Product Description

The inhabitants of a Greek village, ruled by the Turks, plan to enact the life of Christ in a mystery play but are overwhelmed by their task. A group of refugees, fleeing from the ruins of their plundered homes, arrive asking for protection - and suddenly the drama of the Passion becomes reality.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #30108 in Books
• Published on: 2001-06-18
• Original language: Greek
• Binding: Paperback
• 470 pages

Customer Reviews

A superb work of literature; a true masterpiece.
I have only read Kazantzakis' book in the original Greek, although the Faber translation is considered a good one. For those who only know Kazantzakis' more controversial works and those which have been made into motion pictures, such as the Last Temptation of Christ and Zorba the Greek, I highly recommend this book. It paints a vivid picture of 19th century Greek reality in a small town, where the villagers are preparing a dramatization of Christ's passions, as was the custom. The parts of the main players, Christ, Judas, the Apostles, are distributed among the villagers. Around that time, a group of men from a neighbouring town arrive at the village after their homes were destroyed by the Turks. As the village of Lykovrysi ponders over what to do with the strangers, we see the reflection of their roles in the Christ Passion in their behavior in real life. Kazantzakis relives the Passions and the Crucifixion, and asks the profoundly real question: 'How many times must we recrucify you, Christ...' until we see that you are none other than our neighbor... A beautiful work which cauterizes the Christian Church and seeks the meaning of God. I highly recommend this book.

A Parable for Our Times
Put simply - I did not expect to be so blown away by a book. I love Kazantzakis' work but thought I'd read his best novel - Freedom and Death - but this book is just awesome.
It sounds over the top to say a book can change your life - but I genuinely think that this book probably can. You surely cannot fail to be moved by the plight of the plight of the refugees from a distant village. The scene is Lykovrisi, a wealthy Greek village at the time of Greco-Turkish War of 1919-1922. The people of the village are preparing to put on a dramatic re-telling of the story of Christ's Passion. The ordinary villagers - are selected as the actors, and are studying their roles and trying to enter into the characters of the Apostles, Jesus and Mary Magdalene. Suddenly, a group of refugee Christians from a distant village, arrive at Lykovrisi. How will the inhabitants receive them? What will they do now that they are called upon to put into action the basic principles of their faith? Read this book.

As powerful now as it was in the 1960's
I first read this book in my native greek 18 years ago. I reread it in english 18 years later and was just as enthralled. Obviously a translation can never exactly match the original, the author thought and felt and described in greek. However the translation is superb and I enjoyed it tremendously. To be honest, as an atheist, maybe I am biased as religion and the fanaticism it can create, is left with a lot to answer for. Nikos Kazantzakis is no stranger to controversy though and when he sets the scene of the new priest arriving in a desperately poor greek village, you know there will be complications. When it is decided to recreate Christ's crucifixion things begin to unravel spectacularly. Highly recommended.