‘Bafashe ubwato baja i Kupuro’

UKWO ni ko igitabu c’Ivyakozwe gitangura inkuru ivuga ivyo abamisiyonari bakirisu ari bo Paulo, Barunaba na Yohani Mariko biboneye igihe bagendera izinga rya Kupuro nko mu 47 G.C. (Ivyakozwe 13:4). Ico gihe, cokimwe no muri iki gihe, izinga rya Kupuro ryari rifise ikibanza gihambaye cane mu ntara zo mu Buseruko bwa Mediterane.

Abaroma baracambirwa cane iryo zinga, ari co gituma bahavuye baryigarurira mu 58 B.G.C. Imbere y’aho, kahise k’izinga rya Kupuro kari karanzwe n’ibintu bihambaye cane. Iryo zinga ryarigeze kuganzwa n’Abanyafoyinike, Abagiriki, Abasiriya, Abaperesi n’Abanyamisiri. Abarwanyi b’iciswe intambara ntagatifu (les croisés), abarwanyi b’Abadagi (les Francs), be n’Abanyavenise baje muri ca kiringo co hagati y’ikinjana ca 6 n’ica 16, bakurikirwa n’Abanyaturukiya. Mu 1914 Abongereza barigaruriye iryo zinga maze barariganza gushika ryikukiye mu 1960.

Ingenzi ni zo ahanini zibinjiriza ubutunzi muri iki gihe, mugabo mu gihe ca Paulo izinga rya Kupuro ryari rifise amatungo kama menshi cane, ayo Abaroma bakoresheje kugira ngo bongereze itunga ry’Uburoma. Umuringa wubuwe mu ntango iryo zinga rigitangura kumenyekana mu nkuru za kahise, kandi bigereranywa yuko mu mpera z’ikiringo c’Abaroma, amatoni 250.000 y’umuringa ari yo yari amaze gucukurwa. Ariko rero, uruganda rw’umuringa rwari rumaze gukoresha igice kinini c’amashamba ya manyene ku bwo gutyorora uwo muringa. Menshi mu mashamba yo muri iryo zinga yari amaze kuzimangana igihe Paulo yahashika.

 Kupuro mu gihe c’Abaroma

Nk’uko inkoranyabumenyi imwe (Encyclopædia Britannica) ibivuga, Yuliya Kayisari yarafashe Kupuro ayiha Misiri, maze inyuma yiwe iryo zinga ritangwa n’uwitwa Mariko Antoni. Ariko rero, ku ntwaro ya Augisito, iryo zinga ryarasubiye kuganzwa n’Uburoma kandi nk’uko umwanditsi w’Ivyakozwe Luka abivuga ata kwihenda na gato, iryo zinga ryatwarwa n’icegera c’umwami, akaba ari we Uburoma bwabaza ivy’iyo ntara. Serejiyo Paulo ni we yari icegera c’umwami igihe Paulo yamamaza muri iryo zinga.—Ivyakozwe 13:7.

Ca kiringo ciswe Pax Romana, ni ukuvuga amahoro mpuzamakungu yashizweho n’Uburoma, cararemesheje iyaguka ry’ahacukurwa ubutare, haba n’iyongerekana ry’amahinguriro mw’izinga rya Kupuro, bituma ivy’ubudandaji bitera imbere. Irindi tunga ryaturuka ku kuba hari inteko z’Abaroma be n’ingenzi zasegenyuka zije gutera iteka ikimanakazi Aforodite, kikaba cari kizigenza w’ibimana vyo muri iryo zinga. Ivyo vyatumye hubakwa amabarabara mashasha, ibivuko bishasha be n’inyubakwa zisharije zihurirwamwo n’abantu benshi. Ururimi rw’ikigiriki rwagumye ari rwo rukoreshwa mu nzego za Leta, kandi turetse umwami w’abami w’Uburoma, ibimana vyitwa Aforodite, Apolo na Zeyu vyarasengwa n’abantu benshi. Abanyagihugu bibera mu bihinda, kandi ubuzima bwabo bwari bugizwe n’ibintu vyinshi mu vy’imibano no mu vy’imico kama.

