This magnificent story dates back to 1633. During the middle of the Thirty Years War that ravaged practically all of Europe, the small village of Oberammergau, Germany, was battling an even stronger enemy.
This village in the Upper Bavaria region was struggling against the Bubonic plague which had already taken the lives of half the population. The remaining inhabitants promised God that if he saved their village, they would perform the Passion Play every ten years. It recreates the last moments in the life of Jesus Christ on Earth.
The villagers who were spared put on the first performance in 1634 on a stage in the cemetery where the plague victims were buried. The first edition lasted six hours.
Nearly four centuries later, the village still keeps the promise of its ancestors every ten years. Besides bringing village residents together, it also has become extremely lucrative for the local tourist industry.
2010 marks the return of the Passion Play in Oberammergau. Residents invite tourists to come watch the mega-production which involves nearly half of the village’s 5,000 inhabitants from May 15 until October 3, 2010.