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Stelios Kazantzidis (1931-2001) was one of the most important singers of greek popular music of the past century. He was not only exceptionally popular, but managed to create a real myth around his life and personality and an enduring bond with his followers. In my presentation I try to indicate some of the reasons for this exceptional popularity.

Both through his songs and his life stance, Kazantzidis created and embodied a way of understanding, experiencing and healing the trauma of war, civil war and political persecution, and the pains and dilemmas of commercialization, poverty and injustice. Following a deeply felt inclination and using various cultural materials, he managed to create a powerful discourse about life's meanings and hardships and to appear as a "wounded surgeon" or a heroic saint, who is able to sooth pain and lead the humble and the sorrowful to a moral and decent life.