St Ahmed

AT last, Ahmed went to the Patriarch and asked him to baptise him as a Christian. The Patriarch gave his consent, and even allowed Ahmed to continue to attend the mosque and serve his Muslim masters, much as Elisha did for Naaman.*

This went on until one day Ahmed was sitting with three of his colleagues, and they fell to discussing life’s greatest blessing. One asserted loftily that it was wisdom, another said it was women, and a third said food was the best that life had to offer, before turning to Ahmed to ask, ‘What do you say?’.

Ahmed heard a voice say quietly, ‘Life’s greatest blessing is the Christian faith’, and realised it was his own.

The other took it as a joke. ‘Are you a Christian, then?’ he laughed.

‘Yes’ replied Ahmed, serenely.

Christianity was tolerated in Constantinople, but not apostasy. On May 3rd, 1682, Ahmed was executed at the hands of the Ottoman government.

Based on Άγ. Αχμέτ, ένας Οθωμανός Άγιος, at Pemptousia, and ‘Two Turkish Saints’ at Orthodox England.

See Elisha and Naaman the Syrian. Following his conversion, Naaman, who lived in the 9th century BC, was of course a Jew. His master, King Ben-Hadad II of Syria, remained a pagan. Islam did not come into existence until the early 7th century AD.

Précis
Ahmed was so impressed by the church at Constantinople that he asked to be baptised. His conversion was kept secret for safety’s sake, but he let the truth slip in conversation with his Muslim colleagues at the library, and was denounced as an apostate. He was executed on May 3rd, 682, and is honoured as a Christian martyr.
Sevens

Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.

Why was Ahmed not immediately punished for converting to Christianity?

Suggestion

Because his baptism was kept a secret.

Jigsaws

Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.

Ahmed was baptised. His conversion was kept secret. The Patriarch said this was safer.

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