The play received the UNITER Prize, one of Romania's most prestigious literary awards,[citation needed] in 1992.
The play is set in Antioch, about two millennia ago, where Simon Peter calls on four students of the Cherintos Academy - John, Mark, Matthew and Luke, the writers of the New Testament - to write four "books" about the life of Jesus.
This was due to the offensive portrayal of figures highly revered in Christianity, particularly Jesus, Peter and Mary Magdelene.
The play was also denounced as an "attack against public morals" by Teoctist Arăpaşu, the Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church.
[1] A press release by the Roman Catholic Church of Iaşi stated: Mungiu has defended herself against these claims by asserting her right to freedom of speech.