“Pea, Na Folau mei Ai ki Saipalo”

ʻI he fakamatala ko iá ʻoku kamata ai ʻe he tohi Ngāué ʻa ʻene fakamatala fekauʻaki mo e ngaahi meʻa naʻe hokosia ʻe he kau misinale Kalisitiane ko Paula, Panepasa mo Sione Maʻake ʻi he taimi naʻa nau ʻaʻahi ai ki Saipalo ʻi he 47 T.S. nai. (Ngāue 13:4) ʻI he taimi ko iá, hangē pē ʻi he ʻaho ní, naʻe maʻu ʻe Saipalo ha tuʻunga mahuʻinga lahi ʻi he Metiteleniane fakahahaké.

Naʻe holi ʻa e kau Lomá ke nau maʻu ʻa e motú pea naʻe hoko ia ʻo ʻi he malumalu ʻo ʻenau pulé ʻi he 58 K.M. Ki muʻa aí, naʻe ʻi ai ha hisitōlia ʻo Saipalo naʻe fonu he ngaahi meʻa mahuʻinga. Naʻe nofoʻi ia ʻe he kau Finisiá, ko e kau Kalisí, ko e kau ʻAsīliá, ko e kau Pēsiá pea mo e kau ʻIsipité. Naʻe haʻu ki ai ʻa e kau Kalusetí, ko e kau Falangikeé mo e kau Vīnetí ʻi he Kuonga Lotolotó, pea hoko mai ai ʻa e kau Toaké. ʻI he 1914 naʻe maʻu ai ʻe Pilitānia ʻa e motú ʻo ne puleʻi ʻo toki aʻu ki heʻene tauʻatāiná ʻi he 1960.

Ko e taki mamatá ko ha maʻuʻanga paʻanga hū mai tefito ia he taimí ni, ka ʻi he ʻaho ʻo Paulá naʻe koloaʻia ʻa Saipalo ʻi heʻene ngaahi koloa fakanatulá, ʻa ia naʻe fakaʻaongaʻi ia ʻe he kau Lomá ke fakafonuʻaki ʻa e ngaahi tukuʻanga koloa ʻa Lomá. Naʻe ʻiloʻi ʻa e kopá ʻi he muʻaki hisitōlia ʻo e motú, pea ʻoku fakafuofua ʻi he aʻu ki he ngataʻanga ʻo e vahaʻa taimi ʻo Lomá, ne maʻu ai ʻa e toni kopa ʻe 250,000. Kae kehe, naʻe keina ʻe he ngāueʻangá ʻa e konga lahi ʻo e vaotā matolú ʻi hono ngāueʻaki ki ha hakaʻanga kopa. Ko e konga lahi ʻo e vaotā  ʻo e motú ne ʻosi mole ia ʻi he taimi naʻe tūʻuta ai ʻa Paulá.

Saipalo ʻi he Malumalu ʻo e Kau Lomá

Fakatatau ki he Encyclopædia Britannica, naʻe foaki ʻe Suliasi Sisa ʻa Saipalo ki ʻIsipite, pea ʻi he hili iá, naʻe foaki ia ʻe Maʻake ʻAnitoni. Kae kehe, ʻi he malumalu ʻo ʻAkositó naʻe toe foki ia ki Loma pea naʻe puleʻi ia—hangē ko e ngaahi hiki fakamatala totonu ʻaupito ʻa Luké, ʻa e tokotaha-tohi ʻo e tohi Ngāué—ʻe ha kōvana, ʻa ia naʻe fakaongoongo fakahangatonu ia ki Loma. Ko Sēsio Paula naʻe kōvana ʻi he taimi naʻe malanga ai ʻa Paula ʻi aí.​—Ngāue 13:7.

