Vladimir Nabakoy must have had a copy of a Bible near him as he wrote Invitation to a Beheading . His allusions to events
in the Bible are certainly evident throughout the story. In chapter one he writes of pronouncing the death sentence on Cincinnatus. The reader can find a very similar scene in St. John 19:16 where it states that Jesus is “delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified.” Cincinnatus is led away towards his
crucifixion as well, and even stumbles as supposedly Christ did as well. Another allusion to the Bible is also included on the first page including when Cincinnatus is shown as a child “who has just learned to walk.” There are numerous passages in the New Testament that shows Jesus admonishing the crowds to be “like unto a child.” Vladimir portrays Cincinnatus as being very weary and in a state of despair, as Christ is when upon the cross. Vladimir, like Christ, also has a sense of what is to become of him. Cincinnatus sates; “After all, I had
premonitions, had premonitions of this finale” as compared to Christ when it says in Mark 14:25; “Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” There are a number of other comparisons that would allow the reader to understand that Nabakoy was attempting to write concerning Cincinnatus as a depiction of Christ in His last days. Neither Christ nor Cincinnatus explain themselves to their accusers, although in Cincinnatus’ circumstances that is probably due to the fact that he was in such shock. Invitation to a Beheading is an interesting read, and if read as a comparison between Christ and Cincinnatus, makes for some very entertaining discussion points. As a side note, it is ironic to find that Vladimir appropriately named the street Cincinnatus as travels “Garden Street” in a none too opaque reference to the Garden of Gethsemane. Another instance is when Cincinnatus is recalling the beauty of Marthe, his love and his wife in much the same way that Christ could have been remembering Mary Magdeline. Again, ironically perhaps, Vladimir chooses to use a name similar to the one with which Christ was oftentimes related. Overall Vladimir makes a competent effort at writing the story of Christ’s crucifixion in a manner that many would understand and identify with, but also allowed for those readers who would just enjoy a story of a man facing death and how such a man responded to that situation.