The Conversion and Baptism of Caligula
Geon
Donor
The Conversion
For the next twelve days Caligula invited Clement to share his evening meal with him. During this time Clement taught Caligula a great deal about the faith. On the evening of the twelfth day Caligula asked Clement if he would baptize the Emperor. Clement was astonished and told Caligula.“What you ask is no mean thing my Emperor. If you do this you will turn many in Rome against you, for our Lord warned us that in this life we would have tribulation if we followed him.” Caligula answered, “Nevertheless I do want to become a Christian. I am Emperor, and Christ has saved me from my illness, I cannot believe but that he has done so for some greater purpose. I know that what I ask may lead to many thinking I am mad, but I do not care! I desire to follow Christ and to belong to him.”
When Clement saw that Caligula was determined to do this he consented to baptize him. He took the emperor to the palace baths and there baptized him privately praying that God would strengthen him. And Clement also prophesized saying, “Your reign on earth will not be long O Emperor.Many shall raise their hands against you for what you have become. But know that though your reign shall not be long your deeds shall speak long after you are asleep.” And Caligula said, “Amen, so be it.”
The next day Caligula appeared before the Senate and they welcomed him with a great ovation. And Caligula said to them, “I rejoice to stand before you once again. ”And the senators as one praised the god Jupiter saying that it was by his might that Caligula had been restored to them. But Caligula interrupted them saying, “It is not by the might of Jupiter or any of our Roman gods that I stand before you but by the might of the God of heaven, the one true God that I have been healed. Know worthy senators that it is because of the Christians that I now stand before you healthy and well. Their God has healed me and given me new life in more ways than you can know. And now, how can I continue to follow or worship Jupiter or any of the other gods seeing they are subordinate to the one God? For this one God is the true creator of the whole world and all the other gods owe allegiance to Him.”
When the Senate heard this word they marveled. But many in the Senate became angry because Caligula said there was a god greater than the Roman gods. But, for fear of the Emperor’s wrath they said nothing but went out to consider the matter further.
For the next twelve days Caligula invited Clement to share his evening meal with him. During this time Clement taught Caligula a great deal about the faith. On the evening of the twelfth day Caligula asked Clement if he would baptize the Emperor. Clement was astonished and told Caligula.“What you ask is no mean thing my Emperor. If you do this you will turn many in Rome against you, for our Lord warned us that in this life we would have tribulation if we followed him.” Caligula answered, “Nevertheless I do want to become a Christian. I am Emperor, and Christ has saved me from my illness, I cannot believe but that he has done so for some greater purpose. I know that what I ask may lead to many thinking I am mad, but I do not care! I desire to follow Christ and to belong to him.”
When Clement saw that Caligula was determined to do this he consented to baptize him. He took the emperor to the palace baths and there baptized him privately praying that God would strengthen him. And Clement also prophesized saying, “Your reign on earth will not be long O Emperor.Many shall raise their hands against you for what you have become. But know that though your reign shall not be long your deeds shall speak long after you are asleep.” And Caligula said, “Amen, so be it.”
The next day Caligula appeared before the Senate and they welcomed him with a great ovation. And Caligula said to them, “I rejoice to stand before you once again. ”And the senators as one praised the god Jupiter saying that it was by his might that Caligula had been restored to them. But Caligula interrupted them saying, “It is not by the might of Jupiter or any of our Roman gods that I stand before you but by the might of the God of heaven, the one true God that I have been healed. Know worthy senators that it is because of the Christians that I now stand before you healthy and well. Their God has healed me and given me new life in more ways than you can know. And now, how can I continue to follow or worship Jupiter or any of the other gods seeing they are subordinate to the one God? For this one God is the true creator of the whole world and all the other gods owe allegiance to Him.”
When the Senate heard this word they marveled. But many in the Senate became angry because Caligula said there was a god greater than the Roman gods. But, for fear of the Emperor’s wrath they said nothing but went out to consider the matter further.