Ko e Pax Romana, ʻa e melino fakavahaʻapuleʻanga naʻe fakamālohiʻi ʻe Lomá, naʻe fakaʻaiʻai ai ʻa hono fakalahi ʻo e ngaahi keliʻanga malalá mo e ngaahi ngāueʻanga ʻo Saipaló, ʻo ʻomai ai ha tuʻunga lakalakaimonū ki he fefakatauʻakí. Naʻe toe tānaki mai ha paʻanga hū mai ʻi he ʻi ai ʻa e ngaahi kongakau Lomá pea ʻi he kau pilikimi ʻa ia naʻa nau fakatahataha ki ai ke fakalāngilangiʻi ʻa ʻAfolotite, ko e ʻotua tefito ʻo e motú. Ko hono olá, naʻe langa ai ha ngaahi hala foʻou, ngaahi taulanga mo e ngaahi fale fakapuleʻanga teuteuʻi fakaʻofoʻofa. Naʻe tuʻumaʻu ai pē ʻa e lea faka-Kalisí ko e lea fakaʻofisialé ia, pea​—ʻi he fakataha mo e ʻemipola Lomá—naʻe failahia ʻa e lotú kia ʻAfolotite, ʻĀpolo mo Siusi. Naʻe nofo ʻi ha moʻui tuʻumālie ʻa e kakaí pea nau maʻu ha moʻui fakasōsiale mo fakafonua fakamānako.

Ko e ʻātakai ia naʻe fetaulaki mo Paula ʻi heʻene folau ʻo kolosi ki Saipalo ʻo akoʻi ai ʻa e kakaí fekauʻaki mo e Kalaisí. Kae kehe, naʻe fakatūʻuta ʻa e lotu faka-Kalisitiané ki Saipalo ki muʻa ke aʻu ki ai ʻa Paulá. Ko e fakamatala ʻa e tohi Ngāué ʻoku tala mai ai kia kitautolu ʻi he hili ʻa e mate ʻa e ʻuluaki Kalisitiane maʻata ko Sitīvení, ko e niʻihi ʻo e muʻaki kau Kalisitiané naʻa nau hola ki Saipalo. (Ngāue 11:19) Ko Panepasa ʻa e takanga ʻo Paulá, ko ha tangataʻifonua ia ʻo Saipalo, pea ʻi heʻene maheni lelei mo e motú, ʻoku ʻikai ha veiveiua ko ha tokotaha tataki lelei ʻaupito ia kia Paula ʻi heʻene fononga fakamalangá.​—Ngāue 4:​36; 13:2.

Toe Fakamanatu ʻa e Ngaahi Fononga ʻa Paulá

ʻOku ʻikai faingofua ke toe faʻu ha fakaikiiki ki he ngaahi fefonongaʻaki ʻa Paula ʻi Saipaló. Kae kehe, ko e kau ʻākeolosiá ʻoku nau maʻu ha fakakaukau mātuʻaki māʻalaʻala fekauʻaki mo e faʻunga fakaehala lelei ʻaupito ʻi he vahaʻa taimi ʻo Lomá. Koeʻuhi ko e tuʻunga fakasiokālafi ʻo e motú, naʻa mo e ngaahi hala lalahi fakaeonopooni he ʻaho ní kuo pau ke nau muimui ʻi he tuʻunga lahi ʻi he ngaahi hala tatau ʻoku ngalingali naʻe fou ai ʻa e muʻaki kau misinale ko iá.

Ko Paula, Panepasa mo Sione Maʻake naʻa nau folau mei Selusia ki he taulanga ʻo Salamisí. Ko e hā ne nau folau ai ki Salamisi, lolotonga ia ko e kolomuʻá mo e taulanga tefitó naʻe ʻi Pafosí? Ko e meʻa ʻe taha, naʻe tuʻu ʻa Salamisi ʻi he matāfonua hahaké, ʻo kilomita pē ʻe 200 mei Selusia, ʻi he kolo tefitó. Neongo ko Salamisi ʻi he malumalu ʻo e kau Lomá naʻe fetongi ia ʻe Pafosi ʻi he tuʻunga ko e kolomuʻá, naʻe kei hoko pē ʻa Salamisi ko e senitā fakafonua, fakaako mo fakakomēsiale ia ʻo e motú. Naʻe maʻu ʻe Salamisi ha kolo faka-Siu tokolahi, pea naʻe kamata ʻa e kau misinalé ke “malangaʻaki ʻa e folofola ʻa e ʻOtua ʻi he ngaahi fale lotu ʻo e kakai Siu.”—Ngāue 13:5.

