A bit of speculation after the Passion Play reschedules

The Passion Play has been postponed until 2022
(Courtesy: GNTB)

OBERAMMERGAU, GERMWNY — Coronavirus continues to dominate the headlines as the world anxiously awaits the sound of the all-clear signal.

Hundreds of thousands of small businesses have been affected while major hospitality players such as hotels, airlines and cruise lines have suffered dramatically.

Now the country of Germany has announced the postponement of a 400 year tradition that has its roots linked to Europe's first epidemic, the Black Plague.

Citizens of Oberammergau prayed for plague relief in 1633
(Courtesy: GNTB)

In the great scheme of the multiple economic and medical outcomes resulting from COVID-19, perhaps the cancellation of the 2020 edition of the Oberammergau Passion Play is a minor consequence but from a cultural perspective the announcement is huge.

The Passion Play is only performed every ten years, and it is because of its rarity that pilgrims from around the world make long range plans for their visits. Since the first performance in 1634, the only other time the play was not performed as scheduled was in 1940 because of World War II.

Church interior today
(Courtesy: GNTB)

According to legend, after 80 deaths in the tiny village of Oberammergau in 1633, the citizens of the town made a sacred pledge that every ten years they would perform a "Play of the Suffering, Death and Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ" if God would protect them from further ravages of the plague.

Actually, the initial promise was to perform on an annual basis, but the range and scope of the production were so large that it was impossible to carry out the logistics on a yearly basis, so the ten year interval was adopted.

Following the vow, not a single person came down with the plague. Perhaps even more miraculously, everyone who was afflicted with the disease at the time of the oath survived.

Rendering of Oberammergau
(Courtesy: The Newberry)

True to the promise, the passion play was performed for the first time during Pentecost in 1634 and has fulfilled its agreement every ten years since.

The first performance took place in the cemetery next to the parish church on the fresh graves of victims of the plague. The stage was little more than a simple wood construction.

In 1830, the stage relocated to the northern edge of the village with a layout plan which offered space for 5000 spectators. Today the permanent Passion Play Theatre seats 4,700 people.

To participate, actors must be residents of Oberammergau. The cast consists of about half of the 5,000 residents whose otherwise every day lives consist of working as doctors, shopkeepers, teachers and the like.

You must be a resident or be born in Oberammergau
in order to participate
(Courtesy: GNTB)

All the main speaking parts are filled by actors who have lived in Oberammergau for at least 20 years or by people who were born there.

To illustrate why the logistics of a yearly performance are prohibitive, at times there are as many as 700 actors on stage at once.

• Playing Christ requires endurance so three different
• actors play rotate the role
• (Courtesy:GNTB)

Due to the physical stamina required for "Christ" to be on the cross for 20 minutes during the Crucifixion scene, three different actors rotate in the role of Jesus.

Due to the uncertainty the coronavirus is creating globally with constantly changing data and schedules, Germany has  announced the rescheduling of this year's production to 2022.

"The municipality of Oberammergau and the directing team of the Passion Play around Christian Stückl had to make this decision to protect the health of participants and spectators. The premiere is re-scheduled for May 21, 2022. "

At times there are 700 actors
on stage
(Courtesy: GNTB)

All of that said, in a world where speculation is frequently more newsworthy than actual events themselves, I am taking this opportunity for a bit of personal speculation regarding the temporary setback created by the COVID-19 nemesis.

Prior to the pandemic, the US economy was rocking along at a record-breaking pace. Suddenly, almost overnight, and with very little warning, Americans found themselves sequestered in there homes for largely precautionary reasons and guess what...we don't like it.

Americans are an active, busy society. We are forever on the move. We are doers.

Where people in other parts of the world take six weeks of vacation, Americans get two, maybe three if we're lucky. So don't mess with our free time.

Oberammergau's Passion Play is a cultural extravaganza
:(Courtesy: GNTB)

True, the hospitality industry is reeling, but it's a global phenomenon that is affecting us all and when this is over, the bounceback is going to be of unprecedented proportions.

I personally believe that springtime cabin fever will strike with tsunami-like results.

What do I know? Nothing. It's truly a mess, but I do believe that we are in uncharted territory that feels very different from similar disruptions in the past.

The Last Supper
(Courtesy: GNTB) 

Never before have we experienced sustained weeks without sports. Never before have major cultural events been postponed or canceled at such a concentrated level.

No, this time it's different and when it's over look out, because the wanderlusters of the world are ready to get up and go.