isa-normaladvance-1915-00062-Dec

Description:	The Normal AdvanceVolume XX.TERRE HAUTE, IND., DECEMBER, 1914.Number. 3Wyt 3Pas&ton ipiap of <0fcerammergauBy ELIZABETH BUCKLEYTHE Miracle Plays, a name given to dramatized Biblical stories, grew out of theneed that the clergymen felt for making theceremonies of the church easier to understand.At first they were used to celebrate some ceremony, such as the burying of the cross on GoodFriday, and the disinterring it on Easter Sunday, and was given inside the church. Butgradually more complex ceremonies were given,and greater numbers of people attended, untilthe plays became so popular that they could nolonger be given within the church, but weregiven on the village green.As time passed on, plays of another naturetook the place of these miracle plays, and themiracle play itself was forgotten, save that itwas one of the sources from which the presentday drama originated. Today the most famousproduction that in any way resembles the miracle plays is the Passion Play at Oberammer-gau.This play had its origin in 1633, when theravages of the Black Death were sweepingEurope. Oberammergau, a little German village of about three hundred inhabitants, because of the remoteness of its location, seemedsafe from the pestilence. As the disease spread,the larger cities established a quarantine, verystrict in its nature, which forbade anyone toenter or leave the city, and Oberammergauwishing to avoid all contact with danger,adopted a similar quarantine.But it happened that a peasant, whose homewas in Oberammergau, but who was working inanother city, being very anxious to see his wifeand children, and not knowing what the conditions in Oberammergau might be, managed toevade the guards and thus gained access to thecity.The plague was already upon him, and in themorning he was found dead, and his death reported to the authorities. The disease spreadrapidly and for a time it seemed as if the littlecity would be wiped out of existence. Everyprecaution to prevent the plague from spreading further was taken, but to no avail.At last, so the story goes, the parish priestcalled together his little flock and advised themto make a vow to God, that if the ravages of theplague would cease, they would in that yearand every tenth year afterward, perform a Passion Play. The vow was made, the plagueabated, and to this day the people of Oberammergau consider it a sacred duty and privilegeto carry out the vow they made.The preparations for the Passion Play beginabout three years before its actual presentation,when the town council meet to take the vote, asto whether they shall have the Passion Playagain or not. This proceeding is only a matter of form, however, for it is an unheard ofthing for any citizen of Oberammergau to voteagainst having theplay. After the vote is received, a committee of the councilmen of thetown, three men selected from the city at large,and the parish priest as an honorary member, ischosen. This committee has charge of thepreparations of the play, including the sceneryfor the stage, hotels for the travelers, etc., andfinally the most important question of selecting
Source:	http://indstate.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/isuarchive/id/34876
Collection:	Indiana State University Archives

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