Cecilio The Crucifer

By Joseph N. Padilla

My name is Joseph N. Padilla. I live in the greater San Francisco Bay Area, which has been my home most of my life. After serving overseas in the Korean War I returned home to my wife to start a family with three wonderful children, she is now with the Lord. My first novel "Adventure The Long Walk, (Afterchrist) which was a forty-year project. I was seventy-six when I finished. My second novel "The Nail" followed two years later. Now at the young age of seventy-nine, I introduce my latest novel "Cecilio The Crucifer" travel with me on a journey of adventure and history at the time of the Lord Jesus, before Christ's Crucifixion. Cecilio I created to represent the soldier that nailed Jesus to the cross. The main character Cecilio came from a family of a man called Isauria from Rome. Isauria was with orders to come to Judea. Isauria is a teacher of sadistic torture; a trade he passed along to his son Cecilio. Driven by his vigorous training Cecilio survives a sociopathic childhood; Cecilio became a master of his sadistic craft. Meet the new disciple Joss who will take you on parallel journey in search of his Christ on his way to his final journey to which leads to Golgotha. A surprise awaits you. In my story you will see and meet the many people mentioned in the bible along with fictional person's portrayals in the history of the bible. The setting and imagery brings them to life such as Cecilio, Eliod, Joss, and many more. The story will leave you with visions of cruelty never before described. You will feel their pain, and sorrow even on to the death of our Savior where his blood was poured out for all of us. Explore the life of Cecilio The Crucifer: The very one who pierced the hands, feet, and die heart of Christ at Golgotha.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Proisle Publishing Services
• Release date: Apr 27, 2023
• ISBN: 9781960224934

Book preview

Dedication

To all my family and friends who have put up with all my endeavors to make this story come to life, and to a very dear friend Sister-Maria who has blessed many in troubled times when she is called. She is there with open arms. There are not enough words to describe the greatness about her, only the Lord who has blessed her with a kindness to all who have called on her, and have known her, and have loved her in Christ.

Chapter 1

When in Rome

Rome, 30 years before the crucifixion of our Lord, was known as medieval times; the Romans were in power in most of the land of Canaan. During these years the Roman Republic became an empire. The Roman government had appointed Herod, the son of Antipater, to be King of the Jews. Herod`s army, with his Roman soldiers, captured Jerusalem, but it was not an easy time for them. Herod was a pagan by birth, although he respected the religion of the Jews. About 4 B. C. the empire now fell under the control of the emperor Caesar Augustus, who was an excellent organizer. He had nothing but top men to carry out his orders. In those days, the Jews were beginning to feel threatened in their way of believing and were being challenged by the pagan ways of Augustus’ Imperial army.

Augustus had 28 legions under his authority, many in Judea. At that time, Herod, who was ruler of Galilee and head of Jews, ended his life in fear of conspiracy. As he grew older, he became an insane mad man, so mad that he had most of his own relatives killed, including three of his sons. By now, the Jews were aware of the birth of the one called Jesus; he was born in Bethlehem. He was brought to Jerusalem by his guardian Joseph and his mother Mary. He was called the messiah, as foretold by the prophet Zachariah of years past.

When Herod was in charge and up in age, with his insanity had all male children up to the age of two massacred for fear that the Jews had a new king known as Jesus, King of the Jews. Joseph and Mary took Jesus out of the area, as foretold to Joseph in a dream by an angel.

Sometime after Herod had passed on, the men Herod had at large had been trained to punish, torture, or to kill by crucifixion; this was so feared, especially by the so called Christians who were in conflict with the other none Christian Jews; these groups were called Zealots and the Jewish assembly was known as the Sanhedrin. Herod Antipas, a son of Herod, was ruler of Galilee, and Pontius Pilate was the Roman procurator in Judea.

In the time of the Roman conquest in the territory of Canaan, the Roman government sent a young aggressive officer to teach how to torture and inflict pain on the prisoners or people that would not patronize their ways. The military leader was named Isaura, of Greek heritage. Isaura was a strong tall man with a stern look on his face an unforgettable look. He traveled with his wife and a son named Cecilio, who was a young teenager. Cecilio was very unruly and difficult to make do anything other then what he wanted. When playing with the other boys, he liked to see battle between the boys. His fetish was killing animals just to see them bleed and struggle for their last breath. His father liked the aggression that his son had, for the boy would one day be a great soldier that would carry out orders, no matter what. Cecilio, as a little child of four was abused by his father; Isaura would strike the boy until blood would show on his skin. The boy Cecilio would run to where the domestic animals were corralled; there he would take his anger out on the creatures, anger he had for his father. By the age of twelve, he had a hiding place where he would conceal a few weapons he had made. The idea came from the Roman soldier`s weapons of torture, mainly the straps to which with an iron ball with sharp points was attached called a thrashing flail: he knew this would bring blood when used. He would sit at the back of the house, daydreaming about how he would terrify his enemy, short of cutting off their heads and watching them roll on the ground. That was not what he was into; he enjoyed the sight of blood dripping from a live carcass.

Isaura was a teacher of the art of torture in Rome, and Cecilio would go with him to the arena where he could see the men sparring. This was where the wardens would bring the prisoners to fight with the gladiators. In the arena, cells were where these fellows would get their thrills; they were allowed to exercise their sadistic ways with the preparation and weakening of the new gladiators to be. The wardens, knowing that Cecilio was son of their master trainer Isaura, allowed him to watch and he was also allowed to use torture weapons on the prisoners. Oh, how the enforcers enjoyed his sensual pleasure he experienced every time he would strike a man with the whipping stick and the blood would come to the surface. The prisoners were chained and were not allowed to talk. Cecilio had a highly bizarre tic that caused him unwillingly to hammer his fingertips together with a sound so audible that to hear it would make you wonder if this guy would explode. This guy was everything but sane; the reaction on his face was wicked, cultivated, and truly evil.

