This is very technically competent. The prose is lovely and translates well. Pacing is strong and symbolism is used provocatively.

The problem is that the impact of the story hangs on a particular character arc, which is based off of the protagonists possessive obsession with a woman whose character is the trope of the determined to be Christian Martyr borrowed wholesale from the likes of Acts with very little extra detailing. The author did a lot of interesting things from playing with a protagonist who doesn't know what the audience knows about the doctrine and eventual reach of Christianity. However because the protagonist's obsession has to be dialed up an unreasonable amount to get him to even be involved with the sect under those circumstance, it gets creepy and uninteresting in its creepiness quickly.