ʻI he ʻahó ni, ko e meʻa pē ʻoku toe ʻi Salamisí  ko e ngaahi toetoenga maumau. Neongo ia, ko e ngaahi meʻa ʻoku ʻilo fakaʻākeolosiá ʻoku fakamoʻoni ia ki he lāngilangi mo e koloaʻia ki muʻa ʻa e koló. Ko e māketí, ʻa e senitā ʻo e ngāue fakapolitikalé mo fakalotú, ʻoku ʻiloa ngalingali ko e māketi lahi taha faka-Loma ia kuo faifai ange pea keli hake ʻi he feituʻu Metiteleniané. Ko hono ngaahi toetoengá, ʻa ia ko hono ʻahó ʻoku mei he taimi ʻo ʻAkosito Sisá, kuo fakaeʻa ai ʻa e ngaahi faliki tisaini teuteuʻi fakaefakatātā, ngaahi fale vaʻinga, ko ha ngaahi fale kaukau anga-kehe, ko ha sitētiume mo ha malaʻe vaʻinga fuopotopoto, ngaahi fonualoto fakaʻeiʻeiki mo ha fuʻu falefaiva mo ha nofoʻanga ki he toko 15,000! ʻOku ofi ki ai ʻa e ngaahi toetoenga ʻo ha temipale fakaʻofoʻofa ʻo Siusi.

Kae kehe, naʻe ʻikai lava ke fakahaofi ʻe Siusi ʻa e koló mei hono haveki ʻe he ngaahi mofuiké. Ko ha fuʻu mofuike lahi ʻi he 15 K.M. naʻá ne fakaʻauha ʻa e konga lahi taha ʻo Salamisí, neongo naʻe toe langa ʻi he hili iá ʻe ʻAkosito. ʻI hono toe fakaʻauha ʻe ha mofuike ʻi he 77 T.S., naʻe toe langa ia. ʻI he senituli hono faá, naʻe fakaʻauha ʻosi ai ʻa Salamisi ʻe ha holongā ʻo e ngaahi mofuike, pea naʻe ʻikai ʻaupito ke ne toe maʻu ʻa hono tuʻunga lāngilangi ki muʻá. ʻI he aʻu mai ki he Kuonga Lotolotó, ko hono taulangá naʻe fonu ia he mapakipakiʻi maká pea naʻe liʻaki ia.

Ko e anga ʻo e tali ʻa e kakai ʻo Salamisí ki he malanga ʻa Paulá ʻoku ʻikai ke fakahaaʻi ia. Ka naʻe pau ke malanga ʻa Paula ki he ngaahi kolo kehé foki. ʻI heʻenau mavahe mei Salamisí, naʻe ʻi ai ha fili ʻa e kau misinalé ʻi he foʻi hala tefito ʻe tolu: ko e taha ki he matāfonua tokelaú, ʻo kolosi ʻi he ʻotu moʻunga Kiliniá; ko e taha fakahihifo ʻo kolosi ʻi he tokalelei ʻo Misaoliá ʻi he konga tefito ʻo e motú; pea ko hono tolú naʻe hoko atu ʻi he matāfonua fakatongá.

Fakatatau ki he talatukufakaholó naʻe fou ʻa Paula he hala hono tolú. ʻOku lele ia ʻo fou atu ʻi he kelekele faama mahu, fakataha mo ha kelekele kulokula makehe. ʻI he kilomita nai ʻe 50 ki he tonga-hihifó, ʻoku aʻu ai ʻa e halá ki he kolo ko Lanasa ki muʻa ke afe fakatokelau ki he loto koló.

