Unknown vandals have desecrated the grave of the renowned Greek writer Nikos Kazantzakis (1883-1957), breaking the wooden cross on the tomb located on the Martinengo Bastion, nestled within the walls of his hometown, Iraklio, on the island of Crete.
Katerina Zografistou, the president of the Greece Branch and a member of the Coordinating Committee of the International Society of Friends of Nikos Kazantzakis, expressed her profound dismay over the incident.
“The vandalism of the cross on Nikos Kazantzakis’ tomb is not only an offense to the memory of a great Greek writer, but it also exhibits disrespect towards our culture,” Zografistou told the state-run Athens-Macedonian News Agency (AMNA).
“Respecting our monuments is not just a choice but our obligation; otherwise, we do not deserve to have renowned writers or monuments,” she added.
Aristea Plevri, the vice mayor of culture of Iraklio, reassured that the municipality’s technical service will promptly restore the damage suffered by the tomb.
Every day, a multitude of visitors pay their respects to Kazantzakis, the author of the emblematic “Zorba the Greek,” by visiting his grave.
As of now, the motivations behind the vandalism remain unknown. Police are investigating the incident to identify the culprits.
Source: Ekathimerini
