The Tresdorf Passion Play
The annual passion play in Tresdorf, Carinthia, is full to the brim with emotion but very little dialogue. You’ll find the protagonists of Christ, Pilate, Herod, Simon of Cyrene, Judas and the Archangel Gabrial. The amateur actors tell the story of Christ from the point of view of the ordinary people from that time. The performance starts on Maundy Thursday, when all participants meet at the “Krassnigmühle”. Ulrich’s Kirchl church (the highest point of the village) is the next stop and becomes the Mount of Olives, where Jesus travels with his three disciples only to be betrayed by Judas. After the flagellation and thorn crowning, the characters return to their starting point. On Good Friday Jesus carries a wooden cross and returns to the church, where he lingers and prays for around quarter of an hour. According to legend, performing the Passion Play will protect the village from floods and epidemics. The simplicity and silent gestures of the Passion Play ensures that they attract many visitors back year after year.
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