Vatican newspaper pays tribute to Boris Pasternak
August 19, 2011
L’Osservatore Romano has paid tribute to Boris Pasternak (1890-1960), the Russian novelist and poet best known for Doctor Zhivago.
“The fundamental spirit of my experiences or attempts is a conception of art, a creation and inspiration understood as sacrifice or self-abnegation, in a remote and humble similarity to the Last Supper and the Eucharist,” Pasternak said in a letter quoted by the Vatican newspaper. “In fact, the representative expression of our culture, the heroes and protagonists of European history are in some way an imitation of Jesus Christ, or they are closely linked and the Gospel is the foundation of that which we call the kingdom of literature and realism.”
The newspaper’s tribute, written by Pasternak’s son, also discussed the correspondence between the Nobel laureate and Thomas Merton.
For all current news, visit our News home page.
Further information:
- Art and freedom: Boris Pasternak, protagonist at the Rimini Meeting in the exhibition 'My Sister - Life' (L’Osservatore Romano)
- Boris Pasternak (Wikipedia)
All comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a current donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!
