An epic poem or narrative account about the life, deeds, or suffering of Christ, modeled after classical epics like the Iliad or Odyssey.
From 'Christ' + '-iad' (Greek '-iada', a suffix meaning narrative or epic, from 'Iliad'). Religious poets used this form to give Christ's story the grandeur of classical literature.
During the Renaissance, Christian poets intentionally used the '-iad' suffix to argue that Christ's story was just as heroic and important as Greek mythology—it was a power move elevating Christian literature.
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