A Review of Man of God by Nick Olszyk
Distribution Service: Theatrical
Year: 2022
MPAA Rating, Not Rated at the Time of This Review
USCCB Rating, Not Rated at the Time of This Review
Reel Rating, Five Reels
As
an artform, cinema does not provide a good vehicle for prayer or devotion,
which is probably why Spielberg does not appear in the Roman missal. However,
there are exceptions, the most noteworthy being Mel Gibson’s masterpiece The
Passion of the Christ which was based not so much on the gospels but the
Stations of the Cross. Man of God presents another rare example, a
beautiful meditation on the life of an Orthodox saint worthy of imitation
across the Christian world.
Nectarios Kephalas
(Aris Servetalis) was a Greek Orthodox bishop in Alexandria around the turn of
the last century. He was known for his piety, humility, generosity, and even
miracle working. He was extremely popular among the common man, no matter their
faith. A Muslim peasant stops him on the way to Church. “I was healed!” he
exclaims. “Allah heard your prayers.” “No,” Nectarios smiles. “God heard your
prayers.” There are even rumors he will be picked as the next Patriarch of the
city. These mummerings unfortunately create jealously among his peers who falsely
accuse him of various “indiscretions.” He is unjustly exiled back to Greece,
which is only the start of troubles that would make even Job look upon him with
pity.
At
first, no one will give him even the smallest position despite his episcopal consecration.
Nectarios eventually finds work as the principal of a high school. Like the United
States at the time, many male Catholic secondary schools doubled as
pre-seminaries for teenagers considering a vocation. Much to the anger of the institution’s
president, Nectarious’ holy example leads many students to pursue religious
life over a secular career. Once chased out of that institution, he becomes the
spiritual mentor for a convent only to find himself in hot water again as the
number of novices increases.
Nectarios’
life is a perfect example of what St. Ignatius of Loyola termed “holy
indifference.” This is not apathy towards the needs of the world but willingness
to let go of control. When slandered in Egypt, he affirms his innocence but
does not resist the transfer. He accepts the hardships as lessons from God and
new situations as opportunities to help others. One friend, seeing Nectarios
slighted again, comments “If I were you, I would have lost faith a long time
ago.” The holy man shakes his head, “Woe to him whose faith depends on men.” Even
when suffering horrible pain from prostate cancer, his prayers are not for his
own relief but to make sure his nuns will be protected.
Writer/director
Yelena Popovic uses all the tools of cinema to create a brilliant work of mise-en-scène.
The cinematography isn’t quite black and white but a muted sepia tone, evoking
a world dull and dirtied by sin. Yet, Nectarios can find joy and beauty in this
world by looking through Heaven’s eyes. He smiles a lot while the richer and
more confident around him seem miserable. The pacing of the narrative is slow
and deliberate like the prayers of Nectarios’ rosary that he constantly filters
through his fingers. There are many extreme close-ups of Nectarios while other
actors are far in the distant. The whole ambience adds a mystical quality to
his story, not in the sense of otherworldly visions but total detachment from
the cares of this age.
The
story of Nectarios and his followers is one that seems to be fought in every
age. He is constantly berated for being “old fashioned” and “unmodern.” He
refuses to engage in the geopolitics that mark his religious superiors or the phycological
refinement of the civil authorities. When many of the young women of Aegina forsake
marriage and comfort to join Nectarios’ convent, it is assumed he must be
running a cult and sexually abusing these women. Voluntary chastity is unthinkable
in the 20th century. This leads to a criminal investigation
including humiliations too awful to be described here. When it is all over, government
officials are the ones backtracking and Nectarios, of course, forgives them.
When
Man of God was initially released, it was intended as a small, festival
film, but its popularity has led to a larger release starting March 21st.
It is the perfect movie for the Great Fast: a quiet, masterful work about a
great soul. Although technically not a Catholic saint, there is little doubt he
is among the angels.
This article first appeared in Catholic World Report on March 12th, 2022.
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