“ʻOsi ʻa e Motu”

Naʻe vave ʻa e aʻu ʻa e hala lahí ki he kolo motuʻa ko Lītala. ʻOku langa he tuʻuʻanga ko ení he ʻahó ni ʻa Nikōsia, ko e kolomuʻa fakaeonopōní. Ko ha fakamoʻoni pē ʻo e kolo puleʻanga motuʻá kuo mole ia. Ka ʻi he senituli hono 16 ko e ngaahi ʻā Vīneti naʻá ne takatakaiʻi ʻa e senitā ʻo Nikōsiá ko ha hala femoʻuekina mo fāsiʻi ia ʻoku hā ai ʻa e hingoa ko e Hala Lītala. Pe naʻe fononga ʻa Paula ki Lītala pe ʻikai, ʻoku ʻikai ke tau ʻiloʻi. ʻOku tala mai pē ʻe he Tohi Tapú kia kitautolu naʻa nau ʻalu ʻo ‘ʻosi ʻa e motú kotoa.’ (Ngāue 13:6) ʻOku pehē ʻe he Wycliffe Historical Geography of Bible Lands  “ngalingali ʻoku ʻuhinga ení ko ha ʻaʻahi ʻi ha tuʻunga kakato ki he ngaahi kolo faka-Siu ʻi Saipaló.”

Naʻe mahuʻingaʻia papau ʻa Paula ʻi he aʻu ki he kakai tokolahi taha naʻe ala lava ʻi Saipaló. Ko ia ai, kuo pau pē naʻá ne muimui ʻi ha hala fakatonga mei Lītala ki ʻAmatisi mo Kolioni—ko e ongo kolo lakalakaimonū fakataha mo ha kakai longomoʻui.

Ko Kolioní naʻe tuʻu ia ʻi he funga lilifá ʻo māʻolunga mei he tahí ʻa ia naʻe meimei lele fakahangatonu hifo ki he ngaahi matātahi ʻi laló. Ko e kolo Kalisi-Loma fisifisimuʻa ko ení naʻe taaʻi ia ʻe he mofuike tatau naʻá ne fakaʻauha ʻa Salamisi ʻi he 77 T.S. ʻOku ʻi ai ha ngaahi toetoenga ʻo ha temipale naʻe fakatapui kia ʻĀpolo ʻi he 100 T.S. Ko e sitētiumé naʻe lava ke nofo ai ʻa e kau mamata ʻe toko 6,000. Ko e tōʻonga moʻui tuʻumālie ʻa e tokolahi ʻi Kolioní ʻoku lava ke hā ia ʻi he ngaahi maka tisaini fakatātā fakaʻofoʻofa ʻoku teuteuʻiʻaki naʻa mo e ngaahi faliki ʻo e ngaahi fale tāutahá.

Hoko Atu ki Pafosi

Mei Kolioní ʻoku hokohoko atu fakahihifo ʻa e hala fakasiokālafí ʻo fou atu he feituʻu ngaohiʻanga uainé, ʻo hake māmālie ai ki ʻolunga kae ʻoua kuo ʻi ha tuʻunga mātuʻaki taʻeʻamanekina, ʻa ia ʻoku hifo māsila ai ʻa e halá ʻo afe hifo ki lalo ʻi he ngaahi lilifa ki he ngaahi matātahi makamaká. Fakatatau ki he talatupuʻa faka-Kalisí, ko e feituʻu tonu eni naʻe hā toki fanauʻi foʻou hake ai ʻa ʻAfolotite mei he tahí.

Ko ʻAfolotité naʻe manakoa taha ʻi he ngaahi ʻotua Kalisi ʻi Saipaló pea naʻe fai ʻa e lotu faivelenga ki ai ʻo aʻu mai ki he senituli hono ua T.S. Ko e senitā ʻo e lotu ʻa ʻAfolotité naʻe ʻi Pafosi. ʻI he faʻahitaʻu failau kotoa pē naʻe fai ai ha kātoanga lahi ʻi ai ko hono fakalāngilangiʻi. Ko e kau pilikimi mei ʻĒsia Maina, ʻIsipite, Kalisi pea mamaʻo ʻo aʻu ki Pēsia naʻa nau haʻu ki Pafosi ki he ngaahi kātoangá. ʻI he taimi naʻe hoko ai ʻa Saipalo ʻo ʻi he malumalu ʻo e pule ʻa e haʻa Tolimí, naʻe hoko ai ʻa e kau Saipaló ʻo maheni mo e lotu ʻa e haʻa Feló.

