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  • Bible Education in One of the World’s Smallest Republics
  • The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom—1980
The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom—1980
w80 11/1 pp. 25-26

Bible Education in One of the World’s Smallest Republics

IN NORTHERN Italy, near the Adriatic Sea, lies one of the world’s smallest republics. It covers an area of only 61 square kilometers (24 square miles). We are referring to San Marino, an independent republic surrounded on all sides by the republic of Italy.

Upon entering the capital city, San Marino, visitors quickly become impressed with the medieval design of its buildings. Tradition has it that a stonemason named Marinus from Dalmatia (a coastal region of what is now Yugoslavia) founded the republic in the fourth century C.E. He fled there to escape persecution of Christians by Roman Emperor Diocletian.

The activities of Jehovah’s Witnesses in San Marino began about 20 years ago. In the late 1950’s, an elderly Italian male nurse began sharing Bible truths with residents of the republic. His efforts did not go without opposition. Several times local police, incited by Catholic priests, escorted him to the border, with orders never to return. However, in imitation of courageous Christians mentioned in the Bible this male nurse was determined to “obey God as ruler rather than men.” (Acts 5:29) He continued to speak to people in San Marino about Bible truths.

His work was not in vain. An elderly lady listened attentively to his Scriptural message. Eventually she accepted what she was learning as the truth and was baptized. Later, some members of her family, though at first opposed to Jehovah’s Witnesses, did likewise. By August of 1968 the small group of Witnesses in San Marino had grown to nine. The first time a traveling representative of the Watch Tower Society visited them, there were 31 present to hear his talk. At that time the Kingdom Hall was located in Italian territory, just across the western border of San Marino.

In time, some citizens of San Marino became Jehovah’s Witnesses. This laid a solid basis for future increase. The local Witnesses could preach freely in the territory. At first police would stop their activity. But after learning that they were citizens of San Marino, the police no longer hindered their efforts to preach publicly and from house to house.

By 1971 the number of Jehovah’s Witnesses in San Marino had grown to 17. In that year the Italian branch of the Watch Tower Society recommended that the group be organized into a congregation. In 1972 it became possible to transfer the Kingdom Hall to San Marino. At that time the authorities permitted use of a government building, the Kursaal, for the first circuit assembly of Jehovah’s Witnesses in San Marino. What a joy for local Witnesses to see at that convention a crowd of 1,749, with 35 being baptized!

Now the congregation in San Marino has grown to 70. During the celebration of the Memorial of Christ’s death in 1980 there were 134 in attendance, which was one out of every 151 inhabitants of the republic. At present there is one Witness for every 257 inhabitants of San Marino.

Though Catholic clergymen in this republic occasionally launch campaigns from the pulpit against the Bible educational work of Jehovah’s Witnesses, the people of San Marino often respond favorably to it. Those who take seriously the message of the Word of God find that it has a wonderful effect upon their lives.

Some time ago, while preaching from house to house, the Witnesses located a woman who showed sincere interest. Regular Bible discussions were held with her and eventually she was baptized. Her mother-in-law also became a Witness. Due to heavy involvement with secular activities, at first the rest of her family were indifferent. However, two elders from the local congregation made some friendly visits and eventually established regular Bible discussions with them. As a result, eight persons in that family have expressed a desire to harmonize their lives with Bible principles.

One member of this family experienced opposition to her efforts to understand the inspired Word of God. In fact, a Catholic priest pressured her into signing a statement renouncing further Bible study with Jehovah’s Witnesses. Thereafter this woman got married and went abroad. However, upon returning to San Marino, right away she began to examine the Holy Scriptures once again. “One cannot forget the truth,” she declared. At first the husband of this woman opposed her. But then he decided to consider the Word of God himself and became convinced that it was the truth. Thanks to the Bible’s power to change people’s lives for the better, this family is now strongly united in worship of the true God, Jehovah.

Regarding the principal activity that true Christians would perform, Jesus declared: “This good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations.” (Matt. 24:14) Happily this is being accomplished in one of the world’s smallest republics.

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