Thursday, June 10, 2010

The Passion Play












Oberammergau is a tiny, rural town in Bavaria, Germany. It is deep in the country, surrounded by miles of natural beauty. The Tour stopped here specifically to see The Passion Play, a world-famous play put on by this small community every 10 years. We slept in a village a short distance away called Graswang, where only 111 people live. There we were guests in a homey bed and breakfast and were treated a meal at the only restaurant in town.







Many of us went hiking through the mountains surrounding us.














We ate great food at one of the best restaurants in Oberammergau.












The Passion Play is a very large event, attracting a full audience in every performance. It began as a small town's offering to God in 1634 for protection from the Bubonic Plague and has since become a tradition devoted to the sacrifice of Christ. The 7-hour play was very moving, displaying Christ's actions with a powerful grace.













Many of the buildings here are painted with huge murals, covering entire sides such as this one. This special decorating is geared specifically to Christianity and the Passion Play.












During the intermission, we walked throughout Oberammergau to visit the shops and stores. The village is filled with charming little places to buy keepsakes and handmade crafts.











Here are the boys, having a good time getting ready to enter into the theater.

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