Ukwo ni ko ibintu vyari vyifashe igihe Paulo yaca mw’izinga rya Kupuro agenda yigisha abantu ivyerekeye Kirisitu. Ariko rero, ubukirisu bwashitse i Kupuro imbere y’uko Paulo ahashika. Inkuru z’Ivyakozwe n’intumwa zitubwira yuko inyuma y’urupfu rwa Sitefano wa mumaratiri wa mbere w’umukirisu, bamwebamwe mu bakirisu bo mu ntango bahungiye i Kupuro (Ivyakozwe 11:19). Barunaba, umusangirangendo wa Paulo, yari imvukira ya Kupuro, gutyo kubera yari azi neza iryo zinga, akaba ashobora kuba yari umurongozi kirumara cane kuri Paulo mu gihe c’urwo rugendo rwo kwamamaza inkuru nziza.—Ivyakozwe 4:36; 13:2.

Aho Paulo yagiye araca

Ntivyoroshe gusubiramwo ahantu hose Paulo yaciye mw’izinga rya Kupuro. Ariko rero, abacukuzi barafise iciyumviro gisa n’igitomoye ku vyerekeye amabarabara meza cane yari yarubatswe mu gihe c’Abaroma. Kubera ukuntu iryo zinga rimeze, mbere n’amabarabara makurumakuru ateye imbere yo muri iki gihe muri rusangi ategerezwa kwisunga amayira abo bakirisu bo mu ntango bashobora kuba baraciyemwo.

Paulo, Barunaba na Yohani Mariko bavuye i Seleyukiya bari mu bwato bashika ku kivuko co mu gisagara ca Salamini. Ni kubera iki bagiye i Salamini kandi umurwa mukuru ukongera ukaba n’ikivuko nyamukuru wari Pafo? Ico twovuga coco ni uko Salamini yari iherereye ku nkengera yo mu Buseruko, hakaba hari urugendo rw’ibilometero 200 gusa uvuye i Seleyukiya, ku gice ca Aziya. Naho Salamini mu gihe c’Abaroma yari yarasubiriwe na Pafo mu kuba umurwa mukuru, Salamini yagumye ari ikibanza c’iryo zinga c’ivy’imico kama, ivy’inyigisho be n’ivy’ubudandaji. I Salamini habayo Abayuda benshi, ari co gituma abo bamisiyonari batanguye “[ku]vuga ijambo ry’Imana mu masinagogi y’Abayuda”.—Ivyakozwe 13:5.

Muri iki gihe, nta kindi kintu ca Salamini gisigaye atari imisaka y’ico gisagara. Naho ari ukwo, ivyo batoye mu bucukuzi birerekana yuko kera ico gisagara cari rurangiranwa be n’uko cari gitunze. Utuguriro, ibibanza vyarangurirwamwo ibikorwa bijanye na politike n’ibijanye no gusenga, birazwi yuko bishobora kuba ari vyo vyari ibibanza vy’Abaroma  vyahurirwamwo n’abantu benshi vyari vyagutse kuruta ibindi vyose vyubuwe mu bucukuzi bwagizwe mu karere ka Mediterane. Ibisigarira vy’ico gisagara, ivyerekana ko ari ivyo mu gihe ca Augusito Kayisari, vyahishuye yuko muri ico gisagara, hasi mu mazu wasanga hagizwe n’amashusho agizwe n’udupandepande dusa n’utubengerana duhinguwe mu buryo bugoye. Ivyo bisigarira birahishura kandi yuko hariyo inyubakwa zagirirwamwo imyimenyerezo yo kunonora imitsi, ahantu ho kwiyuhagirira hakozwe mu buryo budasanzwe, ikibuga co kwinonoreramwo imitsi be n’ikibuga c’inkino, imva z’abaganwa, be n’ikibuga kinini co kwidagaduriramwo gifise ibibanza 15.000 vyo kwicaramwo! Mu micungararo y’aho, hariyo ibisigarira vy’urusengero runini cane rw’ikimana citwa Zeyu.

Mugabo Zeyu ntiyashoboye gukingira ico gisagara ngo ntigisenyagurwe na vya nyamugigima. Ikinyamugigima gikomeye cateye mu mwaka wa 15 B.G.C. carasenyaguye igice kinini ca Salamini, naho mu nyuma ico gisagara casanuwe na Augusito. Igihe ico gisagara congera gusenyagurwa n’ikinyamugigima mu 77 G.C., carasubiye kandi gusanurwa. Mu kinjana ca kane, igisagara ca Salamini carasenyaguwe n’ibinyamugigima vyagiye birakurikirana, kandi nticigeze congera kuba rurangiranwa nka mbere. Muri ca kiringo co hagati y’ikinjana ca 6 n’ica 16, ikivuko caho cari cararengewe n’umusenyi kandi carahebwe.

