Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-19
part. And / believe they have been in

part. And I believe they have been in
dorsed and encouraged by the popes.
During the middle ages miracle pays
were common in England, France, Ger
many, Spain and Italy. They have al
ways been done by amateurs and by per-
sons of religious vocation for theSepiritua
insp' ration of the people. Their principa
object has been the revival of interest IN
sacred subjects and the conversion OF
souls. Today in many German villages
certain religious anniversaries are sc
celebrated with simple dramas inter
spersed with hymns and professions, III
which children chiefly take part.
But the Oberammergau Passion Play is
the first and until now the only pres
entation Of the kind for which an admis-
sion fee has been charged. Even there
1t has not been regarded as a commercial
enterprise.
The receipts have gone largely to pay
the expenses OF the presentation. The
balance has been divided between the vii
lage treasury and the actors, who have
thus been compensated for abandoning
their regular occupations for rehearsals
and public performances.
Presentation Of Passion Plays.
Religious plays have been presented
upon the stage in various places. We
have had them in New York. Boston and
Chicago. But ben Hur' is the only one
can remember that has ever been finan-
cialiy succe ssful or has been Endorsed by
the clergy.
There is a general feeling of repulsion
and remonstrance against the representa-
ton of sacred things by hired actors for
a price.
The Oberammergau Passion Play" as
presented by the simple Bavarian peas
ants. has been different, although it has
been frequently criticised and even OBJ
jected to. AT one time it was forbidden
by the government, and was revived only
after having the text expurgated of C r
tain passages which were offensive to the
official ideas of propriety and good taste.
The play is very old, as everybody
knows. It goes way back into the six
teenth century at least, and perhaps ear
lier, and has been performed at Nurem-
berg and Augsburg, and perhaps other
places. -
It is believed that it originated at Augs-
burg. 1t is more of deyelopm mt than
creation. and has been modified con-
siderably and changed during the centu-
ries.
by Father Bosner, local priest. in 174O;
1t was revised by Faith Weiss in 1910
and again by Father Daisenberger, the
village priest. in 1883. Several English
TRANSACTIONS have been made. one by r v.
Dr. Diclxie, former pastor Of the Amer
lean Church, in Berlin. being the bes;
known and most generally circulated
Thousands Of copi IS are sold every ten
years to American patrons.
Played for Three Centuries.
The same play has been given repeat
eddy during the last three centuries by
villagers around Innsbruck and other
parts Of the Tyroi. But the Oberammer-
gau peasants have had greater tenacity
Of purpose, greater dramatic talent and a
deeper appreciation OF the play than
those in any other part OF Germany.
Until 1920 they gave their performances
in the open churchyard. Now they have
steel structure, seating about 1000 peo-
pie, erected about ten years ago, and paid
for out Of the receipts OF 1900.
The performers have worn theatricai