Passion Plays

Passion plays have their origin in the Easter story and are dramatic presentations depicting the so-called passion of Jesus. So they show the trial, suffering and death of Jesus. Cheery ey? Passion plays are a traditional part of Lent in some Christian denominations, particularly Catholicism. 

They have been taking place since the 13th Century, and reached the height of their popularity in the 15th Century, when they were also performed in public squares with up to 200 actors from different social classes. They became increasingly more secular however, and started to add a lot more humour alongside the serious thought. By the16th Century due to circumstances at the time such as the Reformation which banned such dramatic representations of Christ, the plays were abolished. The plays were revived in the 19th         century and are now performed all over the world.