About the book: 2011 / Vasilis Alexakis's novel "After the Nativity of Christ", awarded the Grand Prix of the French Academy in 2007, is a journey through space and time , the starting and ending point of which is Mount Athos with its mysteries and centuries-old traditions, ambiguous past and even more ambiguous present. This novel begins with a simple-minded investigation that a history student starts for the sake of a woman. In the course of this investigation - partly scientific, partly detective - the hero encounters many colorful characters - from mysterious “fire walkers” to underwater archaeologists, from fascist mafiosi to holy hermits. But in the end, “After the Nativity of Christ” becomes a kind of spiritual journey, an attempt to overcome the chasm that divided ancient and Orthodox Greece. Ultimately - by finding a way to yourself.