大象传媒

Good morning.

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Have you ever slept in a palace? I have. Well, sort of.

I once slept in the remains of the Roman Emperor Diocletian鈥檚 palace in the beautiful city of Split in Croatia. The massive structure of around 30,000 square meters is one of the most imposing Roman ruins in Europe. However I wasn't sleeping amongst a pile of ancient stones. The surviving buildings of the Roman era have been recycled over the centuries and today thousands of people live in what used to be Diocletian鈥檚 palace.

On this day in 269 AD Diocletian was proclaimed Roman Emperor. He initiated a fierce persecution of Christians and he was unusual among Emperors because he later voluntarily gave up his throne and he built this palace for his retirement. It was profound to experience life in Split centuries after the fall of the Empire that created this palace.

听

I was visiting Croatia to train youth workers in conflict resolution and reconciliation skills, following the terrible Balkan wars of the 1990s. This conflict erupted after the fall of another empire, the former Yugoslavia, at the end of the twentieth century. History teaches us that empires will rise and empires will fall and with much bloodshed marking the ebb and flow of power. But what remains? The ordinary people watch empires come and go and do what they can to survive. They may flee the violence or they may stay to rebuild their lives but behind every tale of empire are millions of untold stories of human resilience.

听

Lord God, we pray today for refugees who have lost everything in the conflict in their lands. May they find safety and a welcoming place of refuge.

听

Amen