On Sunday, June 13, we went to the "Passion Play" in Oberammergau, the play is really an opera about the life of Christ. Admission is expensive and the seats are padded but uncomfortable and close together and arranged in rows and columns such that you look at the back of the person in front of you. In order to see, you have to lean right or left. Cameras were not allowed, so no photos of the production. You sit there for three hours, take a three hour break, and then return for the final three hours. Finally, the play is in German, and we all know Jesus spoken nothing but English.
We went back to the town a few days later and visited the museum and took these photos. The first is Carol by one of the costumes used in the play and me by another one. During the play, the action would stop and a tableau would come on showing a bible scene, generally one of the Old Testament stories that lead up to Christ such as Abraham's sacrifice. These tableaus are stunningly beautiful, use brilliant colors and are in still life.
The play has been going on for a very long time and those who have produced it are Catholic; however, there has been concerns about the text of the play from time to time until it was finally approved by a group of scholars. The play is fictitious and introduces many characters not in the bible. The third photo shows the oldest know text of the play.
The fourth photo relates the oath taken by the village elders four centuries ago. Here is my oath: having seen the play once, I swear to never see it again.
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