Murals (2008) by PHANTAST - Graffiti - Cultural Music & Art Association inc. - 98 Milne St. Benleigh
"PUT DOWN MY NAME"!
During the 10th and last major Roman persecution under Emperors Diocletian and Maximiam, a young military officer who loved honor and courage distinguished himself to his superiors by faithfully and efficiently carrying out the letter of their order in trying to suppress the Christians. His skill and daring in both this and the battle had led to one promotion after another.
But Adrian's task of torturing Christians bothered him. In the face of pain and death, Christians were repeatedly peaceful and unrelenting in their commitment to their Lord. He saw in these men and women a courage greater than any he had ever seen in battle.
Adrian was so intrigued by this that one day as he was bringing a group of Christians before a judge for sentencing, he asked one of them, "What gives you such strength and joy in the midst of your sufferings?".
"Our Lord Jesus Christ, in whom we believe", the man replied.
Suddently Adrian saw it as he never had before. The Roman gods he was defending could never give a person such courage! They were nothing compared to the God of these Christians. He made his way to the front of the line of prisoners and stepped before the judge.
- "Put down my name with those to be tortured. I also have become a Christian".
The emperor's son Galerius, who served as Diocletian's caesar (or junior emperor) and had been present at the trials with his father, tried to persuaded Adrian to strike his name from the list of Christians and to beg for forgiveness. Adrian assured him that he had not lost his mind but had acted thus according to his own conviction.
What Adrian did not know at the time was that his wife, Natalia, had secretly bedome a Christian some time before and had been praying for him.
The group of Chistian was soon sentended to die. Adrian was allowed to go home that he might make his peace with his wife before he was killed.
When Natalia saw him coming down the road, she at first thought he had renounced Christ in order to be freed and wouldn't let him into the house! He soon returned to the prison. When he did, he watched as others were subjected to terrrible tortures: their arms and legs were broken with heavy hammers until they died from the agony and internal bleeding. He finally knew the courage that could only belong to Christians and never backed away from his commitment.
Natalia strenghened Adrian and held on to his arms and legs while the executioner broke them with the hammer. Adrian died together with the rest. Adrian's body had been moved to the city of Byzantium and sometime later, Natalia's body was foung lying on top of her husband's grave - she had died while attending it.