PASSION PLAY OF OBER AMMERGAU.

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 106, 1 April 1930, Page 8

PASSION PLAY OF OBER AMMERGAU.

Portraying tho world’s greatest tragedy, tho Passion Play of Obor Ammergau, with its wonderful theme, will bo screened at the Palmerston North Opera House to-morrow afternoon at 2.30 o’clock and in tho evening again at 8 o’clock. Usually, the Passion Play, which is world famous, is produced but every decade, but this year it has boon brought to life again earlier in order that the pilgrims to tho International Eucharistic Congress at Carthage may have tho opportunity of seeing it. Irrespective of class or creed, it always attracts thousands of visitors from all parts of Europe. To-morrow the people of Palmerston North will have the raro opportunity of witnessing tho faithfully picturised version of a groat event which has survived from the Middlo Ages. ■ The dramatic representation of tho sufferings of Christ took its rise from a vow made by tho inhabitants of the village of Obor Ammergau in tho Middlo Ages with the hope of staying a plague known as the Black Death, which had broken out and was raging in the village. Among their petitions they vowed to produce tho Passion Play every ten years if they were delivered from tho scourge. Their petition was heard and true to their promise the inhabitants of Obor Ammergau have every ten years during tho past three centuries staged this wondqrfui soul inspiring play with devout simplicity and convincing sincerity. There was a tendency iu the Middlo Ages to exalt the dramatising of religion, and moru and more meticulous- detail was added until these religious offices took on the character of sacred plays rather than religious services. It was then that the ecclesiastical authorities forbade the practico except in so far as it was compatible with the dignity and solemnity of Divine worship and those religious dramas or “mystery plays" were removed from the precincts of the church, though they still retained their religious character. This evolution seems to have been accomplished in the 12th century. Standing supreme as the only motion picture record of a remarkable ceremony of simple pageantry and sublime tragedy, tho screen version was filmed in the actual amphitheatre where the play is enacted, retaining all its historical associations. Deep reverence and depth of dramatic quality are outstanding characteristics of the Passion Play, which none should miss seeing. The box plan is open at the Central Booking Office.