From the very beginning of his career, Nikos Kazantzakis used to be interested in those heroes and saints who were able to fight the temptations of the flesh and to transform the flesh into spirit. Saint Francis from Assisi was one of the beloved fellows in Kazantzakis's way to God. Kazantzakis was amazed by his austerity that he considered as a form of communism ante literam, and by the peace that the saint had achieved by renouncing to every form of private property. During a stay in Assisi, Kazantzakis met the Danish writer Joergensen, whose biografy about S. Francis would have been translated during the war period. Later Kazantzakis met Doctor Albert Schweitzer, whose life seemed to be a reincarnation of the Holy from Assisi. The novel The poor man of God was one of the latest works of the Cretan writer. In his narration, Kazantzakis describes the saint according to his strong feelings about life and spirituality.
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