Once Every Ten Years; St. Luke’s at This Decade’s Oberammergau Passion Play

By Cathe Rezendes

As a final celebration of the 175th anniversary of St. Luke’s in East Greenwich, this September nine parishioners and six friends attended the once-every-ten-years production of the Passion Play in the infamous Oberammergau, Germany.

In the early 1600’s when the Black Death was sweeping through Europe, the villagers of Oberammergau met in their church to make a vow: every ten years, they would hold a Passion Play if there were no more deaths in the village. In 1634, about 60 thankful players held their first Play in the church cemetery, and it has continued since. The community has kept the promise made 376 years ago. These days there is a theater to seat 4700 visitors from all over the world, and there are six performances a week from May until the first of October.

It was the unanimous highlight of a tour that took St. Luke’s to Switzerland and Austria as well as Oberammergau, Germany which is now a charming Bavarian town of 5,000.

The famous Passion Play is such a riveting portrayal of Jesus and his last days that the faithful sit in the afternoon for two and a half hours and then return for three more hours in the evening without even noticing the passage of time.

It was moving to experience firsthand how this community values the participation of their locals and welcomes their visitors sincerely. All the performers and musicians are either natives of Oberammergau or former residents who lived there at least twenty years. They start preparing a year ahead by growing long hair and beards.

The street scenes are impressive: young children waving palms, live animals, hundreds of villagers, priests in the temple, inspirational music, and all of it in German. The German is not a problem however – the story is visible with Old Testament tableaux interspersed in the realistic action, to remind us powerfully of the events of Jesus’ passion.

It was amazing to be part of it all, and many of those who attended the trip made a vow as well: to return for the next Passion Play, in 2020.

If you would like to hear more about Oberammergau or join St. Luke’s on their next trip contact Cathe Rezendes at 401-295-0798 or at catrez@cox.net.