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Refugee problems
By Gary Macy
In a time when so many
political refugees need our aid, it is well to recall how some early Christians
handled the problem. When the Vandals sacked Rome in 455, they took many
captives. Some of these captives were still in tow when the Vandals took
Carthage. A contemporary historian tells what happened: When the
multitudes of captives reached the shores of Africa, the Vandals and Moors
divided up the vast crowds of people; and, as is the way with barbarians,
separated husbands from wives and children from parents. Immediately that man
[Deogratias, bishop of Carthage] so full of God and so dear to him, set about
to sell all the gold and silver vessels of service, and set [the captives] free
from enslavement to the barbarians, in order that marriage might remain
unbroken and children be restored to their parents. And since there were no
places big enough to accommodate so large a multitude, he assigned two famous
churches, the Basilica Fausti and the Basilica Novarum, furnishing them with
beds and bedding, and arranging day by day how much each person should receive
in proportion to his need. And since many were in distress, owing to their
inexperience of a voyage by sea and to the cruelty of captivity, there was no
small number of sick people among them. Like a devoted nurse, that saintly
bishop went the round of them constantly with doctors and food; so that the
condition of each was looked into, and everyones need supplied, in his
presence. Not even at night did he take a rest from this work of mercy; but he
kept on going from bed to bed, in his anxiety to know how each was doing. In
fact, he gave himself up to the task so entirely as to spare neither his
wearied limbs nor the weakness of his old age. Thank God for all the
Deogratiases in the world today!
Gary Macy is a theology professor at the University of
San Diego. His e-mail address is macy@pwa.acusd.edu |