For the sake of Oberammergau’s Passion: Every ten years, Bavarian town becomes Calvary

So unique, in fact, that thousands around the globe, including Canada, make the trek to Oberammergau for this production of the story of Jesus’ final days and His resurrection. And it only happens every 10 years.

To peel back all the layers that make this particular play special, you have to go back to 1633, when the Black Plague swept through the region.

“There was no modern medicine, people did not understand what was happening,” said Frederik Mayet, a resident of Oberammergau who played the role of Jesus in the town’s 2010 production. “People started dying, they thought it was a punishment from God so they prayed. The people of Oberammergau promised to perform a Passion Play dedicated to the life and ministry of Jesus if He spared the town. He did and we have kept our promise ever since.”

The next version of the play is due in 2020, which will be its 42nd production since first hitting the stage nearly 400 years ago. Mayet and Christian Stueckl, director of the play since 1990, were in Toronto this month as part of a North American tour to promote the town and the play.

This Passion Play is made up of 16 acts, beginning with a tableau of Adam and Eve, followed by other notable stories like Jesus and the Money Changers, The Last Supper and ending with the Resurrection and Apotheosis. It is not your traditional Passion Play— the entire performance is

Article source: https://www.catholicregister.org/home/arts/item/26845-for-the-sake-of-oberammergau-s-passion-every-ten-years-bavarian-town-becomes-calvary