Ukuntu abanyagihugu b’i Salamini bakiriye igikorwa co kwamamaza ca Paulo ntibivugwa. Mugabo Paulo yategerezwa kwamamaza no mu bindi bibano. Mu kuva i Salamini, abo bamisiyonari bari bafise amabarabara makuru atatu bategerezwa guhitamwo: irya mbere ryerekeza ku nkengera yo mu Buraruko, rikajabuka imisozi ya Kireniya; irindi ryerekeza ku nkengera yo mu Burengero rikajabuka ikiyaya ca Mesaworiya rigaca mu gice nyamukuru c’iryo zinga; irigira gatatu na ryo rikaba ryagenda rikurikira inkengera yo mu Bumanuko.

Inkuru mpererekanwa yerekana yuko Paulo yaciye mw’ibarabara rigira gatatu. Riragenda rigaca mu matongo amera cane afise ivu ry’inombe rimeze ukwaryo. Nko ku bilometero 50 mu Bumanuko bushira Uburengero, iryo barabara rishika hafi y’igisagara citwa Larinaka rigaca rikebereza mu Buraruko amaja mu ntara hagati.

“Mur’ico kizinga cose”

Iryo barabara rikuru ntiryateba gushika mu gisagara ca kera citwa Ledura. Muri iki gihe, muri ico kibanza hubatse igisagara ca Nikoziya, kikaba ari co murwa mukuru wa Kupuro wo muri iki gihe. Nta kimenyamenya na kimwe kikiriho cerekana ko higeze kuba ubwami bugizwe n’igisagara kimwe. Mugabo mu kinjana ca 16 impome z’Abanyafenese zikikuje intimatima y’igisagara ca Nikoziya zari zigize ibarabara ritoyi bakoreramwo utuntu twinshi, ryitwa Ibarabara rya Ledura. Nimba Paulo yaragiye i Ledura canke atagiyeyo, nta vyo tuzi. Bibiliya itubwira gusa yuko baciye “mur’ico kizinga cose” (Ivyakozwe 13:6). Igitabu kimwe (The Wycliffe Historical  Geography of Bible Lands) kivuga yuko “ivyo bishobora kuba bisobanura urugendo rwasa n’uruhetura ibibano vy’Abayuda baba i Kupuro”.

Paulo yashaka kubwira inkuru abantu benshi bashoboka b’i Kupuro. Gutyo rero, ashobora kuba yarakurikiye ibarabara ryo mu Bumanuko riva i Ledura rigashika i Amatusi n’i Kuriyoni, ivyo bikaba ari ibisagara bibiri vyarimwo abantu bo mu mihingo itandukanye vyabamwo abantu basagamvye.

Igisagara ca Kuriyoni cari giherereye amaja hejuru cane y’ikiyaga ku bimanga bihanamye, bimanuka bigashika epfo ku nkengera z’amazi. Ico gisagara c’akaroruhore c’Abagiriki n’Abaroma carakubiswe na ca kinyamugigima casenyura igisagara ca Salamini mu 77 G.C. Hariyo ibisigarira vy’urusengero rwo gutera iteka Apolo vyo kuva mu mwaka wa 100 G.C. Ikibuga c’inkino caho cashobora kujamwo abarorerezi 6.000. Uburyo bwo kubaho burimwo ibihinda bw’abantu benshi b’i Kuriyoni umuntu arashobora kububonera mu mashusho mezameza agizwe n’uduceduce dusa n’utubengerana asharije mbere hasi mu nyubakwa z’abasivile.

Baja i Pafo

Kuva i Kuriyoni, iryo barabara ry’akaroruhore rirabandanya ryerekeza mu Burengero rikaduga riciye mu ntara ivamwo umuvinyu, rikagenda riraduga buhorobuhoro gushika aho rica rimanuka cane ata muntu aba yari avyiteze na gato rigaca rishunguruka, maze rikigonda rimanuka riciye muri vya bimanga, rigana ku nkengera zuzuyeko urucekeri. Dukurikije ibitito vy’Abagiriki, aho hantu nyene ni ho ca kimanakazi citwa Aforodite cavukiye, kivyawe n’ikiyaga.

