October 26

Born in 1827 in Palluau-sur-Indre, France, Challemel-Lacour rose to prominence as a professor at the University of Paris, where he explored ethics and political theory. Transitioning into public service, he held roles including Prefect of the Seine and French Ambassador to Switzerland. In 1886, he was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs under the Third Republic, steering France through complex European diplomatic challenges. A prolific essayist, his writings on democracy and liberalism influenced republican thought in France. Challemel-Lacour died on October 26, 1896, remembered for bridging academic scholarship and high-level politics.

Nikos Kazantzakis was born in 1883 on the island of Crete and studied philosophy at the University of Athens. He traveled extensively across Europe and the Middle East, drawing inspiration from diverse cultures and spiritual traditions. His novel 'Zorba the Greek' (1946) became a global phenomenon and was later adapted into a celebrated film and musical. Kazantzakis’s works, such as 'Christ Recrucified' and 'The Last Temptation of Christ,' explore existential themes, faith, and the human quest for meaning. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature multiple times but never won, and some of his writings were censored by the Greek Orthodox Church. Kazantzakis also served as a diplomat and translator, and he received honorary doctorates from several universities. He died in 1957, yet his literary legacy endures as a cornerstone of modern Greek letters.