Transferred from Rome, Isauria and his family were welcomed. He was called to come forward and meet Caesar Augustus and his top officers, also the one called Pontius Pilate who oversaw area of Jerusalem. Isauria had taken his son with him, for this was good training for the young boy and he would get to meet his father’s commander. Isauria was asked to step forward; his son started to come with him, when two of the guards grabbed and stopped him. Cecilio looked up at his father, who shook his head that it was all right. Augustus took note of this but said nothing at the time. After the interdiction Augustus asked the young boy to come forward and said, And who is this young trooper: and what is your name young man?

Cecilio had no fear, as he spoke loud and clear, I am Cecilio, son of the mighty Isauria, who stands before you.

This was no way to speak to Caesar. Augustus stood up, walked up to him, and said,

Is this the way you were trained to talk to your superiors? You know, I could have you lashed…but I have something else in mind for you. Because of your father’s good reputation, I will send you to military training and see if you will learn manners when your superiors are present. Do you get my meaning?

Cecilio showed anger but stood his ground and said nothing. Augustus once again said,

Take him below with the rest of the recruits. His father had a smile on his face with much pride see that his son was now a recruit in the Roman army.

Isauria was to train the tactics of torture to those who would not cooperate with the troops in charge.

As for Cecilio, his life was turned around. He could not cooperate with the rules that were given to him. He would get into so much trouble that most of the time he was put in a dungeon; this is where he would capture rats and massacre them, piece by piece. He would take pieces of his tunic and hang the parts of dead rats all around and he would laugh so loud that the guards would come to see what he was up to. They would walk into his cell and see the sadistic look on his face as he tapped his fingers together. This frightened the guards and so he was reported to their superior. After much consideration, Cecilio was sent to Pontius Pilate. Pilate read the report and sent Cecilio to the area where prisoners were tortured for the crimes that they were accused of before they were crucified. Pilate did not like the torture of prisoners, but he had his orders to carry out.

Going back to Cecilio’s past, once, when he was a young boy of ten, he was taking a walk on a trail that had a very narrow path; this would take him to a pond where he would kill asps and frogs for fun. On the way, he caught up with an old man who was walking very slowly on the narrow trail, Cecilio couldn’t pass him, so with much anger, he pushed the old man down and started ripping into the old man’s face with his nails. The old man was no match for this brute. After the man was battered to near death, Cecilio stood looking at him and then looked down the cliff and pushed the old fellow down the ravine. As the old man went tumbling down the ravine, Cecilio watched and laughed loudly. This was his first kill of a human and he thought it was funny to hear the man screaming as he tumbled to his death. By day’s end, Cecilio had killed many small creatures. He removed his tonic and took the skins, placed them on his chest, on his arms, an on his forehead and let the blood drip to his chin. After a day of play, he returned home.

A couple of years had passed and now almost a teenager, Cecilio had met a young girl whom he befriended. She did not know his past, so they would frolic all day with much fun. One day she asked him about his father, for Isauria was rarely around. She knew that he was an officer of high rank, so she asked Cecilio if he missed his father when he was gone. Cecilio became angry within and didn’t say anything for a moment. He then said, Let’s go to a place I found. It has a pond, such a beautiful sight with many birds, and little frogs, and so many pretty rocks. I just know you will like it there as much as I do.

She replied, I don`t know. My parents don’t like for me to go too far from home.

It’s not that far just up the way on the hill in front of us.

She looked up towards the hill then said, If we don’t stay too long, for I have to be back to help mother cook.

He had a smile on his face and grabbed her by the hand and said, Come on, we’re wasting time. It will only take a short while.

As they were almost to the top, Cecilio grabbed her and dropped her to the ground and started ripping off her clothes, battering her face beyond recognition. Then he pushed her over the side and screamed, loudly. Yes, I miss that old fool, my father, and one day he will miss me, just like your folks will miss you.

Her body stumbled down the ravine and landed where the old man’s skeleton was. Cecilio looked down, but her body could not be seen. He raised his hands up in the air, then he tapped his fingers as before with that dreadful sound, and that smirk on his face.

He returned and found his friends, as if nothing had ever happened. So went the day. Later the same day, the folks of the young girl, whose name was Maria, were worried since she had not come home from playing with her friends. Her mother went looking for her, asking her friends if they had seen her, but none had seen her. The girls were watching the boys’ playing gladiators. Cecilio was the master of the game and as far as the kids knew, he had been there with them all day. They did not realize that he had gone with her while they were playing. By Late afternoon, the whole neighborhood was out looking for Maria. The Roman police had all forces out looking and asking if anyone had seen her. One by one, the kids were asked.

When Cecilio was asked, he told the officer, She was here with us, but we started playing games and after that, who knows where she went. The children were not asked any more about her whereabouts.

This was the way Cecilio’ life went on as a young boy. Now, as a man in Judea, his past lingered back and this would bring a pleasant moment of thrills to him his thrills as a boy.       

CHAPTER 2

A Taste of Blood

Cecilio, now a trainee had in mind the pleasures of enjoying the things he had never done in the past. He knew that this was a training center run by the strictest military soldiers in the Roman Empire in that region. Here he had to take orders; not like most training centers where he had been in the past. On the first day of his service, Cecilio was made to stand in an area that had a large water tank above his head, he was stripped bare and hosed down, then powdered. To him, this seemed like harassment, so he spoke up with a loud voice, "Why are you