Ico kimanakazi Aforodite ni co cari rurangiranwa kuruta ibindi bimana vy’Abagiriki vy’i Kupuro, kandi carasengwa cane gushika mu kinjana ca kabiri G.C. Intimatima y’insengo ya Aforodite yari mu gisagara ca Pafo. Uko umwaka utashe mu mpeshi, muri ico gisagara haragirwa umusi mukuru uhambaye wo gutera iteka ico kimanakazi. Ingenzi zava muri Aziya ntoya, mu Misiri, mu Bugiriki be n’izava kure cane nko mu Buperesi zaraza i Pafo muri ivyo birori. Igihe izinga rya Kupuro ryatwarwa na Ptolémée, Abanyakupuro bahavuye batangura gusenga Abafarawo.

Igisagara ca Pafo cari co murwa mukuru w’Abaroma wa Kupuro kikongera kikaba n’icicaro gikuru c’icegera c’umwami, kikaba kandi cari kijejwe ibanga ryo guhingura ibingorongoro vyo mu muringa. N’ico gisagara nyene carasenyaguritse mu gihe nyamugigima yatera mu mwaka wa 15 B.G.C., kandi nk’uko vyagenze ku gisagara ca Salamini, Augusito yaratanze amahera yo gusanurisha ico gisagara. Ubucukuzi bwarahishuye uburyo bwo kubaho burangwamwo ibihinda bw’abatunzi bo mu gisagara ca Pafo co mu kinjana ca mbere: Amabarabara yagutse yo mu gisagara, inyubakwa z’abatunzi b’abasivile zisharije cane, amashure yigisha ivy’umuziki, inyubakwa zo kwinonoreramwo imitsi be n’ikibuga co kwidagaduriramwo.

Ico ni co gisagara ca Pafo Paulo, Barunaba na Yohani Mariko bagendeye, kandi aho ni ho ca cegera c’umwami ari co Serejiyo Paulo, “umuntu w’ubgenge”, “[yashakiye] kwumva ijambo ry’Imana” naho yarwanijwe bimwe bikomeye na wa munyamareba yitwa Eluma. Ico cegera ‘caratangajwe n’ivyo cigishijwe vyerekeye Yehova’.—Ivyakozwe 13:6-12.

Abo bamisiyonari bamaze guheraheza neza igikorwa cabo co kwamamaza i Kupuro, babandanirije umurimo wabo muri Aziya ntoyi. Urwo rugendo rwa mbere rw’ubumisiyonari rwagizwe na Paulo rwari ikintu c’intibagirwa mw’isasagazwa ry’ubukirisu bw’ukuri. Urwo rugendo, igitabu kimwe (St. Paul’s Journeys in the Greek Orient) kirwita “intango nyayo y’imisiyoni y’abakirisu be. . . [n’iy’]umwuga wa Paulo w’ubumisiyonari”. Congerako giti: “Kubera ko izinga rya Kupuro ryari riherereye mw’ihuriro ry’amayira yo mu biyaga ashikana i Siriya muri Aziya ntoya, be no mu Bugiriki, ryasa nka co kibanza ca mbere categerezwa gutangurirwamwo ivy’ubumisiyonari”. Mugabo iyo yari intango gusa. Ubu haraciye ibinjana 20 igikorwa c’ubumisiyonari bw’abakirisu kirabandanya, kandi mu vy’ukuri bishobora kuvugwa yuko inkuru nziza yerekeye Ubwami bwa Yehova yashitse koko “ku mpera y’isi”.—Ivyakozwe 1:8.

[Amakarata ku rup. 20]

(Ushaka igisomwa cose, raba ico gitabu)

KUPURO

NIKOZIYA (Ledura)

Salamini

Pafo

Kuriyoni

Amatusi

Larinaka

IMISOZI KIRENIYA

IKIYAYA MESAWORIYA

IMISOZI TURUDOSI

[Ifoto ku rup. 21]

Paulo yuzuye impwemu yera, yarateye uruhumyi wa munyamareba Eluma igihe yari i Pafo