History Fact Finder | Culture and Recreation - What Is A Passion Play?

What is a passion play?

A passion play is a dramatization of the suffering and crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth, also called the Christ, the founder of Christianity. The roots of this dramatic form can be traced as far back as the ancient Egyptians, who performed plays dedicated to Osiris, the god of the underworld and judge of the dead. The passion play was also influenced by the Greeks, who acted out plays in honor of Dionysus, the god of fertility, wine, and drama. During the Middle Ages (c. 450–c. 1500) these plays were centered primarily on Jesus Christ and were performed in Latin by clergymen. By the thirteenth century many passion plays were being performed in German by laymen rather than the clergy. By the fifteenth century the passion play had become somewhat degraded through contact with carnival plays and the religious community forbade further performances.

The passion play then became a part of the miracle...

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