During the winter of 115 a.d. a massive earthquake shattered the commercial center of Antioch. Roman guards patrolled the ruined markets and hunted down the religious minorities they blamed for the disaster. Sectarian groups fled the collapsed streets and met secretly in the deep ravines outside the city. These groups chanted hymns about evading death and finding protection under divine wings.
The Orontes River cuts a channel through this region and flows 150 miles toward the Mediterranean Sea. Travelers walking the dirt roads along the riverbank encountered heavy military traffic after the earthquake. Roman legions stationed in Syria demanded strict loyalty to the emperor and punished any citizens who refused to offer public sacrifices. Hymn writers operating in this militarized zone documented their narrow escapes from these executioners.
Mount Silpius rises 1,600 feet above the eastern edge of the city. Deep caverns pit the steep rock face of this mountain. Fugitives used these natural vaults to hide from government troops and preserve their sacred songs. Inside one of these dark hollows a singer recorded his experience of surviving a violent attack and resting safely like a bird in a high nest.
The wings of the spirit cover my heart just as a dove shelters her nestlings from the coming storm.
The singer finished his song and listened to the heavy boots of soldiers striking the dirt paths below. He packed his belongings and moved deeper into the mountain tunnels. The patrol passed by the hidden entrance and carried their unsheathed weapons into the valley.