to take it to Myra,” Nick replies.

Both men laugh at that.

“You’ve never been intimidated by me, have you?” Constantine asks.  “You have never been disrespectful to me but you’ve always maintained your directness.”

“Galerius didn’t like it.  And he screamed like I was dumping coals from a fire on his head when I offered to pray for him before he died.  Some people just can’t let anyone be themselves.  He was vicious even with the splendor with which he covered himself.  He didn’t  allow anyone to be his equal.  I wish Diocletian had realized that,” Nick says.

“Galerius was a bad case, no doubt about it,” Constantine says.

“I wish you health and long life,” Nick says as he rises.  “And thank you for overturning those convictions.  Those men were innocent.”

Constantine is surprised Nick knows already.

“I saw them as I was leaving Myra.  They told me this impossible story about you and the Prefect having the same dream about me speaking on their behalf.  They said you talked to them and then fired the Prefect when you signed their release.”

“By the time the story tellers get done with it, you’ll have found the dismembered parts of three little boys in a pickle barrel and bring them back to life!” Constantine laughs.  But then he sobers and says, “The men told you the truth.  I figured the coincidence was too great to be ignored.  While the Prefect felt otherwise, he finally saw it my way,” Constantine replies.

Nick, now standing, holds out his forearm and the two men clasp one another’s elbows.

“Mercy and wisdom are gifts from God, Friend,” Nick says.  “He’s not holding back His Grace from you even though you refuse baptism.”

“You were baptized as an infant, Nick, and God’s ‘mercy’ has come through with a vengeance!  Remember the time at Nicaea when you slapped Arius and the time you nearly had your arm chopped off stopping that execution?  I am not sure that temper of yours is part of your baptismal inheritance,” Constantine laughs.  “Are you sure you shouldn‘t be baptized with me at the end?”

“We are blessed that God hasn’t done us both in for our tempers!” Nick replies.

“I wonder how we’ll be remembered?” Constantine asks.

“I expect you’ll be seen as a reprobate seeking last second absolution,” Nick says.

“And you’ll be a saint remembered for giving presents to the poor,” Constantine teases.

Jerry
12/12/07