Piero A. Capichioni
In the City of David is the story of Samuel, a wealthy innkeeper whose life is dominated by selfishness and greed. His material blessings cannot take away the anger and resentment born of personal tragedies, and he lives in fear of future misfortunes. It is also the story of Nathan, a shepherd whose poverty and physical shortcomings cause him to doubt the value and meaning of his own life. And it is the story of Hannah, the beautiful young daughter of a shepherd whose happy life is disrupted by her engagement to a man she doesn’t even like, much less love.
Through the eyes of these and other characters ancient Bethlehem comes to life. As the story unfolds we see the daily struggles of the people, some unique to that time but others similar to the struggles we ourselves face today. But in the midst of suffering and fear an amazing event occurs. “I have come to bring you glad tidings,” the angel said. “Today in the city of David a savior, the Messiah, has been born. You will find an infant lying in a manger.” With those words God’s messenger proclaims the fulfillment of His promise to Israel. The birth of that child changed Bethlehem and the people living there. In time it would change the world.
Piero A. Capichioni is the son of immigrants who came from the Republic of San Marino. Christmas was always a special time in the Capichioni household, and his family placed great emphasis on the celebration of Christ’s birth. Some of the author’s fondest childhood memories center on Christmas celebrations spent with family and friends in their modest home in Cleveland.
The author's interest in writing began in college. He soon discovered that fictional stories gave him an opportunity to explore the lives of people who lived long ago in very different circumstances. It also provided him an outlet to express his own views on life.
In the City of David, his first published book, combines the author’s love of Christmas with his passion for story-telling. The birth of Jesus has had an immense impact on the history of mankind and continues to affect us today. But how did that blessed event change the lives of people living in Bethlehem at that time? This book is the author’s response to that question.
The author is a graduate of St. Ignatius High School. He received a B.B.A. and M.B.A. from Cleveland State University. He and his wife Marlene live with their sons Joseph and Peter in a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio.
The weeks passed quickly, and as the days grew shorter and the weather grew cooler the moment Samuel and Ruth anticipated (and sometimes feared) drew near. As the time of her confinement was coming to an end she found it harder to perform her daily tasks, and Samuel took on more of the household duties. One brisk morning, after leaving the inn he stopped at the market to pick up some items Ruth had requested. As he was on his way home, absorbed in his thoughts, he turned a corner and suddenly found himself face to face with a large, angry Roman soldier.
“Out of the way, Jewish pig,” he shouted as he threw Samuel aside. The sudden push caught Samuel off guard, and he went tumbling to the ground, dropping the bread and other items he was carrying. For a moment he sat there, stunned, and watched as the Roman marched off. Then a sudden anger gripped him, and he jumped to his feet. He grabbed a large rock and prepared to hurl it at the unsuspecting soldier. His arm was cocked and about to move forward when a hand grabbed his wrist, thus preventing the throw. Samuel turned to see Eli, who was the local rabbi and a friend from his boyhood days, looking him straight in the eye.
“Are you insane?” Eli whispered forcefully, so as not to attract the attention of the departing soldier.
“Let go of me,” Samuel replied, breaking Eli’s hold on his wrist.
“Samuel, you have a wife who will be bearing a child soon. You know the punishment for attacking a Roman is death. What are you thinking?”
“No one throws me down, and no one calls me a pig,” Samuel replied. “These damned Romans must be taught a lesson.”
“And how will you do that, Samuel?” Eli asked. “By yourself, with a stone?”
“Yes!” Samuel shouted. “By myself if necessary, with whatever weapons I can find. Someone must stand up to them. Someone must deliver us from this tyranny.”
“I too pray for the day when we are delivered, Samuel,” Eli said. “But it will not be with an innkeeper hurling a stone.”
“How then will it happen?” Samuel demanded.
“God will send us a leader, the Messiah,” Eli explained. “He will defeat the Romans and return Israel to greatness. That is God’s promise.”
“You dreamers make me sick,” Samuel replied in disgust. “God! The Messiah! I see no God and I see no Messiah,” he continued. “You sit around and do nothing while the Romans occupy our land and make us their slaves. I for one will not wait for a Messiah or anyone else,” he declared. “If God even exists He seems to care very little for Israel, so we should not expect any help from Him. We must be prepared to act on our own, for truly no one else will help us.” Eli shook his head and turned away.
