Passion

When I was last in Germany, as a teenager, a young friend told me about Oberammergau and the Passion Play its citizen portrayed every ten years. He said that I really should return to see this drama.

Many years later this long held dream came true. Set on an outdoor stage over 2000 inhabitants of Oberammergau bring the story of Jesus' last days to life with great devotion. It seems that with the rise in tourism everyone in the community contributes to the air of hospitality.

With a ticket to this play, guests receive a pass to a designated restaurant for lunch preceding the first part of the play and supper separating the two performances.

Crafted with the careful addition of old-testament based tableaus highlighted by a choir featuring over 40 voices backed by a 60 piece orchestra, the five hours of on-stage drama pass with barely a notice.

It would seem that even the Creator decided to join the performance that evening offering His voice of thunder and visual effects of lightening while bathing incoming actors with His cleansing waters.

In an act truely worthy of note, actors did not return to the stage to receive the applause and appreciation of the audience, choosing to leave us all to thank the Creator for this gift of prayer.