Ko Pafosi ʻa e kolomuʻa faka-Loma ʻo Saipaló pea ko e nofoʻanga ia ʻo e kōvaná, pea naʻá ne maʻu ʻa e monū ko hono ngaohi ʻa e paʻanga kopá. Naʻe fakaʻauha mo ia foki ʻi he mofuike ʻo e 15 K.M., pea hangē ko ia ko e tuʻunga ʻo Salamisí, naʻe tokonaki ʻe ʻAkosito ʻa e tokoni fakapaʻanga ke toe langa ʻaki ʻa e koló. Kuo fakahaaʻi ʻi he ngaahi keli fakatotoló ʻa e tōʻonga moʻui tuʻumālie ʻa e kau koloaʻia ʻi Pafosi ʻi he ʻuluaki senitulí—ko e ngaahi kolo hala fālahi, ngaahi nofoʻanga tāutaha teuteuʻi fakaʻofoʻofa, ngaahi akoʻanga mūsika, ngaahi fale fakamālohi sino mo e ngaahi malaʻe sipoti fuopotopoto.

Ko e Pafosi ia naʻe ʻaʻahi ki ai ʻa Paula, Panepasa mo Sione Maʻaké, pea ko eni naʻe hoko ai ʻa Sēsio Paulo​—“ko e ʻeiki loto matala”​—“ʻo ne holi ke fanongo ki he folofola ʻa e ʻOtua” neongo ʻa e fakafepaki lahi ʻa e faimana ko ʻĒlimá. Ko e kōvaná naʻá ne “toʻoa ʻi he anga ʻo e akoʻaki ʻo e ʻEiki [pe Sihová].”—Ngāue 13:​6-12.

Hili hono fakakakato lavameʻa ʻenau ngāue fakamalanga ʻi Saipaló, naʻe hokohoko atu ʻa e kau misinalé ʻenau ngāué ʻi ʻĒsia Maina. Ko e ʻuluaki fononga fakamisinale naʻe fai ʻe Paulá ko ha maka-maile ia ʻi hono fakamafola ʻa e lotu faka-Kalisitiane moʻoní. Ko e tohi St. Paul’s Journeys in the Greek Orient ʻokú ne ui ia “ko e kamataʻanga moʻoni ʻo e misiona faka-Kalisitiané pea mo e . . . ngāue fakamisinale ʻa Paulá.” ʻOkú ne tānaki mai: “ʻI he tuʻu ʻi he feituʻu fetaulakiʻanga ʻo e ngaahi halanga tahi ʻoku ʻalu atu ai ki Sīlia, ʻĒsia Maina mo Kalisí, ko Saipaló naʻe hā moʻoni ko e ʻuluaki sitepu ia ki ha ngāue fakamisinale.” Ka ko ha muʻaki sitepu pē ia. ʻI he senituli ʻe uofulu ki mui aí, ʻoku hokohoko atu pē ai ʻa e ngāue fakamisinalé, pea ʻoku lava moʻoni ke pehē ko e ongoongo lelei ʻo e Puleʻanga ʻo Sihová kuo aʻu moʻoni ia “ki he ngataʻanga ʻo māmani.”—Ngāue 1:8.

[Mape ʻi he peesi 20]

(Ki he konga tohi kuo fokotuʻu, sio ki he tohi)

SAIPALO

NIKŌSIA (Lītala)

Pafosi

Kolioni

ʻAmatisi

Lanasa

Salamisi

ʻOTU MOʻUNGA KILINIA

TOKALELEI ʻO MISAOLIA

ʻOTU MOʻUNGA TROODOS

[Fakatātā ʻi he peesi 21]

ʻI he fonu he laumālie māʻoniʻoní, naʻe fakakuihi ʻe Paula ʻa e faimana ko ʻĒlimá lolotonga ʻene ʻi Pafosí